NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Muc Off Wet Lube is good stuff (and what I use), but asking for a recommendation on a bike forum about what to put on your chain is guaranteed to produce a lot of opinions...
Dry lube?
- Thread starter chris folder
- Start date
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Muc Off Wet Lube is good stuff (and what I use), but asking for a recommendation on a bike forum about what to put on your chain is guaranteed to produce a lot of opinions...
Stef 1
Senior Member
- Location
- Cotswolds, UK
So - always used to wet lube until recently. Got some muck off dry lube too.
Applied it three times now in the past month. Nice clean chain and running gear but does seem to need more TLC.
I read up on what you're suppossed to do... I completely cleaned and degreased everything first. Once dried applied the stuff individually to each link roller. Slowly turned the cranks for a bit, left for a while, wiped, waiting a few hours before riding etc... seemed great for first couple of rides but rained whilst on a ride shortly after that, so ended up washing bike and re-applying all over again that weekend. Not enough riding to really form an opinion.
After that it probably lasted probably about 3 weeks (around 200km per week in dry conditions) until I noticed a fair bit of squeaking from the rear halfway through a long ride.
Washed, degreaesed and applied again. Now quiet and slick again. Seems like a lot of effort though if I need to go through the whole cleaning chain thourougly every 2 or 3 weeks. My hands really don't like the degreaser either!
Sorry to jump of the thread with questions, but;
How often do you apply dry lube?
Do you degrease or wash chain and cassette before each application?
I don't apply it my cassette - just the chain... how about you?
Thanks
Applied it three times now in the past month. Nice clean chain and running gear but does seem to need more TLC.
I read up on what you're suppossed to do... I completely cleaned and degreased everything first. Once dried applied the stuff individually to each link roller. Slowly turned the cranks for a bit, left for a while, wiped, waiting a few hours before riding etc... seemed great for first couple of rides but rained whilst on a ride shortly after that, so ended up washing bike and re-applying all over again that weekend. Not enough riding to really form an opinion.
After that it probably lasted probably about 3 weeks (around 200km per week in dry conditions) until I noticed a fair bit of squeaking from the rear halfway through a long ride.
Washed, degreaesed and applied again. Now quiet and slick again. Seems like a lot of effort though if I need to go through the whole cleaning chain thourougly every 2 or 3 weeks. My hands really don't like the degreaser either!
Sorry to jump of the thread with questions, but;
How often do you apply dry lube?
Do you degrease or wash chain and cassette before each application?
I don't apply it my cassette - just the chain... how about you?
Thanks
U
User6179
Guest
Once in a lifetime, figured out it does not work and binned it.
Stef 1
Senior Member
- Location
- Cotswolds, UK
RIght then, so obviously 600km is a bit excessive without TLC :/. With wet lube I just went with ‘feel’ or noise as an indication when to lube - or whenever I gave things a proper wash. Guess dry lube should be more frequent regardless? It didn’t feel any different (no binding or grittiness) - just started to squeal a little.
not really applicable, but ’ve heard some hot wax treatments squeal anyways, even when good.
As I’m not adding any grease/oil to the chain it seems to me a shouldn’t need to degrease as part of each clean - what do you reckon.
Will see this bottle through to the end but will likely switch back to wet stuff after that....
not really applicable, but ’ve heard some hot wax treatments squeal anyways, even when good.
As I’m not adding any grease/oil to the chain it seems to me a shouldn’t need to degrease as part of each clean - what do you reckon.
Will see this bottle through to the end but will likely switch back to wet stuff after that....
lazyfatgit
Guest
- Location
- Lawrence, NSW
I ride in mostly dry and frequently warm weather.
Dry lube on the road bike needs applied almost every ride. It’s just not designed for distance.
It’s most useful on the mtb where it seems to work better as it doesn’t attract quite so much dust from gravel roads and trails as wet lube.
I ran a 50:50 mix for a while of wet/dry but eventually got fed up with the frequency of application.
Now I just use oil, add a drop to each roller now and again (500km?) and run the chain through a rag if it looks a bit black.
Dry lube on the road bike needs applied almost every ride. It’s just not designed for distance.
It’s most useful on the mtb where it seems to work better as it doesn’t attract quite so much dust from gravel roads and trails as wet lube.
I ran a 50:50 mix for a while of wet/dry but eventually got fed up with the frequency of application.
Now I just use oil, add a drop to each roller now and again (500km?) and run the chain through a rag if it looks a bit black.
I used Muc Off dry lube once - the weather report said no rain but we had a little bit. My commute home (25 miles) was horrendous as all the lube had washed off pretty quickly. The chain was awful and I could hear it grinding away. I know it's dry lube but it washes away so quickly it's just not worth the risk.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
For wet lube that is fine. Wet lube will often see you round an audax over 1000km without needing to apply more.
gaijintendo
Veteran
- Location
- Scotchland
Even the words "dry lube" sound painful. Makes me think of something that should be fun, chafing instead.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Don't go degreasing the chain that often, only if absolutely filthy. I'm not overly keen on dry lube as it does gunk up more that wet lube - i.e. wax deposits. It's OK on road, but I'd re-lube once a week and wipe, wipe, wipe to get wax off whilst the solution is wet.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
"600km, blimey, no wonder you squeaked."
Just use the (no longer called) Mickle method with wet lube for UK conditions around the year. The chain's only going to last 3000k max before needing changing.
Wet lube, properly applied before starting, was fine for an end-to-end (1600k). On LEL last year I confess to putting a bit of lube on after 1000k (was it Thirsk?) to see me to the end (1430k) but the drivetrain was still quiet.
Just use the (no longer called) Mickle method with wet lube for UK conditions around the year. The chain's only going to last 3000k max before needing changing.
