wet lube or dry lube?

willdill

just cleaned down the bike now looking to put some lube on the chain and cassette.seeing a lot of people talking about wet and dry lube.whats the diffrence?

Flood

Lube is lube, dry lube would attract less dirt etc to stick to it.

willdill

hmmm makes sense alrite.how the he;ll can lubre be dry though

Inspector Coptoor

Wet lube is oil based.

Dry lube is carbon (graphite) based.

Graphite is an allotrope of carbon that allows the particles to slide past each other easily - think of the "lead" in a pencil.

It's also used in barbells in gyms to help the sleeves of the barbell turn

Jim Stynes

Does anyone use WD40 for lubing their chain?

Slydice

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Does anyone use WD40 for lubing their chain?

You know, I'd always thought it wasn't. I went to their website to get a quote where they say not to but I found this:

http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/myths-legends-fun-facts

Bike Friendly

Myth: WD-40® Multi-Use Product should not be used on bike chains.

Fact: While WD-40® Multi-Use Product it is not a grease, it is formulated with strong lubricating oils and other ingredients, and is a terrific product to use for bike maintenance. It does not attract dirt or moisture to metal surfaces – just be sure to wipe off any excess WD-40® Multi-Use Product before riding.

For long-term lubrication and other specialized bicycle maintenance needs, check out WD-40® BIKE. Developed specifically for cyclists and mechanics, this high-performance line of bicycle care products is sure to become a mainstay in the toolboxes of bike mechanics for decades.

Now I'm not sure.

gettingthere7

i was using wd40 but had to go to bike shop today as it was rusting the chain,apparently it takes moisture away,when i wanted it oiled.

Unknown Soldier

willdill wrote: »

just cleaned down the bike now looking to put some lube on the chain and cassette.seeing a lot of people talking about wet and dry lube.whats the diffrence?

I have no idea where I picked this up from...

Wet lube, for when its wet.

Dry lube, for when it's good weather.

I may be totally mistaken.

I just use wet lube at the mo. What with it being wet, a lot.

The most important part is to wipe down your chain before or preferably after every spin. I find that moving the chain forward a few inches and wiping it backwards & forwards is much, much more effective than "running the chain" through a rag.

Wanderer78

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

I have no idea where I picked this up from...

Wet lube, for when its wet.

Dry lube, for when it's good weather.

mad talk i tell yea! wet is for errr emm dry oh no wait wet err emm. crap i dont know.

wet is more stickier alright but it doesnt bother me at all. dry does seem to be more popular though.

Zen0

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

Wet lube is oil based.

Dry lube is carbon (graphite) based.

No. The wet and dry refers to the weather conditions for which the lube is intended, not the constituents of the lube. At least that's the case where bike lubes are concerned. Most bike dry lubes are oil based, they just have a lower viscosity than the wet ones. The wet ones provide greater protection in the wet. They are great when clean, but quickly accumulate grime and dirt which turns into an awful mess, which probably acts like a grinding paste on your chain. For that reason I don't use them any more. I use dry lube, and replace it very regularly. However, some dry lubes are too light for Irish weather and don't provide enough protection. Fenwick isn't bad, as is Finish Line. I'm using Chain Juice at the moment, which I find too light. One of the best wet weather lubes I have found recently is one I got in Aldi. WD40 is too light to protect a chain.

Wanderer78

Zen0 wrote: »

No. The wet and dry refers to the weather conditions for which the lube is intended, not the constituents of the lube. At least that's the case where bike lubes are concerned. Most bike dry lubes are oil based, they just have a lower viscosity than the wet ones. The wet ones provide greater protection in the wet. They are great when clean, but quickly accumulate grime and dirt which turns into an awful mess, which probably acts like a grinding paste on your chain. For that reason I don't use them any more. I use dry lube, and replace it very regularly. However, some dry lubes are too light for Irish weather and don't provide enough protection. Fenwick isn't bad, as is Finish Line. I'm using Chain Juice at the moment, which I find too light. One of the best wet weather lubes I have found recently is one I got in Aldi. WD40 is too light to protect a chain.

now theres a good answer, not as good as mine though!

thanks for the aldi tip

crosstownk

Maybe I have it wrong but I see it from the perspective of the properties of the lube itself. Wet lube is wet - wet to the touch. Dry lube is dry. If it's about weather conditions then why not use wet lube all the time given our Irish weather?

I always use an oil. For me, I consider oil better at getting into every nook and cranny as it's wet and has a good capillary action although it does attract more shyte and grime from the road that requires regular cleaning. A buddy uses dry lube and his chain seems to look cleaner for longer.

What puzzles me is the Siltec stuff that came on my Dura Ace chain. What's that all about and what happens to it after I clean the chain and reapply fresh lube?

I'll need a lot more convincing before I apply WD40 to my drive chain.

Unknown Soldier

Wanderer78 wrote: »

mad talk i tell yea! wet is for errr emm dry oh no wait wet err emm. crap i dont know.

wet is more stickier alright but it doesnt bother me at all. dry does seem to be more popular though.

From what I can recall... wet lube is oil or something and will stay on the chain but picks up a lot of grime.
Dry lube isn't oil based and is better but gets washed off during rain. Or something like that.

If you take care of your chain after every ride then either being used probably wouldn't matter.

Wanderer78

crosstownk wrote: »

I'll need a lot more convincing before I apply WD40 to my drive chain.

been highly recommended by bike mechanic mate, not to use wd on bikes. it was developed for removing moisture, not really for lubing. maybe it can be used in the bedroom though!

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

:)If you take care of your chain after every ride then either being used probably wouldn't matter.

something in which im gonna have to start doing with my new machine as soon as i get it

G1032

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

From what I can recall... wet lube is oil or something and will stay on the chain but picks up a lot of grime.
Dry lube isn't oil based and is better but gets washed off during rain. Or something like that.

If you take care of your chain after every ride then either being used probably wouldn't matter.

Ya. I use wet lube in the wet weather, as recommended by the mechanic in the LBS. He said though that I basically have to clean the chain after every ride that wet lube is used on as it picks up so much dirt and grime. He said chain would wear I double quick time if not cleaned after a spin where wet lube was used on it

dr.fuzzenstein

I've some copper grease and lithium grease lying around in my car section, would either one of them work?
+1 on the WD40, it's much too light, gets washed out or flies off, no use for chains.
If the grease I have is good, great, if not, does anyone have any specific recommendations for the chain on a mountain bike? Mostly used in the country, some road, some forest use.

crosstownk

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I've some copper grease

Copper grease is usually used to prevent creaks, squeaks and squeals. Not recommended as a proper lubricant. It's most common use in the motor trade is to prevent brake squeal as it works well in high temperatures which makes it useful as an anti seize.

Wanderer78

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

If the grease I have is good, great, if not, does anyone have any specific recommendations for the chain on a mountain bike? Mostly used in the country, some road, some forest use.

.

we re still debating this one. do mostly off road in mucky, crappy stuff. bouncing between wet and dry. still undecided but i dont look after my bike as well as i should

thelawman

was chatting to a local bike mechanic and he recommended GT85, it works pretty good, but might try some new lube for a change

Wanderer78

thelawman wrote: »

was chatting to a local bike mechanic and he recommended GT85, it works pretty good, but might try some new lube for a change

been recommended it as well

G1032

thelawman wrote: »

was chatting to a local bike mechanic and he recommended GT85, it works pretty good, but might try some new lube for a change

No good in the wet though. Washes away too easily on wet roads in my experience. I use it during 'summer' though.

Jim Stynes

I have been using GT85, WD40 and wet lube over the past number of years. GT85 is my favourite. I know a fella who races (Finishing above Wiggins in the tour of Britain years ago is his claim to fame) and does a bit of mechanicing as well. He recommended GT85 and also uses WD40 on his own bikes.

eeeee

It's hard to believe it isn't the answer:

Wanderer78

gadetra wrote: »

It's hard to believe it isn't the answer:

told yea....... bedroom use!

rollingscone

fed up sick and tired

As I understand it, wet lube is for when you expect wet conditions. Dry lube is for dry conditions. When you apply dry lube to your chain, you should allow it to dry off before you go out on the bike.

As far as WD40 goes, I wouldn't use it on my chain. The company themselves have deemed it necessary to bring out a 'bike' formulation... http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/myths-legends-fun-facts but that could just be marketing.

Brian?

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I've some copper grease and lithium grease lying around in my car section, would either one of them work?
+1 on the WD40, it's much too light, gets washed out or flies off, no use for chains.
If the grease I have is good, great, if not, does anyone have any specific recommendations for the chain on a mountain bike? Mostly used in the country, some road, some forest use.

Don't ever use grease on your chain. It catches up too much crap. Get whatever cheap chain oil your local bike shop has and use it lightly.

Diarmuid

I use wet lube on my commuter. Dry lube on that bike would be too much maintenance. Dry lube (this or this) only on the racing bike

dr.fuzzenstein

Thanks guys, the lithium and copper grease will stay off the bike!

Brian?

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Thanks guys, the lithium and copper grease will stay off the bike!

Just to confuse the issue, lithium grease is perfect for head set bearings
and bottom brackets.

dr.fuzzenstein

Brian? wrote: »

Just to confuse the issue, lithium grease is perfect for head set bearings
and bottom brackets.

Might smear some copper grease on the back of my front brake pads (joke), they squeal like a pig in the wet, my friggin' ears!

Fian

Ok, i know that i will probably get jumped on for this - but isn't life way too short to rub down your chain after every spin or to worry about cleaning and relubricating your chain every few weeks (or months!)?

when i was a kid riding bikes I would never have even contemplated that level of maintenance.

Is the only downside of not being strict about that sort of stuff that the chain and cassette will wear down after a few years? The cost of replacing a chain and cassette in three years is not enough to justify the time and bother involved in adopting a "high maintenance" approach imo.

I ask partly because I am about to move from a cheap bike to a decent one with ultegra level components. Am I missing something? Will failing to worry about this stuff cause more damage than needing to replace chain and cassette in a few years?

With my current bike i probably do degrease & relube the chain twice a year, and I make the occassional effort to clean off the grease/grime that gets splashed up onto the bike, but i certainly wouldn't think of wiping down the bike after i have been out for a spin, even in the rain.

this may be against "the rules" but as far as i can tell it is not doing any significant damage.

Alek

Is the only downside of not being strict about that sort of stuff that the chain and cassette will wear down after a few years?

With my current bike i probably do degrease & relube the chain twice a year, and I make the occassional effort to clean off the grease/grime that gets splashed up onto the bike, but i certainly wouldn't think of wiping down the bike after i have been out for a spin, even in the rain.

How much do you cycle? I make ~9000km a year and have to change the chain twice in this time - it stretches beyond the recommended amount, which is caused by abrasive action from dirt. I degrease + relube it roughly every two-three weeks.

(On the other hand thanks to changing the chain in time there is almost no wear on the cassette and chainrings.)

equivariant

Fian wrote: »

Ok, i know that i will probably get jumped on for this - but isn't life way too short to rub down your chain after every spin or to worry about cleaning and relubricating your chain every few weeks (or months!)?

when i was a kid riding bikes I would never have even contemplated that level of maintenance.

Is the only downside of not being strict about that sort of stuff that the chain and cassette will wear down after a few years? The cost of replacing a chain and cassette in three years is not enough to justify the time and bother involved in adopting a "high maintenance" approach imo.

I ask partly because I am about to move from a cheap bike to a decent one with ultegra level components. Am I missing something? Will failing to worry about this stuff cause more damage than needing to replace chain and cassette in a few years?

With my current bike i probably do degrease & relube the chain twice a year, and I make the occassional effort to clean off the grease/grime that gets splashed up onto the bike, but i certainly wouldn't think of wiping down the bike after i have been out for a spin, even in the rain.

this may be against "the rules" but as far as i can tell it is not doing any significant damage.

I've worn out a chain in 4 months through lack of proper care and I don't do serious mileage compared to a lot here. You have also got cassette, chainrings and jockey wheels to replace if they wear out. I guess if you don't mind replacing those much more frequently than usual then it's not so bad.

Another consideration - the bike feels nicer to ride when the drivetrain is smooth. If you clean the drivetrain regularly, that smooth feeling lasts a lot longer

ericzeking

As per the GCN video, use wd40 as your degreaser and then you can also use it as the lube once the chain is washed, been using it all winter and thus far in the racing season, works a treat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzVRxlIUL0

Alek

use it as the lube once the chain is washed, been using it all winter

How many kms until the chain is squeaky? Does it hold at all in rain?

ericzeking

Alek wrote: »

How many kms until the chain is squeaky? Does it hold at all in rain?

It was on the winter/commuting bike which was washed very little, I'm guessing I gave the chain a spray once a week before my long weekend spins.

WRT rain, I raced Kanturk last weekend, WD40 as chain lube, torrential rain all weekend, no issues.

The main advantage I see is that the chain & cassette gather practically no gunk in comparison to conventional bike lubes.

benneca1

Ok lads lotta confusion here. I've been biking for longer that I care to remember so first thing olive oil, butter, vaseline, grease, peanut butter, WD40, etc etc are not chain lubes

Amazingly the best thing to lubricate a chain is chain lube !!!!!!

There are 2 broad types wet and dry. Wet lube is for wet weather dry lube is for dry. Pretty clear so far. I hear you all ask why. Well wet lube sticks well in the wet but is sticky stuff and attracts all types of gunk so you have to clean your chain and derailleur pulleys more often if you use it in dry conditions ( if its wet a lot of gunk just washes off)

Dry lube on the other hand is great stuff but washes off really easily leading to squeaking wear and all sorts of unpleasantness.

So there you have it - not rocket science. If its nice and sunny and looks like it might stay that way use dry if its raining cats and dogs use wet.

Last point don't mix them. I hear you laugh but I met a genius who thought it might be a good idea. If you,ve been using wet lube then clean chain before applying the dry.

fed up sick and tired

Fian wrote: »

Ok, i know that i will probably get jumped on for this - but isn't life way too short to rub down your chain after every spin or to worry about cleaning and relubricating your chain every few weeks (or months!)?

You have to make that decision for yourself. People on the internet will jump on you for the most ridiculously judgemental pretexts, so don't mind that.

On the other hand, some people might say that life is too short to be slovenly. Not relubricating your chain for weeks, most certainly is that.

I'd say it takes me about ten minutes to do it, maybe every second or third spin.

Maintenance is a state of mind as much as anything. You spot problems before they get out of hand, like fraying cables, or worn brake blocks for example. Important stuff. Peace of mind.

Unknown Soldier

Fian wrote: »

Ok, i know that i will probably get jumped on for this - but isn't life way too short to rub down your chain after every spin or to worry about cleaning and relubricating your chain every few weeks (or months!)?

when i was a kid riding bikes I would never have even contemplated that level of maintenance.

Is the only downside of not being strict about that sort of stuff that the chain and cassette will wear down after a few years? The cost of replacing a chain and cassette in three years is not enough to justify the time and bother involved in adopting a "high maintenance" approach imo.

I ask partly because I am about to move from a cheap bike to a decent one with ultegra level components. Am I missing something? Will failing to worry about this stuff cause more damage than needing to replace chain and cassette in a few years?

With my current bike i probably do degrease & relube the chain twice a year, and I make the occasional effort to clean off the grease/grime that gets splashed up onto the bike, but i certainly wouldn't think of wiping down the bike after i have been out for a spin, even in the rain.

this may be against "the rules" but as far as i can tell it is not doing any significant damage.

You need to stop thinking of it in terms of time/years and in terms of usage/KMs.

If I remember, I tend to wipe my chain after every spin. It takes about 30 seconds.
Depending on usage and the weather/conditions I might end up cleaning the whole running gear every two weeks. Sometimes weekly. That's about 10 minutes work.

I haven't been doing the milage I did last year but the bike I am using currently for the last couple of months has about 1200KM on it and I would have done at least 4 full cleans. Mostly due to the fact that the weather has been filthy/wet

You don't realise how much "better/nicer" a clean cassette etc makes with regards to cycling the bike until you've gone from filthy to clean. When I used to try and convince work colleagues of its merits I used to say that it was like gaining a gear. Say for example there was a long drag that you went up in a rear 25t with an uncared for cassette, you might find with a maintained one that you would do it in a 22/20t.

I'm not someone who keeps his chain etc looked after because it's "my thing", I'm actually quite the lazy pr1ck. My missus will vouch for that.

I only do it because I now know the value of it for cycling.


I highly recommend any of those Aerosol Citrus degreasers for handy and efficient cassette cleaning. Though the aerosol is slightly expensive. A lot cheaper than a new crankset though

You can see below how good the Citrus stuff is though the rear cassette wasn't totally filthy! More... mildly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDf8ExXXRkQ

Brian?

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

You need to stop thinking of it in terms of time/years and in terms of usage/KMs.

If I remember, I tend to wipe my chain after every spin. It takes about 30 seconds.
Depending on usage and the weather/conditions I might end up cleaning the whole running gear every two weeks. Sometimes weekly. That's about 10 minutes work.

I haven't been doing the milage I did last year but the bike I am using currently for the last couple of months has about 1200KM on it and I would have done at least 4 full cleans. Mostly due to the fact that the weather has been filthy/wet

You don't realise how much "better/nicer" a clean cassette etc makes with regards to cycling the bike until you've gone from filthy to clean. When I used to try and convince work colleagues of its merits I used to say that it was like gaining a gear. Say for example there was a long drag that you went up in a rear 25t with an uncared for cassette, you might find with a maintained one that you would do it in a 22/20t.

I'm not someone who keeps his chain etc looked after because it's "my thing", I'm actually quite the lazy pr1ck. My missus will vouch for that.

I only do it because I now know the value of it for cycling.


I highly recommend any of those Aerosol Citrus degreasers for handy and efficient cassette cleaning. Though the aerosol is slightly expensive. A lot cheaper than a new crankset though

You can see below how good the Citrus stuff is though the rear cassette wasn't totally filthy! More... mildly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDf8ExXXRkQ

I think washing up liquid, water and a brush would have done as good a job on that cassette. Which you're going to have to use now anyway to wash off the degreaser.

Unknown Soldier

Brian? wrote: »

I think washing up liquid, water and a brush would have done as good a job on that cassette. Which you're going to have to use now anyway to wash off the degreaser.

Yes it would, with some elbow grease.

The citrus Aerosol stuff is super fast with results being instantaneous.

I just pour some hot/warm water over it once that done

I'm not going into the merits of which cleaner/method is better, I'm just trying to convince people to the merits of just doing it, however they do it :P

Jim Stynes

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

Yes it would, with some elbow grease.

The citrus Aerosol stuff is super fast with results being instantaneous.

I just pour some hot/warm water over it once that done

I'm not going into the merits of which cleaner/method is better, I'm just trying to convince people to the merits of just doing it, however they do it :P

Im sold on it! Where do I buy this stuff!

Unknown Soldier

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Im sold on it! Where do I buy this stuff!

Most shops have some sort of it in stock. It's just a Citrus based Degreaser.

Example below.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/weldtite/dirtwash-cd1-citrus-degreaser-spray-400ml-ec038152

I usually get mine off CRC or from Wheelworx, bar the bargain Muc Off stuff that Tesco were selling at <4 Euro a can

G1032

Alek wrote: »

How many kms until the chain is squeaky? Does it hold at all in rain?

Bingo! WD40 is probably grand on bone dry roads in the likes of America but on wet dirty Irish roads it'd wash off in p!ssing time.

Flood

Lube with anti-sling properties is important.

equivariant

Brian? wrote: »

I think washing up liquid, water and a brush would have done as good a job on that cassette. Which you're going to have to use now anyway to wash off the degreaser.

Washing up liquid should be avoided for bike cleaning as it often contains salt.

JBokeh

I forgot to lube my chain once after cleaning it, got to the trails and then I realised it was bone dry. I had a bottle of power steering fluid in the boot of my car, and thought to myself that it is better than nothing, so dripped some onto every link.

Not sure if it is a good or bad thing but I found it cleaned off much easier than the stuff meant for a chain, but it left a bit of a film around.

And anyone that has had a chain break resulting in smashing ones nuts off the top tube will be able to tell you the value of a well maintained chain, and people like me who spend big money on a chain because it is 50g lighter,so I like to get the most milage out of it

Brian?

equivariant wrote: »

Washing up liquid should be avoided for bike cleaning as it often contains salt.

I've heard this before and it might be an issue if it was just left sitting on the bike. But it's washed off, so it's not an issue.

crosstownk

JBokeh wrote: »

I forgot to lube my chain once after cleaning it, got to the trails and then I realised it was bone dry. I had a bottle of power steering fluid in the boot of my car, and thought to myself that it is better than nothing, so dripped some onto every link.

Not sure if it is a good or bad thing but I found it cleaned off much easier than the stuff meant for a chain, but it left a bit of a film around.

It's hydraulic fluid rather than a lubricant but it will get you out of a hole. The fact that it cleaned off easier is an indication of it's inefficiencies as lubricant. But it's better than a dry chain!

martyc5674

Degreased my chain today as I do regularly enough but I wouldn't be obsessive about it. I use a chain cleaner tool and some halfords citrus degreaser.
Anyway I'd been following this thread so I tried the gt85 as a lube as was only going for an hour and weather was good.
Seemed to work fine however my drivetrain was notably louder......
Not sure if this was due to more dry parts rubbing than normal or if the light gt 85 doesn't deaden the sound of moving chain linkages as good as my previous lube.
IM on the fence!
Marty.