New chain advice

 Also, the water dispersal properties aren’t what it was developed for, and the 40 isn’t because it was the 40th attempt either. 

Ahem yes it is, check out the company history here.

http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/history

peted76 wrote:

userfriendly wrote:

Also, Sheldon’s site isn’t the final wisdom to end all wisdom when it comes to bike tech. As Sergio points out above, for the use of certain lubricants (i.e. wax-based, like ‘Squirt’) you *have* to completely degrease the chain first. And it’s worth it because ‘Squirt’ is an excellent lube, not just for your dry weather best bike.

The key to the best way of applying it is incidentally the same as for factory grease: heat. Take the completely degreased and dried chain and put it on a radiator, wait for it to warm up and apply the wax-based lube. Wait a bit till it’s soaked through, turn the chain over and apply again. Repeat for another one or two applications.

After doing that once, all you ever need to do throughout the life of that chain is to lightly brush off the dirt (it never really sticks as would be the case with any other lube) and re-apply once (on the bike, no need to put it on the radiator again).

Your reward is a drivetrain completely free of that nasty destructive black gunk typical with conventional lubes, which means less time spent on cleaning and maintenance, and a longer life of all drivetrain components.

I regularly get asked if I’ve put on a new chain, no matter how long it’s been on the bike.

Really? That’s amazing.. I’d be up for a bit of fettling like this!

I tried Squirt. I liked it fresh on the chain, but it would always peel off in lumps, and I’d have to reapply after every 50 miles – it didn’t even last most club runs. On reading this, maybe I was missing out on the heating element of application, as I definitely degreased it enough.

Had a total ‘mare with the Muc-Off spray dry lube – left the chain to soak in it and it never dried out – was so tacky, the chain stuck to itself, my fingers, and everything it touched.

Simon E wrote:

Nick T wrote:

Never put WD40 anywhere near your bike, let alone on the chain for goodness sake

Is that one of ‘the rules’ ?

its a penetrating oil, it lubricates to a degree but it’s not a lubricant. It’s purpose is to penetrate, in ways that no other oil is able to – if other oils were able to spread like WD40s compound is, there wouldn’t have been any need to spend money developing it. Sure, you can clean a chain off with it, but your chain touches your cassette, your jockey wheels, these touch your freewheel, your derailers, your hubs.. Places you really don’t want a penetrating oil to work its way in and break down your greases. 

 Also, the water dispersal properties aren’t what it was developed for, and the 40 isn’t because it was the 40th attempt either. 

So not one of “the rules” but certainly a rule worth sticking to. 

a) I ruined a freehub by

a) I ruined a freehub by using WD40 on the rear wheel in winter so I stay clear of it now.

b) I asked my trusted friend at the LBS about the new chain and he recommended leaving the factory grease on it. It performed wonderfully and I did 200 miles on it before I cleaned it.

Simon E wrote:

Nick T wrote:

Never put WD40 anywhere near your bike, let alone on the chain for goodness sake

Is that one of ‘the rules’ ?

Oh dear …

Simon E wrote:

Nick T wrote:

Never put WD40 anywhere near your bike, let alone on the chain for goodness sake

Is that one of ‘the rules’ ?

WD – good for cleaning but it breaks down other lubricants, so as you state on a rag and then wipe the chain is probably okay as you can wipe off the residue easily enough afterwards. 

A NO NO is squirting WD into a chain or soaking chain in WD as when ‘normal lube’ is applied on top of any wd residue it will dillute it.  Ergo it won’t last as long and everyone knows the lube/grease you can’t see on a chain is the stuff you want to stay in place.

Personally I run my chain every or every other ride through some kitchen roll (instead of a rag), it picks up all the excess grease and most surface dirt, doesn’t disintegrate or leave any bits on the chain, I find it very effective routine. It allows me to ‘check’ the chain for bits, hair and amount of grease left on the chain. Takes about two mins to do. I’ve also got some ‘Purple Harry’ pipe cleaners which are made for getting inbetween the cogs of the cassette, if I see any ‘bits’ lurking in the cogs, a quick shimmy with a pipe cleaners gets em out. 

I might squirt chain cleaner through my chain and cassette and give it a thourough clean once every two to four weeks dependant on riding and conditions.

Nick T wrote:

Never put WD40 anywhere near your bike, let alone on the chain for goodness sake

Chains are relatively cheap,
Chains are relatively cheap, clean and lubricate how you like and change every year.