Chain lube

[Pedal power1972]

Any riders use specific chain lube on their e-bikes??
I have always used muc off dry weather chain lube even for winter riding, I also don’t ride in the wet sloshy mud.
With frequent cleaning I’ve never had a problem with a rusty chain. If looked after and dried properly after every ride.
I do have a fresh bottle of wet weather muc off chain lube but been told it will attract all the dirt and grime while riding and will also make chain extremely dirty and black.
So now I have been researching the best clean chain lube for e-bikes and have found a lube called squirt its reviews looks extremely good and it’s more of a wax lubricant….
Any one else uses this stuff? Or better still what’s your go to in chain lube plz…

 

[irie]

I use Muc-Off All Weather Chain Lube.

 

[Bummers]

Muc-Off E-Bike All Weather Lube - 400ml | Merlin Cycles

Buy your Muc-Off E-Bike All Weather Lube - 400ml at Merlin. Free worldwide delivery available on most items!

www.merlincycles.com

No idea if it's any good but the chain isn't rusty, 400ml for less than £6. Seems to do the job

 

[thebarber]

Nowt but gt 85
buy at aldi £2 tin, I usually buy a case or 2 when the deals are on.
My 2021 e sommet s on 1200mls original chainset

 

[Hobo Mikey]

GT 85.

 

[steve_sordy]

I use Finish Line Wet lube all year round now. I used to use their wet lube in the wet season and their dry lube in the dry season. But I can no longer be arsed to changeover. I get good transmission life, and despite not drying my bike after use, no rust!

Edit: Before each ride, I run the chain through an old towel to remove any loose crap. Then I lube with the Finish Line wet lube. Not only no rust, but no black chains either.

 

[mtb-steve]

I've been using Wurth dry chain lube, my chain and cassette stay clean, however I'm not sure the chain has lasted as long as normal.
I've just changed to an 11 speed using a new 12 speed chain, I'm about to fit a new 12 speed chain I have in stock but I'm going back to GT85 so I'll see if the chain lasts any longer.

 

[Ian222]

Just started using Peatys all weather lube. Can’t comment on how good it is yet.

 

[Randomdave]

I try anything and everything. This is what I've used over the past couple years.

• Smoove - not bad, doesn't last long though in wet conditions
• Squirt - pretty good stuff but messy and doesn't last more than 2 or 3 rides, wet or dry.
• White Lightning Clean Ride Wax - used this probably more than any others. Works very well and lasts several rides and doesn't gunk up.
• Muc-off ebike specific - Good stuff, pricey in my area, hard to find, and the bottle is tiny.
• Dumonde Tech - messy AF. attracts all the dirt on the trail. Requires a chain cleaning after every ride. No joke.
• Finish Line Ceramic - thin, hard to see it going on, but works pretty well. Lasts several rides and the chain doesn't get gunky.
• Rock'n Roll Gold - Good stuff. Works in all conditions and doesn't gunk up the chain.
• Progold Prolink - not too bad. Didn't like it much in dry conditions. Chain got really filthy.

Some of the best stuff I ever used was Wend Wax On. That stuff lasts numerous rides and kept the chain clean. The only problems are it's very pricey, relatively speaking, and it's a pain to apply. Not something you could use at the trailhead exactly. Good stuff though. I guess I should order some more, since I ran out of it a few years ago.

There's a lot of very good chain lubes out there. Above is just my personal opinions based on my experience with those brands. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Jurassic]

I've been using Squirt lube on my ebike. I used it initially only on my gravel bike and I've used Finish Line wet lube on my mtbs for years but I decided to try Squirt on my eeb just to see how it goes. So far I've been quite pleased with the results. That being said, I clean and re-lube my chain every ride (irrespective of which lube I'm using) so if you're looking for something to last multiple rides it may not be the best option. What I can say for sure is that it doesn't gunk up your drive train, it does prevent mud sticking to your transmission quite well and even after cleaning (I only scrub the chain with water and some times muc off) there's still a waxy layer left preventing any rust. I've just ordered some of the ebike specific stuff to try, not because I believe the marketing hype about ebike specific products but because I've read some user reviews that said it was a bit of a thicker consistency than the regular stuff.

 

[JP-NZ]

I use muc off dry weather (don't ride in the wet) it came in a package deal with MO94 that was highly regarded on the forum.

 

[Bigfathairybiker]

10W40 or whatever I have around.
Usually about two quid a litre.

 

[pampmyride]

Enigma - Black Edition Ultimate Chain Wax

Hot wax chain lube, running two chains. Clean chains & minimal wear in 1050 miles, but we've had a long dry year...

 

[Rotwilder]

Smoove seems to be the best I’ve used over the years. I clean the chain with Muc-off every few weeks and re-apply. Never used it in very wet conditions so don’t know if it’s good for that. Gear changing feels really smooth and quiet, but that could be my leisurely and timely handling of the bike Smoove Universal Chain Lube - SMOOVE™

 

[Utah Rider]

If you want to spend more time riding and less time mucking with your chain, use Maxima Chain wax. It's cheap and rated for moto. Just apply liberally after cleaning your chain, wipe with a rag, let dry overnight. You'll get crazy miles between maintenance. Lube it and leave it. You'll thank me.

 

[Chairman]

Rocknroll blue. After everyride clean chain with rag then apply one drop to every link. Wipe off excess before next ride. Process does not take long and chain does not attract dirt to stick.

 

[jonmat]

I've tried quite a few and still not formed an opinion. What I can say is the wax-based lubricants dispel moisture but attract grit. If you don't clean your chain and cassette it turns into grinding paste. If I had a perfectly disciplined cleaning regime, but I don't, I'd probably lubricate with GT85, WD40. The sticky wax-based lubes attract grit, and the lighter oil-based ones wash off quickly. It's a really tricky question to answer.

 

[Jurassic]

I think the responses to this thread demonstrate that there's no one right answer, it depends entirely on what your prevailing riding conditions are. I think the OP needs to read through all the advice and recommendations and figure out which ones align most closely with his/hers own local conditions and take it from there.

 

[SGS]

I've been using TF2 dry chain lube and found it does the job and you can usually get it on sale which is a bonus

 

[Utah Rider]

That copy and paste from a marketing rep? It’s not normal human process.

I took a screen shot from a Google search. I'll delete it.

 

[euphomate]

I took a screen shot from a Google search. I'll delete it.

I used this stuff (Maxima) on my motorcycles for years. Riding consisted of daily city commuting, and long, long touring rides across the length and breadth of the Australian continent. Extreme heat, both dry and humid, monsoonal downpours and dust. Maxima took all in its stride. I never wore a chain out prematurely or experienced rust. Never thought about it for an e-bike, but will give it a try. It's great stuff. Thanks for the tip (and the memories).

 

[Utah Rider]

I used this stuff (Maxima) on my motorcycles for years. Riding consisted of daily city commuting, and long, long touring rides across the length and breadth of the Australian continent. Extreme heat, both dry and humid, monsoonal downpours and dust. Maxima took all in its stride. I never wore a chain out prematurely or experienced rust. Never thought about it for an e-bike, but will give it a try. It's great stuff. Thanks for the tip (and the memories).

Yeah, the bicycle guys like to stick with the bicycle shops but the moto world is where the best value and longevity for chain lube is at. I ride ebike around 3000 miles a year. The Maxima stays put. I probably clean my chain in solvent once a month. Only minor reapplication between cleanings. Won't wash off, great in the dust..

 

[Chairman]

To each his own for sure but without going into the many valid reasons why there is actually a reason why bicycle lube is different from motorbike lube. Pretty much the same reason motorbike lube is different to heavy machinery lube. Horses for courses.

 

[Gyre]

So now I have been researching the best clean chain lube for e-bikes and have found a lube called squirt its reviews looks extremely good and it’s more of a wax lubricant….

I've used regular Squirt and "e-bike" Squirt. The e-bike version is quite thick and can really gunk up your pulleys if you don't scrape it off.

In general I mostly use White Lightning and occasionally one of the Squirt versions. They work fine for me in dry SoCal conditions, but if rain and mud are involved, you'll definitely want something oil-based.

 

[nepper]

Squirt lube was my all time favorite until Rex Racing came up with their Domestique and Black Diamond chain waxes. Now there is E-bike specific version of Black Diamond that is anti wear boosted. Black Diamond E-bike Chain Lube :: Rex Ski Wax.

Just in: Rex Black Diamond drips on "Fastest Ever" chain lube, independently-tested: Updated

Rex has the new World's Fastest Chain Lube", a new nanotech-powered Black Diamond wax lube that's easy-to-use, rainproof, longer lasting & faster than ever!

bikerumor.com

It's crazy tiny bottle of wax but it lasts long. No solvents are used so everything you drip on the chain stays there. It is not going to evaporate to sky like most chain lubes. Basic WD / GT sprays are great example of how much solvent you can stuff into product and still call it lubricant.

 

[Gyre]

It's crazy tiny bottle of wax but it lasts long.

Has anyone done any controlled studies on whether cleaning and lubing a chain used in MTB conditions more often makes it last longer than leaving a "long lasting" lube? I don't have any data, but I'd guess that frequently cleaning MTB chains is a must, in which case paying extra for a lube with more longevity may not make sense.

 

[ratherbebiking]

I am of the opinion people spend way too much time thinking about these things. Keep your drivetrain clean and lightly lubed and away you go.

That being said, I typically use Muc-Off (wet and dry) largely because I (a) I have it and (b) I like the smell of it.

 

[Utah Rider]

Has anyone done any controlled studies on whether cleaning and lubing a chain used in MTB conditions more often makes it last longer than leaving a "long lasting" lube? I don't have any data, but I'd guess that frequently cleaning MTB chains is a must, in which case paying extra for a lube with more longevity may not make sense.

You could just keep putting oil on your chain but it will turn black and then every time you load it or stop and put your leg down you'll have black marks on your leg. If you keep using dry lube without cleaning then your shift quality will go to crap or possibly get chain suck.

 

[nepper]

Has anyone done any controlled studies on whether cleaning and lubing a chain used in MTB conditions more often makes it last longer than leaving a "long lasting" lube? I don't have any data, but I'd guess that frequently cleaning MTB chains is a must, in which case paying extra for a lube with more longevity may not make sense.

Long lasting and dirt resitant lubes do accumulate grime at low rate. Study of that is definitely coming in future. Chain cleaning can be done badly too. In worse case cenario you just introduce dirt into pins with solvent, frequently. Personally id like to do thorough and effective cleaaning / lubing rarely. Less is more.

Molten wax based lubes are nice field of study too, and more and more will come to market.

 

[Tim22]