How To Lube Bike Chain

Lubricating your chain helps your bike overcome mechanical resistance, rust, wear and keeps the drivetrain in the tip-top shape.

Most importantly, it increases the lifeline of your drivetrain. Lubricating your chain should be part of your bike maintenance routine.

In this article, we'll go through everything you need to know about lubricating a bike chain, whether you have a dry or wet lube. 

How often should I lube my bike?

Regular cyclists would benefit from cleaning and lubricating their chain. Most bike experts recommend one to lubricate their bike at least once a month for optimal performance.

The chain and drivetrain are the dirtiest parts of a bike. The dirt and grit can ruin a bike's longevity and performance. Oiling your bike chain will also depend on how often you ride a bike, the type of lube used, the bike's condition, and general attention you give the chain care. 

To some cyclists it means applying the lube each day, while for others, it's once a month or more. If you ride 5 miles a week in excellent weather conditions, it may take some months before you can lube a bike.

If you ride at least 30 miles a week in good weather, you need to lube your bike after every two weeks.

Over-lubing the bike attracts dirt which forms a gritty that grinds the chain and drivetrain down. If you are not sure of the best time to lube a chain, oil the chain when you hear a sound coming from it. There's no correct answer as to when you can lube a bike. It only depends on the circumstances.

What can I use to lube my bike chain?

The best way to leave your bike in the best condition is to make sure you are using the best bike chain lube. Although you can use household spray lubricants, they are thin, and your bike's chain will dry out fast.

Never use vegetable-based oils because they are too sticky. Motor oils, on the other hand, are too thick and won't penetrate the chain or even reach the pins.

In other words, if you want to keep your bike in the best condition, you need to use bike-specific lubes. They are two types of bike-specific lube you need to buy:

Dry lube. 

This type of lube was developed for mountain bikes where their chains are known to pick up dirt fast. However, you can still use dry lube for all kinds of chains, and it doesn't have to be a mountain bike alone.

However, dry lubes won't work well in mud and weather conditions because they attract a lot of dirt to the chain. The only challenge they have is that you need to apply it more often than wet lube.

When you use a dry lube on a bike, its solvent dries off and leaves a light waxy film. It takes a few hours before the solvent dries off, so you should lube the chain after the ride in preparation for the next one.

Wet lube. 

This synthetic oil is used to oil a bike chain in wet conditions where rust is not a concern. The lube stays wet and protects the moisture from penetrating the chain's plates, pins, and rollers.

Wet lube collects a lot of dirt and debris, and most bike experts recommend using it only when the conditions are favorable. Wet lube lasts longer than a dry lube because it stays long on a wet chain. However, it will attract a lot of dirt in a dry and dusty environment.

The big question is, which lube should you use? If you ride your bike in harsh weather conditions. In other words, cold and wet, a wet lube will be perfect for you. If you ride in pleasant weather conditions like the rest of us, a dry lube will suit you.

How to apply lube on a chain?

The use of a degreaser is debatable. Whether you want to use it or not, the answer is, it depends. Some riders will add a degreaser on the chain to clean it before they apply the lube.

The purpose of the degreaser is to remove the old grease and muck on the chain. That said, if you grease your bike a lot, a degreaser is a must-have. Besides that, a degreaser increases the bike’s performance.

Apply a tiny amount of degreaser and slowly pedal back using your hands. Put it on every nook and cranny of the chain because that's where the lube will penetrate. Alternatively, you can apply the degreaser on the toothbrush and apply it to the chain.

The next step is applying the lube. It would be best to have a little lube on the chain to overcome resistance by plates, rollers, and pins. That way, the chain won't collect too much dirt when you are riding a bike.

It would be best if you put a drop of lube per link while you pedal back the chain. Take note of the starting point to prevent over-lubing the same place twice. 

Slowly pedal the chain up and down the cassette and make sure the lube is well-distributed in all the rollers and pins. Using a clean, dry rag, hold the chain and pedal back to wipe off excess lube. If you have applied a wet lube, you'll need a second wipe to remove the extra lube.

If you are changing lubes you have to use a degreaser first before applying the new lube. Otherwise, the new lube may not penetrate the chain’s rollers, plates, and pins. However, the lube will suspend on the old lube and collect even more dirt.

Conclusion

Now you have a detailed guide on how you can lube your bike chain. At first, the process may look a bit challenging if you have never done it before.

However, with time, you will be able to do it without any challenges. Using lube will keep your chain in the best conditions possible, and it will boost your bike's performance. Make sure you use the right lube for the right weather conditions and wipe off the excesses.