What type of chain lube should you use?
Your chain is one of the hardest working components on your bike. Every time you pedal there is a continuous metal on metal contact between your chain and the rest of your drivetrain.
The right chain lube for the conditions you ride in will keep your chain running quietly and smoothly as it engages with the cassette and chainring(s). It will also allow you to maximise the life span of all the components that form your drivetrain by preventing corrosion and reducing friction and wear. It simply helps your bike run more efficiently.
If you look after your chain and keep it lubricated it will move with less resistance, and depending on the type of lube that you use it will also help to prevent dirt from building up between the moving parts. Dirt that will also grind away on your cassette and chainring, meaning they will both require replacing sooner than expected, and obviously at a much greater cost to your wallet than if you just looked after your chain in the first place.
If your chain looks anything like these or worse, and you just leave it, it will be wearing out your drivetrain components.
There are many different types of lube currently available, for instance Muc-Off currently stock 11 different types, but in reality your main choice is between wet, dry, ceramic or a wax lube.
So which type of lube should you get?
With the amount of choice you have and all the various claims that each make, your decision is not as straightforward as you think.
Are you lazy with the cleaning and maintenance of your bike, or do you like to turn up to the trail with your trusty steed looking fresh and pristine?
Do you generally go on longer rides, or do you prefer shorter rides where you can section certain runs?
Your choice of lube should come down a little to personal preference, but more so the conditions that you ride in, and how much you want to spend. That being said, just because one type of lube costs more, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better.
For a more detailed explanation and to gain a greater understanding of each type of lube and the conditions they are supposedly best used for, you need to click the button below and subscribe to my dedicated newsletter.