Best Bike Chain Lubes: How to make your bike faster, quieter & smoother
Posted by Trevor Barrett on
Best Bike Chain Lubes: How to make your bike faster, quieter & smoother
There are few components on your bike that work as hard as your chain does. It doesn’t take much effort to keep a chain clean and lubricated, but choosing the right chain lube can be a little confusing. Wax or oil? Wet or dry? Is $10 chain lube as good as the $30 bottle?
It doesn’t take much effort to keep a chain lubricated. But keeping it clean and lubricated gets tricky with so many different lubes making all manner of claims. Wax or oil? Wet or dry? Is $10 chain lube as good as the $30 (or $150!) bottle?
In the same way properly inflated tires can make or break a ride, a well-lubricated chain can mean a quiet, smooth ride rather than a creaky, squeaky one. Here, we’re rounding up our favorite chain lube options for all different riding styles.
BEST OVERALL CHAIN LUBE: Squirt Lube
The wax-based Squirt Lube is one of the easiest lubes to apply, thanks to its thicker texture. It’s become a go-to for Bikerumor editors for the last decade thanks to its high performance-to-price value. As one of them succinctly summed up, “Literally, there is nothing wrong with this product.” That’s high praise for anything bike-related!Unlike greasier options, this lube goes on thin and dry and stays that way. It sheds gunk even on wet or muddy rides, and keeps your chain clean and quiet. It’s also biodegradable, so you don’t need to feel guilty washing your bike in the driveway.
Application is easy, and it doesn’t take much to coat your chain…but you’ll probably want to reapply about every 3-4 rides. The wax lube stays smooth and doesn’t even require shaking before applying it to your chain, just don’t let it freeze or it will permanently separate and can’t be shaken back into solution.
Type: Wax
Size: 5ml, 120ml, 500ml
Price: $3.60, $21.00, $62.00
Read rest of the article here