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Stuck between two chain lubes and picked wrong
I was at REI last Saturday trying to decide between wet lube and dry lube for my commuter bike. Went with the dry stuff since it was summer and less dusty. First ride after and my chain started squeaking by mile 3 on my way to work. I think I should have just stuck with the wet lube and wiped off the extra. Anyone else had a bad switch like this?
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ward.piper3d ago
Gotta push back on that one. Dry lube is the right call for a summer commuter, especially if you ride on pavement. That squeak you heard wasn't the lube failing, it was the chain self cleaning from the excess dust and grit that wet lube would have just glued on. Wet lube is a nightmare for city riding because it picks up every speck of dirt and turns into a grinding paste that kills your chain and cassette in a few hundred miles. Dry lube dries to a thin film that actually stays inside the rollers where it matters, and the outside stays clean. You probably just didn't shake the bottle enough or put it on a dirty chain. Try cleaning your chain first, apply the dry lube to each link, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off every drop of excess. Bet the squeak goes away and your drivetrain lasts way longer.
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