How often do you apply mountain bike chain lube?

We want to know how often your lube your mountain bike chain.

By Jeff Barber
August 30, 2026 Last Updated: September 3, 2026

12 comments

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Mountain bikes require maintenance. We all know this, and yet for many of us, it’s an afterthought. Or something we deal with only once there is a problem. With that in mind, we want to know how often you lube your mountain bike chain.

Share your MTB chain lube tips and tricks in the comments below. 👇

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12 Comments

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Brokenbottle Colorado // 2026
Sep 1, 2026

Silca wax about once a year and the super secret wax about twice a year. My drivetrain maintenance routine is rinsing the chain off with water. Oil based lubes are scam! They just attract grime and accelerate drivetrain wear. Took me thirty years to figure that out.

5 reply

mtssea North Carolina // 2021
Sep 3, 2026

Agreed on oil based...not really just a scam, but just outdated & entirely useless vs. wax. I don't even do the silica anymore - just strip out the original grease/oil in min-spirits, dry, double lube w/ Squirt wax - then for DH bike, about once every eight-ten rides, trail bike about 3-4 rides, XC and Ebike every 2 rides. I get as many miles from a quality chain / chainring / cassette as w/ the silica so... don't even bother w/ that anymore. Took me 35 yrs to figure...

0 reply

bdubtc Michigan // 2025
Sep 1, 2026

Will absolutely never go back. Even all my kids' bikes have waxed chains. No more grease-stained pants or legs!

3 reply

BikeyMcBikeface Florida // 2025
Aug 31, 2026

BEFORE every ride I clean the chain with a cloth then apply the lube then remove the excess.

2 reply

So you have a fresh wet coating of oil to grab all the dust, grit, and grime on your ride?

Time to start waxing. Trust me. It'll change your life.

Jeff C 2026
Sep 1, 2026

I recently clean my new chain and tried wax for the first time , for some reason it attracted more dust than TriFlow that I have used for 10 years

You have to fully strip out the original if new or built up if older / lubed only grease / oils fully w/ mineral spirits (or other), dry, then base-wax 2-3 times with Squirt, and LET IT FULLY DRY overnight. Some riders say to let is sun-dry and then it's only 15 mins. I dont even get dirt, mud or anything on chains anymore - nothing sticks. In winter I just do every ride or every other ride as cold seems to reduce wax efficiency

Lindsay Smith 2026
Sep 3, 2026

I typically get my chain waxed before a race... I have found it only lasts about 500 - 700 kms. I use this lube.. wax based and it attracts no dirt. In fact I rarely if ever have to lean my cassette. https://www.momum.cc/en/products/lubes/chain-lubes

Namdoog Maine // 2025
Sep 2, 2026

On average about every 3 or 4 rides. More often if I'm riding in wet conditions. I brush my chain with a stiff brush to remove the worst of the dirt, wipe down the moving parts of the drivetrain then apply dry lube to the chain, derailleur, and pedals.

bdubtc Michigan // 2025
Aug 31, 2026

You can have a waxed chain and still "lube" it with drip wax every once in a while. For my waxed chain, I will wipe down and used compressed air to dry the chain after a wet ride or a wash. Then apply drip wax immediately after so it has time to dry before my next ride.

Ive done this too when I didn't have Squirt wax w/ me and it was fine since the wax base (from fully stripped chain) doesn't allow the oil to penetrate again. Then just dish-soap, clean, dry, and re-wax. Perfectly awesome. I just got 1250 miles on an ebike chain with wax only and am on 1750 now with an enduro bike, wax only and its just a mid-tier chain. Wax is the shit!

I recently tried Silca and found it attracted way more dust then TriFlow.

-1 reply

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