With this Quick Question series we will present fast fixes and collect comments from seasoned riders around specific D.I.Y. mountain bike repairs. While much of this trailside triage is covered in our repair articles and videos, this is a space for longtime riders and readers in the Singletracks community to share their knowledge. Please type your related experiences and advice in the comments below. Do you have a quick question? 🤔 Email [email protected]
Today’s MTB maintenance and repair query comes from a reader based in Connecticut: “What oil can I use to limit the gritty and gummy mess on my jockey wheels. I’m using a stiff toothbrush to clean them after 10 miles on CT dirt. Went through a chain and cassette in only nine months so I want to extend the life of this new drivetrain.”
This one might be a little more region-specific than others, so we would love it if readers can add some favorite chain lubes and drivetrain cleaning strategies in the comments below. I will take a first pass at the answer.
For starters, I really feel for this rider. I spent many years riding in the Pacific Northwest through sideways rain, lubing my chain after every pedal just to keep the noise down a little. I definitely wasn’t washing the drivetrain every ten miles, and my bike rarely shifted properly as a result. I now live in a dry climate, and drivetrain issues typically come from smashing against rocks far before any components are exhausted.
The number one thing I eventually learned in the name of drivetrain-health in the PNW was that using a lot of heavy “wet-weather” lube only made things worse. A friendly bike mechanic taught me that if I use a lighter-weight (aka dry-conditions) lube all of the time it will lead to less crap collected on the drivetrain on a given ride. The light oil may wash out faster on soggy shreds, but a noisy drivetrain is potentially better than one that’s full of grit — sanding itself into obsolescence. Of course, some puddles can be too deep for thin oils, and sometimes heavy oil is the only way, but whenever possible I now reach for the lightest option I can get.
Since that lightweight lube doesn’t collect as much of the trail, there is less to clean after the ride. It sounds like the soil where this reader lives can be quite tenacious, so frequent drivetrain scrubs are necessary. After a thorough cleaning, where the former oil and soil are removed from the cranks, cogs, and pulleys, the next step is to apply lube to both sides of the chainplates. The chain only needs oil between the plates and rollers where it moves, and all of the excess oil should be wiped off. Anything left on the outside of the plates only serves to collect trail detritus which creates that gummy goodness we all want to avoid.
Now, riding through the mild Mediterranean climate, I wait until my drivetrain audibly asks for oil before applying any. At the first sound of dry metal, I give it a quick cleaning and a little lube.
It’s your turn! There are definitely more drivetrain lube and cleaning tips and tactics than these. Please share yours in the comments below.
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The easiest solution is to switch to a wax based lube like Squirt, which doesn’t require the same tricky application as a full hot wax treatment. It also tests as lower friction and longer chain life than oil based lines. Just follow the instructions on the bottle and you’ll be on your way to a clean drivetrain that doesn’t have all the lube come off at the first sign of rain.
Here in New England we stay off the trails when they are wet if we can, but to avoid build up of crud on the chain I switched to using Hotwax and then a dry lube in between the was treatments. So far things have worked out pretty well and my drive train is more or less silent when pedaling.
Top up the wax by using Boeshield T-9 any time after washing the bike and the chain is wet. Dries without leaving any oily residues
DuPont Teflon Silicone Lubricant Aerosol Spray. I love this stuff!! It’s lightweight, easy to use, relatively durable, and repels water like nobody’s business. Been using it for over 20 years on my mountain, road, and now, gravel bikes in the very wet & muddy conditions of Central NY.
Have been using Squirt for a number of years thanks to the LBS. Keeps the chain well lubed but drive train is clean. Yes, need to apply more frequently than other lubes that I’ve tried-White Lightening, Finish Line, Pedro’s Ice. But drive train is way cleaner using Squirt.
I apply warm coconut oil onto each roller with a syringe, then wipe excess away. I’ve had decent success with the ‘natural’ alternative, especially in cooler temps when the oil congeals into a more wax-like consistency.
I’ve tried many different lubes over the last 30 years of riding. Just about every kind with the exception of hot melt wax. Switched to Dumonde tech pro x regular 2 years ago, after getting tired of having to apply a dry lube every ride, or dealing with the gummy mess of a wet lube. Now using it on all my bikes (road,gravel, mountain,fat). Holds up well, results in a super quiet and very clean drivetrain. As always your results may vary. Also, still on my first bottle! So the upfront cost is a little higher, and you need to put the work in to completely strip the chain before the first application, but worth in my opinion.
Wolf Tooth WT 1 just follow the instructions
+1 on this. Or SCC Slick (same product, different colorant). Follow the instructions and it works amazingly well.
I use this Dumonde product on my chain.
I live in AZ.
After 38 years in the military I am pretty deaf. Chain noise is not an issue. Component life is. The best lube I ever used was a hot soak in 50% diesel, 50% paraffin. What a mess. Now I run any brand dry lube from my LBS. The actual performance differences between brands is more psychological than real. Apply about every other ride.
I’ve been using Smoove lube for 4 years now and never clean my chains as they are always clean. I live in the PNW and ride year-round. Smoove flat out works and goes about 150 miles between applications even when riding in the wet. Following the directions is key. It is not a lube you put on right before you ride, but rather 24 hours ahead. Once you adapt to that is all smoove sailing.
+1 hot wax. I didn’t think it was possible for my bike to get so dirty and my chain to stay so clean and quiet! To make life easier I got a dedicated $10 “spinach dip” crock pot as my permanent waxing pot. I also rotate between three chains so that I can put a new chain on easily when the current one gets a little noisy and then I dip at least two chains at a time.
These comments are all super helpful. Thanks, y’all!