I was dead wrong about $15 chain lube

For years I only used basic 3-in-1 oil on my touring bike chains because I thought expensive lubes were a gimmick. After a 400 mile trip through Oregon last fall I had to replace my drivetrain twice from all the grit and wear. Has anyone else had a cheap lube fail them on a long ride and switch to something pricier?

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2 Comments

eva_ward883mo ago

Oh man, I feel your pain on that. I ran cheap hardware store oil on my commuter for a season and it was like the lube just disappeared after 50 miles in wet conditions. My chain was grinding and picking up every speck of grit on the road. After switching to a proper wet lube for around $12 I noticed way less noise and the chain actually stayed clean longer between relubes. What made you finally realize it was the lube and not just bad luck with the conditions or the chain itself?

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brookep623mo ago

Wait, aren't most proper wet lubes closer to $8 than $12?

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