How to Choose the Right Lubricants
An overview of 3 essential types of lubrication, complete with brand recommendations.
In today’s tutorial we’ll take a look at lubricants. These are all brands that I trust and recommend after years of heavy use in the bike shop. There are three main types of lubrication you should have: light oil, chain oil, and grease.
Light Oil
When I talk about light oils, I’m referring to a product called TriFlow. There are many other types of traditional light oil available, but a lot of these are vegetable based and tend to gum up. TriFlow is synthetic, teflon-based, and comes with a lubrication tube that makes it easy to lube inside cable housings, pivot points, and other hard-to-reach areas. TriFlow will penetrate quickly and thoroughly, so you only need a few drops of it.
Chain Oil
For chain lubrication I recommend a product called Finish Line Cross Country. I’ve tried a lot of different brands and found this to be the longest lasting lubricant. It’s a synthetic “wet-style” lubricant capable of sustaining high torque pedaling over long distances and nasty riding conditions. See the chain cleaning and lubrication tutorial for some more tips on applying it.
Phil Wood
Another highly recommended chain oil is called Phil Tenacious Oil. It also works great as a lubricant and water repellent, but some people find it a bit too thick for chains. I find it is best used to lubricate the inside of internal gear hubs like Sturmey-Archer 3-speeds. If you have an older bike with a 3-speed internal gear hub, Phil Wood should be all you need for both your chain and hub.
Wax Lubricants
A third type of chain lubricants are wax-based and are best for very dry climates. The best brand I’ve used is called Boeshield T-9. While wax-based lubes don’t collect as much dirt, they are a lot of hassle to apply correctly. You have to make sure your drivetrain is spotless clean before you apply it, which usually requires soaking your chain in cleaning solvent first. Then after you apply it you have to wait 2 hours before riding. It’s also important to remember that wax is simply not as good a lubricant as oil.
Waterproof Grease
You should always have some waterproof grease handy for overhauling bearings and greasing threads. There are so many different brands available. You can get it in a one for shop use or in a smaller tube for occasional home use. You can use the tube along with a grease gun for squirting oil into tight spaces like bearing cages. Another thing you can do is keep some grease in a film container with a small brush, which makes it easy to quickly grease threads.
Related Links
Recommended Tools
- Tri-Flow Superior Lube
- Finish Line Wet Chain Lube (Cross Country)
- Phil Wood Tenacious Oil
- Boeshield T-9 Wax Lubricant
- Super Lube White Grease Tube
- Finish Line Grease Gun
Categories
Discuss this topic in the Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics Forum
Bike Chain Falling Off
Latest post 2 days agoMy chain keeps falling off especially when I transition from 1st to 2nd chain ring. I also feel like I have to use a lot more pressure to shift from 1st to 2nd compared to going from 2nd to 3rd, which just might be me but I thought it was relevant to include. I am not super mechanically inclined so I can't diagnose an issue on my bike like this. Can you please tell me whats the issue and maybe how...
Read moreFront derailleur won’t stay in gear.
Latest post 3 weeks agoMy front derailleur will not stay in second or third it will shift all the way to the third gear but once I let go of my shifter it will spring back to first. So unless I hold the shifter on my handle bar in the proper position I cannot stay in second or third. Haven’t adjusted anything I just bought the bike off marketplace....
Read moreLeft a bike outside on the balcony for couple of months. How to get rid of the rust?
Latest post 3 weeks agop6i6rfpm1ip41 (1).jpg (Size: 82.1 KB / Downloads: 332) Is there a way to get rid of that rust or do I need to replace certain components? More pics...
Read moreWhich bottom bracket do I need for this ?
Latest post 4 weeks agoIMG_4487.jpeg (Size: 72.34 KB / Downloads: 38) Hi I’m converting my 2010 via nirone 7 bianchi Alu carb from campagnolo to shimano . What bottom bracket will I need ? I’ll be fitting shimano ultegra either a 6800 50/34 or possibly a gtx 48-31 crankset . The bike has always had the stock bb the bike was shipped with in 2010. Currently it has a veloce power torque 50/34 fi...
Read moreCan brake rotors fail if they rotate the wrong way?
Latest post 4 weeks agoMost people put brake rotors on so they rotate the correct way. But occasionally you might see one which has been put on the opposite way around. Does it matter? Can brake rotors fail if they rotate the wrong way?...
Read morespokes broke rapidly
Latest post 1 month agoI am a little heavier than many cyclists. I ride longer distances than many cyclists. A lot of my riding is on rough tracks. In the past, many bikes I have ridden, have never had broken spokes. Some have had broken spokes, but it has normally taken at least two years before they have broken. Bicycle components are getting weaker. I bought a new 29 inch mountain bike. After 6 weeks, I had a bro...
Read moreHow often do you wash your bike?
Latest post 1 month agoCiao. I know that some bike riders overexaggerate the 'cleaning part' and wash (or spray) their bikes at least once a week. I know, it's mandatory after a muddy trail ride. But I'm thinkging more about daily commuters. It gets dusty here and there, but how long is too long without a shower for a bike? For a bike that rides almost every day....
Read moreI put stronger bearings and axles in my wheels
Latest post 1 month agoI am a little taller than the average cyclist, and a little fatter. Which makes me heavier than a lot of cyclists. I ride longer distances than many cyclists, and a lot of my riding is on rough tracks. When I started riding fat bikes, I would bend or break the axles in the back wheels. The hubs had cup and cone bearings, with freewheels. I am not really that heavy. Many people are heavier than me...
Read moreRefurbished brake pads should last five times as long as new ones
Latest post 1 month agoRecently, the brake pads wore out on my bike. I put a new caliper on the front. Not long after, I decided to try an experiment with the back brakes. One day I was out cycling, and went past a place which refurbishes truck brakes and clutches. Many truck brakes and clutches are riveted to the backing plate. When they are worn out, they drill out the rivets, remove the old one, and put on a new one...
Read morePrevent breaking the axle in a freewheel hub
Latest post 2 months agoThe most common bikes with gears use a freewheel hub. Some bikes with gears have other types of hubs. Axles may bend and break in freewheel hubs. Heavy riders are more likely to bend and break axles than light riders. People riding on rough tracks are more likely to bend and break axles than people riding on smooth roads. Axles are more likely to bend and break in hard tails, than bikes with r...
Read moreCannot get tire off wheel
Latest post 2 months agoHow can I get my Eliminator Grid T9 tire off my rim? I've been at it for about an hour and it just doesn't want to come off....
Read morePatching a tire
Latest post 2 months agoIn the past I have had a lot of punctures. When they happened, I patched the tube, but the holes in the tire were so small, they did not need patching. After many more kilometers, rubber started coming away around two of the holes in the tire, exposing the chords. If I did not do anything, a rock could cut the chords, destroying the tire. I wanted to get more use out of the tire. I cut patches fr...
Read moreBest way to thoroughly clean a chain?
Latest post 2 months agoHi everyone! I hope you're enjoying a great start to 2023. I'm curious to hear your go-to method for getting a chain truly clean. I don't mean, just looks shiny or is good enough for a quick clean after a ride. I want to know what you do when you want to get every last morsel of ground-up, link-destroying, roller-eating, tooth-gnashing crud out of your chain. The Best Chain-Cleaning Recipe Ever?...
Read moreFront chain ring won't turn when pedaling
Latest post 2 months agoHi, I just got a new adult tricycle that is an 8-speed. It only has one chain ring in the front, no derailleur, and the gears are in the back. I assembled it and at first, it was working fine but then the bike stopped moving when I pedaled. I noticed the crank arms move but the front chain ring does not. It will however move if I pedal backyards. Any idea what it could be? I assume it is somethin...
Read morePutting 11-40 cassette on Ultegra di2?
Latest post 2 months agoIs it possible to put an 11-40 cassette on Ultegra di2 (8150, medium cage)? Bike is a Fezzari Empre SL road endurance bike with Zipp 300s wheels (Shimano micro spline hubs). Chainrings are 50/34. Alternatively, can I put a 32T chainring in front? I'm 65 with a heart transplant and ride in REALLY high/steep Colorado mountains. Thanks....
Read more