Lubrication
Lubricating your bike is an essential part of caring for and maintaining your bicycle. Cleaning and lubricating your bike keeps it running smooth and quiet and this should be done on a regular basis.
Bicycle lubricants are available as grease, oil, Teflon and wax based products. The reason bikes require specialty lubricants is because most of the components used on bikes are unique in their design, function and operating speeds. Sure lots of machines use chains but they do not all run at the same speed, through intricate components like derailleurs or are subjected to dirt, brake dust, sand, grit, mud and water; and often all at the same time. Different types of bikes also require different bicycle lubricants; road bike components don’t need suspension fork grease, mountain bike chains don’t like dry lubes as they wash out too easily… and so on.
So why should you use lubricants on your bike? There are many moving parts on a bicycle and where movement occurs, parts can wear. To stop components from wearing out fast we use lubricants. The lubricants help reduce friction and heat buildup which in turn reduces the amount of wear that occurs. Different materials on your bike respond in different ways when they interact and the lube that you use on each component needs to be compatible.
Bike chain lubes vary but as a general rule there are 3 main types, Wet lubes, Dry Lubes and Wax based Lubes.
If you like your bike to run smooth and quiet, wet lubes like the one produced by Tri Flow produce the best results, they don’t wash out easily when it rains and they have a relatively long life span but dust, grit and dirt tends to cling to it. When applying a wet lube you should place one small drop of lube on each link. This is slower than squirting it on but will ensure that the lube is applied evenly over the whole chain without any excess running off and being wasted.
Dry lubes like Tri Flow Teflon lube, create a dry film on the chains surface. This type of chain lube is a little bit noisier than the wet lube but doesn’t attract dust and dirt meaning it generally runs cleaner. In the rain, the dry lube washes out easily so if you get caught in the rain you will need to apply more lube when you get home.
Wax based chain lubricants like Rock N Roll were originally developed for the aerospace industry and this technology has been adapted for bicycle components; they are more advanced than wet or dry lubes and generally perform better over a longer time. Wax lubes must be applied differently to other lubes. To apply the lube you first need to start with a completely clean chain; this is so the wax can bond properly with the metal. Before you put the lube on you must shake the bottle until the wax at the bottom of the bottle has completely mixed with the applicator fluid. After the first application you should wipe the chain down until it is completely dry. The reason for doing this is you need to remove the dispersing agent. Don’t worry about wiping away the wax as it clings to your chain like crazy. Go for a ride around the block then repeat the process. The wax clings to metal and itself so over time you will build up a film of wax on your chain. With each application, the dispersing agent helps wash away any dirt or grit that has found it’s way into your chain helping keep it clean. Like dry lubes, wax lubes do not easily attract dirt, dust and grit.
Just remember, if you decide to try a different lube, always clean your chain first as bicycle chain lubes like to cling to bare metal and as a rule don’t interact well.
Other components that should be lubricated on a monthly basis are derailleurs, brakes caliper pivots, gear and brake cables, clipless pedals and suspension units. Wheel, headset and bottom bracket bearings should be lubricated every 12 months. You should also remove screws and bolts regularly, re-grease and tighten them to the recommended tolerances.
Rock N Roll have a range of greases for all of these applications. Super Slick grease is for applying to cables and suspension parts, Super Web grease is for bearings, Super Coast is for threads and Red Devil is a general purpose grease that is ideal for kids bikes and low cost adult bikes.
