Best chain lube for sandy LFT commuting?

I commute from Edgewater to downtown on the FLT.  Very sandy.  Regular chain grease has a tendency to get emulsified w/ rain & water, then sand sticks in that emulsion and makes for an abrasive, grinding ride.  I end up degreasing & re-lubing all the time.

What's everyone's experience/opinion on the best lube for those conditions?  I'm thinking something dry, or on the dry-side, so it isn't such a sand magnet.  Any specific recommendations would be appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on July 16, 2012 at 6:19pm

Finish Line has several "dry" teflon based lubricants that I use during the summer months.  (I commute on the LFT daily, year round.)  It actually seems to work quite well.  You have to re-apply it somewhat frequently (every week or so), but I don't have issues with stuff collecting on my chain. 

I switch to a wet lube for the winter season, however.

Permalink Reply by Kevin K on July 16, 2012 at 6:24pm

Cool, I'll check those out.  I bought some graphite powder yesterday, that's as dry as it gets, but have a feeling one rain will wash it all off.

Permalink Reply by rb on July 17, 2012 at 1:00am

Finish line dry lube works great for keeping dust and grime off the chain. It does need to be applied pretty regularly though to keep all running well.



Joe Studer said:

Finish Line has several "dry" teflon based lubricants that I use during the summer months.  (I commute on the LFT daily, year round.)  It actually seems to work quite well.  You have to re-apply it somewhat frequently (every week or so), but I don't have issues with stuff collecting on my chain. 

I switch to a wet lube for the winter season, however.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 17, 2012 at 3:46am

Anyone of the dry lubes on the market will work better.

I know it is language nit picking but grease is never used on a chain, oil or lube is.  There is a huge difference between them.

Permalink Reply by Mark on July 17, 2012 at 4:27am

I also live in Edgewater and ride the LFT every day.  I use Finish Line Dry Lube in the summer and Wet in the winter.  Also, I wipe the chain off every couple of days and lube about every week and a half.

Permalink Reply by Kevin K on July 17, 2012 at 6:14am

True true. Grease is more for bottom-brackets, bearings, etc, right?  Consistency of petroleum jelly.

notoriousDUG said:

Anyone of the dry lubes on the market will work better.

I know it is language nit picking but grease is never used on a chain, oil or lube is.  There is a huge difference between them.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 17, 2012 at 6:29am

Yep.

Kevin Kelly said:

True true. Grease is more for bottom-brackets, bearings, etc, right?  Consistency of petroleum jelly.

notoriousDUG said:

Anyone of the dry lubes on the market will work better.

I know it is language nit picking but grease is never used on a chain, oil or lube is.  There is a huge difference between them.

Permalink Reply by S on July 17, 2012 at 6:43am

I've found Chain-L to be pretty effective.  Once you apply it, it's pretty dry and since you wipe it off from the side plates after the first or second day, it doesn't really accumulate much crud over time.  It lasts for a really long time too.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on July 17, 2012 at 2:37pm

Kevin, I ride the lakefront path 52 weeks per year and have used all kinds of petroleum-based products. Some will not work in the winter and others collect too much sand and gunk. Based on an earlier post recommendation on Chainlink I tried the White Lightning line of wax-based products. My recumbent trike uses 3 lengths of chain, so this is an important issue for me. I lubed on Saturday, the first time since May.  My chain is almost always clean.

However, I also discovered something else. To protect myself from getting chain on my calf, I put a piece of pipe insulation on the bike that covers the chain. To my surprise, the gentle flapping of the insulation also seems to knock off clingy particles, too. Go figure.

Permalink Reply by Rick Schukat (6.3mi) on July 18, 2012 at 12:34pm

+1 on Chain-L,,,I commute on the very dry, dusty limestone of the IPP and GWT and drivetrain stays pretty clean!

S said:

I've found Chain-L to be pretty effective.  Once you apply it, it's pretty dry and since you wipe it off from the side plates after the first or second day, it doesn't really accumulate much crud over time.  It lasts for a really long time too.

Permalink Reply by Ride it like you stole it on July 18, 2012 at 5:00pm

Just go real easy until you get to know Chain-L. It is thick, and can be easily to overdone. You will have to wipe your chain for a day or two, but worth it. If you overdue it, forget about it.

Rick Schukat said:

+1 on Chain-L,,,I commute on the very dry, dusty limestone of the IPP and GWT and drivetrain stays pretty clean!

S said:

I've found Chain-L to be pretty effective.  Once you apply it, it's pretty dry and since you wipe it off from the side plates after the first or second day, it doesn't really accumulate much crud over time.  It lasts for a really long time too.

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