Comments on: De-crustifying Derailleurs

By: Mauricio Babilonia

Mauricio Babilonia — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:22:16 +0000

Good on you Noah for pointing out that WD-40 is too light for use as a lubricant. I agree with Ed that Tri-flow is good, but that it also tends to attract a lot of dirt. My current faves are ProLink and Boeshield, both of which are metal conditioners with pretty good anti-corrosion properties and both of which stay pretty dry.

Of course, I should also repeat my mantra that full fenders and a big front mudflap go a long way toward keeping things cleaner in the first place…

By: Apertome

Apertome — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:23:38 +0000

Great tip — I may need to try this on my mountain bike, after some snow/sleet insanity this weekend.

I second Ed’s comments about Tri-Flow being great for chains. I use it on all but my mountain bike, and I like it better than the Finish Line stuff I was using before. It’s not as sticky and doesn’t attract as much dirt.

By: Ed W

Ed W — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:43:47 +0000

Tri-Flow is an excellent chain lube. It was originally developed as a military lubricant primarily for small arms that had to withstand immersion and salt spray. The teflon component is resistant to both heat and pressure. I used it to protect a .22 revolver that was used for dog training. Firing black powder blanks causes a lot of fouling and offers significant corrosion. Tri-Flow doesn’t get displaced once it’s on the metal, so cleaning required nothing more than a patch with solvent, not a bore brush.

I used it for years on my bikes. The last time I checked, a chain lasted about 5000 miles before wearing out when I lubed with Tri-Flow. My only criticism is that it stays ‘wet’ and attracts dirt, but if you clean and lube a chain every 200 miles, that isn’t a problem.

These days I use another industrial lubricant - Amzoil’s MPHD - because it’s a wax-based lube. It too has disadvantages, a brownish waxy buildup that looks awful and is difficult to remove. But my bikes are meant for all-weather commuting. Looks aren’t terribly important.

By: kerbouchaud

kerbouchaud — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:27:45 +0000

Thanks for the tip, I try to keep my EX-8 washed and lubed after every ride. I usually take a waterhose with scrub brush and dish soap to it and get all the nasties out of DR’s as well as everything else. Then a quick blast with the leaf blower to dry things off and a fresh coat of lube all round to finish things off. This usually keeps it squared away regardless of how often I do or don’t ride.