Been usung squirt lube for the past few months.
I degreased the chain before applying squirt lube.
Is this expected or should I strip it off and re-apply?
by imaginary-fireplace
Been usung squirt lube for the past few months.
I degreased the chain before applying squirt lube.
Is this expected or should I strip it off and re-apply?
by imaginary-fireplace
1 Comment
Yes. Squirt is an emulsified wax and water mix and when the water evaporates it dries to a waxy, not oily, lubricant.
While wax is less prone than oil to attracting and retaining crap off the road, it’s always going to be contaminated eventually – just slightly slower than oil.
With any lube you’re always going to see “build-up” as it pushes down and out of your chain. This is what you’re seeing on your sprockets, chainring, and tensioner wheel.
So while lubricant manufacturers make bold claims about longevity, it’s a bit like car manufacturers’ stated MPG – it’ll all depend on how and where you use your bike.
The long and short of it is no lube will remove the need for cleaning and maintenance. In fact, an oil based wet lube may actually be better for many uses because most standard degreasers will reliably cut through oil better than wax.
I’m in the UK and I use Slip Systems General Purpose Lube which is an oil based carrier with Tungsten Disulfide nanoparticles. It smells a bit when it goes on (as does Silca Synergetic) but it soon dissipates.