Are you one of those cyclists whose pre-ride routine involves giving your chain a quick lick of lube? Well, you’re not doing your chain any favours! 

Applying lube right before a ride is basically the worst way to lube your chain. There’s no time for the product to penetrate inside the rollers; rather, it sits on the surface and attracts dirt and grime.

Instead, the best practice is to lube your chain right after a ride, or at least the day before your ride. If you clean and re-lube immediately after a ride – especially after wet or muddy conditions – you prevent grime from hardening, making future cleaning easier. If post-ride maintenance isn’t possible, applying lube the night before a ride still allows enough time for proper absorption.

How to apply chain lube properly

Excess lube on the outside of the chain is wasted – it only attracts more dirt, causing faster wear. Wiping the chain immediately after applying lube also wastes product, since it hasn’t had time to penetrate the chain’s links.

Instead, follow these steps:

• Clean your chain by wiping away dirt and grime.
• Apply lube according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Let it sit for the recommended setting time (some lubes require up to 24 hours for optimal performance).

Choose the right lube

Different lubes work best in different conditions, but they all need time on the chain before you ride.

• Wet lube (there are options from Weldtite, Motul and Muc-Off) stays in liquid form and doesn’t dry out after application. As the name suggests, it’s great for riding in grimy conditions; but it must be applied with enough time to set.
• Dry lubes come in two forms – wax-based (like Squirt and Smoov) and Teflon-based (like Finish Line Dry). Wax-based dry lubes are generally longer-lasting than Teflon-based; but no matter which you choose, both also require substantial drying time.

READ MORE ON: chain chain lube maintenance