Could be opening up a intriguing thread here.
Used to use Tri-flow back in the day, which btw was 15 years ago, still have some left.
There must be some “new and improved” versions out now.
What is everybody using and recommending?
Thanks
Rick
There is a thread on chain lubes and maintenance here, https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/the-ultimate-mid-drive-chain-care-thread.32918/page-3 .
There are a lot of approaches to this.
My personal experience with dry lubes is that they do not do a very good job of actual lubricating. Whether it is on a bike chain, farm machinery chain or squeaky door knobs. They are clean and the dirt doesn't stick so much but at best they are very short lived. I discovered that while lubricating long ( four 8 foot) piano hinges on my hanger doors. I tried anything and everything and they would be squeaking and sticking shortly. I go to the airport about once a week. I was about to leave one day and the door hinges are squeaking I noticed a quart squeeze bottle of 90 gear oil. I decided to oil the hinges with it. I squirted it on the top of the hinges and it soaked in during the week. When I got there the next time the doors operated as they were on ball bearings. It is about two years past and they still operate smoothly with no squeaks or tendency to freeze up.
Is it messy, stinky and collects dust, to be sure if one doesn't wipe it clean..
I don't believe in using a degreaser on a chain either as it may compromise the lubricant and I feel it just washes the surface dirt into the bearing surfaces of the chain.
If you use gear oil lube and let the chain sit overnight to soak in to the bearing surfaces then wipe it as dry as one can your chain will be lubricated for a long time.
No, I have not tried the molten wax. That may be very good but as you indicate it is way too much monkeying around for a casual rider. As you say an oiled chain will collect debris so it needs to be brushed off and wiped well on the outside surfaces.
Looking around at the trend in modern world it looks to me like the way to go for less maintenance is a modern belt drive with a rear hub shifter or a center drive shifter. My wife and I rented 8-speed hub shifters across the pond and have to say I loved it, it was so simple and she could operate the system well. Combine that with a belt and for the casual e-bike rider, it seems like the cats meow to me.
So if you have 5000 miles on the bike but only pedal 20% of the time, your chain and derailleur only have 1000 miles.I use tractor hydraulic fluid biweekly, sus 46 https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-all-season-hydraulic-oil-iso-46-2-gal $22 for 2 gallons
I got 5000 miles out of my first 8 speed chain. I have a hub drive. I pedal unpowered about 80% of the time. I clean the chain when it gets johnson grass or string in it, with a 1/8" screwdriver. I clean the dirt off the derailleur takeups when I turn the bike upside down, usually to change a tube or tire every 1500-2000 miles or so.
As 5000 miles is 2 1/2 years, I don't feel it is worthwhile to buy a frame with a takeout for belt replacement, or to pay the 10% drag penalty of an IGH over derailleurs. I had a SA S80 IGH, which got to where it wouldn't retain the shifter pawl after 500 miles. 8th speed, the spring default, is unrideable.
My bad, my math was upside down. So about 4000 miles on the chain, yes that is good. On my Mtn bike I was lucky to get about 2000, but it was abused off-road a lot in the muck and goo. And I really got to hate cleaning the chain/bike after every ride. Never left it dirty, so it was always ready for the next ride. I wish I could remember the name of the chain cleaning gadget I did get years ago, it clips over the chain and you put a chain cleaner in it and run the chain through with the bike up on a stand. It has bristles and wheels inside to clean both the top and bottom of the chain,I pedal unpowered 80% of the time. Many times when the motor is working I help it to keep my pulse/breath rate up.
Sounds just like a chain scrubber like this one https://www.parktool.com/product/cyclone-chain-scrubber-cm-5-2 .My bad, my math was upside down. So about 4000 miles on the chain, yes that is good. On my Mtn bike I was lucky to get about 2000, but it was abused off-road a lot in the muck and goo. And I really got to hate cleaning the chain/bike after every ride. Never left it dirty, so it was always ready for the next ride. I wish I could remember the name of the chain cleaning gadget I did get years ago, it clips over the chain and you put a chain cleaner in it and run the chain through with the bike up on a stand. It has bristles and wheels inside to clean both the top and bottom of the chain,
worked like a charm. But I think the ex wife ended up with it, along with my house and half my pension.☹