Great plan, poor execution

[Jeremy McCreary]

@m@Robertson and I are both blessed to live and ride often in salty, sandy coastal environments — he in the Monterey, CA area and I in north San Diego County. But he's an accomplished ebike builder with vastly more experience in bike maintence than I have, so I take the tips he shares here seriously. And it always pays.

One such tip was to spray down my drive train after every sandy or salty ride with a cheap hand-pumped garden sprayer while spinning the crank with the bike on its kickstand. Easy, peasy — plain water, no need to dry or relube afterwards. The fan pattern gets the spray into all the right places with surgical precision.

Here's my SRAM EX1 chain (another tip from the maestro) after 1,200 miles of frequent Coast Highway and beach riding. Nary a speck of rust — and aside from the Robertson rinses, I'm VERY lax about cleaning and lubing my chains. Undetectable stretch per my Park chain gauge.

HOWEVER, that was the outside of the chain. Here's the harder-to-rinse inside, which I for some reason never thought to spray directly from the side — as I always did with great gusto on the outside. Duh.

Don't get me wrong: I take this as evidence of the effectiveness of the Robertson rinse — provided you give the inside of the chain its due.

Of course, my neglect of the inside had its consequences: An inside side-plate peeled off one pin on a ride last week while the outside held.

I'd rather not say how far I pushed the bike before realizing that I could throttle my hub-drive home.

 

[PDoz]

I'd rather not say how far I pushed the bike before realizing that I could throttle my hub-drive home.

It gets better - you could have done a linkectomy If you ignored SRAMS advice, split that link, and used it to run the chain shorter for the ride home ( on the smallest rear cog ) . Imagine how much fun it would have been to write the case review:

How do I remove this chain link

Guys, How do I remove this chain link, do I need a special tool? Also, can I reuse it when I go to replace my chain once I get the chain cleaned? Thanks!

forums.electricbikereview.com

 

[JGcycle]

Looks like the spray method can be very effective. Personally I can attest to the "wipe and wet lube" method being total sh*t. Using said method, my original chain only lasted 1500km, and at that point it was stretched beyond 1% by a noticeable amount. I'm going to try waxing my new chain, as that method is said to reduce friction, and greatly increase chain life--we shall see.

 

[PDoz]

On a slightly more helpful note, have you considered one of the enclosed chain washing tools but running a solvent that will leave a residue ?

I'm thinking that even if you carefully wash both sides, the important parts of the chain are still going to have salt / rust formation. Maybe split some of those links to see if there's internalrust?

 

[JGcycle]

Here's another method to wax a chain:

 

[mschwett]

ouch!

this is 2,500 miles of riding in san francisco and environs, certainly not all adjacent to salty spray and fog but certainly lots of it, including the occasional ill-advised roll through a salt water puddle/pool on a road or MUP..

this chain got replaced shortly after because it was at .5% elongation, but there was not a speck of rust. i use drip wax, wipe it with a gear wipe (holding the wipe on the chain applies even pressure to both sides) every 100 miles or so, clean with cyclone cleaner every 500 miles or so. i only spray it with water after the cylone cleaning.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

On a slightly more helpful note, have you considered one of the enclosed chain washing tools but running a solvent that will leave a residue ?

I'm thinking that even if you carefully wash both sides, the important parts of the chain are still going to have salt / rust formation. Maybe split some of those links to see if there's internalrust?

I'm replacing the half-rusted chain, so I'll definitely do a series of linkectomies and give it a thorough post-mortem.

Recall, however, that the chain had no detectable stretching at 1,200 miles, and the side I did rinse thoroughly had no rust at all.

I"ll also try to be a little more fastidious in my chain maintenance. Till now, I've been using Rock 'n Roll to clean and lube — but only when the guilt got too much to bear.

 

[mschwett]

I'm replacing the half-rusted chain, so I'll definitely do a series of linkectomies and give it a thorough post-mortem.

Recall, however, that the chain had no detectable stretching at 1,200 miles, and the side I did rinse thoroughly had no rust at all.

I"ll also try to be a little more fastidious in my chain maintenance. Till now, I've been using Rock 'n Roll to clean and lube — but only when the guilt got too much to bear.

the lack of “stretch” isn’t surprising since you have the benefit of a hub drive - all that power doesn’t go through the chain. a good illustration that there are other things which destroy chains

 

[PCeBiker]

Here's another method to wax a chain:

I'm Gonna make my own liquid wax too,..

The pictures of the old-school chain link with the "C-clip" are for reference only,..
I guess that's a single speed chain link.

I figure it would get caught up in a derailleur?

 

[PCeBiker]

 

[PCeBiker]

Yeah, Whatever,..
It's just naphtha,..

I've got a proprietary solvent used to clean bike chains.

 

[PCeBiker]

In 2022 I tried Finish Line teflon dry lube because chain grime was a problem on my clothes and skin.

My chain wax has Teflon and Molybdenum Disulfide in the wax.

I think complaints that it didn't last long came from people who hadn't shaken it enough.

I'm gonna sterilize my chain real good.

I'd put three layers of steel mesh on the bottom of the can so

I like the steel mesh idea.
I just threw a few nuts and bolts into my jar to make a cavity for debris.
I'm Gunna make it better,..

 

[Gionnirocket]

You people are f*ckin' high.
Buy any chain lube and ride.
If you think for a moment that anything you come up with will make your chain last 30 seconds longer... you can add fool to the equation.

 

[Chargeride]

I was trying to find the split link on the bike I'm using now, gave up looking and grabbed a random point, started on it with the chain splitter.
Wouldn't budge, closer look, I was on the split link.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I was trying to find the split link on the bike I'm using now, gave up looking and grabbed a random point, started on it with the chain splitter.
Wouldn't budge, closer look, I was on the split link.

We have a Winner!
Less than 1% chance..

 

[PCeBiker]

I was trying to find the split link on the bike I'm using now, gave up looking and grabbed a random point, started on it with the chain splitter.
Wouldn't budge, closer look, I was on the split link.

My chain didn't have a split link.
There was one link where I could see the mark from the pin being pressed in, so I separated my chain at that link.

You people are f*ckin' high.
Buy any chain lube and ride.
If you think for a moment that anything you come up with will make your chain last 30 seconds longer... you can add fool to the equation.

Wax doesn't stick to the chain if there's any oil on the chain.

I cleaned and rewaxed my chain after a year then cleaned and waxed the chain on my new ebike.

I made some liquid wax too, so I can easily rewax my chains.

I didn't know that you can make your own wax chain lube.

 

[Gionnirocket]

My chain didn't have a split link.
There was one link where I could see the mark from the pin being pressed in, so I separated my chain at that link.





Wax doesn't stick to the chain if there's any oil on the chain.

I cleaned and rewaxed my chain after a year then cleaned and waxed the chain on my new ebike.

I made some liquid wax too, so I can easily rewax my chains.

I didn't know that you can make your own wax chain lube.

View attachment 171054

I stand by my initial statement... You'll be wasting your time. Just buy a reputable lube.

Bikes & Bicycles | Boeshield T-9®

Cyclists depend on Boeshield T-9® for rust protection, chain and parts lubrication, and a deep-penetrating cleaner. Our long-lasting spray does it all.

boeshield.com

Boeshield T-9® is a bicyclist’s best friend! Waterproof your bike chain, lubricate cables, and prevent rust with our effective all-in-one formula. Works in both wet and dry conditions!
In the world of cycling, few terrains are off limits and endurance is essential, for both rider and equipment. A tough, long-lasting waterproof lubricant is crucial for safety and performance, whether you’re navigating dusty mountain trails or zipping along highways.
Wet, dry or in dirt, serious cyclists rely on one product to clean, lubricate and protect—Boeshield T-9® does it all.
T-9 flushes out dirt and old lubricants, displaces moisture and penetrates moving parts in between the rollers and pins on drive chains, carrying the paraffin formula deep into these areas and coating them thoroughly. T-9 dries to a clean, continuous wax film that performs better than Teflon and lasts up to 200 miles without picking up dust, dirt or mud.

Boeshield T-9® provides chain lubrication and long-term protection in all conditions.Boeshield T-9®’s antirust formula keeps metal parts and gears lubricated, even on the toughest terrain.
Use T-9 on:
Drive Chains
Derailleurs
Control Cables
Brake Cables
Shift Cables
Caliper Pivots
Pedal Pivots
Seat Posts
Spoke Nipples
Inside Frames
Reaches deeper. T-9 stays liquid long enough to permeate metal crevices and seep deep inside assembled components to leave a durable protective coating that lubricates and protects—all without dismantling your equipment.

Completely waterproof. T-9 dries to a clean, waxy, waterproof film that won’t wash off in rain, puddles or mud. You can rinse away sand, dust and grime with water, while leaving the lubricant intact.

One step to long-term protection. Apply T-9 to any metal surface and let it dry. One simple step gives you a thin, penetrating film of durable, waterproof protection and lubrication that endures, month after month, mile after mile.

 

[PCeBiker]

That stuff is expensive.
$36 plus tax.

It's basically the same thing that I made, and I had all the ingredients.

 

[Gionnirocket]

That stuff is expensive.
$36 plus tax.



View attachment 171055


It's basically the same thing that I made, and I had all the ingredients.


View attachment 171056

Boeshield T9 Lubricant 4oz Squeeze Bottle T.9 T-9 Waterproof Wax Lube Chain Oil 738481901041 | eBay

From the Manufacturer On a seafaring yacht, a dusty ATV, or a shower door, T-9 has you covered. T-9 attacks existing corrosion, loosens rusty parts, and flushes out old lubricants. T-9 dries to a waxy, waterproof finish without leaving a sticky film to attract dirt, dust, or mud.

www.ebay.com

That's the typical price... Pretty much $10 for any brand 4oz chain lube

 

[Gionnirocket]

After 3,000 miles with Finish Line Dry, I measured. A chain gauge doesn't tell you how long the pitch is. I used a caliper. I lashed the rear brake lever, swung the right pedal until it was forward and level, and weighted it. That put the upper chain under tension. I measured several rollers to be sure they were equal from side to side and with each other. They were. It was a six-inch caliper, so I measured across 12 rollers. That would be 11 links plus 1 roller. I subtracted the diameter of a roller and divided by 11. The pitch was 0.499 inches.

I've read that chains may be manufactured slightly under half an inch. In 3,000 miles it hadn't even worn to the nominal pitch.

And?
The day I spend more than 30 seconds measuring my chain is the same day Taylor Swift uses it as a microphone to sing the national anthem at the superbowl.