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I was dead wrong about lubricating my chain too often
For years I thought you couldn't overdo it with chain lube. I'd drench my chain every weekend before my Sunday ride around the lake here in Phoenix. Thought I was keeping things smooth and quiet. Then last month my cassette started skipping on the hills and I couldn't figure out why. A mechanic at the shop told me my chain was caked with old lube mixed with dust, basically turning into grinding paste. He showed me how the excess was wearing down my cassette teeth faster than normal. Now I wipe the chain clean after every ride and only apply a tiny drop per link. Has anyone else had this problem of thinking more lube equals better performance? What's your routine for keeping things clean?
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anna4911mo ago
Your chain was caked with old lube mixed with dust, basically turning into grinding paste" - oh man, I feel that. I did the exact same thing last year. Was convinced my chain needed to be swimming in lube to be happy. Turned out I was just making a mess and wearing stuff out faster. Now I do the drip per link thing too, plus I wipe off any excess before I even put the bike away. It feels weird at first like you're not doing enough, but my drivetrain has been way quieter and smoother since I stopped overdoing it.
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