LUBE! ...it makes life better

Ever see someone riding their steed and hear squealing, screeching, ear piercing sounds? It's possible that their precious parts need lube. Without lube, they're all dry and dusty rubbing up on each other making grinding, squeaking and creaking sounds. When their parts are in this condition, they will have shorter, less enthusiastic, almost embarrassing rides. How do they solve this problem? Use Lube.

Lets first talk about different types of lube. There are typically two application types: drip and spray. My favorite lube is Tri-Flow. It has a tube that allows for deep penetration of those hard to reach parts. It is especially smart to use the drip for people who run disk brakes (picture 1) to keep from contaminating the rotors. I use the spray for those times when my ride is especially dirty. The powerful ejection of lubricant onto your parts blasts that nastiness away. Here is an example of the spray lubricant (picture 2). These lubes are wet lubes. There are also dry lubes that use a parafin wax and seal your precious parts from contamination. It is especially important to have your parts completely clean before applying this kind of lube.

How do I lube up? The most important thing is coverage. You want to put lube on each and every part, one part at a time. It takes a little longer then just spreading it all over the place, but it is well worth the extra effort. When you get lube all over everything, you end up with stains on your clothes and you will feel all greasy and nasty after each ride, even weeks later. Get the lube into each nook and cranny like your buttering an english muffin. The dry spot is the spot that creaks. After you are done applying lube, wipe off the excess (picture 3). This is just smart. When you ride with excess lube it will attract dirt and grime causing excessively fast wear and tear and grinding sounds will startup prematurely. Your parts are precious; treat them as such. Some people rush and lube once, but I like to repeat the process using the first round as a cleaning; wipe off the wet grime real aggressively and then re-lube the now clean surface.

What parts can I lube on? All moving parts - your chain links, dérailleur pivot shafts, and cable housings are good parts to lube up.

2 products I do not recommend for lubing: WD40 and motor oil. In the long run they do more harm then good.

Never Lube Your Balls. Grease Them. They require a higher viscosity to ride smooth. Stay tuned for a future article on this topic.

A lubed ride is a happy ride and a happy ride is the first step to ensuring that your ride will be fun for all. I hope this helps. Ride Hard

words and photos by Ray Heinsman

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