I’ve learned that if you’re gonna ride here in the Pacific Northwest you’re gonna have to adopt a regular bicycle chain maintenance program. Few things in the cycling life are as irritating as a crunchy chain.
Chain lubrication does two things: reduces friction between moving parts and prevents corrosion, neither of which require large amounts of lubricant. For years I simply gooped on the lube du jour and then wiped off the sides of the inner and outer plates with a shop rag. This worked okay for lubrication and protection, but it left a soon to be filthy chain that transferred grime, grit and dirt to my chain rings, my cogs, my pulleys, my hands, my shoes, my socks and my right calf. A few months ago, while buying a new tire at my local bike shop I noticed a product called Cycle Tune-Up from a company called EEZOX.
What caught my attention was the red-capped syringe-like needle extending from the cap of the small (1 oz) bottle. “Now that’s a good idea” I thought to myself as I added the lube to my tire purchase. I figured that a more surgical approach to lubrication would (1) be cleaner and (2) be less wasteful, and I was eager to get home and give it a try.
After cleaning the chain on my gravel bike with WD40* I applied the EEZOX drip by drip to the pins and rollers (figuring that some would soak into the inner plate-outer plate interface). I then did a very slight wipe off before going out for a spin.
The stuff works great. It’s now my go to lube, but that is not the end of the story.
I wanted to simply end the post with a link to where you can buy Cycle Tune-Up by EEZOX but the stuff doesn’t seem to exist. As near as I can tell EEZOX makes lubricants for firearms, and I can’t even find a product called Cycle Tune-Up by EEZOX for sale. I assume that this is the same product EEZOX .95 oz Oiler — EEZOX, but I’m not sure. I’ll order some and give it a try.** I report back on how it works.
*I know I’m going to get some “never clean your chain” comments and I understand the reasoning but I gotta say that the wet roads here in the Pacific Northwest impart so much grit onto your drivetrain that if you don’t clean the entire exposed to the elements system after nearly every ride you’ll either be continually replacing parts or be suffering gunked up noisy sub-optimal riding.
** Now that I’ve dipped a toe in firearm lubrication I see that Liberty Lubricants sells 1 oz bottles with the needle dispenser: Amazon.com: 2-4oz Plastic Squeeze Bottles with 1.5 inch Stainless Steel Applicators: Home Improvement. So long as your lubricant of choice is non-viscous enough to pass through the narrow opening it seems like these might be a good way to apply chain lube.