I used to be really anal about cleaning/lubing my drivetrains. Then I got lazy, but I made the choice to buy cheap/mid-priced chains and change them early vs. buying expensive chains and trying to get every last KM out of them. My drivetrains last so long and the cost to keep them running is so low with the lazy method I've never bothered to try and optimize my chain maintenance.
My shitck is:
1\. Before a ride I'll wipe down the chain.
2\. Summer I'll lube every 2-3 rides - squirting mediocre lube all over and wiping clean.
3\. Winter I'll lube every ride - squirting mediocre lube all over and wiping clean.
4\. Replace my cheap/mid-priced chain early at the first sign of wear or any other excuse that comes up.
My riding experience isn't worse now \[noise/shifting\] than when I really paid attention to my drivetrain and kept it clean. My drivetrain longevity isn't worse, but it's not a fair comparison as tech now is different. However, I get enough use out of each chain, cassette, chainring that I never feel like it's worth doing more.
Every time I read something Andrew posts about putting one drop of expensive amazing lube on each roller and keeping his drivetrain clean I feel some guilt. I start to think about leveling up my chain maintenance game. And then I get lazy and don't bother.
June 15, 2021, 8:15 a.m. - Vik Banerjee
I used to be really anal about cleaning/lubing my drivetrains. Then I got lazy, but I made the choice to buy cheap/mid-priced chains and change them early vs. buying expensive chains and trying to get every last KM out of them. My drivetrains last so long and the cost to keep them running is so low with the lazy method I've never bothered to try and optimize my chain maintenance. My shitck is: 1\. Before a ride I'll wipe down the chain. 2\. Summer I'll lube every 2-3 rides - squirting mediocre lube all over and wiping clean. 3\. Winter I'll lube every ride - squirting mediocre lube all over and wiping clean. 4\. Replace my cheap/mid-priced chain early at the first sign of wear or any other excuse that comes up. My riding experience isn't worse now \[noise/shifting\] than when I really paid attention to my drivetrain and kept it clean. My drivetrain longevity isn't worse, but it's not a fair comparison as tech now is different. However, I get enough use out of each chain, cassette, chainring that I never feel like it's worth doing more. Every time I read something Andrew posts about putting one drop of expensive amazing lube on each roller and keeping his drivetrain clean I feel some guilt. I start to think about leveling up my chain maintenance game. And then I get lazy and don't bother.