How to Pick the Right Lube for Your Bike: Dry vs Wet Bicycle Chain Lubes

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If you own a bike, you need to keep it working and in order to do that, you have to do a couple of basic steps in maintenance: lubing up your working parts would be one of them.  Avoid seizing and just a plain crap ride and find the right lube for the different parts of your bike so that you can keep rolling.

Now, you can’t just go and WD-40 the whole thing and hope for the best because it might just not be what you need to use. Lubes come with different compounds, textures and purposes and there are specific types of lubes for specific parts.

First thing that any biker always lubes up is the drivetrain (the derailleur, chain, freewheel and crankset). It is always important to remember that you need to use the lube that is most reflective of the type of riding you do, as well as the type of weather you ride in.

If you are an offroad warrior who loves the mud and rain is a welcome circumstance, you most likely have to get what lots of makers call wet lube. It is specifically designed to stay put and not wash away when there is rain and it repels mud and other such gifts of the road a bit longer than the average lube.

If you ride in conditions that are drier, say a highway, a desert or something out of a classic western, you’ll need dry lube. This type of lube keeps your chain smooth without overly attracting dust and dirt, which creates friction and a really terrible ride.

Remember, these are not your Sunday brunch pancakes: you do NOT need to slather your chain with TONS of lube and then leave it. Too much lube cakes and will give your bike gunk boogers. Wipe off all excess chain lube.

Now, lube is different from grease so don’t get the two mixed up. Lube is more on the liquid side and grease is a protective butter. They aren’t interchangeable.

As I said before, your lube depends on what kind of riding you do. There are also the wax-based ones that provide for a less messy affair as well as a thin coating for protection against dust and dirt.

You’ll also want to get a bike oil for your other moving parts, like the brake levers, the pedals, the crankarms. Ask your local bike mechanic for recommendations. A dropper-styled bottle is a little easier to move in and position, as opposed to the aerosol can, which can spray onto other components you don’t need sprayed. 

Bicycle Lubrication Points

Where to Lube your Bike