Front wheel bearings

[rwm1962]

I'm not that bad but seeing state some chains get in at races etc with all the various wet, dry miracle lubes I've never had issues for my sedate year round riding & commuting with a daily wipe with a gt85 soaked rag followed by a spray & wipe with same. I'm open to be educated

 

[2manyoranges]

Re:

RWM - interesting topic. Modern roller bike chains have a problem - no O rings in the rollers. When we ran trials bikes in the 80s we also had no O rings in the chains. We had a tin of Castrol chain wax, where you cleaned the chain in paraffin and blew it dry, shaking all the crap out when it was dry. You with a GAZ burner then heated the big flat tin of solid wax, which melted to a brown thin oil...you then coiled the cleaned chain and 'cooked' it for a few minutes until the wax got right into the rollers, and then hung the chain over the tim, catching the liquid run off. The point is this: you want good lubricant INSIDE the rollers - not on the outside where it does NO GOOD AT ALL. The best product now is MucOff motorcycle wetlube (purple can). After properly cleaning the chain with whatever you want, the chain is re-fitted dry, then this gets sprayed on the links as you rotate the chain slowly. As spray, it is very thin and volatile, it penetrates right into the chain, inside the rollers, and there thickens into a solid wax as the carrier fluid evaporates. This is good. It's what you need. I have been using this since it came out, and chains have lasted forever - even in the sandy nastiness of Thetford, which is a known transmission-killing zone. Last week I did one of the muddiest rides of the season. I had no idea what colour the bike was - could have been any of the bikes in the barn. I assumed I would again have a chain which 'crackled' with interior grit when you twisted it. Not at all. Nothing. So surprised was I that I cracked the joining link and had a really good look at the chain. Mucky on the outside, beautifully smooth and lubricated on the inside. This stuff is good. I seriously would recommend it.

 

[captaincowelly]

Re: Re:

We mostly use TF2 Teflon based red grease for this application in the workshop.

Genuine 'want to learn' question. Would the blue Mobil XHP222 grease be suitable for cup & cone bearing hubs?

https://www.mtbriders.co.uk/workshop/25 ... rease.html

I've got it for my Hope stuff & repacking cartridge bearings after I saw it recommended in a Hopetech video so have also been using it on retro cup & cone hubs & pedals.

Have used this in the past.Nice sticky water repelling stuff.Has worked well for me on XTR BB's/wheel bearings/freehubs.Bit of drag as mentioned,is a bit thicker than Shimano factory grease.Now using a red EP2 grease from work,very similar stuff;
https://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/prod ... rease.html

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

RWM - interesting topic. Modern roller bike chains have a problem - no O rings in the rollers. When we ran trials bikes in the 80s we also had no O rings in the chains. We had a tin of Castrol chain wax, where you cleaned the chain in paraffin and blew it dry, shaking all the crap out when it was dry. You with a GAZ burner then heated the big flat tin of solid wax, which melted to a brown thin oil...you then coiled the cleaned chain and 'cooked' it for a few minutes until the wax got right into the rollers, and then hung the chain over the tim, catching the liquid run off. The point is this: you want good lubricant INSIDE the rollers - not on the outside where it does NO GOOD AT ALL. The best product now is MucOff motorcycle wetlube (purple can). After properly cleaning the chain with whatever you want, the chain is re-fitted dry, then this gets sprayed on the links as you rotate the chain slowly. As spray, it is very thin and volatile, it penetrates right into the chain, inside the rollers, and there thickens into a solid wax as the carrier fluid evaporates. This is good. It's what you need. I have been using this since it came out, and chains have lasted forever - even in the sandy nastiness of Thetford, which is a known transmission-killing zone. Last week I did one of the muddiest rides of the season. I had no idea what colour the bike was - could have been any of the bikes in the barn. I assumed I would again have a chain which 'crackled' with interior grit when you twisted it. Not at all. Nothing. So surprised was I that I cracked the joining link and had a really good look at the chain. Mucky on the outside, beautifully smooth and lubricated on the inside. This stuff is good. I seriously would recommend it.

Plenty of places offering "bicycle suitable" hot waxes now.
I've got a block in the workshop, ready for when the weather improves.

 

[rwm1962]

Re: Re:

Always happy to learn!

he best product now is MucOff motorcycle wetlube (purple can).

Got some on the way to try.

We mostly use TF2 Teflon based red grease for this application in the workshop.

Looked a bit spendy in small quantities retail so I went for a non-bike brand - 400g for £7 posted plus a mini gun with the saving. Bit like the Hunters silicon lube that Hope recommend for their piston - you can buy 250ml from plumbers merchant at same price as 30ml from bike shops!