Bicycle chains are an important connective part of your bike. The bike chain helps connect the wheels to the gears of the bike. Teeth on the gears grab the bike chain and propel the bicycle forward. Because of the great amount of stress placed on the gear teeth and bike chain, lubrication is applied to these parts to improve the health of the equipment and prolong the life of these moving parts. But lubrication needs to be chosen and applied correctly.
Role of Chain Lube
Chain lubricant helps reduce friction and create a protective coating on the chain. This can reduce the instances where metal-on-metal grinding and damage wear down the bike chain or the gear teeth, and it can also help prevent corrosion that can create rust and eat away at the metal.
Preparation
Before applying lubricant to the chain, it is wise to take the chain off the bike and clean it. This helps eliminate dirt and other sediments that get kicked up from the road and can damage the moving parts of your bike, including the chain. You can wash your bike chain with water and soap and let it air dry prior to replacing it on the bike. Once the chain is clean and dry, it can be treated with lubricant.
Application
Bike lubricant can be applied liberally to a bike chain. Because the lubrication is not enclosed anywhere, excess amounts can drip off over time and with use. If you have spray-on lubricant, apply a layer over the bike chain on the side where it will come in contact with the gears. Manually rotate the chain on the gears a few times to help disperse the lubricant evenly. Look for areas that are not coated in lubricant and make spot applications as needed.
Considerations
Although it is marketed as a lubricant that can free up locked metal joints, BicycleTutor.com warns bicycle owners not to use WD-40 to lubricate bicycle chains. WD-40 can be useful in lubricating joints that do not endure much stress, such as door hinges, but when it comes to fast-moving metal parts like this on a bike chain, the lubrication has no effect and can actually strip away other lubricant present on the bike chain. This leaves metal grinding on metal as the bike gears turn your bike chain, which can ruin a bike chain quickly.
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