Regular maintenance is required to ensure that a bicycle chain always runs smoothly, does not rust and continues to work on the bicycle for a long time. In addition to cleaning the bicycle chain, regular lubrication and oiling is also required.

How often you should lubricate the drive chain varies greatly from person to person. Depending on the number of kilometers driven, weather conditions, road surface conditions, quality of the chain as well as handling and frequency of shifting, this will be necessary sooner or later.

In this article, we will explain how to properly care for your bicycle chain, i.e. lubricate or oil it. There are different views on this. There are many different care and cleaning products for bicycle chains and different approaches.

Every cyclist has his own way of maintaining and cleaning his chain. In addition to the many different care instructions and products, there are also a few things to consider so that the bike chain is not damaged prematurely.

Although it is purely a wear item and must be replaced at some point, the aim and purpose of good care is to keep the chain as long as possible and thus ensure that it works as safely and properly as possible.

Which lubricant should I use to maintain the chain on the bike?

The range of lubricants and care products for bicycle chains is almost unmanageable. The various remedies all have their distinct advantages and disadvantages.

It is best to only use care products that are specifically designed by the manufacturer for bicycle chains. As a matter of principle, we recommend that you do not use engine oils or oils based on plants. Although these are usually environmentally friendly, they can stick the chain together.

Dirt, dust and sand can then stick more easily and the chain becomes more and stiffer over time. Motor oil does not run smoothly enough and can barely penetrate into all the cracks in the chain in order to lubricate it.

We recommend synthetic mineral-based lubricants. This bike chain lube is specially developed by the manufacturers for bicycle chains and offer optimum long-term care. So it is best to avoid universal care products that are not specially designated for bike and bicycle chains.

How do I lubricate, care for and oil my bicycle chain?

Before you lubricate or oil the bicycle chain, you should absolutely remove old grease and oil, dirt, sand and dust. Ideally with a rag, chain cleaner and a small cleaning brush.

You should use it to clean the chain, pinion and sprockets. Never lubricate a dirty or even wet drive chain. Since the layer of fat on the chain should only be very thin, it is advisable to remove the old layer of fat with a cloth and a brush before using the best chain lube.

When it comes to oiling, it’s not about “pasting” the entire chain, but about lubricating the small joints between the chain links and covering the entire surface with a very thin layer of oil.

If there is too much oil or lubricant on the outside of the chain, it will only attract an unnecessary amount of sand, dirt, dust and moisture. These fine “foreign bodies” act like sandpaper when cycling and unnecessarily sand the chain, pinion and sprockets.Use chain cleaner spray to remove excess lubricant.

So a lot of chain oil doesn’t always help a lot. It is therefore important to use Good Quality Chain Lubricant for smooth ride.