All tips
How to oil a bike chain properly
Clean, quiet and long-lasting: how to look after your chain.
1. Problem
A dry chain squeaks, shifts badly and wears quickly. But too much oil is just as bad: it binds dust and sand into a grinding paste that wears out chain and sprockets – and turns trousers and hands black.
2. Cause
- Rain and wet roads wash out the oil and rust forms
- The wrong product – e.g. penetrating oil/WD-40 or household oil instead of chain lube
- Too much oil on the outside of the chain, attracting dirt
- The chain is never cleaned, old dirt stays inside
3. Solution
- Wipe the chain with a cloth; if very dirty, clean it with chain cleaner
- Put one small drop of chain lube on each roller while turning the crank backwards
- Let it soak in for a few minutes and shift through a few gears
- Wipe off excess oil thoroughly – the chain should feel oily inside and almost dry outside
4. Workshop tip
Rule of thumb: oil about every 300 km and after every ride in the rain. Use a “wet” lube for wet weather and a “dry” lube or wax for dry conditions. You can get the right chain lube from us – we're happy to show you how on your bike.
— Bike Haus Freiburg
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Come to our workshop at Heckerstraße 27 without an appointment – small repairs are often done right away while you wait.