I think I have some good old fashioned Tri-Flow around somewhere, but I can’t find it.
Back in the day when I did a lot of trail biking I used a white lubricant that had paraffin in it. The wax helped keep dirt and mud out of the chain and gears. But I’m mostly road biking these days.
So what’s good nowadays? Is it still a choice between something like Tri-Flow or.a wax-based lube, or is there something even better these days?
Tri-Flow is still what all of the bike shops recommend.
If that’s for chains, they shouldn’t be.
Paraffin wax is the best. You can do it cheap with a block of wax and Teflon powder, old crock pot/slow cooker and a bent hanger or you can go with expensive like Silca Super Secret Lube. There are also several spray on wax lubes. The main advantage is they don’t collect dirt that turns into a grinding paste.
I’ve tried several of the drip-on wax lubes and prefer the Silca despite the cost.
I get 300-350 miles between applications.
Oz cycle goes into the prep needed to use the melted wax method.
Forgot the video.
“Best” might be to use the chain until the original Cosmoline wears off, then replace it… 
I agree that paraffin wax is supposed to be the best, but the disadvantage is you have to melt a big block of it and dip the chain. With or without adding Teflon, tungsten disulphide, etc.
Before waxing, you need to clean the chain completely.
Maxima Chain Wax. Good Stuff, Maynard. Prevents dirt from sticking, and smells good, too. I love Tri-Flow, but not for chains.
I’m pro-wax, in part because I live in a nice dry climate that is ideal for that technique. I use the Silca wax mentioned upthread, largely because it comes in a sous vide bag, so no crockpot required. Put the bag in boiling water, put the chain in the bag, done.
Of course when my wife bought an instant pot, out crock pot was retired from service and now lives in the garage, full of wax.
My waxed chain is noticeably quieter than when I had a traditionally lubed chain which would seem to me to mean lower friction, but I’m no expert. The ongoing lack of drivetrain cleanup required is the best though.
If you want to stir things up, go over to Bikeforums and ask this question.
I’ve been researching this lately, because I hate how grimy my chain gets. I’m going to try Rock N Roll Gold, based on several recommendations.
Use Tri-Flow if you enjoy cleaning a bunch of junk from your chain between applications. A decent lube, but it collects a lot of crap that is not easy to clean.
Oftentimes, lubes are classified as either wet or dry lubes, depending on if they are expected to be used in the rain or not. Wet lubes in general work well, but collect a lot of crap, which means you’ll be having fun cleaning your chain often. Dry lubes work well in dry conditions, and I have found that Finish Line Teflon dry lube works great and is fairly clean. Even better, it is sold as Dupont Teflon lube cheaper than what they sell it under the Finish Line brand at bike shops. Small print on the back says manufactured by Finish Line. If you don’t ride in the rain often, give it a try.
DuPont Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant Drip Bottle, 4 oz https://a.co/d/bd3HJYR
Thanks for the recs, all!
I had no idea it was such a controversial subject!
I’m probably going to go with either this:
Or this:
That or helmets.
Here’s a thread on waxing chains that ran 37 pages. Immersive waxing / it should be more popular - Bike Forums
Waxing is essentially a proselytizing form of religion. It’s hard not to talk about how good it is. In fact, I can drop by some pamphlets later if you like. Next: I’ll start talking about the advantages of going tubeless and what sealant is best.
I don’t bother getting more sophisticated than dry vs wet, depending on the season.
Uhhhh…sorry, I’m not going to be home then.
What’s that— you didn’t yet say when you were planning to drop by? What I meant was….
(Runs away)
I use Boeshield T-9. I use it for the CNC machinery at work and just recently used it to resurrect a long-idle bike. It drys to a waxy finish and doesn’t pick up dust like other lubricants.
Huh. I’m a little surprised that wax would work-- I’d have expected that, once it solidified, any disturbance would cause it to break and fall off. That’s what candle drippings usually seem to do, anyway.
I might have to give it a try.
The reason you immerse in liquid wax is to get it inside the chain, the links,pins and rollers. Most of the wax on the outside will flake off as it’s not needed there. However, if properly prepped(as in NO trace of oil/grease) a thin layer will adhere and prevent corrosion.
ETA:
Plus many of the waxes are not just wax. The Silca wax I use has tungsten disulfide suspended in it so the wax acts not only as a lube in itself, but also as a carrier for other dry lubricants.
Same one I use(the drip variety). By far the best of the lubes I’ve tried in the past.