Best Bike Chain Oil

If you've got a bike you actively put to the ringer or even want to fix up after a long garage vacation. One of the most important things to do other than pump the tires up is to re-oil your bike chain. So wanting to get out on the road this had me wondering. What is the best bike chain oil? So with a question to answer, I put the internet to work for me, and these are my results!

The first thing I noticed that wasn't expected, was that there is dry, wet, ceramic and wax for bike chains. So let's dive into these categories!

Dry Lube

Dry lube is called, dry lube for a reason. That reason is, as you guessed its dry or at least waxy like. It will dry out on the chain and is good at helping to keep dirt away. It's good for the average rider, although, it does get easily washed away. So if you plan on hitting puddles or riding in the rain I wouldn't recommend this lubricant for your bike chain!

If you do choose this option, you will have to re-apply regularly.

This option is best for riders who only ride during summer on sunny days!

Pro

• Decent job at keeping dirt away

Cons

• Washes off easy
• Re-apply often

Wet Lube

This lubricant is wet being put on and stays wet! Its nice cause it lasts longer under regular use. 

It can cause the chain to become black because of dirt being attracted and sticking to the chain. It can also get chain oil on cloths or other items touching it.

It offers great rust and salt protection, it will protect your chain from water, keep it from rusting, and keep you up and going for longer.

This option is best for the average year-round, all-weather rider!

Pros

• Rust Protection
• Salt Protection
• Long-Lasting

Cons

• Chain gets dirty
• If touched can get on clothes

Ceramic Lube

Now, this I hadn't ever heard of, but apparently its the "Best" option.

It costs the most but has the best qualities. Some of the chemical properties help it resist getting washed off while still being a dry substance that isn't sticky. 

This is the best option for riders with deep pockets!

Pros

• Best performance

Cons

• Most expensive

Conclusion

In this article, I gave information about common bike chain lubricants and am coming to the conclusion of what in my opinion is the best bike chain lubricant.

In my opinion, it is a Wet lubricant. I kept this article simple and didn't get into depth about all the different oils and compounds that are used for wet, dry or ceramic lubricants for simplicity's sake.

Wet Lubricant, offers great protection, for a great price. It offers year-round protection, so there is no need to have two lubricants around. It also lasts for a long time, making it ideal for more bikers out there who have a lot going on at any given time like me.

For all my bikes I always run R1X extreme bike chain oil. For me, its a great price offers great protection and lasts longer compared to its counterparts.

What do you use? What do you think is best?