When should you apply lubricant on your bicycle?

The best time to lubricate the moving parts of your bicycle, which includes your chain, is right after you clean it, especially, after cycling in wet or dusty condition.

According to instruction manual from Cylion the manufacturer for “Multifunction Chain Cleaner” and chain cleaning agents, it is recommended that you clean your bicycle after every 100km of riding.

However, if you look at your bike manual, you will see that there is a schedule for you to clean and lubricate the moving parts on your bicycle with grease, lubricant and chain lube.

So, even if you have not cycled for a while, you should try to follow the schedule to prevent rust and corrosion.

Grime and grit on moving parts will cause friction. You will know that you have to lubricate them when you feel that your ride is less “smooth” than usual. So, it is alright to lubricate them more often then scheduled. Use wet lube if you tend to ride in wet and dusty condition.

This schedule is a page from the “Bicycle Owner’s Manual” for Apollo bicycles.

If you do not have a manual, you can google “owner's manual for bicycle” to find one online.

The first thing you should do, if you have not lubricated your bicycle since day one you ride on it, is to wash the drive train. That will be the chain and the components that it runs through. Hose off any dirt sticking to the parts first then wipe it dry with a towel before you lubricate the chain and all the moving parts.

There are many type of cleaning set in the market. Here is one of the models from Super B.

Some cleaning agents and sets come with instruction on its packaging which will give you an idea how your drive train should be cleaned. I always keep a copy of such for product sold in my shop. This one is from Cylion.

If you do not want grit to stick to recently lubricated bike, it is best not to over lubricate parts to prevent dirt build up. For best results, you can lubricate your chain 24 hours ahead of your ride to allow liquid carrier of the lube or lubricant to evaporate. Before you ride, wipe off any access that you see. That way your drivetrain will stay cleaner after each ride.

Be careful when spraying lubricants to avoid getting any on your brake disc rotor or pads. You will know that it has been contaminated if you can hear a squealing sound when you brake. You can clean the rotor with a degreaser or rubbing alcohol to stop the annoying sound. As a last resort, you can use soap and water.