BehindTheBikesheds replied to StraelGuy: Only a thousand miles, christ what are you riding through dust, dirt, mud, rain with road salt for good measure and not wiping post ride or any cleaning at all?

If you're happy to apply the lube regularly, it just about passes muster as an year-round lube, too. Just don't expect to go huge mileages between applications. Even Finish Line itself only claims the lube lasts "up to 100 miles". In summer conditions, there can be benefits in applying a dry lube less frequently, as this will prevent the build-up of grime on your chain, which can speed up wear. How do I apply chain lube?

Bike Grease

I'm now up to 150 miles on the original application, including rides in all weather and a deliberate 20-second soaking of the chain with a garden hose to see if I could shift it. That was 50 miles ago, and the chain is still smooth and quiet. On review, we found that our chain remained rust-free after our 'garden hose test' that we used to replicate wet weather. A ride in the rain followed and the chain again showed no signs of rust or stiff links. We also liked that, unlike some wet lubes, Green Oil didn't attract too much dirt and grime that can really wear the drivetrain. A wet lube from the team's supplier, Juice Lubes, is my default choice year-round. I prefer to have a lube on the drivetrain to cover all weather.

If you prefer to keep your bike in pristine condition and are happy regularly cleaning and servicing your bike, a dry lube might be the right choice. Because it doesn’t attract grit and dirt like a wet lube, you can simply add a new application of dry lube to keep the drivetrain running sweetly. Most wet lubes will provide efficient lubrication for over 100 miles of riding with one application. If you ride in the winter months a wet lube will resist salt corrosion. Wet lubes are also really good at reducing drivetrain noise. This is a very simple but very important question. You may have heard the old adage ‘all the gear and no idea’. This concept is very much applicable to new riders that want to make sure that they have everything they need before their first trip on the pedals. I was a devout R&R gold user and ran a long term test using the stuff according to their instructions which don't mention cleaning – just flooding on and wiping off – versus the same lube with a weekly clean in one of those round brushy things (two different bikes run concurrently). Chain wear measured by steel rule.

GT85 PFTE Spray Lubricant (400ml)

As for Green Oil's claims of over 200 miles or 124 miles between applications, we found that after 100 miles of riding our chain was still running smoothly. I left the factory lube on like Sheldon Brown suggests, but after as little at 200 miles the chain was already 0.5% stretched. Regular, correct application of lube is an important process to ensure the smooth and efficient running of your bike. With the changeable summer weather we had during testing a once a month clean of the chain and re-lube with the Pedro's kept everything running smoothly. You'll need to re-apply more often in winter.”

Sure, some stout wet lubes will give Stealth stiff competition in this respect but they tend to demand weekly purges of grit and other ruinous contaminants. Like these, Stealth also works well on cleat mechanisms and doubles as a nifty grease substitute for fasteners. Wet lubes can be used all year, offer better value and have the greatest longevity. Whether wet or dry, it’s often a question of how much time and effort you want to put in. Argus Tuft: Dissolve a rounded teaspoon of grated paraffin wax in 100ml of shellite (I don't know what it's called over there – Stoddard's Solvent?). Using pliers, carefully pull the nozzle out of a R&R lube bottle and refill using a small funnel. Close enough to free. A small amount of moly or bearing grease – less is more – makes it even better. Safety should always come first. You should never skimp when buying bicycle gear because it could one day save your life. You (hopefully) would never cut corners on your helmet, so you shouldn’t act any differently to the rest of your gear.How often you need to lube your chain depends on how frequently you ride your bike and the conditions in which you ride it.