You can enhance chain life without any chain cleaning at all. The method is as follows:

1. Fit a hub gearbox like a Shimano Nexus or Alfine.
2. Fit steel gears or, if you want to be fancy, stainless. You can use an aluminium chainring and sprocket but they won't last as well.
3. Fit KMC X8 chain. This is a derailleur chain but is usually cheaper than the Y8 single-speed chain, which works slightly better. KMC has the best factory lube.
4. Fit Hebie Chainglider. This is a close-fitting enclosure for the entire transmission chain.
5. Run the chain inside the Chainglider on the factory lube, without any other service or even oil, until the chain shows 0.75mm elongation.

I improved chain wear between 200-300% over using White Lightning liquid wax inside a Dutch chaincase, so the improvement over an open chain should be even greater.

Andre Jute
Remember, grinding paste is a mixture of oil and earth -- Jobst Brandt

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 10:02:30 AM UTC+1, Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Dear cyclists,

After years using wet lubes in all conditions (currently, a specific
chain oil with PTFE from 3in1
http://www.3-en-un.fr/produit/lubrifiant-chaines-et-cables-250ml/),
and being used to seing my chain getting very dirty, I have just learnt
that I may avoid this by using dry lube instead.

Actually, I have heard of one specific product, the Squirt dry lube
http://www.squirtlube.com/our-products/. It is about twice more
expensive than the lubricant I am currently using, but it is supposed to
reduce cleaning work, and if it does make the chain cleaner, it may as
well reduce its wear and extend its life.

So, have any of you tried that lubricant, or any other dry one? Would
you recommend it rather than wet lubes?

--
Â*Â*__o Tanguy
Â*__\,_
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