Re: chain life

I'm familliar with rock and roll lube, have not tried it extensively
though. Perhaps I'll make it the subject of extensive test this
summer... which is to say buy a tube and use it exclusively until it
runs out.  However I think I'm going to try a wax based dry lube first
which are supposed to handle mud and rain better. I've been hearing
about the new lub called "Squirt" among others.

BTW, regarding avoiding mud... of course we all like to avoid it....
BUT on the other hand when you ride a lot of backroads eventually
you're going to run into it... at length. Perhaps I should just suck
it up as the coast of doing gravel grinding endurance rides.

Steve, I wish I could make it to the Trans Wisconsin this year.

Just an FYI, I completely bailed on the forest service roads in the
final 80 miles of the TransW purely due the sandy mud. My drivetrain
was litterally making grinding noises.  I washed it in a stream and
relubed... but it wasn't five miles before it was making horrible
noises again. I just didn't feel it was worth it at that stage of the
game to completely toast my cassette and chain.

They were unlike any roads I'd ever been on. Just consitent slow and
sandy dirt. Rideable yes, but just enough stuck to my tires to spray
all over my drive train. Perhaps I too should have been running
fenders.  To be fair... it had rained... indeed probably a quarter
inch of rain the night before. Still, worst case scenario for the
drivetrain.

That said, the paved backroads through the state forest up there are
absolutely awesome... Indeed they would have been superb on my road
bike.

Good times.

-Mike


On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 8:42 PM, John Wood <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 6:26 PM, Steve Fuller <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Contrary to popular belief, most mountain bikers really go out of their =
way
>> to avoid muddy trails. Riding when you are leaving marks in the trail is=
 a
>> good way to ruin the trail.
>>
>
> To which I would add - leaves your bike a total mess and (as Wayne
> speculated) causes mucho wear to rather pricey components. =A0Most Mtn bi=
kers
> learn rather quickly to avoid the muddy stuff, and not just cause it's
> better for the trails. =A0Especially in areas where there is gumbo type m=
ud -
> that stuff dries like concrete and you'll spend more time cleaning your b=
ike
> than you did riding.
>
> John
>
> --
> John Wood
> Open Road Bicycles
> Missoula, Montana, USA
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