Mountain Flow Plant Based Chain Lube

Here in Vermont and really anywhere it's wet and muddy, we know that waxing your chain is a waste of time.  Even in good conditions, it's a lot of work for marginal gains.  

Since starting Analog, we've gone thru a few wet lubes, always looking for the least bad one for the environment that still works like a wet lube should.  Lots of lubes have teflon in them.  It blows my friggin' mind that people still think teflon should be used for anything, lubes, pans, outerwear.  This is a material that is demonstrably terrible for the environment.  So let's coat our chains with it and ride through some streams.  Great!  Not great.  Bad bad.  

We're not anti petroleum per se for lubes, and we use Prolink, which is petrol based.  But this Mountain Flow wet lube works like a petroleum based lube but is made out of plants.  If it washes off into a creek, it's not going to Exxon Valdez the stream.  

Here's how to use this lube:  Clean the chain with prolink.  Let it sit for 30 minutes then wipe all the excess off with a rag.  Really wipe it down so there is no more lube to speak of on the chain.  This lets all the solvents in prolink evaporate out into your roommate's bedroom.

Apply a thin stream of wet lube on the top of the bottom run of chain.  You want it just barely to cover the chain inside and out.  If it drips a little that's ok.  If it drips alot, you used too much.  

Pedal the bike to distribute the lube.  Wipe off with a rag, wiping till the chain is shiny with lube but not totally dry.  Done.  

Good lubes (not wax) attract dirt.  Not because they're supposed to, but it just happens.  It's ok.  A black and dirty chain is fine if it's lubed inside.  A clean waxed chain that squeaks 30 minutes into a muddy ride is not fine.  It's destroying itself.  

Relube when you hear your chain making noise, or after a muddy ride.  If you need to, reclean with prolink first. 

When to use this wet lube:  Any time the ride will be wet or salty or snowy.  You can use prolink only in dry times.  Storing your bike for a while?  Put wet lube on, and don't wipe too much off. It will keep surface rust from forming.  

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4 oz bottle.  Bottle made from recycled plastic.  Lube and bottle made in US.