I used T9 for several years with my last bike in Chicago. Lots of snow, salt, rain, and other yuckies. I used my bike as my primary means of transportation. At the end of those years (when my bike was finally stolen) my chain, crankshaft, and cassette were still gleaming silver and pristine, like when I bought them. I didn''t use T9 particularly often, nor take particularly good care of the bike. I wiped it off from time to time, then added more T9 (which emulsifies the old T9), then ran a rag over it to absorb the excess. Easy as pie. The only downside with that situation was that I was using the aerosol can. When you use the can you get lube everywhere you want it, but also everywhere you don''t, like on the rim and your brakes. Very annoying, no matter how careful you are.
Anyway, I bought a new bike recently and am again in a very wet place (central Pennsylvania) and using my bike every day for commuting. I asked the bike guys for advice and they suggested Purple Extreme Wet Ride. It''s a heavy, waterproof oil that''s supposed to last a really long time and resist water super-well. I used it for a while but it is markedly inferior in many ways: 1) everywhere there was enough lube it immediately collected dust and turned into a VERY thick paste 2) everywhere the lube was thinner I started getting little rust spots 3) if your clothes ever touch anything with lube, you will have a nasty black spot 4) it''s incredibly difficult to remove the paste, even with solvents. I finally got sick of that oil and (through a lengthy, very difficult process) removed all of it that I could. It was an inferior protectant and a much dirtier product. I will say, though, that the heavy oil is much better for squeaky doors. I''ve used both it and T9 for that purpose and the oil is much more effective and long lasting. Just don''t let any get on your bike.
Remembering my good experience with T9 I bought this here on Amazon. THIS is the right lube product. Buy it in a drippy bottle like this. It takes a little more time and care to get a drop of the lube everywhere you want it with this stuff, but at the end you don''t have any residual lube all over the frame and wheel. I will never again use the aerosol can unless it is on a part I remove from my bike and then spray down in isolation. Just make sure with this bottle that you are very thorough because there are all sorts of tiny little spots that need lubing and protection that you may not notice until they start rusting or wearing out. Also be sure to clean the bike very thoroughly before applying this, because when it dries the waxy coating will hold a piece of grit on there really hard. If you put this on a brand new bike, it will gleam like it is new for a long, long time. Don''t listen to lube advice that suggests only getting lube on the interior surfaces of, for example, your chain. This is an excellent protectant and pretty clean, so put it on both interior and exterior surfaces. Everywhere there is bare metal. Because it''s clear and thin on application it can be hard to tell whether something is coated to I run my finger over every surface to ensure I get some on it.
So how does it work? T9 is primarily marketed as an excellent rust protectant, not a lubricant. The latter function is sort of incidental. It comes out very, very watery and is attracted to metal. You put a drop on and capillary action sucks it in to penetrate in a very thorough manner. But it''s very, very light and watery when you first apply it. After, like, a day the solvent part of it dries out and you get a waxy residue. There''s also a light, oily film. There is a common misconception that this is a wax lube and completely clean. It is not, it is a waxY lube, and the light oil does pick up dust, but only a little bit of it. That is, as you ride the first time it picks up a little bit of dust and the light oil discolors, but it doesn''t pick up more and more and more over time. If you wipe your finger or clothes over it after it has "dried," you will pick up a little bit of the light oil and it will be dirty, but it''s nothing compared to a heavy oil lubricant. It washes off your clothes or fingers easily and doesn''t stain to the same degree as an oil lube would. So be aware, it''s a clean-ish lube, not a clean one.
People often say about lube that you should wipe off any you can get to because it''s only the internal stuff that matters. I would say that with T9 that is not correct. First of all, it''s very light so you don''t end up putting on too much no matter how you apply it. Even a very light coat will dirty up a little bit and very heavy coats also dirty up just a little bit, but the latter lubricates and protects better. In my opinion, it''s best to apply generously, to both internal and external surfaces. It''s just not a messy, goopy product so this is not a problem. Put as much on as will stay. The lubrication and protection will be superior and the mess will not be significantly more.
I will say this: the bottle says to wait like two hours before riding. This is serious advice. In fact, I would say it''s better to wait overnight or even longer. When it is in its liquid form, it can pick up dirt very easily and then that dirt will dry into it. Not what you want. This is NOT the type of lube you put a bit on right before a ride. Always apply this a LONG time before you have to go out. I would say get in the habit of cleaning and lubing your bike after a ride, not before. When it is in its liquid form not only will it attract dirt but it will not lubricate properly.
Anyway, it''s an excellent rust protectant if applied liberally. Keeps the bike rust free and clean. How is it at lubricating? Well, my bike is quieter when I use it than it was when I used the heavy oil. That''s some feat. I''m not sure how else you can measure lubricating ability. I think what happens is that the waxy build up is very robust. It gets on the surface of your gears and your chain and keeps it quiet. Does it allow metal to metal sliding to occur with low friction? I''m not sure how I could test that. I have heard people say wax is a less effective lubricant than oil and I am willing to believe it, but I don''t know of any way to measure actual internal friction. It certainly doesn''t feel any harder to pedal. If we use quietness as our measure, this is the best lube I''ve ever used.
Some reviews talk about this stuff stinking. That must have been an older formulation because this has almost no odor. It''s one of the least stinky products you will find. It definitely has a solvent in it that gets in the air, so lube in a ventilated place, but even nearby people won''t smell it.
I have heard people complain about this lube and I can almost always see that they are using it incorrectly. My suggestion on how to use it:
1. Apply to a clean, clean bike.
2. Put as much on as will stay. Be generous.
3. Apply to all surfaces, internal and external. Be thorough.
4. Don''t wipe any away (unless you are using it to remove old lube, in which case you should put more on after).
5. Allow to dry a long time, at least overnight.
6. Don''t be fooled into thinking the lube got dirty and gross just because the light oil has turned brown or black. The waxy base will still be clean and the light oil doesn''t attract enough dirt to cause wear.
It doesn''t require frequent application. It resists rain, snow, and salt very well. It is easy to clean off the bike prior to re-application because the dirt and salt doesn''t soak in to the lube. I''d say toss a bit more on once a month or once every couple of months. It really does last a long time and work well. Just be sure not to skimp on it. The idea with this stuff is not to put as little on as possible. That''s more of a technique for use with oil-based lubes.
One of the big problems with this is that it is clean enough and dry enough that sometimes you can''t tell whether there''s enough on it or whether it needs reapplication. I just get in the habit of lubing once in a while despite the fact that my bike doesn''t start making noise or rusting. It may well be that this stuff actually lasts, like, all year but I never go that long without applying. It definitely does not wash off in the rain. I think maybe rain can remove the light oil and the wax is so clear you may think it''s gone, but it is not.
Even if you are very, very generous and lube often, this bottle will last a long time. With the spray bottle that''s less true, so definitely get this.
Great for dry weather and wet, cold weather and hot. It''s a good mix of clean, long lasting, and effective, though probably not the best lube in any one of those respects. It probably is the best rust preventer, though, and one of the easiest lubes to apply. All around a five-star product.
Boshield T-9 lasts for a long time on my bicycle chain and running gear through rain and dirt. It does not pick up dirt and allows for clean appearing gear.
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Not sticky or oily like oily type products but it does pick up a bit of dust when riding on the dirt. Lasts considerably longer than wax or paraffin based products. Also lasts longer than the typical dry lube or teflon type lube. Best if applied several hours before, and then wiped after it has soaked into the chain and dried. Cleans up easily with a brush and does not leave the kind of residue that requires cleaning metal parts with solvent. As with any bike chain lube, clean your chain with a proper brush prior to applying lube, otherwise you are just liquifying dirt into the places you are trying to protect.
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I use T-9 on all of my bicycles Touring, road racer, mountain bike. Seems to work well in all weather conditions. Lube it up, wipe the excess and let it dry for a few hours. You don''t have to use as often as those waxy lubes either.
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simple to use. great product. one drop on each link then let the chain dry. wipe off excess and you''re ready to go. my drive train spins quietly and smoothly. it even kept my chain lubricated after my bike traveled 700+ miles on the top of my car, some of which were in the rain. i highly recommend it. NOTE: be sure to clean your chain before you use it.
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Both of my kids use 1 liter nalgene bottles for sports games and practice, and they go through the lids about once a year. These lids work perfectly, but they are kind of pricey. How can the lid be $7 when a brand new bottle is only $10?
