Lubing Drivetrain

irishmotorist

I gave my (new) chain a good clean and oil on Tuesday night after getting drenched twice that day. It got drenched again yesterday morning and it sounded like a bag of hammers on the way home.

I haven't investiaged too closely yet, but it sounded so bad I'm thinking that my jockey wheels might need a bit of lube. Should I get some kind of grease for this rather than my 'wet ride' oil that I use for the chain?

blorg

I have never in my life bothered to lube a jockey wheel. It is almost certainly the chain that needs re-lubing.

Quigs Snr

I would be surprised if the jockey wheels had anything to do with it. You probably put a lube on that was too light and it just got washed away. Wet ride is normally fine, but if you just drip it on, it can wash off quickly enough. I find that I need to drip in on, work it into the links with a cloth, and then drip a little more on. Also drip onto the inside of the links (i.e. from the same direction that the chainset and cassette teeth touch it), not the outside as so many people do. Don't do it right before a ride either, let it soak.

irishmotorist

I'll try that. What I did was lube the full outside while backpedalling and then backpedalled fast for about 10-15 seconds and left it overnight.

I'll put it on the inside this time and try to rub it in a bit with a cloth and see how that goes for me.

Chips Lovell

Quigs' explanation is the more likely in my view. Having said that, I have come across squeeky jockey wheels before, but I wouldn't class the sound as like a bag of hammers. Also, jockey wheels that get clogged up with road gunk can contribute to drivetrain noise.

Beasty

Did you change the cassette when you put the new chain on? If not, could it be worn?

irishmotorist

el tonto wrote: »

Quigs' explanation is the more likely in my view. Having said that, I have come across squeeky jockey wheels before, but I wouldn't class the sound as like a bag of hammers. Also, jockey wheels that get clogged up with road gunk can contribute to drivetrain noise.

Well, bag of hammers might be an exaggeration, but it was squeaking/grinding heavily and constantly (if you can imagine that) and I was actually embarrassed cycling.

Beasty wrote: »

Did you change the cassette when you put the new chain on? If not, could it be worn?

I didn't change it. I checked it thought it was OK, but I'll double check to be sure.