Since I got my new road bike I decided to use White Lightning to keep my chain as clean as I saw it in a YouTube video. I started off by cleaning the chain good with degreaser and a chain cleaning tool. I thought it was clean enough but maybe it wasn't. Anyway, one video I saw said that you can just start using it and the chain will evenually get clean (self-cleaning right ) I've put about 100 mi. on the bike in about 5 different rides, each time I get back I wipe the chain down, apply WL, ride the bike a little just to shift through the gears, and then finally wipe it down again. So far it's nowheres near as clean as it is in some of the videos. I know this stuff is a light chain lube and needs to be applied often, but I'm willing to do that if it means I'll have a clean chain. If it doesn't work, I might as well use a regular chain lube. Anybody else use this stuff? Does it work for you?
Mike, I have already given up on it. It seemed to keep my chain a little cleaner than others, but it also made my drivetrain noisier. All the dry lubes I've tried seem to fall short on their promises to keep the chain clean. So, I'm now using the one by Pedro's, not necessarily because it keeps my chain cleaner, but because it seems to keep it the quietest. When it comes to the drivetrain, I think a quiet one is a happy one.
I've never had any trouble with it, but I also applied it to brand new chains. At Interbike last year, I got a sample of something called Chain Oil No5. It's really sticky, and works great for wet weather. I prefer that over a dry lube.
I use it I use WL. I first clean the chain with kerosene (I wear rubber gloves and use a rag I don't mind trashing after), let it dry overnight and then squirt on the WL and wipe again (with another dirty rag, as more dirt will come off the chain). Let it dry completely before riding. I do this every 3 or 4 rides if I remember. I don't ride in the rain and this is on a road bike so I don't do mud either. I'm not eating on my chain, so I don't get too anal about how clean the exterior is. The part you want lubed is the inside of the pins and rollers. This is where a chain wears. Lube on the outside a chain is simply wasted, or worse, a dirt attractant. Good luck.
New chains do not require any lubrication. They are lubed from the factory and can be ridden several hundred miles before needing any relubrication.
Boy, I sure wish my LBS told me that when I bought the bike! I was talking to him about different chain lubes, it would have been nice if he mentioned that. Too late now, I already degreased the chain to give the WL a fresh start. I'll finish what I have and then decide if I'll buy more.
I've been using it on and off for the past 10 years. But I have found that I'm happier with brake clean, carb and choke cleaner, motor oil, anti seize, and gear lube instead of over priced bike specific stuff. Only trouble is that motor oil tends to attract dirt, whereas white lightning does a better job of repelling it. If I'm going on a tour, I'll go for the white lightning. Otherwise I don't usually bother.
WD40 seems to clean and lubricate pretty well, but doesn't last long, especially in the wet. These days I mostly use oil and a lot of rags. Dry lube looks cleaner but so does a dry chain!
There's a good review by Dean of Squirt dry lube here. http://www.twospoke.com/forum/f118/bikinvention-squirt-long-lasting-dry-lubricant-1838/
