Zwift Ride Frame Chain Lube

How long before the factory chain lube lasts before it needs new lube?
I would prefer to use my own chain wax now tbh

Impossible to say really. It’ll be the sweat and other liquids that cause degradation beyond normal. Heavy sweaters will strip a chain quickly.

I’d do it when you feel you need to.

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If you’re going to switch the chain from oil to wax, it doesn’t really matter how long the oil lasts - you’re going to have to fully de-oil the chain before waxing it anyway.

[Sorry, edited the “does” to “doesn’t”.]

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So what lube do the manufacture use on the chain, at some stage it will need to be cleaned and lubbed again

Factory grease has been shown through testing (e.g. by ZFC) to be pretty terrible. So if you’re planning to wax it anyway then don’t wait, go ahead and stripe the factory grease and wax it straight away.

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Actually, factory grease isn’t so bad vs other commercial wet lubes, though it doesn’t last forever and of course there’s no way to reapply. Either you’ll have to add a wet lube after running for a bit and continue on; or as mentioned, if you want to wax, then you’ll have to strip the chain of factory lube with 2-3 cycles of rinsing in a jar with some Odorless Mineral Spirits

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Be nice if a Zwift Mod could give some input :face_with_monocle:

I doubt that any of the mods will have the exact knowledge regards to what your asking.

Given that the chains will be manufactured by a 3rd party it’s not easy to find out and wouldn’t answer your question of which there is actually no definitive answer.

don’t wait, just strip it and wax it, overall it is better for the chain and will last longer

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It will … but keep in mind that indoors sweat plays a different role than outdoors. You´ll need to dry your waxed chain after each ride otherwise it will start to rust. Happened to me now.

The chain will need relubrication at some point, just like any bicycle. We recommend a chain lube made for dry weather conditions, applied sparingly and excess wiped off to minimize mess in your home.

And also like any bicycle, we strongly advise against over-lubrication, which will attract dust / dirt which turns into a gritty paste and accelerates the wear of the entire drivetrain.

How often should you lube? Depends on how often you ride, but when the chain starts sounding “chirpy” it’s time to apply sparingly. I’m one of those fussy mechanics that will drip oil on each chain roller one at at a time. Others will blast a spray can of lube at the chain and saturate the chain, a rag, and everything else in spray’s blast radius. It’s your home, and we advise you go as minimal as possible.

While hot-waxing your chain is in vogue, and there are notable upsides in the context of indoor trainer bikes, HOWEVER - paraffin flakes off of waxed chains, and will end up all over your floor / rug / trainer mat. Again, you do you if this feels right.

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Thank You Sir :+1:

Yes it does flake off, but it doesn’t really stick to anything. A vacuum will take care of most of it pretty easily, in my experience anyway. YMMV

Can I Use Squirt Chain Lube Basically its a wax?

not without stripping the chain first

[

Do I need to de-grease my chain before start using Squirt Chain Lube for the first time?
](https://www.squirtcyclingproducts.com/long-lasting-chain-lube/#collapse-1-246)

Yes. Squirt should be started on a clean, properly de-greased and dry chain. Factory grease on a new chain should be removed with organic solvent if needed. A second application ten minutes after the first is recommended when starting out with Squirt.

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so my next Question is can we get new chains for the Zwift ride through the Zwift shop?

I don’t know what chain they use, but I bet it is a common one available on amazon for a decent price.

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The Tech Specs section of the Ride Smart Frame webpage call out the KMC Z1 Narrow chain. It is a common model that you can source in local bike shops / online, so we do not sell it in the Zwift Shop. If you have trouble locating that model specifically - there are many 3/32" width chains (for derailleur-equipped bikes) of similar spec that will also work fine.

EDITED: do not use an 1/8" width chain. You want a 3/32" width chain for multi-geared bikes. Most any chain designed for 8 - 12 speed drivetrains should work, but chains get narrower (and more expensive) as more cogs are added to a multi-speed cassette. A 10 speed chain is a good middle ground for the Ride.

The Zwift Ride uses 98 links. It’s less than the ~114 links or so that’s usually included in the package.

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That chain is a cheap one you can find anywhere. If you want the quietest option I would get Shimano. If you want the longest life and strongest chain, Wippermann would be my choice. It doesn’t shift as well as Shimano in my experience but you’re not shifting.

If you only compare that Shimano grease vs other bad results them yes, it’s better than the terrible ones. But that doesn’t make it not bad. And we now know that the Ride chain is KMC anyway, and we don’t have data on that (but it’s likely to be bad compared to a good lube).