BIKE MAINTENANCE: LUBE VS PROTECT

bike maintenance
Cyclists

3 min read

You’re no novice but sometimes a reminder goes a long way – especially when it comes to making use of your favourite formula.  

Good bike maintenance is all about being in the know and using the right tools. It’s a five-minute job that stops a £40 chain turning into a £300 drivetrain refresh. 

BIKE MAINTENANCE – LUBING FOR PERFORMANCE

Lube sustains mechanical efficiency, gives the metal under load a film between contact surfaces. Without it, you’re accelerating wear. 

  • Reduces friction
    A properly lubed chain rolls and a dry one drags. You can feel it through the pedals and you see it in the drivetrain wear. 
     
  • Keeps chains, cables and pivots moving 
    Derailleur pivots, brake pivots, inner cables. They don’t need drowning in lube but they do need a light, consistent film. 
     
  • Improves shifting and pedalling
    Indexed shifting only works well when cables, pivots and chains move freely. Dry cables add drag and dry chains judder under load.
     

BIKE MAINTENANCE – PROTECTING FOR LONGEVITY

Protection is all about keeping your bike parts intact for as long as possible. We know you know that water, road salt and grime don’t care about how high-end your kit is, it’ll quietly erodes your stuff. 

  • Displaces moisture
    After a wet outing, water will sit inside rollers, cable housings and pivot points. If you don’t blast it out, it’ll fester.
     
  • Prevents rust and corrosion
    Surface rust leads to stiff links, stiff links lead to poor shifting and poor shifting means premature replacement – where your wallet takes a hit.
     
  • Extends component life
    Hitting all the right parts of your bike will keep everything like new. Protection doesn’t just bring back the shine, it stops slow, invisible damage in its tracks.  

Lubing and protecting have some overlap but they’re two different things. You can lube something that’s still damp underneath and you can protect something that still has grit on it but neither are ideal. 

That’s why GT85 is the cyclist’s go-to formula because it lubes, cleans and protects.  

BIKE MAINTENANCE – QUICK REFERENCE TIPS

This isn’t a lecture, this is a reminder so you get the most out of your favourite formula. 

  • Clean before applying
    Wash it down and use GT85 for stubborn grease.
     
  • Apply lightly to chain and moving parts
    More isn’t better, GT85’s got it in the bag. Quick squirt, work it in or spray on a rag and wipe down – you know the drill.
     
  • Wipe away excess
    There’s no way you’ve spent this time tending to your ride to leave any excess attracting dirt. Wipe it clean.
     
  • Don’t spray directly onto brake pads or discs
    Can’t ever be too cautious, we know it’s easy to get carried away when the stuff’s so good. Stay away from the pads and rotors, lube isn’t needed here.
     
  • Reapply after wet rides
    Quick dry, quick GT85 reapplication, job done. 

 

MORE ABOUT GT85 
Get your mitts on more of the good stuff – visit our Amazon shop and clean up. 

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