# Squirt Lube - what am I doing wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [March 28, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274 "2020-03-28T16:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cwiggum](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/cwiggum/32/17426_2.png) [@cwiggum](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/cwiggum)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/22 "2020-03-31T13:59:29Z")
> [@Sundance](#): > > Has anyone out there had success with Squirt without removing the chain to clean it? I have. I just run it through a chain cleaner tool with finish line degreaser. Then wipe it down really good and apply squirt. Maybe your issue isn’t about removing it, but maybe it’s what you are using as a degreaser? 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![DaveWh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/davewh/32/13120_2.png) [@DaveWh](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveWh)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/23 "2020-03-31T14:31:15Z")
I’ve not been very impressed with squirt. I tried it because the lube I’ve been using for years (finish line dry lube) for some reason stopped lasting as long (I may have gotten a bottle from a bad batch). Squirt is more “waxy” in consistency than finish line, and leaves a messy gunky residue on the chain that increases chain drag (based on my backpedal “spin” test”). It seems to do an OK job lubing/protecting the chain, it’s just dirty and sticky. I bought a new bottle of finish line, so hopefully that does the trick. ---
**Author:** ![EvanClem](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/evanclem/32/170086_2.png) [@EvanClem](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/EvanClem)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/24 "2020-03-31T15:58:55Z")
> [@Sundance](#): > > Has anyone out there had success with Squirt without removing the chain to clean it? I I think I have. I did a very similar process to you. I used a chain I’d put on about a week prior but had originally lubed with Muc Off Dry lube. So I cleaned it like this: three runs through of degreaser in a park tool chain cleaner, followed by washing up liquid in the chain cleaner, then rinsed with water through the chain cleaner. The chain felt very light once it was clean. Then I dried it off with a hairdryer. I also cleaned my pulley wheels, casette, and chain rings very thoroughly. Then I did Squirt lube on each roller, turned the pedals for a while, left it for 5 mins and repeated the process twice. It’s been working well since. The chain does feel tacky but it is very quiet and shifting is smooth. However, in future I would probably do a full chain clean off the bike to be sure there was nothing left on the chain. ---
**Author:** ![Bikeguy0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bikeguy0/32/4965_2.png) [@Bikeguy0](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Bikeguy0)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/25 "2020-03-31T16:08:27Z")
Yeah I’m interested in some of the comments here and where people ride. I’ve used Squirt Lube for years in Colorado, dry dusty, conditions and it is fantastic. Dust doesn’t stick to the chain, excess wax falls off, and it isn’t oily or greasy. Now in wetter conditions maybe it doesn’t work as well, such as water crossings during a long race, etc. The other dry lubes I used didn’t last nearly as long and attracted grit and dust to the chain. Hard to diagnose but I have squirt on 2 fat bikes, 2 mountain bikes, 2 cross bikes, 2 gravel bikes, 2 trainer only bikes and none of them are “squeaky” after applying the lube. When it wears off yes, but never as soon as it has been applied. I’m assuming that something else is squeaking like your jockey wheels or a seal in your bottom bracket vs the actual chain. ---
**Author:** ![splash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@splash](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/splash)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/26 "2020-03-31T18:43:42Z")
I’ve got squirt on my cross bike and my mtb, which I ride (and race) in the really wet and muddy UK. No issues with it attracting dirt, chain stays clean and the jockey wheels don’t gunk up. (Ok clean is relative. It doesn’t get the black chain gunk that nearly every other lube produces. When it is muddy, the chain gets muddy, but can easily washed with soapy water along with the bike.) I don’t understand why people find Squirt sticky. It’s not sticky at all when I use it. ---
**Author:** ![AJS914](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@AJS914](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AJS914)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/27 "2020-03-31T22:41:03Z")
> [@Sundance](#): > > So the most likely issue is that I still had grease on the chain.? It wasn’t a new chain but despite degreasing with a paintbrush and a further degrease with a chain cleaning tool perhaps it wasn’t as spotless as I thought? I just went through this with Smoove (similar wax based lube). I cleaned and scrubbed by chain 3X and finished with a dip in alcohol and it still had bits of factory grease on it. (Unfortunately I only noticed after installing it.) Next time I’m going to try dipping in very hot or boiling water in the event that might melt the factory lube. The Smoove worked fine even with little bits of left over grease but now, after a month of riding, it’s starting to collect dirt and look black instead of waxy so I’m going to redo it soon. ---
**Author:** ![Pbase](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pbase/32/969_2.png) [@Pbase](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Pbase)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/28 "2020-03-31T23:42:42Z")
I never remove my chain and have never had this problem. I just use the Park Tool chain cleaner gadget, some Pig Juice, and then Squirt on my MTB and gravel bikes. Never had an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Sundance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@Sundance](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Sundance)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/29 "2020-04-11T13:50:09Z")
Just an update for those kind folk that replied. I have persevered with the Squirt and have now got rid of the squeaking after I applied squirt for about the 4th time. Felt much better for the next ride and reasonably silent although I wouldn’t say buttery smooth. After about 3 rides though ( about 4 - 4.5 hrs total ride time) the chain sounds like it needs some more so I’ve applied another round of Squirt. In between applications I’ve just been rubbing chain and jockey wheels with a rag to clean off the loose waxy material. Does anybody do more than this? Also, the next time I wash the bike, should I just clean the chain with soapy water and avoid degreasing? I am in two minds whether to degrease again and start from scratch, persevere with a soapy water wash and reapply Squirt or scrap the whole Squirt experiment and go back to more conventional lubes. Ok. that’s three minds! ---
**Author:** ![Bikeguy0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bikeguy0/32/4965_2.png) [@Bikeguy0](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Bikeguy0)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/30 "2020-04-11T14:49:29Z")
I use soapy water in a spray bottle and a microfiber to clean it in between full washes. When I do a full wash I use soap and water, no need for harsher degreaser since you don’t have any oil on the chain. Works well for me. I reapply after every 3 rides or so. That is normal for me. Also what other lube were you using that you don’t need to reapply after 12 hours of riding? That is totally reasonable to reapply after 3 rides especially at 4 hours each. ---
**Author:** ![Sundance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@Sundance](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Sundance)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/31 "2020-04-11T17:26:26Z")
@Bikeguy0 - it was 4 hrs total riding (not 12) before I needed to relube. Three separate rides totalling 4 hours. I was previoulsy using Muc off dry lube and I would guess that would last me for around 9-12 hrs as long as it stayed dry. ---
**Author:** ![splash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@splash](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/splash)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/32 "2020-04-11T18:27:11Z")
Yeah, it lasts about 60 miles for me, so 4 hours is ballpark right. I just wash my bike, including drivetrain, with warm soapy water. If the chain is more dirty, I use hot water, which should melt the wax. Then dry the chain pretty quickly and reapply squirt. Not sure if mentioned before - after putting a drop of squirt on every roller, I rotate the cranks about 50 times to make sure it’s well distributed. The let dry. ---
**Author:** ![DaveWh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/davewh/32/13120_2.png) [@DaveWh](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveWh)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/33 "2020-04-27T01:47:39Z")
So after reading this article below, I’m giving Squirt another try on my MTB. For those who have used Squirt, a few questions: 1. How much do you put on in the initial application? I put enough on each link where some lube was dripping off the chain as I was applying - not a lot, maybe a dozen drips in total. Is this too much? Too little? About right? 2. When dry, the chain feels tacky. Does this tackiness attract dirt and dust on the trail? Does the tackiness go away? 3. How long does it last on the trail? I reasonably often do 3-4 hr rides, and sometimes longer - E.g. some marathon MTB races. Is there any scenario where you could ride a 10hr race on one application? 4. I have Eagle on my MTB. Any issues with the lube penetrating the rollers on a tight tolerance chain like this? > **[Silca’s new Super Secret chain lube is like hot-melt wax in a bottle -...](https://cyclingtips.com/2020/04/silcas-new-super-secret-chain-lube-is-like-hot-melt-wax-in-a-bottle/)** > > It seems we’re coming into the golden era of chain lubes. Friction Facts originally broke ground with its research into the efficiency of various lubes, and more recently Adam Kerin of Zero Friction Cycling proved a correlation between those... ---
**Author:** ![splash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@splash](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/splash)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 7:46am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/34 "2020-04-27T07:46:19Z")
I put one largish drop on every roller of the chain, then rotate the cranks 50 times, then let dry overnight. Mine doesn’t feel tacky, just slightly waxy. I doesn’t seem to attract dust and I don’t end up with much gunk on the jockeywheels either. 3-4 hour rides should be ok, but much longer could be difficult. When it starts to come off, it comes of fast and you’ll end up with a dry chain very quickly. It will depend on the conditions though, we never really have dust! It is also hard to top up on the go, because it should dry before you use it, so I wouldn’t do a 10h marathon on it. (All long races I did, I always used a new chain with factory grease, so don’t have any experience for that). ---
**Author:** ![DaveWh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/davewh/32/13120_2.png) [@DaveWh](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveWh)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/35 "2020-04-27T12:23:10Z")
Thx. It’s on the bike now, so I’ll see how it goes over the next few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![ThyTri](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/thytri/32/12890_2.png) [@ThyTri](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ThyTri)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 2:36pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/36 "2020-04-27T14:36:01Z")
That stuff is quite efficient but doesn’t last long. Every 5h or so, I roughly clean and reapply it. Just need to let it dry enough before use. ---
**Author:** ![andymills](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@andymills](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/andymills)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/37 "2020-04-27T14:56:43Z")
Ive had it last a lot longer than most on here- but Im also mostly riding indoors right now. Bike gets sprayed down with water every 2nd or 3rd ride. The chain noise will tell you when its time to reapply. For initial degreasing: I always use mineral spirits. Obviously the cassette, chainrings and pulleys must be clean. I let it air dry for a few hours to make sure Im good. From there, I just followed the directions on the bottle and it was great. For the reapplication, again, followed the directions and was all good. ---
**Author:** ![DaveWh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/davewh/32/13120_2.png) [@DaveWh](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveWh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/38 "2020-05-18T01:23:55Z")
Update on my experience with Squirt lube on an Eagle chain: I did a 37 mile MTB ride in dry, a little dusty conditions. By 15 miles in my drivetrain was making a horrible creaking sound. Worst I’ve ever experienced. By far. Got home, and cleaned it off. Never again. So far, Squirt is performing better on my Shimano 11 speed road bike. Maybe it’s because the chain does not have as high tolerances as Eagle, and the lube can penetrate a bit better. ---
**Author:** ![AndyGajda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/andygajda/32/1052_2.png) [@AndyGajda](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AndyGajda)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/39 "2020-05-18T12:14:45Z")
I’ll confess to having not read the entire thread. I start with a new chain. Soak it overnight in degreaser and then rinse. I’ll then give it another soak before rinsing and letting dry thoroughly (usually 24hrs). Put the chain on the bike. Then I’ll put on a fair amount of squirt to the inside of the chain and spin the pedals backwards quickly for 30 sec or so is it penetrates into the rollers. Then make sure it’s dry before riding. If it’s done right, it lasts for ages, and the wax coming off the chain is nice and clean. I made the mistake once of just quickly degreasing and wiping off a new chain rather than the full process. It didn’t work well as the wax wouldn’t take well, and was a filthy black colour despite being on a new chain. The devil is in the detail - the prep work makes a difference if you want it to work. ---
**Author:** ![Fenton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/fenton/32/7410_2.png) [@Fenton](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Fenton)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 12:40pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/40 "2020-05-18T12:40:08Z")
there are also already precoated KMC chains > **[Squirt's Prelubed KMC Chains Now Shipping, Waxing Away Your Drivetrain Woes](https://bikerumor.com/squirts-prelubed-kmc-chains-now-shipping-waxing-away-your-drivetrain-woes/)** > > Last summer, Squirt Lube told us about a project with KMC to offer their chains pre-coated with Squirt’s wax emulsion lube. They’d come raw and ungreased from the factory, soaked in Squirt, then packaged for end use. Why avoid the factory grease?... tried these on my second attempt with squirt lube and the result was the same …disapointing ---
**Author:** ![alexgold123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/alexgold123/32/1265_2.png) [@alexgold123](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/alexgold123)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274/41 "2020-05-18T13:28:44Z")
> [@AndyGajda](#): > > Then I’ll put on **a fair amount** of squirt This is likely the key for anyone not getting good results. A fair amount = WAY more than you’d put on of any other lube. IIRC Squirt is around 90% carrier, which evaporates, so imagine you’re putting on 10% of what it looks like. The chain should be saturated with a white-looking coating. Come back an hour later and it’ll look completely different, just like a clean chain. I’m about to top mine up, so will post some photos if there’s interest. [Previous page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274.md?page=1) [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/squirt-lube-what-am-i-doing-wrong/32274.md?page=3)