I use the same service interval as outdoors, not sure that necessary but that's the way I do it.

I suppose the answer here depends if your wife had a part in the dirtying of the rag with lube

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IG: idking90

I had a bike on a trainer that I didn't lube for years after the initial set-up. Generally I lube my chain after cleaning it, which removes lubrication. The chain on the trainer bike never got dirty, so I never cleaned it, so (almost) never had to re-lube.

I guess I'd recommend relubing after several hundred hours of riding.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

When the drivetrain grinds louder than usual which is about a month for me.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

Yes, outside the dirt adds to the need to lube a bicycle chain, no doubt. But, depending on a host of variables, a bicycle chain will wear due to normal use. That is, the metal to metal contact under stress will result in metal wear, the slow grinding off of surface metal from the chain and from other sources (chainring, cassette, etc.). Note too, that this is typically what makes the majority of what's found in the black, greasy gunk on the chain. To reduce the rate of friction loses one must lube their chain, period.

Independent research (https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/lubetesting/) has proven that the best chain lubricant for cleanliness, longevity, and reduced friction is paraffin wax, particularly Molten Speed Wax (paraffin with Molybdenum and Teflon added). BUT, indoors when first riding after a new wax treatment, it can get a bit messy while all the new wax flies off the chain. If you don't mind and have a handy vacuum cleaner available, that'd be the absolute best to use, indoors and out. Using a removeable chain link (Connex Wipperman is best though there are a couple of worthy contenders) helps make the job faster and safer.

If you do mind the initial flying pieces of wax, though, then the next best would be Rock and Roll lube, if applied every 100-200 miles, depending on the noise level of your chain and how well you applied this lube previously. I state this because the same, independent source cited above clearly showed this lube to be second best. I like that it's much faster and easier to apply than wax and it helps keep your chain super clean. Just be careful about making sure there's circulating air in the space that you apply it as the main ingredient is highly flammable. This lube places Teflon in all the right areas in your chain, all while really cleaning the chain also.

Rock and Roll lube application can be somewhat messy under the chain so, indoors, I use a protective sheet used under the lube application area and that totally prevents any lube falling on my gym's floor, working well 100% of the time.

 Would put the Premier lube and Squirt above Rock’n Roll any day. One of the best things about a waxed chain is that it doesn’t drop any of those little grease balls on the carpet, like you get with any of the oily lubes. Generally you can just vacuum up any of the little wax flecks and they don’t stain carpet. Squirt and just straight-up paraffin wax would be the cleanest.

The only problem with wax lubes is that you need to clean all the factory lube off before you can apply the wax-based lube.

+1

Every other time I read a thread like this, so almost never.

The chain, cassette, and probably chainrings on my trainer bike are beyond worn. I can’t hear any noise over the fan + headphones, so I just don’t care.

I have a crank powermeter & a smart wheel off trainer that measure either side of the drive train. I just watch the discrepancy & if it gets bad sort it. At best it is only 1%, but I’ve seen it go to 5%. This occurs earlier than the noise increase. Think most lubes recommend every time if it rains, which it never does indoors, or every few hundred miles.

There’s added faff to oiling indoors though with putting cling film on the trainer legs etc. I end up doing it every month or so, but really it should be every two weeks.