I’ve been kinda slack on keeping the chain on the road bike lubed (this is the bike with a Power Tap). I only ride it inside on the trainer and I only ride it for 2-3 hrs. a week. All my other riding is done on my commuter bike.
So, lately, I’ve been doing 2 x 20 min and my watts have been averaging right around 250W for each 20 min. session. My latest session that I logged was 10 days ago. It was 250W and 248W.
Today before I rode, I lubed up the chain. The first 20 min. was 266W avg. and the 2nd 20 min. was 261W.
My heart rate for each effort was with 4BPM for each effort.
Did a lubed chain really make that much of a difference?
I think 1/2 of that increase was the chain lube. 1/4 of it was fitness, and the last 1/4 was “Awesome, look how fast I’m going today!”
Good work, keep it up!
No. Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency. Sometimes the lube would prevent grime & dirt to settle between your chain’s moving parts, which in turn may prevent deterioration of your drivetrain efficiency as grime and dirt are factors. But from what you said, it doesn’t look like anything of this sort has been going on. Probably it’s a combination of you becoming fitter, being well rested and feeling good this particular day. A, BTW did you do that in the same gear combination (i.e chainring/sprocket combo)? Because that could have some impact,but certainly not as big as you describe…You are getting stronger on the bike 
Nick.
So are you saying that if I didn’t clean my chain for a month or so that my watts should not be any different when I clean my chain? I seem to always avg higher watts after cleaning my chain, as much a 20 watts!
Mike
Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency.
You’ve got to be kidding. Then why in the world do we even bother lubricating moving parts? Oh yeah, so they move with less effort.
Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency.
You’ve got to be kidding. Then why in the world do we even bother lubricating moving parts? Oh yeah, so they move with less effort.
Now thats just crazy talk. I swear that my car runs great and I refuse to put oil in it.
No. Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency.
I dont agree. A properly lubricated & cleaned chain gives you about 3% loss in watts/in vs watts/out. A dirty and unlubricated chain will increase this loss up to about 10%.
The numbers quoted above by Lambert are roughly what are described in Bicycling Science, which actually provides data and references. So I would go with that, not to mention most peoples experience tells them the same.
Paul
Lambert is approximately correct, and in addition new vs old chain matters too. Newer but broken in chain (~100 miles) being better, even when both are equally clean.
“Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency”…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Funny stuff…
http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/1999/aug3099/30pedal.html
http://www.ihpva.org/HParchive/PDF/hp50-2000.pdf
People like you - there are a few smart-ass replies further up the post as well - remind me why I started charging cash for fitting and equipment selection advice - it’s just if people don’t pay they don’t listen.
While I do not have all the answers, the things that I say are usually based on some sort of research - if I don’t know much about a subject - like you in this case - I keep my mouth shut. Or ask people who know.
Nick.
Help me understand…
From what I am reading in your two linked articles is that if I ride with a perfectly clean chain that has been recently lubed, then decreased, and only ride in a sterile laboratory with my chain perfectly protected from the elements, dust, sweat, cat hair or dander, then I shouldn’t worry or care about lube?
Both of those experiments fail to address the most important thing that typically happens when someone lubes a chain: it gets clean. When I see a study that addresses the efficiency of a dirty chain vs. a clean one, then I’ll pay more attention. Until then, the magnitude of the difference that I and others have repeatedly observed remains way too high to be explained away by you saying “nuh-uh”
Chain lubrication does not affect drivetrain efficiency.
You’re right. Actually, it’s best to let the chain rust up. That orange rust actually acts as a dry lubricant for the moving parts, and increased drivetrain efficiency…you know, “squeaky clean.” It might feel like shit, but it’s so much more efficient than lubricating it. Really. A fast chain is a dry chain…one that squeaks, and doesn’t make your hands dirty when you touch it.
Stop it…I’m not kidding. Really, it’s true. I read it on ST.