Rock n’ Roll Gold Lube
First things first, the name sounds very, very dirty – which in my book is actually a positive. You may disagree, but that’s a personal issue. Now that we’ve got the name out of the way we can delve into a long-winded story about how I came to be using this lubricant.
Sometimes I just like to shake things up, and was I feeling a need to make a change in my cycling life to keep things spicy. And since the majority of the Schmalz family budget goes to feeding, amusing, and educating the little ones, a big purchase like a frame or a carbon cod piece was out of the question. I had to think of something cheap. I went to the bike store open for anything cheap and easy. This paragraph is coming off a little tawdry; so let’s start another.
I found my answer in lube (that just sounds sooo dirty), it was cheap, not a huge emotional commitment and easy to abandon if things didn’t work out. Like a liquid rebound date. I was feeling open minded, so I asked the knowledgeable staff at Campmor (yes, that’s where I shop for bike stuff) which lube they would recommend. Both salespeople said “Rock N’ Roll” right away, and they said it in unison, which was kinda creepy, but very convincing.
I bought it, it seemed a little expensive for such a little bottle, but a paltry sum compared to the cod piece I was looking at. The Rock N’ Roll lube was different from my previous lube in that it cleans and lubes at the same time. I’m a big fan of being able to do two things at once. If I could find a nice way to eat in the shower, I would, as I am so sick of personal grooming; but that’s a whole other slightly nasty story.
I tried the lube. The directions say to apply a nice flow of it onto the chain and then wipe the lube off. You never hear the words “wipe the lube off” from other manufacturors. In fact, the directions say that you can’t wipe enough. Anything that lets me vigorously rub my chain as much as possible (another phrase that sounds very dirty) is fine by me, as I love having a sparkling chain. I wiped and wiped until the chain was really, really clean. My chain looked pretty, but the big question was whether it would disintegrate like a paper mache demo-derby car.
My chain didn’t fall apart, in fact, it worked quite well. The Rock N’ Roll web site says something about static electricity and how the membrane formed by the lube resists the forces of electricity. That’s sounds like crazy talk. Personally, I think the secret ingredient is unicorn milk – that makes much more sense to me.
Time for hate
It’s $7.99 for a 4 ounce bottle – but have you ever tried to milk a unicorn?
Where does this leave us?
It’s great lube that also leaves your chain really clean. What else do you need?
And it’s cheaper if you buy the 22-ounce bottle from bikeman.com
Im a Boston guy, so I know what Cod is, but don’t know how a plastic fish fits on my bike. What a cod? Is it the secret bike part that allows you to win races…that I’ve been missing all this time? Or I guess the part that damns one to second place, given the writer?
Blackie Lawless
If it’s Gold, you know it’s good.
I use this stuff. It works.
What does W.A.S.P stand for?
….is what you need – best stuff ever!! See Lennard Zinn review here:
http://www.progoldmfr.com/reprints/Zinn.pdf
If you mix odorless mineral spirits and a synthetic motor oil about 2:1 or 3:1 you’ll have the same stuff and much much cheaper.
I met Zinn in January at a ski race — cool guy.
To make it easier for you, we’ll start using a number after anon coward.
it works well but if you need an all weather lube look elsewhere.
Lame I know, but Blackie wasn’t known as the sharpest knife in the drawer. What do you expect from someone who sang “I wanna be somebody…be somebody soon”?
Yeah, Blackie was a bit of a numbskull. Chris Holmes was the real brains of that band.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=m1O5h-xWpro
the red flavor works well in wet conditions. they also have a really good de-greaser
The “brains” of W.A.S.P. Excellent!
I’ve been using this stuff for a while, also on the recommendation of the guys at Campmor. At some point I bought a big bottle that’s lasted a long time. It seems to attract less gunk than Boeshield, which is what I used before.
In the winter you want to apply it someplace warm, not outside, to keep it more liquid.
some pretty bad grammar in that article.
Hey, im the only one allowed to bust on grammar around here. Go find something else to complain about, bozo.
Larry Craig would like to insert you as a Friend.
I don’t like progold. You put it on, and wipe it thoroughly (twice!) and it still spatters all over the drive side of your frame and wheel. Don’t believe me? Try it next time you use your trainer. Put it on, wipe off excess, wait a bit, wipe off excess again, then ride the trainer with some newspaper below the drivetrain. Newspaper will be spattered in chainlube after 20 minutes.
Friend, maybe you just need to wipe better/more. Im surprised that you would blame the lube for spattering – that what excess oil does when left on the chain! If you think this particular lube needs more wiping than another, well you may have a point, though Im very suspect of this theory if we are comparing dry lubes of similar compounds.
ProGold = lube-dingleberry issue? No one likes to deal with lubegleberries.
Personally I prefer ProGold and the like to the waxier stuff, which tends to collect more dirt in my experience in riding conditions I frequent. Lightning wax et al seems to have more of a “skid mark”-like problem. And NO-ONE likes lube-skid-marks…
Wiping (holding chain in clean rag thru several rotations AND at the edge of the inside pulley for several rotations) and then waiting a few minutes before repeating the process should be enough for any chainlube. Progold spatters more than others, yes. Maybe as much as straight motor oil. I’ve used Phil Wood tenacious oil, it doesn’t mess things up nearly as much. I’m going to buy the product reviewed above, hopefully it will perform better than Progold.
Mecray is right, that White Lightening wax lube has its own set of issues, but at least I don’t have to wipe it off my frame and wheel. Still nothing like the OEM Shimano packing grease. That stuff is the best, tho it does gum up the pulleys a bit.
Have tried just about everything and come back to White Lightning for ease of use and easy clean up, given that I live in an apt. If I had a hose handy at any time, I might use something different.
I’ve always found that WL creates a lot of buildup, especially on the pulleys. I got to the point of scraping them clean with a butter knife while turning the cranks. (Who wants to have dinner at my house?) Anyone else have this problem?
…..not rocket science. Just don’t drown the chain in lube. A drop on each link – give the cranks a few spins – wipe down a couple of times – and you’re good! Been using it for years have never had any splatter issues. Don’t saturate chain – the stuff is expensive to begin with. Plus it smells pretty good and you can use it to clean just about any part of your bike.
Bonus. Cleans my chain easy as a “how d’ya do”, and I can keep it handy by my desk for the offhand sniff! Ahhh.
OK, Ill shut up now.
White Lightning is one of the worst. It’s a wax-based lube that begins to flake off as soon as solvent evaporates (quickly, INO), resulting in metal-to-metal contact in a single ride… The one-drop per link then wipe it all off motor-oil/OMS mix that jft suggests seems to be the best thing for all conditions. I buy the ProLink anyway, because quart of motor oil mixed 3/1 with OMS results in an approximate 275-year supply. Of course with your skills you could make a nice purple label, bottle it, call it “Shenzoil” and market it on the steps at the GWB…
if you use the poor man’s version of prolink – mineral spirits and motor oil. You have to wipe it a lot and let it dry, but the idea is to end up with lube IN the chain, not on the outside
Prolink splatters more than other stuff when just applied because it has a solvent in it that makes it thin. When the solvent has evaporated it won’t splatter so much.
So, would the pro-link not spatter if I applied it at the end of the ride and let it evaporate overnight? Maybe that’s a good solution. I agree its a good lubricant, the neat freak in me just can’t take the spatter.
I’m still gonna try the R&R Gold, just to see if its any better.
I love the blue rock n roll, works great keeps the drive train working smoothly
I love the blue rock n roll, works great keeps the drive train working smoothly
put it on, wipe it off. Let the bike sit a few hours. Wipe it off again.
But I don’t always have time for that..
I’ve used the blue rock n’ roll lube on my road bike since the mechanic @ Altheus (shortish guy with the dog) suggested I try it. It works great, even in the rain. I’ve thought about giving the gold stuff a try, but don’t feel the need to make the switch. Does anyone know what the difference between the two really is (other than color)?
i just use a little olive oil and / or heavy whipping cream
Off topic, but this is the place to be off topic:
The K-Town krew is tearing it up, Ken Harris won the 40-44 Points race at Masters Nationals. Karl Roesler finished 4th in the 30-34 Sprint. La Cupcake is bringing home the Bronze in the 35-39 Sprint, and Laura Summers acquired another bronze medal. Congrats all! Keep em’ coming(the medals).
I’m an idiot. I made a mistake. The nasty crap that spatters all over my bike is NOT Pro Gold. Its Finish Line Pro Road (comes in a gold bottle). I’ve never used Prolink Pro Gold, so I have no reason to say it spatters, its probably a very good product.
But do yourselves a favor and steer clear of Finish Line Pro Road, unless you wash your bike after every ride and don’t mind a little lube on your braking surfaces.
Nelson Li (Global Locate) took bronze in the 40-44 sprint.
To Mr Schmaltz:
Which bottle of Rock n Roll is your favorite?What color bottle do I look for? I saw yellow, blue , and a red capped bottle. Im done with Prolink, in spite of the MFR technology, it really ATTRACTS dirt to the chain. I would only treat chains of Indoor Velodrome bikes with it.Not to mention the STRONG FUMES!
As a shop mechanic with too much experience wrenchin’ and breathin Lube fumes, I can tell you this stuff is good for pedal cleats, gear cable guides, Mtn bike brake cables, and sliding window/door mechanisms, but NOT for chains unless the purpose is for a single 45 minute cross race (this stuff DOES eject sand n dirt)any thing longer, and it fades out.
The gold
Hey Dan you’re welcome. Best stuff on the market!!!
I use Gold. Great stuff. Keeps the chain clean and smooth. The trick is to build up a big coating over 2-4 weeks with frequent application, then it lasts for long time. I also clean each link individually. The extra time produces a much cleaner chain.
The gold
Hey Dan you’re welcome. Best stuff on the market!!!
I use Gold. Great stuff. Keeps the chain clean and smooth. The trick is to build up a big coating over 2-4 weeks with frequent application, then it lasts for long time. I also clean each link individually. The extra time produces a much cleaner chain.
As a shop mechanic with too much experience wrenchin’ and breathin Lube fumes, I can tell you this stuff is good for pedal cleats, gear cable guides, Mtn bike brake cables, and sliding window/door mechanisms, but NOT for chains unless the purpose is for a single 45 minute cross race (this stuff DOES eject sand n dirt)any thing longer, and it fades out.
To Mr Schmaltz:
Which bottle of Rock n Roll is your favorite?What color bottle do I look for? I saw yellow, blue , and a red capped bottle. Im done with Prolink, in spite of the MFR technology, it really ATTRACTS dirt to the chain. I would only treat chains of Indoor Velodrome bikes with it.Not to mention the STRONG FUMES!
Nelson Li (Global Locate) took bronze in the 40-44 sprint.
i just use a little olive oil and / or heavy whipping cream
Off topic, but this is the place to be off topic:
The K-Town krew is tearing it up, Ken Harris won the 40-44 Points race at Masters Nationals. Karl Roesler finished 4th in the 30-34 Sprint. La Cupcake is bringing home the Bronze in the 35-39 Sprint, and Laura Summers acquired another bronze medal. Congrats all! Keep em’ coming(the medals).
I’ve used the blue rock n’ roll lube on my road bike since the mechanic @ Altheus (shortish guy with the dog) suggested I try it. It works great, even in the rain. I’ve thought about giving the gold stuff a try, but don’t feel the need to make the switch. Does anyone know what the difference between the two really is (other than color)?
put it on, wipe it off. Let the bike sit a few hours. Wipe it off again.
But I don’t always have time for that..
I love the blue rock n roll, works great keeps the drive train working smoothly
I love the blue rock n roll, works great keeps the drive train working smoothly
So, would the pro-link not spatter if I applied it at the end of the ride and let it evaporate overnight? Maybe that’s a good solution. I agree its a good lubricant, the neat freak in me just can’t take the spatter.
I’m still gonna try the R&R Gold, just to see if its any better.
Prolink splatters more than other stuff when just applied because it has a solvent in it that makes it thin. When the solvent has evaporated it won’t splatter so much.
if you use the poor man’s version of prolink – mineral spirits and motor oil. You have to wipe it a lot and let it dry, but the idea is to end up with lube IN the chain, not on the outside
White Lightning is one of the worst. It’s a wax-based lube that begins to flake off as soon as solvent evaporates (quickly, INO), resulting in metal-to-metal contact in a single ride… The one-drop per link then wipe it all off motor-oil/OMS mix that jft suggests seems to be the best thing for all conditions. I buy the ProLink anyway, because quart of motor oil mixed 3/1 with OMS results in an approximate 275-year supply. Of course with your skills you could make a nice purple label, bottle it, call it “Shenzoil” and market it on the steps at the GWB…
Bonus. Cleans my chain easy as a “how d’ya do”, and I can keep it handy by my desk for the offhand sniff! Ahhh.
OK, Ill shut up now.
…..not rocket science. Just don’t drown the chain in lube. A drop on each link – give the cranks a few spins – wipe down a couple of times – and you’re good! Been using it for years have never had any splatter issues. Don’t saturate chain – the stuff is expensive to begin with. Plus it smells pretty good and you can use it to clean just about any part of your bike.
Wiping (holding chain in clean rag thru several rotations AND at the edge of the inside pulley for several rotations) and then waiting a few minutes before repeating the process should be enough for any chainlube. Progold spatters more than others, yes. Maybe as much as straight motor oil. I’ve used Phil Wood tenacious oil, it doesn’t mess things up nearly as much. I’m going to buy the product reviewed above, hopefully it will perform better than Progold.
Mecray is right, that White Lightening wax lube has its own set of issues, but at least I don’t have to wipe it off my frame and wheel. Still nothing like the OEM Shimano packing grease. That stuff is the best, tho it does gum up the pulleys a bit.
Have tried just about everything and come back to White Lightning for ease of use and easy clean up, given that I live in an apt. If I had a hose handy at any time, I might use something different.
I’ve always found that WL creates a lot of buildup, especially on the pulleys. I got to the point of scraping them clean with a butter knife while turning the cranks. (Who wants to have dinner at my house?) Anyone else have this problem?
ProGold = lube-dingleberry issue? No one likes to deal with lubegleberries.
Personally I prefer ProGold and the like to the waxier stuff, which tends to collect more dirt in my experience in riding conditions I frequent. Lightning wax et al seems to have more of a “skid mark”-like problem. And NO-ONE likes lube-skid-marks…
Friend, maybe you just need to wipe better/more. Im surprised that you would blame the lube for spattering – that what excess oil does when left on the chain! If you think this particular lube needs more wiping than another, well you may have a point, though Im very suspect of this theory if we are comparing dry lubes of similar compounds.
I don’t like progold. You put it on, and wipe it thoroughly (twice!) and it still spatters all over the drive side of your frame and wheel. Don’t believe me? Try it next time you use your trainer. Put it on, wipe off excess, wait a bit, wipe off excess again, then ride the trainer with some newspaper below the drivetrain. Newspaper will be spattered in chainlube after 20 minutes.
Larry Craig would like to insert you as a Friend.
Hey, im the only one allowed to bust on grammar around here. Go find something else to complain about, bozo.
some pretty bad grammar in that article.
The “brains” of W.A.S.P. Excellent!
I’ve been using this stuff for a while, also on the recommendation of the guys at Campmor. At some point I bought a big bottle that’s lasted a long time. It seems to attract less gunk than Boeshield, which is what I used before.
In the winter you want to apply it someplace warm, not outside, to keep it more liquid.
the red flavor works well in wet conditions. they also have a really good de-greaser
Yeah, Blackie was a bit of a numbskull. Chris Holmes was the real brains of that band.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=m1O5h-xWpro
To make it easier for you, we’ll start using a number after anon coward.
it works well but if you need an all weather lube look elsewhere.
Lame I know, but Blackie wasn’t known as the sharpest knife in the drawer. What do you expect from someone who sang “I wanna be somebody…be somebody soon”?
If you mix odorless mineral spirits and a synthetic motor oil about 2:1 or 3:1 you’ll have the same stuff and much much cheaper.
I met Zinn in January at a ski race — cool guy.
….is what you need – best stuff ever!! See Lennard Zinn review here:
http://www.progoldmfr.com/reprints/Zinn.pdf
If it’s Gold, you know it’s good.
I use this stuff. It works.
What does W.A.S.P stand for?
Blackie Lawless
Im a Boston guy, so I know what Cod is, but don’t know how a plastic fish fits on my bike. What a cod? Is it the secret bike part that allows you to win races…that I’ve been missing all this time? Or I guess the part that damns one to second place, given the writer?
And it’s cheaper if you buy the 22-ounce bottle from bikeman.com
For most effective wipe down of wet chain use microfiber detail cloth (where automotive cleaning supplies sold), shift chain to big ring, squeeze chain with cloth around front of ring, rotate backwards and repeat until whole chain done. A damp clean cloth works great for cleaning rims, brakes, and rest of bike. A 2 minute wipe down after each ride will keep chain looking sharp.