Post Cleaning And Lubrication - Mountain Bike Zen
Now Lube!
Okay so you've thoroughly cleaned your bike and dried off any excess water from your rinse, now you need to lube, if you do not lube your bike will fall into pieces and so will you.
Keep lube away from your brake pads.
There are numerous products available for lubing your bike parts, different lubes and greases can be used on different areas. Most commonly you will be lubing your chain, for this you will want a good quality lube, do not use WD40 or similar for your bicycle chain it is not the best choice. A good dry lube will often do but a quality wet lube will be best for year round riding and long distance riding. Apply the lube sparingly but ensure all parts of the chain get treated. It is a good idea to apply the lube to the inside of the chain, avoid applying directly to chain rings as it will dribble down into the gaps where it will attract contaminents and clog with dirt.
Once you have lubed the chain use a dry cloth and wipe off any excess lube from the outer parts of the chain. These areas are the parts of the chain that do not come into contact with anything. It is best to clean off the lube from these areas as it serves no purpose and will attract dirt and grit.
Other moving parts like brake mechanisms (not the pads dude!) brake levers etc. should have some carefully directed lubricant applied, dry lube or ptfe based lube is best for this. Even better if you can get a spray can with a directional straw to ensure you do not accidentally spray lubricant onto your grips, brake pads, and the tops of your pedals. You do not want these to be slippery!
When replacing or rennovating bearings you will also need a suitable lubricant for these parts too. You can use vaseline but this isn't a great solution. The best option is to get a specific bearing grease, often bike suppliers will have bearing grease for this purpose, you may get a tube free with a new headset, but you can use car bearing grease which is usually a little cheaper and is often much the same stuff. Bearing grease needs to be long lasting, repellant to dirt and grime and resistant to the high temperatures associated with parts that come under constant and regular friction.