I need my bicycle\’s chain to be oily in the morning. It reminds me of this old joke: Why did the man sleep under the petroleum tank? Because he wanted to get up \”oily\” in the morning.

Every two or three weeks, I need to lube to my road bike\’s chain; and if I get rained on a lot, it needs to be done more often.

I use a self-cleaning lube, because I\’m tired of having jars of dirty, oily water sitting around. In fact, they\’re still here because it\’s so hard for me to get to a toxic-waste drop-off facility; and I don\’t want any more of them.

The general suggestion is that you clean/lube your bicycle\’s chain in the evening; let it sit overnight so the oil can soak in; then hold an old rag or a paper towel (like a shop towel) loosely around the chain while you turn the pedal. This removes excess lube that would only attract dirt and grit that make a chain wear faster.

A clean, properly lubricated chain runs better; shifts better; and lasts longer. Sometimes I think I need to attend to my bicycle chain every week, but I\’m too lazy for that. Maybe a good New Year\’s resolution for me would be to take better care of my bicycles\’ chains!