While the key areas of our bikes come lubricated from the factory there are several times where adding lubrication to certain areas can be beneficial for the life of the bike. This article will go over places where lubrication would be beneficial and what lubricants to use. 


Quick Reference On Recommended Lubricants



Areas to Lubricate During Assembly

While not entirely necessary, lubricating certain areas during assembly can be very beneficial for riders who want to get the most out of their equipment. Lubricating the following components will help the parts last longer and is advised for those riders who do regular bike commuting. Also customers who live in coastal areas will need to apply lubricant more often than those in drier climates. Working from back to front, here are the areas to lubricate:


  1. Grease pedal threads on crankset. 
  2. Grease the inside of the seat tube before installing seatpost. 
  3. Grease BB spindle before installing crankarm. 
  4. Grease select headset components & both bearings. 
  5. Grease front quick release skewer or axle. 


The following photos show where to apply grease during assembly and correspond with the instructions above. In all situations a waterproof grease should be used. Our recommendation is PM-600 Military grease. We recommend it for its unparalleled resistance to water ingress along with its long lasting formulation. Mobil 1 Synthetic grease is a secondary recommendation as it is cheaper and easier to source.  



Chain Lubrication

Over time the factory applied lubricant will break down and more will need to be applied. The frequency of application depends largely on use and riding conditions. For riders who use the bike for commuting or heavy/ frequent use, Finish Line Wet Lube is recommended. We also recommend this for riders who live in a coastal area or riders who go out in adverse weather conditions. For most casual riders the Finish Line Dry is the lubricant of choice. It goes on wet and then tries to form a wax film that covers the chain.  This lubricant is much cleaner than the wet lube but does not last as long and will not protect as well in the rain or humid conditions. While these lubricants differ in their strengths, the application process is the same: 

  1. Shake lubricant well. Hold above chain and apply light bead of lubricant on top of chain while pedaling backwards. Two revolutions of the chain is more than enough. 
  2. Hold the chain with a rag, pedal backwards while holding the chain and wiping off extra lubricant. Any lubricant you see on the chain is considered extra. The lube the chain needs has already soaked down into the rollers. Wiping off the extra lube is critical for chain health and for a clean bike. 

For further details on proper chain care, check out http://www.finishlineusa.com/


Lubing the Motor Gears


Most our our bikes use geared hub motors to supplement rider power. These motors are almost completely maintenance free, however in some cases a little lubrication can provide a quieter ride. When lubricating inside the rear hub is important to note that a little is a lot. Is is not beneficial to overload the rear hub with lubricant as this may be detrimental to the electrical components. In order to properly lubricate the rear hub the stator unit will need to be removed. Please see this link on how to compete this: 

https://ride1up.freshdesk.com/a/solutions/articles/65000176917


For any further questions about lubrication, please reach out to our contact support.