The Amflow and a Rusty Chain (A Penguin Classic © for Cantankerous Old Men).

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Gareth-OJ

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Having not experienced a rusty chain sine the early 2000's, I am a little dissapointed with the one on my Amflow PL.
It has the SRAM GX which is new to me, as I have always run Shimano gourpset and chains in the past with never any rust issues. My boys vitus with a Deore groupset isnt rusty!

With a lot of chains to choose from since i last bought one, I am looking for recommendations for a non rusting Ebike / SRAM sutable 12 speed replacement.

Thanks
 
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sethimus said:
you understand why stuff rusts, yes? a lubed chain can't rust
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Not if it is coated properly or made of a decent material rather than cheap mild steel ... Bike maintenance is something I do take part in.
I have had many chains over many years that have not needed cleaning perfectly and re-lubing immediately after every single ride. I am a bit dissapointed.
I've run Shimano Deore, SLX, XT chains in 9spd,10spd,11psd formats for 20 plus years and not had one rust ever.
I have gusset chains on my BMX's that have been abused and not looked after at all, no rust.

I am new to SRAM groupset products on this bike, which is why i am asking the question.
 
Try a wax lube. I'm running the SRAM chain. Zero rust issues. I also have Shimano Deore Chain on my other EMTB. Also zero rust issues.

Steel reacts with oxygen regardless of the grade steel. You need to coat it with a protectant to prevent oxidation. If it is rusting. You are not coating it properly, or you ride in a very corrosive environment. e.g. A salty environment.
 
I am using the same wax lubes as the other chains and coating it generously then leaving to soak in. Same riding areas as the other chains too.
I must be just unlucky with this one.
 
SRAM GX chain on my Avinox Forbidden. Had a bit of rust once when I left it after a wet ride but it cleaned off and has been fine since. It's only really been ridden in the wet as well, gets well lubed though.

Sounds like a duff one, Probably will change mine to a black X0 eventually though
 
Shimano XT chains are quality, but you forget to lube or dry them off after a wet ride and they'll rust. I've been running them for 5 years and they all develop a patina quickly. Still work good, but I don't believe the outer plates have any special coating. Seems like higher-end SRAM chains have better coating and "look" better, but their also a lot more $$.
 
What lube are you using? I find an oil lube in winter is superior to anything in winter, takes more cleaning but keeps the rust off and the drivetrain just works better in typical UK Oct - April conditions. And for those days you can't be arsed with cleaning, spray some WD40 (or any light oil ) into a rag and run the chain through it., but make sure to then wipe excess oil off or it'll pick more crap up. And after a ride pick the back wheel up and drop it half a dozen times to knock the water out (or if you live on a quiet street blast up and down the kerbs). If you think your chain rusts quickly..the Shimano LG500 (Linkglide) wins the gold medal in how quick they can rust, but apparently plated chains aren't as long lived something to do with the electroplating on thin steel side plates messes up the metallogy and actually weakens them (or something like that?).
 
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Ever since I stopped buying the cheapest chains I could find, I have not been troubled by rust. They last longer too. :)
Except..... :unsure:

Even with my fancy chain, and its wet lube applied before the ride, a long wet and gritty ride must have removed most of the lube from the outer links. When I got back home, I did my usual and left the bike until the following day to clean up. In the morning the outer plates had a slight patina of rust. A good wipe through with a towel and an application of wet lube sorted that out just fine. :)
 
I had the amflow with the T Type 70 chain and there were no rust issues. Switched to linkglide and LG500 chain rusts the moment it see's water -just clean and relube lots
 
I use Rock'n Roll gold winter and summer with no rust problems but I wipe off dirt on the drivline after every ride and lube.
 
Polar said:
I use Rock'n Roll gold winter and summer with no rust problems but I wipe off dirt on the drivline after every ride and lube.
Click to expand...

I've tried the gold and the extreme - they're good lubes, but the hole in the nozzle clogs pretty much every time I use it, even after shaking it up for a while.
 
RickBullotta said:
I've tried the gold and the extreme - they're good lubes, but the hole in the nozzle clogs pretty much every time I use it, even after shaking it up for a while.
Click to expand...
Never had that problem and if you buy the big bottle you also get a small empty bottle with two nozzle choices.
 
I actually had this issue after a particularly wet weekend in the Lake District.

When I got back home and looked at my bike a day or so later - it was covered in rust. A first for me since I've been riding MTBs.

I brushed it off, relubed with Squirt and its been fine since.
 
Amber Valley Guy said:
What lube are you using? I find an oil lube in winter is superior to anything in winter, takes more cleaning but keeps the rust off and the drivetrain just works better in typical UK Oct - April conditions. And for those days you can't be arsed with cleaning, spray some WD40 (or any light oil ) into a rag and run the chain through it., but make sure to then wipe excess oil off or it'll pick more crap up. And after a ride pick the back wheel up and drop it half a dozen times to knock the water out (or if you live on a quiet street blast up and down the kerbs). If you think your chain rusts quickly..the Shimano LG500 (Linkglide) wins the gold medal in how quick they can rust, but apparently plated chains aren't as long lived something to do with the electroplating on thin steel side plates messes up the metallogy and actually weakens them (or something like that?).
Click to expand...
WD40 (a pest often being sold cheap at discounters) is more or less a rust protection solvent or cleaner but no oil. If you mean to use it for cleaning and protecting the outer surface its fine for me, if you used normal oil as lubricant before. Just my humble opinion.

IMG_4210.jpeg
 
Chains rust if you put the bike away wet without drying or lubing.

Every chain I have ever owned has rusted if i haven't dried and lubed them up before putting away when its wet.
If the bike goes away dry, no problem.

This is a maintenance problem, not a chain problem. Even if the chain rusts faster than others, the same maintenance still applies. clean, dry and lube ya chain when its wet.

Job done.
 
Arminius said:
WD40 (a pest often being sold cheap at discounters) is more or less a rust protection solvent or cleaner but no oil. If you mean to use it for cleaning and protecting the outer surface its fine for me, if you used normal oil as lubricant before. Just my humble opinion.

View attachment 174566
Click to expand...
I fully aware how WD40 works, duh......in my humble opinion
 
I have 2 bikes with GX Eagle chains and one with Type GX and used them for years.......never had any rust problems, and the UK is not the driest MTB terrain any time of year !! I suspect yours is an OEM SX chain.....or a non genuine GX.
 
RustyMTB said:
Odd thread. I've run all sorts of chains over the years, Shimano, KMC, Sram & all of them rust if they get left wet. Are you sure you're not a closet roadie who's run out of wax?
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it is indeed, all I asked for was a recommendation on a rust resistant chain. Not how to use lubrication.

I have several shimano, gusset and kmc chains in the garage that are not rusty, and one sram that is.
 
Mikerb said:
I have 2 bikes with GX Eagle chains and one with Type GX and used them for years.......never had any rust problems, and the UK is not the driest MTB terrain any time of year !! I suspect yours is an OEM SX chain.....or a non genuine GX.
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Thanks, not sure what it is tbh, it does look like a GX but i would have expected a GX to be better.
It is getting swapped out very soon.
 
Plummet said:
Chains rust if you put the bike away wet without drying or lubing.

Every chain I have ever owned has rusted if i haven't dried and lubed them up before putting away when its wet.
If the bike goes away dry, no problem.

This is a maintenance problem, not a chain problem. Even if the chain rusts faster than others, the same maintenance still applies. clean, dry and lube ya chain when its wet.

Job done.
Click to expand...
I must have been extremely lucky for the past 20odd years and with all my other chains I currently have..

it must need a totally different maintenence routine to my others too..
 
All SRAM Eagle chains are compatable with Eagle cassettes....SX is the basic and usually only fitted as OEM ( penny pinching). GX is probably the most popular, next one up is the X01 which has a hardened treatment and some say lasts a lot longer than a GX chain...but it is twice the price of a GX. So you have a choice. I am on the south coast so I suspect have similar riding conditions to you. I have always chosen the GX over the X01 as I am quite prepared to change chains as soon as they get to 0.5 %....but its a personal choice. I tend to do a quick brush/wipe off of the bike after every ride just so it is clean enough to bring in the house where it is stored. A Full clean and clean/lube of the drivetrain could be 2 or 3 days after that. I use Muc off dry and wet lube...not that it makes much difference what you use as lube.....cleaning is far more important since it is the mud dirt/grime between pins and rollers that causes the wear.
 
I'm using the Muc off stuff too this time round, it works well on my other chains but does seem to wash off easily compared to other lubes I have used. Quite like the Finish line wax.
I think i'll give the X01 a try when I find one on deal.
 
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