1. Wipe the chain by pinching the chain with a rag and back pedaling to clean as much grease off the chain as possible (or until I get impatient to start riding…).

2. Apply 2-3 drops of lube while spinning the pedals. The theory is that this amount of lube will naturally spread out over time and coat the chain. I currently use TriFlow but maybe I’ll give Dumande a try when I run out.

That’s it. I do this before ~80% of rides and have had good luck. It takes 1-2 minutes each time…I don’t ever degrease my chain and it runs pretty smooth/quiet. In my mind this quick-frequent maintenance is easier than “major” maintenance every once in a while.

My bike mechanic skills are pretty simple…not sure if anyone else has tried this!