The bicycle chain serves the purpose to transfer the power from the pedals to the drive wheel as lossless as possible. To avoid abrasion and to have a comfortable ride, the chain should always be well-lubricated. To achieve this, viscous lubricants as greases or oils or suspensions with molybdenum disulphide must be applied manually on the chain. The lubricant must be regularly renewed to maintain a high degree of efficiency and to avoid an unpleasant noise development. As bicycle chains, unlike high-quality motorbike chains, do not possess a lubricant reservoir with an O-ring seal inside, a regular lubrication is very important. However, those viscous lubricants do not only cling to the chain, but all too often to clothes or to surrounding parts during transport as well. Moreover, dust and dirt particles stick to the viscous chain grease, thereby highly increasing wear. Therefore, a cleaning of the chain is always demanding. Conventional lubricants are washed away in the rain, so that the lubricating effect exists no longer.

However, with a carbon-based lubrication gear, a service reduced lubrication of the chain without any pollution is achieved. As the solid lubricant is not viscous, dust and dirt do not adhere to the chain grease. Thus, a demanding cleaning can be omitted. The piece of solid lubricant is a designed as a consumable, which can be adapted to different mileages, with a typical lifetime of 1,500 to 2,000 km. The lubrication effect results from the abrasion the chain produces at the mounted solid lubricant. In doing so, the lubricant is continuously transferred to the chain and the gear during the ride, so that the lubricating effect exists in the rain as well. Even in sandy territory, where due to the massive pollution of a greasy chain, lubrication is often omitted a priori, a carbon-based lubrication gear enables a permanent care of the chain. The lubrication gear is mounted in the region of the rear derailleur of the gearshift. The installation is easily manageable, as only the lower gear wheel has to be exchanged.