A basic question

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Actually, there are more opinions about chain lubrication than about
the other big controversy I won't mention. On the other hand, people
tend not to be as polarized about it. The ideas vary from "never lube
the chain" to "clean with xyz solvent and lube with abc solvent every
123.4 miles or after every full moon."

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

Austin

In article <[email hidden]>,

AustinMN said:

It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

You just described barbecue sauce :-)

cheers, & mmmmm ... spareribs ...
Tom

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Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

AustinMN said:

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Actually, there are more opinions about chain lubrication than about
the other big controversy I won't mention. On the other hand, people
tend not to be as polarized about it. The ideas vary from "never lube
the chain" to "clean with xyz solvent and lube with abc solvent every
123.4 miles or after every full moon."

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

While I agree with you re:using "uncut" motor oil on a chain, there is
far from "universal agreement" on this.

And, other than being messy, why do you think motor oil "isn't an
appropriate chain lubricant"?

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain. I also have some minor rust on my chain, how
do you clean this off?

There are so many hundreds of threads about this already that it seems
pointless to rehash the issue for such a basic question. Google Groups
has a wonderful search function that can answer questions instantly:

http://groups.google.com/groups/search?q=bicycle+chain+lubricant&qt_s=Search

AustinMN said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

Austin

Not nealrl universal agreement. While I've never used it a fellow club
member does. He rides ~8,000 miles a year and has been doing that for
over 50 years so I give his opinion high credibility.

gds said:

AustinMN said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

Austin

Not nealrl universal agreement. While I've never used it a fellow club
member does. He rides ~8,000 miles a year and has been doing that for
over 50 years so I give his opinion high credibility.

Mea Culpa; my use of the term "universal" was definitely wrong.
Perhaps "broad agreement" might have been a beeter choice of terms. In
any case, it proves there isn't anything about chain lube that has
achieved universal acceptance - that even things that appear obvious
have differing opinions.

Austin

AustinMN said:

gds said:

AustinMN said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

Austin

Not nealrl universal agreement. While I've never used it a fellow club
member does. He rides ~8,000 miles a year and has been doing that for
over 50 years so I give his opinion high credibility.

Mea Culpa; my use of the term "universal" was definitely wrong.
Perhaps "broad agreement" might have been a beeter choice of terms. In
any case, it proves there isn't anything about chain lube that has
achieved universal acceptance - that even things that appear obvious
have differing opinions.

Austin

But I can imagine that motor oil is a very inexpensive alternative. At
least here in the desert southwest we don't often get lube washed off
by weather. I'd guess that a quart would last ~10 years ;-)

landotter said:

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain. I also have some minor rust on my chain, how
do you clean this off?

There are so many hundreds of threads about this already that it seems
pointless to rehash the issue for such a basic question. Google Groups
has a wonderful search function that can answer questions instantly:

http://groups.google.com/groups/search?q=bicycle+chain+lubricant&qt_s=Search

I'm not sure the rust issue has been addressed in such depth, so I'll
throw in an opinion on that: don't worry about it. Any oil will lube
the chain, and if you rub the excess off with a rag, either the rust
will come off on the rag, or the oil will seal the rust so it doesn't
spread.

Pat

Austin Cooper said:

Quoted message said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Quoted message said:

Actually, there are more opinions about chain lubrication than about
the other big controversy I won't mention. On the other hand,
people tend not to be as polarized about it. The ideas vary from
"never lube the chain" to "clean with xyz solvent and lube with abc
solvent every 123.4 miles or after every full moon."

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

I don't know on what you base that assessment but I know of many
riders who use 30W motor oil as I do. I think the reason it doesn't
appeal to contributors on wreck.bike who write about arcane methods of
lubrication and cleaning, is that it is not packaged for bicycles nor
sold in bicycle shops in small expensive containers.

Rust does not affect the operation of your bicycle unless you ride it
so rarely that the rollers get rusty. Hand pedal the chain backward
while running a small stream of oil down the middle of the chain while
steadying your oil can hand against the chainstay. After the first
ride, wipe off any excess oil with an old t-shirt rag.

Jobst Brandt

Rust onthe chain suggests that it may have sat outdoors, or improperly
tended for a while. The rust that you can see "ain't gone hurt nothin.'"
But make sure that all the links are free--not frozen or stiff. If there is
rust inside the links, their life is going to be short, because rust is
rouge, a well known abrasive. If the chain wears rapidly due to this
internal abrasive action, it may also take out the chainrings and and cogs.

My advice: if there is any doubt at all, just change the chain.

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain. I also have some minor rust on my chain, how
do you clean this off?

There's no consensus about which lube to use. I clean and lube my chain
every 300 miles or so. I have two bikes and ride just over 2000 miles a
year, so I wind up doing it six times per year, three times per bike.
Have never had any rust issues, but I live several hundred miles from a
coast. Maybe rust is a regional issue. Anyway, I don't expect I ever
will have to worry about it, keeping the chains lubed regularly.

Quoted message said:

Austin Cooper said:

Quoted message said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Quoted message said:

Actually, there are more opinions about chain lubrication than about
the other big controversy I won't mention. On the other hand,
people tend not to be as polarized about it. The ideas vary from
"never lube the chain" to "clean with xyz solvent and lube with abc
solvent every 123.4 miles or after every full moon."

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

I don't know on what you base that assessment but I know of many
riders who use 30W motor oil as I do. I think the reason it doesn't
appeal to contributors on wreck.bike who write about arcane methods of
lubrication and cleaning, is that it is not packaged for bicycles nor
sold in bicycle shops in small expensive containers.

I used motor oil (usually 10W30) all the years I was growing up, and on
my first few bicycles as an adult. Since I started using white
lightning, I have decided I would rather use *nothing* than motor oil.
Motor oil is designed to have things stick to it (until they reach the
oil filter). It will pick up all kinds of crud and hold on to it
better than grease. Now I have a (relatively) clean chain that the
links don't get stuck on from the grit picked up by motor oil.

Austin

In article <[email hidden]>,

AustinMN said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

Austin

Let be another to challenge the perceived wisdom regarding avoiding
motor oil. I've been using a home brew of 10 W 30 and mineral spirits
(trade name == Varsol, etc..) for years and from my experience it's no
more likely to attract grime, and much cheaper as well, than specialty
(no wax) bicycle lubes.

Luke

I think I have developed rust from actual riding, or hauling my bike
around. Living in Houston, its just plain humid. I have ridden about
1100 miles this year, so this isn't the case of the bike sitting idle.
I wasn't sure if I should go to the effort of scrubbing the chain or
leaving it. It is pretty much light rust, due to me most likely never
having oiled the chain much.

Thanks for the help, and i'll check out that thread.

StephanieM

StephanieM said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Opinions vary. Most chain manufacturers recommend using an oil of
some sort; motor oil is generally accepted (by them) as being
appropriate. However, for a variety of reasons having to do with
cleanliness and personal preference, some cyclists prefer very
specific chain lubricants with assorted perceived advantages (some of
which are related to resistance to dirt collection) while others
espouse the use of such varied substances as chainsaw chain lubricant,
gear oil, or paraffin wax, among others.

I use motor oil. It's cheap, readily available, and it works well for
me.

Quoted message said:

I also have some minor rust on my chain, how
do you clean this off?

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Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

StephanieM said:

I think I have developed rust from actual riding, or hauling my bike
around. Living in Houston, its just plain humid. I have ridden about
1100 miles this year, so this isn't the case of the bike sitting idle.
I wasn't sure if I should go to the effort of scrubbing the chain or
leaving it. It is pretty much light rust, due to me most likely never
having oiled the chain much.

Thanks for the help, and i'll check out that thread.

I am further inland from you. Maybe it is overkill, but I would have
lubed my chain three times this year on just your mileage. If you have
not lubed your chain, maybe regular maintenance is all that it would
take. Also, chains, chainrings and cassettes don't last forever. You
could eventually get a new chain and start fresh.

"StephanieM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain. I also have some minor rust on my chain, how
do you clean this off?

Canadian Tire has rust remover in a bottle. auto section i think

Quoted message said:

Opinions vary. Most chain manufacturers recommend using an oil of
some sort; motor oil is generally accepted (by them) as being
appropriate. However, for a variety of reasons having to do with
cleanliness and personal preference, some cyclists prefer very
specific chain lubricants with assorted perceived advantages (some of
which are related to resistance to dirt collection) while others
espouse the use of such varied substances as chainsaw chain lubricant,
gear oil, or paraffin wax, among others.

I use motor oil. It's cheap, readily available, and it works well for
me.

Until you have to replace the drive train because of early erosion. Then it
is better to buy a new bike which is what I just did. Sum of the parts
being worth more than the whole.
I did however get good use out of it for 5 years using mostly Phil's
Tenacious Oil sparingly or a white lightening home brew.
Ever see how much cleaning it takes on the derailleur wheels if you just use
oil. Time consuming.
Grinding does not help the situation caused by mixing oil and sand etc.

Quoted message said:

Austin Cooper said:

Quoted message said:

I know this seems overly obvious to most here. What is a good
lubricant for your chain.

Quoted message said:

Actually, there are more opinions about chain lubrication than about
the other big controversy I won't mention. On the other hand,
people tend not to be as polarized about it. The ideas vary from
"never lube the chain" to "clean with xyz solvent and lube with abc
solvent every 123.4 miles or after every full moon."

Quoted message said:

About the only thing you'll find universal agreement on is never use
motor oil. It is sticky, messy, attracts dirt, grime, and gunk, and
isn't an appropriate chain lubricant.

I don't know on what you base that assessment but I know of many
riders who use 30W motor oil as I do. I think the reason it doesn't
appeal to contributors on wreck.bike who write about arcane methods of
lubrication and cleaning, is that it is not packaged for bicycles nor
sold in bicycle shops in small expensive containers.

There's an easy fix for that: take a quart of motor oil, pour it into
eight 4oz. containers and price each 4oz. container in excess of the
price of the quart of oil. Instant "magic chain lube"! Oh, you'll need
to write several paragraphs of self-serving BS, too.

Quoted message said:

Rust does not affect the operation of your bicycle unless you ride it
so rarely that the rollers get rusty. Hand pedal the chain backward
while running a small stream of oil down the middle of the chain while
steadying your oil can hand against the chainstay. After the first
ride, wipe off any excess oil with an old t-shirt rag.

Jobst Brandt