chain lube

Mark-T said:

Hi,

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations? I was wondering, what
about getting a cup of used motor oil from an auto mechanic?

I have a 15 speed mountain bike, which hardly ever goes
off road, it's mostly on the street.

Also, is there an applicator for driving the lubricant into
the links, or do you just drip it on?

You should search the newsgroup (groups.google.com) for chain lube
recommendation. Everybody has their favorite.

As to applicators: I've taken to using a toothbrush. Seems to work
quite well. Otherwise, most hardware stores sell empty "oilers" of
varying sizes with various diameter "exit holes."

FWIW: I've switched to using nothing but "homebrew" lube. It's about
50/50 mineral spirits: Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil. I apply it
/after/ each ride, letting the mineral spirits evaporate before the
next ride. It's cheap. It's easy. It gives me great chain life.

Every couple of weeks, I either use a degreaser (again: pick your
poison) or WD-40 and a rag and fairly thorougly clean the chain /on
the bike/. I'm not that inclined to remove the chain to clean it any
better, though maybe I should....

YMMV.
--
Live simply so that others may simply live

Yeah, plenty of posts on here about lube.

I like dry lube like tri-flow and the many similar ones like "super
lube", et all. Buy them at a home center like Lowes and save major
bucks.

drip on, back pedal a few times, then wipe chain dry--the lube is on
the inside where you need it. Let sit for an hour or so to let the
carrier agent evaporate.

If the chain is really cruddy, it's more satifying to just put on a new
one. Sram are fine, but if you're not too picky, those cheap KMC chains
sold at Xmart are fine on older drivetrains, and cost $5.

Mark-T said:

Hi,

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations? I was wondering, what
about getting a cup of used motor oil from an auto mechanic?

I have a 15 speed mountain bike, which hardly ever goes
off road, it's mostly on the street.

Also, is there an applicator for driving the lubricant into
the links, or do you just drip it on?

Thanks,

Mark

Lubes are a hot topic. I used a two stroke synthetic oil before. Works
reasonably well. Now I use Pedros' extra dry, just a drop on each
roller, back pedal a couple of times, wipe off the extra, then give the
mineral spirit agent time to evaporate. Then ride.

Ken
--
You never have the wind with you - either it is against you or you're
having a good day. ~Daniel Behrman, The Man Who Loved Bicycles

Homepage: http://kcm-home.tripod.com/

Mark-T said:

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations? I was wondering, what
about getting a cup of used motor oil from an auto mechanic?

I can't really speak for the suitability of motor oil as a chain lube, but
avoid *used* motor oil. Oil that has been through an engine tends to
contain microscopic metal filings, and supposedly takes on a slightly
acidic nature. Neither of which is good for your chain, needless to say.

--
Mark Shroyer
http://markshroyer.com/

Mark-T said:

Hi,

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations? I was wondering, what
about getting a cup of used motor oil from an auto mechanic?

I have a 15 speed mountain bike, which hardly ever goes
off road, it's mostly on the street.

Also, is there an applicator for driving the lubricant into
the links, or do you just drip it on?

There are so many variables that contribute to chain wear that
attributing differences to particular lubes tends to be more of an
exercise in logic than a result of objective observation.

Some distilled "common wisdom" (and even some of this is debated):
-almost any lube is better than no lube;
-the exception being gooey lubes that collect and retain road grit
-frequent cleaning and re-lubing is more important than the specific
lube you use
-getting the lube into the rollers and pins is what matters, so use a
thin, light lube;
-lube all over the outside of the chain is counterproductive; after
lubing the pins and rollers, wipe the excess lube off the chain.

I use ProLink, and have been happy with it for years. I clean and lube
the chain (on the bike) every 150 miles or so.

RichC

rdclark said:

There are so many variables that contribute to chain wear that
attributing differences to particular lubes tends to be more of an
exercise in logic than a result of objective observation.

Some distilled "common wisdom" (and even some of this is debated):
-almost any lube is better than no lube;
-the exception being gooey lubes that collect and retain road grit
-frequent cleaning and re-lubing is more important than the specific
lube you use
-getting the lube into the rollers and pins is what matters, so use a
thin, light lube;
-lube all over the outside of the chain is counterproductive; after
lubing the pins and rollers, wipe the excess lube off the chain.

I'd vote for this as the executive summary of the chain lube FAQ!

Pat

Mark-T said:

Hi,

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations?

Get large mason type jar. Fill third way with white camping gas.
Toss in candle and a small brush. "Paint" chain once in a while.

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

Quoted message said:

Mark-T said:

Hi,

I was looking at the chain oils in a shop, all the diferent formulas,
it's confusing. Any recommendations?

Get large mason type jar. Fill third way with white camping gas.
Toss in candle and a small brush. "Paint" chain once in a while.

But don't light the candle before tossing it in.

Sounds like you want to destroy your chain?
What ever gave you the brainstorm to use spent filthy oil from a
mechanic?

If you want the best, then go with Voo Doo, or Purple Extreme. Mark