MTB Oil

[Doki]

What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in chainsaw oil, which
doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot of grit. Should I be wiping the
chain down after oiling, or switching to another oil (Finishline "Dry" stuff
lasts approx 5 minuntes round here)?

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Doki
('[email protected]') wrote:

> What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in chainsaw oil,
> which doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot of grit. Should I be
> wiping the chain down after oiling, or switching to another oil
> (Finishline "Dry" stuff lasts approx 5 minuntes round here)?

Finish Line Cross Country works for me.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
.::;===r==\
/ /___||___\____
//==\- ||- | /__\( MS Windows IS an operating environment.
//____\__||___|_// \|: C++ IS an object oriented programming language.
\__/ ~~~~~~~~~ \__/ Citroen 2cv6 IS a four door family saloon.

 

[Peter B]

"Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in chainsaw oil,
which
> doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot of grit. Should I be wiping the
> chain down after oiling, or switching to another oil (Finishline "Dry"
stuff
> lasts approx 5 minuntes round here)?

Hi Doki,

I used to use engine oil and thought "designer oils" were a rip-off
gimmick.
Then I started using Finish Line Wet and totally changed my opinion. Yes,
comparatively it's Very Expensive but it's nothing like as gungy and nasty
as the engine oil was in use and my transmission components seem to last at
least as long so it gets my Seal of Approval.
I use Finishline "Dry" stuff in the summer though.
--
Pete
http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/Stuff

 

[the.Mark]

Peter B wrote:
> "Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in
>> chainsaw oil, which doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot
>> of grit. Should I be wiping the chain down after oiling, or
>> switching to another oil (Finishline "Dry" stuff lasts approx
>> 5 minuntes round here)?
>
> Hi Doki,
>
> I used to use engine oil and thought "designer oils" were a
> rip-off gimmick.
> Then I started using Finish Line Wet and totally changed my
> opinion. Yes, comparatively it's Very Expensive but it's
> nothing like as gungy and nasty as the engine oil was in use
> and my transmission components seem to last at least as long
> so it gets my Seal of Approval.
> I use Finishline "Dry" stuff in the summer though.

I tried engine oil once too on my MTB. The chain ended up looking
rusty after not a long time. I'm using Finish Line Cross Country now
and the chain looks like new, the chain is about 2000 miles old. I do
give it a good clean regularly though.
--
Cheers.
the.Mark

 

[Tosspot]

Doki wrote:

> What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in chainsaw oil,
> which doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot of grit. Should I be
> wiping the chain down after oiling, or switching to another oil
> (Finishline "Dry" stuff lasts approx 5 minuntes round here)?

I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now so I
use Finish Line Cross Country which seems quite good but 10 times more
expensive.

Come to think of it, I really did like that Castrol. Bloody great tin,
nice and cheap, penetrates well, dries very hard (not to everyones
taste), lasts forever. Anyone else tried it?

Btw, I bought it for the motorbike.

 

[Doki]

"Peter B" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> What's everyone using? I currently smother the chain in chainsaw oil,
> which
>> doesn't come off, but is picking up a lot of grit. Should I be wiping the
>> chain down after oiling, or switching to another oil (Finishline "Dry"
> stuff
>> lasts approx 5 minuntes round here)?
>
> Hi Doki,
>
> I used to use engine oil and thought "designer oils" were a rip-off
> gimmick.
> Then I started using Finish Line Wet and totally changed my opinion. Yes,
> comparatively it's Very Expensive but it's nothing like as gungy and nasty
> as the engine oil was in use and my transmission components seem to last
> at
> least as long so it gets my Seal of Approval.
> I use Finishline "Dry" stuff in the summer though.

How much oil do you use? I tend to absolutely cover the chain in oil, which
might be why I'm picking up so much stuff...

 

[Sue White]

Doki <[email protected]> whizzed past me shouting
>
>How much oil do you use? I tend to absolutely cover the chain in oil, which
>might be why I'm picking up so much stuff...
>

The correct way to put it on is with a fine nozzle, trailing it on as
you turn a pedal, putting it just inside the side plates on one side of
the chain then on the other. Then you spin the pedals to get the oil
under the rollers, finally wipe the outsides of side plates and rollers
clean.
I actually know a bloke who does wipe his chain very carefully.

There's no point having oil on the outside of your chain, you want it
inside the rollers. But grit on the outside doesn't do any harm, and
you won't succeed in keeping it out of the rollers whatever you do.

A cleaner chain is good if you have to carry your bike much or if you
often break your chain on rides.

--
Sue ]

We've seriously considered having a black half-chainring tattooed on the inside of everyone's right
calf, to save washing it off each week.

 

[Tony Raven]

Sue White wrote:
>
> The correct way to put it on is with a fine nozzle, trailing it on as
> you turn a pedal, putting it just inside the side plates on one side of
> the chain then on the other.

Better still, apply it link by link to a stationary chain.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

 

[Pete Biggs]

Tosspot wrote:
> I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
> Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now so I
> use Finish Line Cross Country which seems quite good but 10 times more
> expensive.

Indeed such expensive chain lube doesn't make sense to me as it's cheaper
to replace your chain more frequently instead, relying on the lube it
comes with.

> Come to think of it, I really did like that Castrol. Bloody great
> tin, nice and cheap, penetrates well, dries very hard (not to
> everyones taste), lasts forever. Anyone else tried it?

Yes. Halfords Chain Wax is exactly the same stuff.

> Btw, I bought it for the motorbike.

Before anyone says it must be for motorbikes only, it supposed to be for
non o-ring and as well as o-ring chain.

~PB

 

[Peter B]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Tosspot wrote:
> > I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
> > Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now so I
> > use Finish Line Cross Country which seems quite good but 10 times more
> > expensive.
>
> Indeed such expensive chain lube doesn't make sense to me as it's cheaper
> to replace your chain more frequently instead, relying on the lube it
> comes with.

Hmm....one wet off-road ride in the Peak District may dissuade you of that
opinion Pete ;-)
--
Pete
http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/Stuff

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Pete Biggs
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Tosspot wrote:
>> I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
>> Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now so I
>> use Finish Line Cross Country which seems quite good but 10 times more
>> expensive.
>
> Indeed such expensive chain lube doesn't make sense to me as it's
> cheaper to replace your chain more frequently instead, relying on the
> lube it comes with.

Which is fine if you cycle in relatively clean conditions. Mountain Bikes
(real ones) are not used in clean conditions - especially not in winter.
Furthermore, of course, it isn't only the chain that the chain-lube
protects, and chainsets and cassettes are not things I'm prepared to
replace on a weekly basis.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Doki
('[email protected]') wrote:

> How much oil do you use? I tend to absolutely cover the chain in oil,
> which might be why I'm picking up so much stuff...

Don't do that. The place for the lube is inside the chain. Any lube
that's left on the outside of the chain will just attract grit, and will
make things worse.

* Take chain off bike (use SRAM magic link);
* drop into bottle of solvent, shake vigorously for several minutes;
* hang up to dry thoroughly, at least two or three hours, preferably over
night;
* apply lube to chain sparingly, ideally going down just one line of side
plates;
* leave hanging for the lube to capilarise into the chain, again for
several hours;
* clean as much lube off the outside of the chain as possible with e.g.
paper kitchen roll;
* put nice clean chain back on bicycle.

This sounds like a long process, but essentially the amount of work
involved is less than ten minutes. Get home, take chain off the bike and
shake it; hang it up. Go and have meal, out to the pub, whatever; come
home, lube chain, go to bed. Get up, dressed, have breakfast or
whatever, wipe chain, put it on the bike.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; may contain traces of nuts, bolts or washers.

 

[Arellcat]

the.Mark wrote:

> I tried engine oil once too on my MTB. The chain ended up looking rusty
> after not a long time. I'm using Finish Line Cross Country now and the
> chain looks like new, the chain is about 2000 miles old. I do give it a
> good clean regularly though.

Another vote for Cross Country lube here, in fact all the way back to when
it was called Century Lube or something. I think I tried bog standard
engine oil once or twice, that yellowy Halfords stuff and the chain got
dirty just by looking at it. I also have a can of Profil Extra Dry lube as
Recommended by HPVelotechnik for motorbikes and scooters and everything else
with a chain, but it's simply not tenacious or resistant enough for winter
snow and salt, or rain really. Jon Senior said to me that the Purple
Extreme stuff really does the job, but I haven't tried it myself yet.

Becky

 

[Pete Biggs]

Peter B wrote:
> "Pete Biggs" <[email protected]>
> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Tosspot wrote:
>>> I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
>>> Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now so
>>> I use Finish Line Cross Country which seems quite good but 10 times
>>> more expensive.
>>
>> Indeed such expensive chain lube doesn't make sense to me as it's
>> cheaper to replace your chain more frequently instead, relying on
>> the lube it comes with.
>
> Hmm....one wet off-road ride in the Peak District may dissuade you of
> that opinion Pete ;-)

Having to apply it after ever ride doesn't make expensive chain lube seem
any more sensible to me. These products are so absurdly expensive that
cheap lube + more frequent chain replacement would save money. You might
find the cleaner lube more pleasant -- that's fine -- but you are paying a
high price for that. A clean chain might minimise sprocket wear (though
that's debateable), but so does replacing the chain.

~PB

 

[Pete Biggs]

Simon Brooke wrote:

> Furthermore, of course, it isn't only the chain that the
> chain-lube protects, and chainsets and cassettes are not things I'm
> prepared to replace on a weekly basis.

The chainrings and sprockets would get little wear if the chain was
replaced very frequently. Lube doesn't /directly/ protect sprockets (to
any significant degree).

~PB

 

[Danny Colyer]

Tosspot wrote:
> I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
> Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now...

Not one of urc's expats, are you? FWIW, I spotted Castrol Chain Wax in
Halfords this afternoon.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
<URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[Tosspot]

Danny Colyer wrote:

> Tosspot wrote:
>
>> I've used Castrol Chain Wax in the past http://tinyurl.com/7cv5e.
>> Designed for motorbikes, worked well for me. I can't get it now...
>
>
> Not one of urc's expats, are you? FWIW, I spotted Castrol Chain Wax in
> Halfords this afternoon.

Mea Culpa. Germans don't seem to use it. Must bring a tin back next
time. Along with Marmite. One of them is a chain lube.

 

[Peter B]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Having to apply it after ever ride doesn't make expensive chain lube seem
> any more sensible to me. These products are so absurdly expensive that
> cheap lube + more frequent chain replacement would save money. You might
> find the cleaner lube more pleasant -- that's fine -- but you are paying a
> high price for that. A clean chain might minimise sprocket wear (though
> that's debateable), but so does replacing the chain.

Absurdly expensive compared to what?
Compared to a gallon (approx 4.55 litres Mr Tray Ding-Standards) of engine
oil undoubtedly so.
But if a small bottle costs 4 quid and lasts for two years its cost per ride
pales into insignificance and is indeed a price I'm prepared to pay if it's
cleaner and more pleasant in use and the transmission components don't
suffer.
--
Pete
http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/Stuff

 

[Pete Biggs]

Peter B wrote:

> Absurdly expensive compared to what?

Compared to chain, as I've said, but your costs are much less than what I
was referring to.

> Compared to a gallon (approx 4.55 litres Mr Tray Ding-Standards) of
> engine oil undoubtedly so.
> But if a small bottle costs 4 quid

5 quid for FL CC now.

> and lasts for two years its cost
> per ride pales into insignificance and is indeed a price I'm prepared
> to pay if it's cleaner and more pleasant in use and the transmission
> components don't suffer.

I had no idea you could make one bottle of Cross Country last that long.
I'm not sure I'm patient enough to apply it that sparingly though: putting
one single drop on each link?

Obviously that's *not* absurdly expensive by any standards. I'm thinking
of when I tried Finish Line Krytech at £5 a can and two cans lasted only a
few weeks. Also thinking of products like White Lightning which costs
several pounds for a tiny bottle and apparently needs to be applied very
frequently even for dry conditions.

~PB

 

[Pete Biggs]

Peter B wrote:

> But if a small bottle costs 4 quid and lasts for two years

You're not exaggerating at all, are you?

~PB