I’m sure this will be a hot debate. What chain oil do you use?

Tarmac Terrorist

Tarmac Terrorist

Active Member
What do you find is the best oil/lube for your bike chain? I have used gear oil for years but it is messy and with the pretty Trek and now the Warp Cruz I am looking for a chain lube that does not drip or splatter the rims. What do you use and why?
 
MrSteve

MrSteve

Zen MBB Master
Another Chain Lube Thread!

Remember, whatever lubricant you choose to use, to keep the swept area that your brake pads use -clean!
In other words, keep oil away from your brakes... you knew that right?

I love furniture polish.
The Honda U.S.A. representative, back in the 80's, recommended furniture polish for
my bike, a Honda CBR.

I still use furniture polish.
It cleans up road tar, bugs, brake dust, water spots, protects metal, and comes close
to waxing paint (almost as shiny as real paste wax) all without attacking rubber
or plastic parts.
Plus, there's none of that white waxy buildup.

Just don't apply it to brakes.
You don't really want to lube your brakes....

What lube?
Doesn't matter much, in my opinion.
What matters is keeping your chain both clean and dry.
In other words, grit and water are the enemies of your chain.

-Steve
 
Eric Winn

Eric Winn

Zen MBB Master
This one might help you go faster...

image(10).jpg
 
John Dorlon

John Dorlon

Guru
Gold

I use the gold one, here:

http://www.rocklube.com/

You put it on, run your chain a bit, then wipe it off.

Works like a champ.

I think Steve is probably right though. What matters most is just keeping the chain clean and dry.
 
B

BobD

Well-Known Member
I no longer use any type of chain lube....

I agree Jeff! This topic always brings out interesting discussions.

About a year ago I discovered that there wasn't a need for chain lube. A friend Lonnie Morse ( http://lonniemorse.wordpress.com/ ) who has a great site about cycling aerodynamics, etc shared the following with me.

He found that WD-40 is excellent at cleaning all oil residue out of a chain, and then there is no need for lube. The WD-40 is used as both a cleaning agent, and periodically as an anti-rust agent...but not a lube.

There have been a few interesting studies out of Johns Hopkins that have shown that lube does not help the
efficiency of a drivetrain:

http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/1999/aug3099/30pedal.html

http://www.ihpva.org/HParchive/PDF/hp50-2000.

You might want to check out Lonnie's website.....scroll about 1/3 the way down for a discussion about WD-40 and his discovery riding a lube-free chain across the U.S. a few years ago.

http://lonniemorse.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/cleaning-out-the-closet/

Addtionally, on BROL there has been an interesting thread about this issue:

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=86896&highlight=wd-40

The only difference I notice (other than having a really clean drivetrain with no tattoos).....is the chain may be a tad noisier....

I'll be happy to describe how I prepare my chain with WD-40 if anyone is interested.
Found this to be a great discovery....
Bob
 
mickjordan

mickjordan

Well-Known Member
Lube

I used Rock n'Roll Gold. Cleans and lubes in one go, not messy or sticky. The bike runs a lot quieter after a lube!
 
Tarmac Terrorist

Tarmac Terrorist

Active Member
OK, The funiture polish has

OK, The funiture polish has me interested. Bummer I just spent $25 on some dry chain lube! Mr Sheen is $3 a can!!!! My son uses CRC (which is like WD-40 / RP7) on his motor bike and push bike and says he has got 7 years out of his chains with no problems and that is riding in the sand dunes.

Yes Bob, tell us how you prepare your chain. I just did the Trek with RP7 spraying the chain with a rag behind to catch any over spray and wipeing it clean after.

I need to clean the chain on the West Coast Cruzer / Shopping Bike that has a thick build up of oil and dirt that likes like it has been greased, so I would like to know your method Bob.

Who would lube their brakes! No really I have had this problem, Oiled the chain and wiped it down with a rag but the rim still managed to get splattered with oil during a ride, there was not drama, back brakes don't do much work but I can see it would be a drama on a FWD




 
Tarmac Terrorist

Tarmac Terrorist

Active Member
O ring Chain

BTW my son's motor bike has a o ring chain so no external lube can penetrate anyway. "In my day" we boiled our motor bike chains in oil (using Mum's good Saucepan) for an hour to ensure that it "got in" and maitained them with "dag" (Gear oil a Graphite mix).
 
B

BobD

Well-Known Member
WD-40: chain application

Hey Jeff,

Here are the steps I take when applying WD-40 to a chain. I use this method with new chains as well, to remove the factory lube. With cruddy chains, I use the same approach but with a tad more cleaning. btw: I purchase a gallon of WD-40 which cleans many chains.....about $16 dollars for a gallon in the States.

  1. Place chain in a container and add enough WD-40 to immerse the chain. I use a large square plastic container with a large surface area at the bottom of the container. And then add enough WD-40 to cover the chain. Another option is to use a soda bottle.

  2. Keep the chain immersed for 48 hours.

  3. Remove the chain and clean by hand with brushes/rags.

  4. Use compressed air to blow out any remaining crud in the chain. ( I haven't done this step yet.)

  5. Again, clean chain with rags.

  6. Once chain is clean of residue on rags, hang it up to dry.

  7. Then enjoy a clean "tatoo-free" chain.....
For about 100 miles I will use a rag after each ride to sop up the residual weeping WD-40.

Every once in awhile I will wipe a rag with WD-40 on the chain. Again, not for lubing purpose....but for anti-rust and cleaning purposes. I will do this after a ride with wet roads, or after a few hundred miles.

I have followed these steps with three chains this past year, and it works real well.

Of course, it is always interesting when I am out on a ride or have stopped at a LBS that is new to me and someone asks how I keep my chain so clean. I have discovered that for some folks, the topic of chain lube falls somewhere between the tension-filled discussions about polictics and religion. I ride to "get away"....and enjoy it all.....so I may avoid talking about chain lube issues out on the road.

Check it out and let us know what you think Jeff!
Bob
 
B

BobD

Well-Known Member
WD-40: chain application

Hey Jeff,

Here are the steps I take when applying WD-40 to a chain. I use this method with new chains as well, to remove the factory lube. With cruddy chains, I use the same approach but with a tad more cleaning. btw: I purchase a gallon of WD-40 which cleans many chains.....about $16 dollars for a gallon in the States.

  1. Place chain in a container and add enough WD-40 to immerse the chain. I use a large square plastic container with a large surface area at the bottom of the container. And then add enough WD-40 to cover the chain. Another option is to use a soda bottle.

  2. Keep the chain immersed for 48 hours.

  3. Remove the chain and clean by hand with brushes/rags.

  4. Use compressed air to blow out any remaining crud in the chain. ( I haven't done this step yet.)

  5. Again, clean chain with rags.

  6. Once chain is clean of residue on rags, hang it up to dry.

  7. Then enjoy a clean "tatoo-free" chain.....
For about 100 miles I will use a rag after each ride to sop up the residual weeping WD-40.

Every once in awhile I will wipe a rag with WD-40 on the chain. Again, not for lubing purpose....but for anti-rust and cleaning purposes. I will do this after a ride with wet roads, or after a few hundred miles.

I have followed these steps with three chains this past year, and it works real well.

Of course, it is always interesting when I am out on a ride or have stopped at a LBS that is new to me and someone asks how I keep my chain so clean. I have discovered that for some folks, the topic of chain lube falls somewhere between the tension-filled discussions about polictics and religion. I ride to "get away"....and enjoy it all.....so I may avoid talking about chain lube issues out on the road.

Check it out and let us know what you think Jeff!
Bob
 
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