#1
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chain lube
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 |
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#2
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chain lube
"Mark-T" wrote:
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 |
#3
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chain lube
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. |
#4
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chain lube
Mark-T wrote:
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/ |
#5
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chain lube
On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:06:17 -0800, Mark-T wrote:
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/ |
#6
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chain lube
Mark-T wrote: 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 |
#7
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chain lube
rdclark wrote:
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 |
#8
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chain lube
Mark-T wrote:
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. |
#9
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chain lube
"Mud Pup" wrote in message nk.net... Mark-T wrote: 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. |
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