Interesting article on using alternate oils for lubricating your chain.

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Drago

Legendary Member
Just glancing through, spotted one fundamental error already...
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
The one bit of information that is missing, is the affect on performance, between the different oils. That is, what is the comparable power needed to main an average speed of 20mph?

If one particular oil offered me a 30 second saving on my 10 mile TT time, I would buy it in an instance. Until then, I will stick to my 3in1and Mickle it when it looks a bit tired.
 

richardfm

Veteran
Location
Cardiff
The one bit of information that is missing, is the affect on performance, between the different oils. That is, what is the comparable power needed to main an average speed of 20mph?

If one particular oil offered me a 30 second saving on my 10 mile TT time, I would buy it in an instance. Until then, I will stick to my 3in1and Mickle it when it looks a bit tired.

I suspect the affect on power requirements will be neglible for most bicycle riders.
I would be more concerned about how long the lubricant will last and the affect on wear rates.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
I suspect the affect on power requirements will be neglible for most bicycle riders.
I would be more concerned about how long the lubricant will last and the affect on wear rates.

That would be another interesting statistic.
But if there was a 10% variance before a new chain was needed, say a mileage of 3000 miles using the worst oil and therefore an extra 300 miles on the best oil, the dfference is still negligible.
 
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
I suspect the affect on power requirements will be neglible for most bicycle riders.
I would be more concerned about how long the lubricant will last and the affect on wear rates.

I suspect the latter is related to the viscosity of oil inside the roller. Thus the idea of mixing a higher viscosity oil with a lower viscosity oil with the aim of getting it in the roller. Then the lower viscosity oil evaporating, leaving behind mostly the high viscosity oil makes sense to me.
 
Location
Loch side.
I suspect the latter is related to the viscosity of oil inside the roller. Thus the idea of mixing a higher viscosity oil with a lower viscosity oil with the aim of getting it in the roller. Then the lower viscosity oil evaporating, leaving behind mostly the high viscosity oil makes sense to me.

Oil finds its way into the innards of the chain by capillary action. There is no need for an evaporative carrier to get oil in there. Even the thickest, tackiest oil we have around the house - Hypoid gear oil or say, bar chain oil, still finds its way into the chain within seconds of application. Viscosity is not critical for good chain lubrication. Any viscosity between where the oil splashes onto your rim or floor when backpedalling, at the one extreme and, where it comes off in sticky trails as the chain moves around the sprocket and flings the oil off, at the other extreme, is fine.
 
Location
Loch side.

No, don't feed the animals. They keep on coming back.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
I just use engine oil and my chain runs so quietly that I can hear my Rolex tick.

What can I lube my Rolex with so it won't make that damned ticking noise? 🤔

I've got an old can you can have. It's not new, it's second hand lube.
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
This stuff is good, but not quite as good as the expensive refined snake oil I was using before!....

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