Well, tried engine oil this weekend after reading this, must say I'm impressed, chain runs like a dream what's even better is that in the rain it still seems to work better than anything I have previously tried and iv tried a few, normally I end up with chain suck and black gunk with wet weather lubes on longer rides then I have to do a cleaning job, simply just re- oiled as I was in a rush to get back out, ran like a dream again, I was a bit skeptical that in the rain it would not work
Motor Oil as A Lubricant
- Thread starter Wester
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
I had a look at Yellow Saddle's book and recommended it to a friend who told me he uses a spray which cleans and lubricates his chain.
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
I am barred from Boots in a certain royal seaside town on the south coast. on a dive trip i arrived early to get the boat. realised i had left the neck and wrist seal lube at home. ( vetlube) . I went into Boots to get some KY , saturday girl asked what i was looking for and told her. she didn't know so asked across an empty shop to middle aged female pharmacist where it was. Pharmacist asked what size tube , so i just said big enough to get my hand in without thinking ............But you did discuss it with your local Pharmacy ?
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
I am another one who uses transmission oil on bicycle chains. If it's good enough for my 107 bhp Honda VFR 800 drive chain (as recommended in the owners handbook) then it's good enough for the 2 mouse power that I kick out on a pedal bike!
I tried electric on my bike chain and got a shock.
MarquisMatsugae
Guest
Lozz360
Veteran
- Location
- Oxfordshire
[QUOTE 4478653, member: 9609"]
[/QUOTE]
So according to this graph, using dry lube causes more wear than having no lube? Interesting.
Back on topic, are all the posts above referring to old engine oil? Presumably they all are as new engine oil would be more expensive than bike chain specific oil, so no point in using new engine oil. It's just that old engine oil is very different to new as it's consistency breaks down, it will absorb sooty deposits, metal swarf and moisture. It still might be OK to lubricate a bike chain though.
So according to this graph, using dry lube causes more wear than having no lube? Interesting.
Back on topic, are all the posts above referring to old engine oil? Presumably they all are as new engine oil would be more expensive than bike chain specific oil, so no point in using new engine oil. It's just that old engine oil is very different to new as it's consistency breaks down, it will absorb sooty deposits, metal swarf and moisture. It still might be OK to lubricate a bike chain though.
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Poundland sells chain oil.
Seriously.
Poundland. Sells. Chain. Oil.
FFS.
Seriously.
Poundland. Sells. Chain. Oil.
FFS.
S-Express
Guest
[QUOTE 4617439, member: 9609"]My only explanation for this was maybe the thinners that the dry lubricant is suspended in damaged the pre applied lube that the chain comes in.[/QUOTE]
If there is 'pre-applied lube' already on the chain, then it shouldn't need lubricating anyway. Any chain lube in a solvent will displace most of whatever lube is already on the chain - replacing it with whatever lube is suspended in the solvent. The solvent then evapourates over a period of time, leaving the lube in place. Nothing unusual in any of that.
[QUOTE 4617439, member: 9609"]The shimano chains that I was using seemed to have an excellent pre applied grease which I think outperformed anything after market lubricant.[/QUOTE]
The pre-applied grease/lube/whatever is generally just a protective covering/preservative while the chain is sitting in a box on a shelf or in a container on a container ship in the middle of the pacific.
If there is 'pre-applied lube' already on the chain, then it shouldn't need lubricating anyway. Any chain lube in a solvent will displace most of whatever lube is already on the chain - replacing it with whatever lube is suspended in the solvent. The solvent then evapourates over a period of time, leaving the lube in place. Nothing unusual in any of that.
[QUOTE 4617439, member: 9609"]The shimano chains that I was using seemed to have an excellent pre applied grease which I think outperformed anything after market lubricant.[/QUOTE]
The pre-applied grease/lube/whatever is generally just a protective covering/preservative while the chain is sitting in a box on a shelf or in a container on a container ship in the middle of the pacific.
keithmac
Guru
I've never been a fan of any "dry" chain lube, seen it at work on the motorcycle chains.
A good spray of TL-45 and the chain is significantly quieter and smoother running. It's a bit sticky for bicycle chains though..
Carbon belt for my work transport, ride the bike home and just put it in the outhouse and forget about it!.
A good spray of TL-45 and the chain is significantly quieter and smoother running. It's a bit sticky for bicycle chains though..
Carbon belt for my work transport, ride the bike home and just put it in the outhouse and forget about it!.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Longevity of a chain is, or appears to be wildy different person to person.
I rarely ever got more than 1200 miles out of a chain, whatever lubrication regime I used ( I used to record when a chain was fitted, so I knew what mileage was achieved). The results were always the same, whatever lube, whatever chain was fitted, Shimano, KMC, Sram etc.
Yet plenty get acres more mileage from a chain...why...who knows, riding style, hills etc etc.
When I used to commute, I'd have the chain off weekly as a minimum, blast off the crud with an airline, dip in a bowl of engine oil (new), hang it on a nail to drip off into same bowl until excess had drained, wipe, fit to bike and wipe again.
Sounds a faff, but you only had hands on the chain for maybe 10 minutes for the whole operation, very quick and easy...especially as I used to do it in works time, in the workshop.
None of it made any difference in the end, my chain still only lasted circa 1200 miles, so revert back to wipe, oil, wipe and ride.
The fella above who cleaned and lubed his chain and still threw it away at 1000 miles isn't far off what I achieve anyway.
Personally I'm using chainsaw oil now, trouble is I will have no idea if it makes a chain last longer, I started halfway through my current chains life.
