Good Chain Lube??? Mines WD40. :P
#101
Senior Member
We all know WD-40 makes products other than the old classic, including a bike-specific line, but when someone refers to just "WD-40" with no further classification, I think it's pretty safe to assume they are referring to the classic.
Also, molten speedwax on the road bike, rock n roll gold on the mtb and gravel bike
Also, molten speedwax on the road bike, rock n roll gold on the mtb and gravel bike
#104
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-Matt
#105
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WD 40 destroyed two freewheels
I always used WD40 on my chain, instead of spraying it on the chain with nothing behind the chain to stop the excess spray, I would spray the chain as it ran on the freewheel. I had two freewheels self destruct before I figured out that WD40 while a lube is also a solvent, and by spraying the chain on the freewheel it had worked its way into the freewheel lubrication and washed the ballbearing grease away. I now use 3in1 oil on my chain.
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Might not be the ideal lubricant for bike chains. But it IS a lubricant.
Otherwise I've tricked the door hinge in my bathroom with a placebo effect.
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#107
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I used a dry graphite lube spray on my mountain bike once and it seemed to work, but I have no idea if it was good for it or not, I just had it lying around and thought it would be better than WD-40.
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#109
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I ran out of chain lube a while back and needed to take care of the chain. I had just changed the oil in my car and had some used Mobil 1 10w-30 in the garage. I put it on the bicycle chain with a tooth brush and wiped off the excess. Worked great, lasted a long time. Actually lasted longer than the bicycle specific lube. I'm not going back to traditional chain lube.
WD 40 is definitely a lubricant, but too thin for bicycle chain life. There's a longer discussion with Langmuir's theory of lubrication and boundary layers, but just use what makes you happy.
WD 40 is definitely a lubricant, but too thin for bicycle chain life. There's a longer discussion with Langmuir's theory of lubrication and boundary layers, but just use what makes you happy.
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#110
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#112
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WD makes a mess when it's wet and seems to break down oil and leave a rusty chain if your not careful. I use it on rusty chains too loosen crud and help remove rust then dry it completely and spray silicone, a dry lubricant. It makes a chain clean to handle and doesn't attract dirt and get gritty..
#113
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Very entertaining video in post #95 ! Perhaps it's time to switch to hypoid gear oil and forego those expensive lubes (been using ProLink ProGold for years). Come to think of it, I could have likely saved money by leaving off the lube and replacing the chain more often.
I had it sitting on the shelf for the Jeep, so I decided to give it a shot;
Pro: Chain was immediately dead silent.
Con: It attracted and held chunks of dirt like fly paper.
After watching that FortNine video, I checked my (motor)bikes manual, and as he stated, it does recommend gear lube for the chain rollers, and also recommends applying some kind of oil to the rubber rings to keep them wetted. I've been using Triflow for both, but may try gear lube on the rollers.
#114
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By the way, this brand new Bontrager lube smells Deee-lish!
#115
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Man, I missed that news. NBC seems to mix and match their crews during the spring races so I didn't think anything of it when Phil and Bob did Roubaix. I will surely miss him and his great insights during the Tour. And at only 62 yo.
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I have used many bike chain lubes, tri-flow, 3in1. I have many quarts of synthetic hypoid 80-90 weight gear oil. Using an old tri-flow bottle, one little drop per link on a clean and dry chain. Clean with Park tool chain cleaner and repeat. Nothing like the smell of synthetic hypoid gear oil in the morning!!
#117
Senior Member
When young, my dad used motor oil. As I got older and more sophisticated and bought my first expensive road bike, I followed the LBS when they said that was too thick, so I went thinner; Thin probably resulted in less friction, more sporty (but possibly less durable). Then I wanted cleaner, so for a long time in the 90s I used a homemade melted wax mixture, very clean and dry, relubing the chain was a big tadoo (about monthly, I rode 55k each day). Now I ride a townie and it rains a lot where I live so the wax thing not so much. For a while I used synthetic automatic trans fluid, worked ok. Recently been using 3-in-1 oil, tried it when out of other stuff and by gosh it seems to work great, been on 4 months and hasn't dried out. But now, thinking about it, even though the chain is not severe use like an engine timing chain, the loading on those small pivots is probably pretty high, so I want best durability. I actually have some 80-90W gear lube, may try that. Although as I recall, it smells really bad.
Last edited by Duragrouch; 04-22-19 at 08:17 PM.
#118
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Best chain lube NLA
I have used many brands over my 50 years of cycling. Currently I find DuPont Telfon Chain-Saver to meet my needs. I purchased from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D3G6FD4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1#customerReviews
Back in the 80's I got turned on by a bike shop to a lube named BG's ASK. It dried to a glass like finish and would last a couple of hundred miles. Ran the (Sedisport) chain thru a cotton cloth to clean and re-applied. Have not found anything close to this stuff since. ASK was discontinued due to the nature of it's propellant.
Last edited by sewupnut; 04-23-19 at 12:50 AM. Reason: Incomplete sentence
#119
Hills!
I actually tried 75W-90 gear lube on a bike chain once.
I had it sitting on the shelf for the Jeep, so I decided to give it a shot;
Pro: Chain was immediately dead silent.
Con: It attracted and held chunks of dirt like fly paper.
After watching that FortNine video, I checked my (motor)bikes manual, and as he stated, it does recommend gear lube for the chain rollers, and also recommends applying some kind of oil to the rubber rings to keep them wetted. I've been using Triflow for both, but may try gear lube on the rollers.
I had it sitting on the shelf for the Jeep, so I decided to give it a shot;
Pro: Chain was immediately dead silent.
Con: It attracted and held chunks of dirt like fly paper.
After watching that FortNine video, I checked my (motor)bikes manual, and as he stated, it does recommend gear lube for the chain rollers, and also recommends applying some kind of oil to the rubber rings to keep them wetted. I've been using Triflow for both, but may try gear lube on the rollers.
I have used many bike chain lubes, tri-flow, 3in1. I have many quarts of synthetic hypoid 80-90 weight gear oil. Using an old tri-flow bottle, one little drop per link on a clean and dry chain. Clean with Park tool chain cleaner and repeat. Nothing like the smell of synthetic hypoid gear oil in the morning!!
Although in another chart ProLink showed worse for wear... if I read it right. Oh well. I get excellent mileage out of chains (around 4000 miles, +/-)
#122
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Back in the 80's I got turned on by a bike shop to a lube named BG's ASK. It dried to a glass like finish and would last a couple of hundred miles. Ran the (Sedisport) chain thru a cotton cloth to clean and re-applied. Have not found anything close to this stuff since. ASK was discontinued due to the nature of it's propellant.
#123
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Anyways I use Rock N Roll Dry
#125
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Concerning the WD40 debate here, there seems to be some confusion about the term "lubricant". Obviously, the stuff can lubricate things, but that doesn't mean it's a legitimate lubricant, in the context used here.
The stuff lubricates, but only in the short term, but it is not an acceptable lubricant for mechanical devices.
Water is also a "lubricant", that's why vehicles stop less efficiently on wet roads, but that doesn't mean water is something you would classify as a "lubricant", and therefore use on mechanical devices, which is basically the 'logic' that keeps popping up here.
The stuff lubricates, but only in the short term, but it is not an acceptable lubricant for mechanical devices.
Water is also a "lubricant", that's why vehicles stop less efficiently on wet roads, but that doesn't mean water is something you would classify as a "lubricant", and therefore use on mechanical devices, which is basically the 'logic' that keeps popping up here.
Last edited by Brocephus; 04-24-19 at 07:07 AM.