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Baby oil for hydros

Old 02-09-21, 12:01 AM
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Baby oil for hydros

Interesting vid:


He kind of overboard with caveats (doesn't want to get sued I guess), but MY takeaway (being a cheapskate) is baby oil is every bit as good as branded. I plan to use it, if/when I ever run out of my 4oz bottle of Finish Line brand oil.

And now that I say that, I check my fleabay history and find I paid $9.55 for that 4oz, in 2016. Assuming it lasts another 5 years, am I too cheap to invest $1/year in brake oil?

Yes. Yes, I am.
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Old 02-09-21, 12:20 AM
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What a great way to save money.

You can also use Shimano mineral oil as a "personal" lubricant.

I think the perfume and talc in the baby oil will really improve breaking power.
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Old 02-09-21, 03:33 AM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
And now that I say that, I check my fleabay history and find I paid $9.55 for that 4oz, in 2016. Assuming it lasts another 5 years, am I too cheap to invest $1/year in brake oil?

Yes. Yes, I am.
I prefer to spend a bit more on braking fluid and a lot less on my dentist. But to each his own.
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Old 02-09-21, 06:19 AM
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Originally Posted by wgscott
What a great way to save money.

You can also use Shimano mineral oil as a "personal" lubricant.

I think the perfume and talc in the baby oil will really improve breaking power.
Unscented.
https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Baby-.../dp/B00JF76E54
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Old 02-09-21, 06:38 AM
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I've been using Total LHM Plus hydraulic mineral oil for years.
Used it with a lot of Shimano and Magura brakes. Both disc, and hydraulic rim brakes. Haven't noticed any problems with seals, or performance.
It costs about 1/4 of the Shimano oil price. Not sure about Magura's "Royal Blood" - shops here don't have that in stock.

Unlike baby oil, this oil is designed for that purpose - but it's not sold as "bicycle" brake fluid.
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Old 02-09-21, 07:10 AM
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Shimano mineral oil costs a few bucks. the peace of mind knowing that the oil is not going to compromise any part of my brake system is worth a few extra bucks. there are better places to save money.
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Old 02-09-21, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Bike Gremlin
I've been using Total LHM Plus hydraulic mineral oil for years.
Used it with a lot of Shimano and Magura brakes. Both disc, and hydraulic rim brakes. Haven't noticed any problems with seals, or performance.
It costs about 1/4 of the Shimano oil price. Not sure about Magura's "Royal Blood" - shops here don't have that in stock.

Unlike baby oil, this oil is designed for that purpose - but it's not sold as "bicycle" brake fluid.
Magura Royal Blood boils at a low temperature. I wouldn't use it in Shimano brakes unless I was totally sure about the temperatures they generate on the fluid.

I have always used Finish Line mineral oil on my Shimano and Magura brakes without issues.
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Old 02-09-21, 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
And now that I say that, I check my fleabay history and find I paid $9.55 for that 4oz, in 2016. Assuming it lasts another 5 years, am I too cheap to invest $1/year in brake oil?
Yes. Yes, I am.
OK, I'm a bit of a cheapskate myself and will go for good, less expensive alternatives when possible but this is a little silly. You're actually saving around 75 cents a year considering you still have to buy the baby oil. The baby oil could be fine but it's not the same and who knows what problems it could cause all to save 75 cents a year. As you noted the guy on the video really stressed that this is only his experience with one bike and he can't promise anything more than that. Hmmmm.
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Old 02-09-21, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Bike Gremlin
I've been using Total LHM Plus hydraulic mineral oil for years.
Used it with a lot of Shimano and Magura brakes. Both disc, and hydraulic rim brakes. Haven't noticed any problems with seals, or performance.
It costs about 1/4 of the Shimano oil price. Not sure about Magura's "Royal Blood" - shops here don't have that in stock.

Unlike baby oil, this oil is designed for that purpose - but it's not sold as "bicycle" brake fluid.
Nice. I didn't look hard, but first try it seems not that easy to find in the U.S. But I wonder if I wandered into Kragen and looked for hydraulic mineral oil, would I be able to get a quart or liter for way less than bike oil per oz?
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Old 02-09-21, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by mack_turtle
Shimano mineral oil costs a few bucks. the peace of mind knowing that the oil is not going to compromise any part of my brake system is worth a few extra bucks. there are better places to save money.
Originally Posted by Crankycrank
OK, I'm a bit of a cheapskate myself and will go for good, less expensive alternatives when possible but this is a little silly. You're actually saving around 75 cents a year considering you still have to buy the baby oil. The baby oil could be fine but it's not the same and who knows what problems it could cause all to save 75 cents a year. As you noted the guy on the video really stressed that this is only his experience with one bike and he can't promise anything more than that. Hmmmm.
I would take peace of mind that that dude had no problems in a shimano brake (like mine), with a controlled test against the same brake with bespoke fluid (although it would have been a better test if he put the baby oil in the harder working front brake), rode more aggressively (judging by his video clips) and probably more miles than I would, and detected under a lil microscope no degradation.

And he makes a good point -- what is oil that is safe for a baby's skin going to do to rubber and aluminum?
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Old 02-09-21, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by mack_turtle
Shimano mineral oil costs a few bucks. the peace of mind knowing that the oil is not going to compromise any part of my brake system is worth a few extra bucks. there are better places to save money.
Brakes and tires are the last places I would cut corners.
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Old 02-09-21, 12:12 PM
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Shimano Oil

Forgive the Pun...
The flow of Shimano mineral oil is getting better.
Just got a liter (34 oz) for $30, a lot value better than the silly little bottles.
Plus, the mineral oil wont absorb moisture, it's a lifetime supply, unless my buddies find out I have it.

Barry

Last edited by Barry2; 02-09-21 at 12:12 PM. Reason: typo
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Old 02-09-21, 12:25 PM
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Seth is a professional YouTuber who gets clicks by doing goofy stuff sometimes. notice that he did this on his fat bike. I've watched nearly everything Seth has put out and that fat bike does not get a lot of miles. if he felt confident about it, he'd do that to his FS trail bike and bomb down Berm Peak on it.

save a few bucks on brake oil: what could possibly go wrong?
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Old 02-09-21, 12:43 PM
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Nobody liked my pun?
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Old 02-09-21, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
And he makes a good point -- what is oil that is safe for a baby's skin going to do to rubber and aluminum?
Sweat for example is safe for baby skin but will (as described in the white powder thread) corrode through aluminium in no time.
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Old 02-09-21, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by wgscott
What a great way to save money.

You can also use Shimano mineral oil as a "personal" lubricant.

I think the perfume and talc in the baby oil will really improve breaking power.
Originally Posted by wgscott
Nobody liked my pun?
Are you talking about that? I gotta say I noticed it and didn't catch it as a pun, just wrote you off as a loser. But now that you point it out, I get it and enjoy it
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Old 02-09-21, 01:12 PM
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when will it stop?
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Old 02-09-21, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
And he makes a good point -- what is oil that is safe for a baby's skin going to do to rubber and aluminum?
If I had hydraulic disc brakes on a bike (I don't) I wouldn't worry about baby oil or plain drugstore mineral oil corroding any of the metal parts or attacking hoses and seals. What I would be concerned about is boiling point and range. It may be the same "cut" as Shimano's mineral oil but I wouldn't take the chance unless the specs were nearly identical. As noted,it's a silly place to save a few cents.
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Old 02-09-21, 02:04 PM
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Well when I shopped for Shimano(compatible) hydro oil, I agonized over the price, and my research then indicated drugstore oil is vastly different and a definite no-go.

Now that I have the bottle and 4oz is apparently a lifetime supply, I'm not so concerned.

But seeing his video makes me feel I was lied to by those earlier reports. Makes me want to stick it to Big (Mineral) Oil
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Old 02-09-21, 02:07 PM
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https://www1.mscdirect.com/MSDS/MSDS...7-20190220.PDF

"Boiling point / boiling range: No information available"
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Old 02-09-21, 02:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Troul
when will it stop?
I don’t think you need “when” in that question.

Unless, of course, you were referring to an immovable object scenario.

John
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Old 02-09-21, 02:18 PM
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Is it time for a v-brake vs baby oil disc brake discussion?

John
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Old 02-09-21, 02:24 PM
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I use baby oil to lube the pads on my V-brakes.
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Old 02-09-21, 02:33 PM
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Aloe + vit E might serve for a good chain product.
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Old 02-09-21, 02:39 PM
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Aloe vera? Pshaw

LANOLIN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5de9...ature=youtu.be
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