chain lube
 

will automatic transmission fluid act as a good chain lube? at present i'm using half mineral spirits and motor oil
thank you
pothound

:popcornLet the fighting begin:popcorn

I like 4 parts mineral spirits to 1 part chain saw bar oil from Ace Hardware. Remove th chain, clean, remount and oil. Ride 650 to 750 miles, repeat.
:deadhorse:

WD-40.:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

Anything is better than nothing, rust is a poor lubricant.

It can be used, but it's not the best.

:popcorn

Isn't there stuff in ATF that eats paint and/or rubber?

extra butter

ATF+4 would b my choice if I had to use an ATF fluid. Kinda expensive though for chain lube use.

I tried ATF, but didn't like the automatic shifting, so I went back to conventional lube and manual shifting.

Yes, but brake fluid is even worse.
I picked up a can of dry lube from he auto parts store for my commuter, trying to keep my pant leg clean. The mountain bike gets the full wet lube, I'm not real worried about staying clean when I'm riding that one.

I use this:

http://www.amazon.com/Triflow-Superi...4287878&sr=1-2

It's what my co-op has, but I don't know how it stacks up against other lubricants.

obviously that is the superior lube

I think we have a winner! Let the thread end here.
(please)

I believe that you're thinking of brake fluid. That stuff actually makes for a very effective paint stripper in many cases.

ATF is just a high detergent thin oil with excellent anti foaming properties. It works not badly as a lubricant as well since it's what automatic transmissions use for both the drive fluid and for lubrication.

As a lube for exposed bicycle chains I think it would be a little thin and prone to washing away easily with any significant amounts of rain.

Also an excellent chain lube!:roflmao2:

Killjoy.:(

thank you all
the atf sounded better to me than mixing mineral spirits with oil. this is why i asked the question.
pothound

I would avoid the ATF unless it is all you have available. It does lubricate, but is formulated more for its hydrolic properties than anything. It is very low viscosity, and may be easily washed away. Using motor oil would work better, though the homebrew lubes using mineral spirits (that people have mentioned here) are cheap to make and work quite well. The wet chain lubes such as Prolink are also quite thin, but are formulated with exterior chain use in mind.

Ok...


Thank you.

My own recipe
 

My own recipe and technique:

Step 1: First, mix the brew

• 67% 10W-30 motor oil as a base.
• 13% ATF because someone suggested it on a forum.
• One stick butter for that movie-popcorn flavor.
• Two scented candles. The wax sheds dirt, and the scent keeps your bike smelling fresh.
• 10% Citrus degreaser to make your lube self-degreasing, which eases cleaning.
• 5% WD-40 to eliminate water contamination during wet rides.
• 5% Mineral "Spirits" to spook your friends so that you can win the race.

Step 2: Pour the above mixture into your wife's teflon-coated cookpot. The teflon will absorb into the lube, giving a bit of the high-tech to the mixture.

Step 3: Set mixture aside to steep.

Step 4: Grab a bottle of store-bought lube and put that on your bike chain.

Step 5: Go riding before your wife finds that pot!

popcorn butter

This sounds great. I think I'm going to try this tonight. :)
For step 4, would tri-flo be ok?

Amazon has 1 gallon jugs of Tri-Flow! That's so awesome!

I knew a guy who used rancid olive oil. Free!