Chain Lube
06-17-12 | 04:01 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 91
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From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Bikes: Pinarello Prince
Chain Lube
Clean the chain on the bike with Brakleen parts degreaser. Yes this is death to the environment and Bad For You. It's mostly TCE, which if you don't know what that is you don't want to know. On the other hand if you use it sparingly, a can will last you months and months. Compared to what the refinery down the road is dumping into the air, all the amateur bike mechanics in the world are a drop in the bucket.
This will get the chain bright shiny clean. Let it dry (won't take long).
Lube the chain with Liquid Wrench Chain Lube. This beats any cycling specific lube hands down. Stays on well, doesn't attract dirt, lubricates well, doesn't make a mess like waxes. Wipe off the excess, let it sit overnight. Ride.
Tri-flow, light machine oil and 3-in-1 (developed for bike chains BTW in ~1902) all wash off too easily. This stuff really sticks *without* attracting dirt at all.
See you out there!
This will get the chain bright shiny clean. Let it dry (won't take long).
Lube the chain with Liquid Wrench Chain Lube. This beats any cycling specific lube hands down. Stays on well, doesn't attract dirt, lubricates well, doesn't make a mess like waxes. Wipe off the excess, let it sit overnight. Ride.
Tri-flow, light machine oil and 3-in-1 (developed for bike chains BTW in ~1902) all wash off too easily. This stuff really sticks *without* attracting dirt at all.
See you out there!
06-17-12 | 04:50 PM
#2
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Joined: Feb 2009
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You can't get a chain clean on the bike. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/chain-care.html
06-17-12 | 05:43 PM
#5
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
I LOVE chain lube and chain cleaning threads.
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Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-17-12 | 05:56 PM
#6
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Bikes: Fuji silhouette, Dawes SST-aL
06-17-12 | 06:45 PM
#8
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
If we don't have one of these at least every 2 weeks or so, some of us get withdrawal symptoms.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-17-12 | 07:39 PM
#10
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 899
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From: Coupeville, WA
Bikes: 84 Raleigh Technium- 89 Shogun Mt. Bike-96 Miyata 914
Alrighty then. I'll re=post my favorite lube method for any chain you especially care for that will see hard use or be in long term storage.
Remove chain from bicycle.
Clean the living heck out of the chain in a harsh, earth hostile solvent ( kerosene works great) using a wire brush.
Rinse well using an equally earth hostile carb cleaner.
Put the chain in a shallow pan and slather it with 80-90w gear oil. Swish and shake it around in there real good.
Wipe off as much oil as you can with clean rags or paper towels, give a very quick lite rinse/spray again with carb cleaner and quickly wipe again with a rag.
The idea is to have only a lite film of oil ON the chain but leave oil IN the chain.
Yes, I know this is a lot of work for a stupid chain.
Remove chain from bicycle.
Clean the living heck out of the chain in a harsh, earth hostile solvent ( kerosene works great) using a wire brush.
Rinse well using an equally earth hostile carb cleaner.
Put the chain in a shallow pan and slather it with 80-90w gear oil. Swish and shake it around in there real good.
Wipe off as much oil as you can with clean rags or paper towels, give a very quick lite rinse/spray again with carb cleaner and quickly wipe again with a rag.
The idea is to have only a lite film of oil ON the chain but leave oil IN the chain.
Yes, I know this is a lot of work for a stupid chain.
06-17-12 | 08:12 PM
#11
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From: Sacramento, CA
Bikes: old ones
It is well-known that proper chain cleaning is the most vital and important aspect of cycling. There are zillions of doo-dads and gimmicks out there intended to make this task easier for spoiled, lazy cyclists.
Unfortunately, there's no "free lunch" in bicycle maintenance, and all of these existing systems are fundamentally mono-buttocked kluges.
The only proper way to clean a bicycle chain is to disassemble it, otherwise there is no way to be sure you've thoroughly cleaned and properly lubricated the critical internal parts where chain wear occurs.
Similarly, there's no way to apply correct lubrication to an assembled chain, since the rollers have different lubrication needs than the link articulation pins do!
Unfortunately, there's no "free lunch" in bicycle maintenance, and all of these existing systems are fundamentally mono-buttocked kluges.
The only proper way to clean a bicycle chain is to disassemble it, otherwise there is no way to be sure you've thoroughly cleaned and properly lubricated the critical internal parts where chain wear occurs.
Similarly, there's no way to apply correct lubrication to an assembled chain, since the rollers have different lubrication needs than the link articulation pins do!
While this is an excellent system, it is labor intensive. I've
developed a system that uses dental floss, and i can clean
a chain in under seven hours that way.............
06-17-12 | 08:19 PM
#12
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 899
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From: Coupeville, WA
Bikes: 84 Raleigh Technium- 89 Shogun Mt. Bike-96 Miyata 914
While this is an excellent system, it is labor intensive. I've
developed a system that uses dental floss, and i can clean
a chain in under seven hours that way.............
06-18-12 | 07:35 AM
#15
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Same. Gourmet popcorn anyone?
Can anyone cite any semi-scientific testing done?
I'm in the Liquid Wrench camp btw... 1700 miles on the winter bike... pretty used when I bought it. Not showing any added wear. Considering adding some moly to the container...........
Can anyone cite any semi-scientific testing done?
I'm in the Liquid Wrench camp btw... 1700 miles on the winter bike... pretty used when I bought it. Not showing any added wear. Considering adding some moly to the container...........
06-18-12 | 08:47 AM
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 899
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From: Coupeville, WA
Bikes: 84 Raleigh Technium- 89 Shogun Mt. Bike-96 Miyata 914
06-18-12 | 09:02 AM
#18
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From: santa barbara CA
06-18-12 | 04:55 PM
#22
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Yes, but not because I'm a clean fanatic. I rotate multiple chains on each bike at 1,000 miles or so. That means, for example, the chain on my commuter comes off every three months or so. While it's off, each chain gets a long soak in napatha, then (when I have nothing better to do) , I finish the wash, oil the chain, and put it into a zip lock bag until it comes back up on the rotation.
If they weren't off anyway, I'd never bother washing chains. I'd run them through a dry or slightly damp rag once in a long while and re-oil as needed.
If they weren't off anyway, I'd never bother washing chains. I'd run them through a dry or slightly damp rag once in a long while and re-oil as needed.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-18-12 | 05:10 PM
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 22,994
Likes: 10,497
From: Sacramento, CA
Bikes: old ones
Here's an opportunity come knocking........
A leading Beverly Hills plastic surgeon claims to have found an environmentally friendly way to combine two of America's great obsessions –
after converting his 4x4 to run on fat removed from clients during liposuction operations.
Alan Bittner, who founded a high-profile clinic on Rodeo Drive, the Bond Street of Los Angeles, claims to be able
to power both his Ford Explorer and his girlfriend's Lincoln Navigator on biofuel converted from excess flesh from human tums,
bums and thighs. "The vast majority of my patients request that I use their fat for fuel – and I have more fat than I can use," he says.
"Not only do they get to lose their love handles or chubby belly, but they get to take part in saving the Earth."
Sadly, Dr Bittner is no longer around to bask in his new-found fame. His practice in Beverly Hills suddenly closed shortly
after last month's raid, and he is believed to have moved to South America.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...s-1211431.html
after converting his 4x4 to run on fat removed from clients during liposuction operations.
Alan Bittner, who founded a high-profile clinic on Rodeo Drive, the Bond Street of Los Angeles, claims to be able
to power both his Ford Explorer and his girlfriend's Lincoln Navigator on biofuel converted from excess flesh from human tums,
bums and thighs. "The vast majority of my patients request that I use their fat for fuel – and I have more fat than I can use," he says.
"Not only do they get to lose their love handles or chubby belly, but they get to take part in saving the Earth."
Sadly, Dr Bittner is no longer around to bask in his new-found fame. His practice in Beverly Hills suddenly closed shortly
after last month's raid, and he is believed to have moved to South America.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...s-1211431.html
06-18-12 | 05:12 PM
#24
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,268
Likes: 50
So, for all this talk about how great "off bike" chain cleaning is, it's really just "cover" for running around with filthy chains. OTOH, it is comforting to know that when "off bike" chain cleaners actually get around to it, they do a really good job. I've suspected this for a long time. bk
06-18-12 | 05:44 PM
#25
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 22,994
Likes: 10,497
From: Sacramento, CA
Bikes: old ones
So, for all this talk about how great "off bike" chain cleaning is, it's really just "cover" for running around with filthy chains. OTOH, it is comforting to know that when "off bike" chain cleaners actually get around to it, they do a really good job. I've suspected this for a long time. bk
