HomeBrew VS straight 0W-20 oil for chain lube
01-20-16, 08:51 AM
#76
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,369
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6222 Post(s)
Liked 4,222 Times
in
2,368 Posts
Somebody ate their Snarky's this morning. You can clean and polish and buff your bike as much as you like but it doesn't matter how clean your bike is in terms of how long your drivetrain will last. Drivetrains are meant to be used and they get dirty quickly in my experience. The drivetrain will wear out unless you spend all your time cleaning and polishing them and never get around to riding the bike so I'm willing to risk a bit of drivetrain wear to actually ride the bike.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Last edited by cyccommute; 01-20-16 at 09:14 AM.
01-20-16, 08:54 AM
#77
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,369
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6222 Post(s)
Liked 4,222 Times
in
2,368 Posts
I find that mileage very hard to believe. It's almost 3 times what most people report for chains no matter what chain lubricant they use.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-20-16, 09:17 AM
#78
Non omnino gravis
But he's on a recumbent with a chain like 12 feet long. I have no idea what their chain life is like, but I reckon it's longer.
__________________
01-20-16, 10:12 AM
#79
Senior Member
So let me see If I got this.
Cleaning your chain is the most important thing
Cleaning your chain is not necessary
Motor oil is bad for chains
Except for the people who have used it successfully for years.
bike specific chain lubes are the best
Bike specific chain lubes are the worst
Dry lubes clean your chain
Dry lubes don't clean your chain
Organic yak lard is the lube of choice in Tibet
Did I miss anything?
Cleaning your chain is the most important thing
Cleaning your chain is not necessary
Motor oil is bad for chains
Except for the people who have used it successfully for years.
bike specific chain lubes are the best
Bike specific chain lubes are the worst
Dry lubes clean your chain
Dry lubes don't clean your chain
Organic yak lard is the lube of choice in Tibet
Did I miss anything?
01-20-16, 11:11 AM
#81
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
My problem is that I don't know how to test it.
In the normal flow of things, I'd use Home Brew - not for cost savings but because that's just what I do. I like to screw around with bicycles. If I did that, however, I'd want to personally fool around with the ratios and such but it would take such a time to test and, even after I did, I wouldn't know how to judge which was better.
If I ever quit my job and have more time on my hands, I think that I might give that hot waxing a try. I'm too lazy to try it yet.
In the normal flow of things, I'd use Home Brew - not for cost savings but because that's just what I do. I like to screw around with bicycles. If I did that, however, I'd want to personally fool around with the ratios and such but it would take such a time to test and, even after I did, I wouldn't know how to judge which was better.
If I ever quit my job and have more time on my hands, I think that I might give that hot waxing a try. I'm too lazy to try it yet.
However, a C&V mechanic type like yourself could rig up a fixed gear bike with chainring, cog and chain on both sides for an A-B test. Try a different lube on each chain, so you'd be comparing the lubes in exactly the same conditions.
01-20-16, 11:29 AM
#82
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 322
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nobody liked my idea of lubing half the chain with one lube, and the other half with the other one, so I abandoned that one. Everyone was worried about cross-contamination of the oils
However, a C&V mechanic type like yourself could rig up a fixed gear bike with chainring, cog and chain on both sides for an A-B test. Try a different lube on each chain, so you'd be comparing the lubes in exactly the same conditions.
However, a C&V mechanic type like yourself could rig up a fixed gear bike with chainring, cog and chain on both sides for an A-B test. Try a different lube on each chain, so you'd be comparing the lubes in exactly the same conditions.
Based on the wildly varying responses have seen on both sides of the fence, I think a fair assessment would be "it's all oil" when talking about wet lubes.
01-20-16, 11:38 AM
#83
Senior Member
Yes: that if you're using Yak lard to lube your chain and you bonk on a long ride, you can lick the chain to get the needed protein and fat to finish the ride refreshed. (Or, if you have a KMC or similar link on your chain, you can easily take the chain off and suck on it so as to garner the most nourishment.) Also: when cleaning a yak lard lubed chain, the recommended method is to take the chain off and drop it into a bottle of vodka. Shake the bottle well, remove the chain and enjoy the traditional before-ride Siberian cocktail known as "твоя мама"!
You can also take a dollop of yak lard in a ziplock bag as an energy gel. Squeeze it on the chain for lube, Yak lard is SPF50 so use it liberally on the skin, and you can also use it as a sealant for flats. Lots of uses for yak lard.
01-20-16, 12:34 PM
#84
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 322
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Don't forget that if you leave it on the chain and lick it as needed, you never have to clean the drive train. Just reapply yak oil
01-20-16, 12:58 PM
#86
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NoVA
Posts: 1,421
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sport
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
It's a good thing winter came just in time for this discussion. As for me, I regret buying that extra jersey (on sale) a few years back. I should have use that money to buy a life time supply of Chain-L instead.
01-20-16, 01:03 PM
#87
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
If Mrs. Grouch agrees by this time next year I'll be arguing chain lubes with cyccommute.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
01-20-16, 01:03 PM
#88
Senior Member
01-20-16, 01:04 PM
#89
Senior Member
just replace the crankset with cogs. You can run 10 chains at once to quickly test all kinds of lubes.
.
01-20-16, 01:11 PM
#91
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: D'uh... I am a Cutter
Posts: 6,139
Bikes: '17 Access Old Turnpike Gravel bike, '14 Trek 1.1, '13 Cannondale CAAD 10, '98 CAD 2, R300
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1571 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
9 Posts
And we can all just guess why no healthcare professionals are currently treating the condition/affliction you describe.
I use both a wet.... and a semi-dry lube.
I originally purchased that lube for my wall-hanger bikes because the lube is so clean. But I was so impressed with it I use it on most of my bikes. It is very cheap to buy... and lasts well. It doesn't attract dust/dirt and it doesn't wash off too quickly.
I use both a wet.... and a semi-dry lube.
I originally purchased that lube for my wall-hanger bikes because the lube is so clean. But I was so impressed with it I use it on most of my bikes. It is very cheap to buy... and lasts well. It doesn't attract dust/dirt and it doesn't wash off too quickly.
01-20-16, 01:16 PM
#93
Senior Member
In other words, a damp lube.
I like that. Something not dry, not wet... moist.
Moist lubes... again, the yak fat idea brought up here is a brilliant choice. I think that guy needs to sell it to White Lightning.
WL Yak Fat...damp chain lube. I like that.
I like that. Something not dry, not wet... moist.
Moist lubes... again, the yak fat idea brought up here is a brilliant choice. I think that guy needs to sell it to White Lightning.
WL Yak Fat...damp chain lube. I like that.
01-20-16, 02:37 PM
#94
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 322
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's more zen. It's like Bruce Lee's art of fighting without fighting. Be water my friend. Or wait? Am I thinking of Yoda? Yeah, that's it...Has anyone tried using The Force on their chain?
Lots of divine wisdom floating around in this thread
01-20-16, 03:13 PM
#95
Non omnino gravis
Added to the list of things I never knew I needed: moist chain lube. But now I feel like I must have it. I'll take genuine yak or synthetic, I'm not picky (yet.)
__________________
01-20-16, 03:20 PM
#96
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
What's your take on Boeshield? I often see it compared to WL. I find it works great for most conditions, but it seems to have a limited effective span when exposed to the endlessly wet winter riding condition of the PNW.
01-20-16, 04:16 PM
#98
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,369
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6222 Post(s)
Liked 4,222 Times
in
2,368 Posts
Haven't tried it. I've tried some dry lube from Finish Line and a supposedly "dry" lube from WD40. Neither was that dry and the WD50 stuff smells like Hai Karate.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-20-16, 04:31 PM
#99
Senior Member
01-20-16, 04:48 PM
#100
Senior Member
Organic, free range, non-pasturized Yak fat. The best yak fat has Tibetan provenance, back to when Ghengis Khan used yak fat to lube his bicycle chains.