Now if we could just get you to bathe at least annually....

Yup, if ya wanna be VC ya gotta use motor oil. You can get away with the regular stuff, but to be an uber-vehicular cyclist you should use the latest synthentic oils. Don't forget your personalized license plate too!

I prefer white-outs for a good cleansing.

Personally I prefer antifreze to lube my chain.

OH MY ! You got the rims dirty on your bike!... Horrors...

Brutal. Maybe take this rant to P&R where some rich, commie ***** paws the earth with her hoof to educate us on the mathematics of oil economicss or get a more sympathetic ear by blaming all of this on Bush or Zionists.

If you search bikeforums on "motor oil" there are a lot of threads discussing its use as a chain lube, and in those threads nobody reacts to it with the horror that some of you guys are right now.Personally, I can say that I went to a shop three weeks ago and asked for a lube- I got Pedro's Ice Wax at the salesperson's recommendation and it only took me a day or two to realize that it was the totally wrong kind of lube for the riding I do and the frequency with which I am willing to lube my chain (every friggin ride? give me a break!)
After reading up on it some more I just decided to wipe off the ass wax and try some synthetic motor oil I had in the trunk of my car- WOW, it worked! It did not get my rims dirty. Yeah, I got a chainring tattoo, but I don't give a crap about that. I would guess that you used way too much on your chain and didn't wipe off the excess. Yeah, it collects dirt, but only when I'm doing some seriously dirty riding and I would normally have to clean off the chain anyway.
The 3/1 mineral spirit/motor oil thing sounds interesting. I might try that out next time. One things for sure, the motor oil is a helluva lot better than the "specialized bicycle wax lube" the LBS sold me which lasts about 25 miles. So don't knock the homebrew!

Ever try to slow down when your braking surface has a nice splattering of oil or other lubricant? Not fun.

I use the front brake the most, and I can't see how that rim could get covered with chain oil.

Yep. Just like snow/slush buildup in the winter, no problem with coaster brake bikes. My golden advice: Forget chain lube advice; forget about your rims, get coaster brakes.

the heck with brakes. flintstone it

Besides in winter I tend to use snowdrifts as braking devices but that is a whole other issue.

'Tis true... but OTOH, proponents usually mix something with the motor oil to thin it down, and they don't try to present it as being 'clean.' I find it slightly amusing that the OP seemed surprised that motor oil was oily. Maybe thinning it down with WD-40 would do the trick!

Garbage in=garbage out.

Or he could be like you and come off as an idiot no matter where he posts.

I better not slow down too quick; I'll get your nose up my a$$

Dirt on the outside of your chain might be unsightly, but it makes no difference. It's what's inside and between the chain rollers and plates that's important. I don't use motor oil, but I also don't worry about the normal dirt that accumulates on my chain. It may not be aesthetic or cosmetic, but it makes no difference in the performance or longevity of your chain.

(regarding using gasoline as a cleaner)
Gasoline may clean well but it is highly volatile & easily forms an explosive mixture with air. I personally saw the results of a kid cleaning motorcycle parts with gasoline in his apartment: Static discharge or a spark from some switch ignited the mix in his room, killing him & starting a sizeable blaze. Cleaning parts with gasoline just isn't worth the risk when there are safer solvents available Don.

No one advocated doing it indoors. That's not bright. Darwinian maybe, but not bright.

Why has no one mentioned the amount of lubricant used? You don't pour it on. Measure it out with an eyedropper. Literally 2-3 drops (maybe more if the chain is really dry). Motor oil isn't great, but it doesn't have to make a mess, either.

My recent web search on this subject seems to indicate that Spermaceti may very well be the ultimate wax-based bicycle chain lube. Any feedback on Queequeg's Curio Shoppe up in Nantucket?

Wax based lube.
Lubes great, and no goopy gunky black stuff builds up on the chain.

I know everything.. this is the only correct answer

Wax-based lubes (I've always used White Lightning) have been my choice. However, I dropped by bike off for service last week before I left for vacation and when the LBS asked whether he can do what he believes is needed, I answered "Yes". When I returned I found a new chain on my bike despite the fact that the chain replaced had less than 3,500 miles on it. I've always lubed my chain at least every 50 miles. My LBS suggested switching to a dry lube. So now I'm reconsidering choice of lubes.

For Eddy's sake, people! Wipe your chains!

WD-40 is a really good cleaner, RobCat. I've used it on all kinds of babbit bearings while working in the power plant. Like someone else said about the lube oil, though, fine if you're using gallons.

Actually, I do clean the chain with a toothbrush and solvent. The solvent is intended as the final prep before automotive painting. It doesn't seem to damage anything but grease, and evaporates slowly enough that it cleans and runs off, instead of evaporating in place. Electrical contact cleaner is probably even safer.

Now, of course, you are going to test any solvent before getting it on paint or plastic parts, right?

This thread has become quite entertaining. I guess the "best" chain lube really depends on the rider and riding conditions.

I'm still using 90wt gear oil and loving every minute of it. My 2nd choice would be Finish Line Cross Country, which is a wet, oil type lubricant.

I've been using Tri-Flow for years with no problems on my road bike. Just don't over-do it.