Just to explore all possibilities, I wonder if "the person(s)" meant 10 wt. synthetic. How bad could that be? Even so, I'd still choose White Lightening. :)

No, I already had the dry wax lubricant, but on several sites and posts including Sheldon Brown's site motor oil or motor oil mix was recommended.

And I didn't keep quiet so that others could see how lousy motor oil is as a chain lubricant.

Dude, just because it didn't work for you does NOT mean that motor oil is definitively lousy as a chain lubricant. There are probably tens of thousands of people out there right now who it *is* working for and they will not have to run to the bike store to buy an overpriced bottle of synthetic wax anytime soon (I am one of them). Use what works for you and let others use what works for them.

Dude, I am not a dude.

Just an open rant tinged with some information in a slightly humorous fashion. No where am I dictating what anyone else should use.

I hear raw crude is best.:)

One of our brethern or sistern on BikeForums, not long ago, brought up the idea that if you could continously run a bike chain through an oil bath it should last forever.

I agree, but I'm not sure how it could be done and keep the oil in the reservoir.

I think this was done on the early Sunbeam bicycles, which used a fully enclosed chain guard with a reservoir of oil which the chain ran through.
The only other way I can think this might work is by use of a scraper or wiper, perhaps made of rubber or felt, to slough off most of the oil as the chain exits the guard.

Why, yes, I suppose I have given this some thought...

Oil would still be dripping off onto the road or trail, soaking the casette, the derails, etc. A better option might be a chain made of one of the super-hard, self lubricating plastics used to make certain firearm frames. If the gears & cassettes were made of the same material, wear would be equalized.

I've been using motor oil for years and find that it works great if you use it properly. I use two chains which get rotated weekly, here's my weekly maintenance routine....

-remove previous weeks' chain from oil bath (1 part heavy motor oil, 2 parts solvent), wipe down with clean rag lightly moistened with WD40, hang up to dry so that solvent evaporates and leaves oil behind.

-remove chain (wipperman link) from bike and drop it into solvent bath #1, give it a good shake.

-degrease derailleurs, cassette and chainwheels

-give solvent bath #1 another good shake, remove chain from from solvent bath #1, wipe dry, drop chain into solvent bath #2, give it a good shake.

-wash & dry bike

-give solvent bath #2 another good shake, remove chain from from solvent bath #2, wipe dry, drop chain into solvent bath #3, give it a good shake.

-inspect tires for embedded debris, check wheels for true, check wheel bearings for smoothness/play, check head bearings, inspect/adjust brakes, clean gear & brake cables, check frame & fork for cracks.

-give solvent bath #3 another good shake, remove chain from solvent bath #3, wipe down, hang to dry.

-fit oiled chain to bike, grease pivot points on derailleurs, test ride and adjust as necessary.

-dispose of solvent bath #1 (the dirtiest one). Next week bath #2 becomes #1, bath #3 becomes #2, and fresh solvent goes into bath #3.

-drop clean, dry chain into oil bath ready for next weeks' maintenance cycle.

The whole routine takes about 1 - 1.5 hours, and I know that my bike will be reliable for another week. The current pair of chains have about 8,000 miles (4,000 each) on them with very little wear, about 0.030"
last time I checked. I got 24,000miles (12,000 each) out of the last pair before hitting 0.130" wear on one and 0.160" on the other and replacing them.

If I ride in rain during the week I will, once I'm home, dry off the bike, apply one drop of my dilluted oil on each link and rotate the crank untill it gets in, then wipe down the excess from the chain & sprockets. It only takes about 15 - 20 minutes.

Get a pair of rubber gloves - either the thin latex type or the type you wear when washing dishes. Put 'em on whenever you have to handle anything you don't want to have to clean from your hands. It's simple, cheap, works well.

Caruso

An hour and a half to lube a chain?!?!?!

How much does a new chain cost vs. How much is 1.5 hours per week for a year of your time worth?

Heck, even at minimum wage that is over $400!

I don't have a problem with anyone who agrees with me. It's the idiots who disagree that I have problems with. How's that for an attitude. Pretty popular, I'd guess.

HAHAHAHHA; sorry but that's just too funny. Someone should have warned you about all those things when using motor oil. Now some of those problems could have been severly reduced or eliminated is you didn't over apply the motor oil. But regardless the attraction that dirt has for motor oil if like drunks to a stripper bar!

BUT most wax products are inferior to any other bike lubricant like TriFlow or Finish Line Teflon Dry Plus. I haven't tried the KryTech but read from Finish Line that it's not as long lasting as Teflon Dry Plus. Wax products only last about 60 to 70 miles before it wears off and the chain starts chattering and by then it's too late, it's already causing accelerated wear. I tried wax lubes because some yo yo at an LBS said they were the best and I took his word for it. Problem is that my chains life expectancy dropped by 2/3rds!! When I switched to Teflon Plus (use to use TriFlow prior to the wax) my chains life went back up. Don't forget any lube made for bikes needs to be applied then let it dry for about 12 hours before use for max effect. Also wax lubes do not prevent rust.

By the way, in an emergency motor oil works; it's better then nothing and it will protect the chain for awhile.