Chain lubrication, the balance of pros versus cons

[classic33]

Some time further without oil, instead a couple times applied that cheap 3 € / kilo viscous aircraft/door hinges grease.
The period after mounting the new Regina Urban OROX type 420 chain, just like the previous time start 2020, there is some muck / some clots - that white grease the chain is delivered with, that is pushed out (partly?).
I smeared these open with a cloth, to spread it over the externals, as addition to my grease.
As now proved after riding enough (too many :P ) through downpours, and unlike last year: NO rust on the chain. Last year brown substance even spilled out between the side plates, indicating internal rust.

At 1st sight rather odd, because the chain appears close to bare metal. But when looking closely: it's covered by a metallic looking grey substance, I guess the mix of both greases, that somewhat covers the gaps between the link parts, maybe blocking dirt / water from getting in.
The chain still runs totally silent (despite the seriously worn, but flipped regularly (hurah for the dead easy M12 bolts that now replace the tiny original chainring bolts with sleeved nuts) so no sharkfins, Velosolo chainring) - something I never experienced before with oil lubrication, there it was just the first couple days, then a couple days hearing blotter, then just rough / noise, as before oil lubrication.
Also remarkable: no dirt on the chain. Apparently, again unlike oil lubrication, dust/sand/whatever, doesn't stick in / stay on the grease.

So, so far it looks promising.
What effect it will have on chain wear, will only be proved the moment the tensioner reached front end, though.
Even if that would be the same, the grease inflicts me much less cleaning work on the chain than the oil.
So far I had to turn/move this eccentric bottom bracket tensioner about 1/3th of the distance I had with the previous chain with oil lubrication, same time, same daily distances.


Aside and also not my business, asked nevertheless: why account closed?

When did grease stop being a lubricant?

 

[sasquath]

When did grease stop being a lubricant?

Probably when WD40 became a chain lube...

 

[MrGrumpy]

This has just reminded me that I was meant to oil my chain earlier !!! After cleaning and degreasing !

 

[silva]

When did grease stop being a lubricant?

When it arrived in the dictionary?
Maybe it's an interpretation isssue?
I see lubrication as requiring a low viscosity fluid, so that after being pressed away from mating surfaces, it flows back. Grease is higher viscosity - it gets pushed out after some load cycles and end of lubrication.
Grease is more to keep dirt out, prevent corrosion, galling, etc.

About this topic: my attempt without oil proved a failure.
Because of rust. Even with water kept away from the chain, humidity caused condensation on cold surface during day>night cooling. Rust dramatically increases friction (expands in volume); not directly visible on the chain from the outside, because of coating that isn't worn off there. But internally it is. Brown dust falls out of the chain. The chain became faster longer than before.
So I returned to using automotive motor oil, and the regime after every new oiling, wiping off the black dirt that gets pushed to the outside of the chain, after being made mobile by the oil. It is important to do that while the oil is still fluid, because its impossible to get it off later on without reoiling again, resulting in too much oil.

 

[classic33]

Ten months into a six month experiment you admit that your system, not using oil, didn't work.
Chains dry out, the job is to stop it drying out.

 

[silva]

Ten months into a six month experiment you admit that your system, not using oil, didn't work.
Chains dry out, the job is to stop it drying out.

Because of rust.
A possible job could have been keeping water away from the chain, I made some effort to that, but I can't stop humid air to get in.

 

[classic33]

Because of rust.
A possible job could have been keeping water away from the chain, I made some effort to that, but I can't stop humid air to get in.

Now you know another reason why oil is used on chains.

 

[silva]

Now you know another reason why oil is used on chains.

You mean, preservation oil?
The Regina 420 motorcycle chains that I use on my fixie, are delivered with a white paste on them.
No oil at all.
After my first attempt of such a chain, I assumed I didn't have to put oil on it.
But the first rainy day one week later proved that the white paste wasn't a protection against rust lol.

Talking about motorcycle chains, there are sealed ones available for the 420 size.
Ex https://www.kitcross.com/nl/chaine-rk-420-o-ring-renforcee-106-maillons-03r420mru-106.html
58 euro, about 3 times the Regina 420 price.
An idea is buying 1, mount it and see what it gives. This particular brand/model is sold precisely with the # links I need for this bike, also saves the work to shorten it.

 

[DaveReading]

I've been reading this thread in anticipation of finding a revolutionary new way of lubricating chains.

More fool me.

 

[Chislenko]

I've been reading this thread in anticipation of finding a revolutionary new way of lubricating chains.

More fool me.

Is that why you are called Dave reading 🙂

 

[silva]

I've been reading this thread in anticipation of finding a revolutionary new way of lubricating chains.

More fool me.

Missed the threads title, then wishful thoughts?

 

[FishFright]

Generation upon generation have known that metal on metal movement needs lubrication and protection from the elemets but meanwhile in internet land one man stands up to Big Lube and said NO!
Ten months later ..... rust ensued and our intrepid hero continues in his search from some extraordinary data to back up his extraordinary claims. "This time next Rodney , this time next year."

 

[Twilkes]

Why does the metal of the outside of the chain not need lubrication against the metal of the cogs/chainrings?

 

[raleighnut]

Why does the metal of the outside of the chain not need lubrication against the metal of the cogs/chainrings?

It doesn't slide, or it shouldn't, the roller sits in the valley of the tooth on the cog and rotates on the bushing

 

[silva]

Generation upon generation have known that metal on metal movement needs lubrication and protection from the elemets but meanwhile in internet land one man stands up to Big Lube and said NO!
Ten months later ..... rust ensued and our intrepid hero continues in his search from some extraordinary data to back up his extraordinary claims. "This time next Rodney , this time next year."

Of course, the point wasn't that oil lubrication is bad, the point was that oil makes sticky, and sticky means dirt clogging on the chain, and dirt means extra wear. Pro, and contra. Since I noticed that everytime I put put oil on the chain, I had to retension the chain, the thought was cons > pros. I tried without oil and a rain cover, but as proved, even condensation brought rust.

End may I started putting oil on it again, when it appeared too dry.
The eccenter reached its end today.
Also I noticed that my rear cog, 16T, had 5 teeth broken in their middle. Surprisingly, I barely noticed it.
I replaced the chain this evening with a new one.
I put alot oil on top of the white paste, then turning many times, then wiping off as much as I could, then a testride.
So this chain lasted just nov2021-aug2022, at 60 km daily.
I again didn't replace the chainring. It was mounted begin 2019. It's now sure: if you replace the chain at eccenter end (a new chain makes it already positioned at around 60° of the 180°, then the chain ring doesn't wear further.
Dito the rear cog, only that previous time I mounted an old one that I replaced thinking too short teeth. It held out another year. I did now the same, I have still 1 old one left.
This is a big cost and work saver, because if I mount a new chainring / cog, I have to flip it over everytime sharkfin shape appears. That's almost not needed once worn towatds end position eccenter tensioner.