How important is oil type?

[Mick Mudd]

Hi, new returnee to cycling here. I just happened to read somewhere on the net that "using the wrong type of bicycle chain oil can do more harm than good".
In the old days I simply used good old 3 in 1 on the chain and other moving parts but I presume I have to be more choosy nowadays with my new bike. What type shall I use, and can it be used on the chain and all other parts?
Thanks

 

[gbb]

Makes very little difference in chain life whatever I use...
Engine oil, cycle oil, drylube, 3 in 1, they all gave me about the same mileage.
Makes quite a difference in appearance....
Engine oil tends to make a right mess with spray onto your rear wheel.
Drylube tends to keep a chain quite clean.

But if a chain is wiped after every ride, you solve the dirty looking chain anyway.

 

[sidevalve]

There's a lot of hype but I'd say use whatever you want ['including the old 3in1]. Some of the new silicon greases [spray on type] are good for the chain but you have to be careful of overspray [don't want to spray the brakes !]

 

[tyred]

I don't think it matters tbh.

 

[uclown2002]

+1
But give it a wipe after every ride.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Oil is oil.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I'd say 3 in 1 is a bit too thin, but anything else is fine.

 

[simongt]

For most of the year, I use either GT85 or TF2, whichever is going cheap at my LBC at the time and I spray that on all moving parts of the drivetrain I recently bought a bottle of TF2 'Performance all Weather Lubricant' with 'Teflon Surface Protector' to use just on the chain. It's thinner that usual lubes, so you don't need much. It appears to do the job, but like all wet lubes, it causes the chain to gather dust, grit etc.. For winter use when our local highways dept. are slinging salt on the road like they are on commission, I put Finish Line Wet lube on the chain; makes it a bit more resistant to salt corrosion.

 

[mustang1]

My fav is dry but I use wet most of the time.

 

[si_c]

Been using a couple of different bike lubes the last couple of years. Just about to finish off a bottle of finish line wet, this is my go to for the most part, it does make the chain and cassette look darker, but it works, replaced the chain on my MTB after 2k miles, in all conditions.

My road bike I use a wax lube on it mostly, but I've just switched to using the wet lube as I'm out more in wetter weather on it atm, and the difference is noticeable. The wet lube is whisper quiet compared to the wax lube, with the latter being almost annoyingly loud. The wax does keep everything looking much nicer and cleaner though. I usually mickle and relube once a week.

 

[andsaw]

I use Puteline 1kg boil in the tin chain wax, i redo every 2 weeks and no need to do anything in between, looks bit messy but is in blackish colour when bought, and there's a knack to doing it, when i used oil i would get loads of iron filings when i cleaned my chains, with the wax i can transfer every 3 months to an old pan and clean the bottom out and there would be a weeks worth of filings, so in my opinion there's less wear for the wax over oil.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Chainsaw oil.
Except for the Raleigh Sports, which gets light machine oil, as I oil from an old Eagle Oiler, and that's what is in that when I oil the hubs, so I just use the light machine oil on the chain as well.

 

[Doyleyburger]

Chainsaw oil.
Except for the Raleigh Sports, which gets light machine oil, as I oil from an old Eagle Oiler, and that's what is in that when I oil the hubs, so I just use the light machine oil on the chain as well.

Another vote for chainsaw oil here. Bit sceptical about using it at first as its very sticky but as long as you wipe the excess off its fine. I fill an old chain lube bottle up to keep it in. I also warm it up in a tub of hot water first to thin it out a bit for easy applying

 

[Mick Mudd]

Thanks guys, a nice mixed bag of answers there, and for the record a mechanic at a bike shop just explained to me that thicker oil like 3in1 tends to attract dust and grit which forms an abrasive gunge and causes chain wear.
But on the whole I don't think I need be too paranoid about which oil to use, as I used nothing but 3in1 throughout all my cycle club years and camping tours without any chain problems, including an -ahem- 800 mile trip from Leicester to Paris and back over 8 days..

 

[Milkfloat]

I think the key is that any lube is better than no lube.