Interesting article on using alternate oils for lubricating your chain.

[gbb]

I long since gave up overthinking what lube regime on a chain is best.
Engine oil, chainsaw oil, dry lube, wet lube WD40, Teflon, 3 in One oil , I tried all sorts and miponipitored mileages per chain.
Bear in mind I only generally got around 2000 miles per chain and cycled around 6000 miles per year, NO regime or oil type made that much discernable difference to mileage achieved (apart from WD, that chain wore out qmuch quicker )
It's a chain, it will wear, it will want replacing, it's not (gernerally) very expensive. Just keep it clean, keep it oiled and spend a little money on a new chain once in a while.
IMHO, it's just not worth over thinking...been there, done it, waste of time.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

IMHO, it's just not worth over thinking...been there, done it, waste of time.

But you are the one overthinking here. I’m more interested in having a setup that doesn’t easily wash out in the rain and also doesn’t attract lots of dirt. Chain life is for those overthinking it, unless their chains have a particularly short life.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Chain life is for those overthinking it, unless their chains have a particularly short life.

What's your definition of 'particularly short life'? To me, when using wet lubricant, 2,000 miles sounds remarkably short (assuming we're talking 2,000 miles to reach 0.5% wear/elongation anyway).

 

[Gillstay]

My liking of chainsaw oil has not been wasted then. Time to fill up the can again.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What's your definition of 'particularly short life'? To me, when using wet lubricant, 2,000 miles sounds remarkably short (assuming we're talking 2,000 miles to reach 0.5% wear/elongation anyway).

My 9 speed chains generally see me through about 6,000 miles

 

[Sea of vapours]

My 9 speed chains generally see me through about 6,000 miles

About 40% more than my 11 speed ones then (when using wet lubricant and when retired at or just before 0.5% wear that is).

 

[Ajax Bay]

My 9 speed chains generally see me through about 6,000 miles

Upwrong?

 

[silva]

No, don't feed the animals. They keep on coming back.

Here I am, on the road again!
There I am, up on the stage!
Here I go, playin' star again!
There I go, turn the page!

What i do now is keeping the chain oil-wet, and since Belgian weather returned in 2020, the muck regularly gets washed off, solving the grinding problem and the lotsa cleaning work.
Drawback is that people can now see where I have passed but ohwell, I see it as marking my territory WOOF!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Here I am, on the road again!
There I am, up on the stage!
Here I go, playin' star again!
There I go, turn the page!

What i do now is keeping the chain oil-wet, and since Belgian weather returned in 2020, the muck regularly gets washed off, solving the grinding problem and the lotsa cleaning work.
Drawback is that people can now see where I have passed but ohwell, I see it as marking my territory WOOF!

Persistence, I'll give you that.

 

[wafter]

Crikey - nearly two pages and nobody's mentioned the "W" word yet..

 

[Profpointy]

I just use engine oil and my chain runs so quietly that I can hear my Rolex tick.

What can I lube my Rolex with so it won't make that damned ticking noise? 🤔

I reckon engine oil would damp down the ticking noise quite nicely

 

[C R]

Crikey - nearly two pages and nobody's mentioned the "W" word yet..

That's because it is a thread about oil.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Tbf the thread is about (entitled) "alternate" oils and WD40 is an 'alternative' albeit ill advised.
I 'alternate' the use off WD40 (to clean my chain a bit) and wipe, and wipe, and a liquid oil (chain saw oil actually), and wipe. And ride.

 

[biking_fox]

I've been using Prolink Gold, which the bike shop recommended. Not the cheapest (another metric to compare), but seemed to last for ages without washing off or gaining dirt. Of course it's now out of stock everywhere - anyone know anything similar? - it used a "metal binding technology" which meant you didn't need to clean it off particularly, just add fresh now and then.

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

My shimano chain has proved to be awful, constant problems with stiff links, bought a can of, is it gt85? or something
chain has been behaving it self a little better. Pretty sure chain i bought was a fake.