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Chain lubing


learningtofly
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Well, after making a pigs ear of keeping my last chain in tip-top condition, I'm now going to try the hypoid 80w 90 gear oil approach, and I have a set of these basting brushes coming from Amazon today that will hopefully make application a doddle (and they're cheap)...


screenshot_231.png


I'll let you know how effective they are in due course. Anyone else use gear oil, and if so is it effective? I was using Wurth dry wax lube previously, but whether or not it was operator error it was doing diddly squat in terms of keeping surface rust at bay :scratch:

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yes. I do.


I found the spray on lube approach ineffective and expensive. I bought a litre of gear oil last week and have been using it since. I did thoroughly clean the chain first to get rid of all the 'spray' first as that made sense to me. Im using an old paint brush. and the chain now looks great. almost back to 'as new' unlike with the spray where I was getting surface rust. Oiling it is an absolute doddle. takes just a couple of minutes and there is much less 'waste'. its less hard work because there is no need to cover anything to stop the oil getting where it shouldn't. unlike the spray.


Im happy. Its come as a bit of a culture shock for me to have to think about a chain after so many years with a shaft bike. but, this way is so simple.


The chain looks a lot cleaner and there is zero surface rust.


Ive not noticed much, if any 'fling' as yet... but Im very sparing with the oil. the chain doesn't need much.

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yes. I do.


I found the spray on lube approach ineffective and expensive. I bought a litre of gear oil last week and have been using it since. I did thoroughly clean the chain first to get rid of all the 'spray' first as that made sense to me. Im using an old paint brush. and the chain now looks great. almost back to 'as new' unlike with the spray where I was getting surface rust. Oiling it is an absolute doddle. takes just a couple of minutes and there is much less 'waste'. its less hard work because there is no need to cover anything to stop the oil getting where it shouldn't. unlike the spray.


Im happy. Its come as a bit of a culture shock for me to have to think about a chain after so many years with a shaft bike. but, this way is so simple.


The chain looks a lot cleaner and there is zero surface rust.


Ive not noticed much, if any 'fling' as yet... but Im very sparing with the oil. the chain doesn't need much.

 

That sounds very positive, thank you!


My plan is to go over it once on the outside (applied where it goes around the rear sprocket, I imagine) and then go over it again on the inside. Does that sound about right?

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I did 'above' and 'below'.. so as the chain goes over the chain guide towards the rear sprocket. and then 'below' as the chain comes away from the rear sprocket. so both top and bottom of the chain is done. I put a small dab of white paint on one link so i can see where Ive done from and to. The chain doesn't have a split link. The outside and inside of the chain are lubed at the same time.. as the brush is a tad wider than the chain itself. And when riding the oil will tend to 'thin' and 'spread' as it warms up. Im looking for a thin coating without any drips.. if i see drips i just spread it even more. A little goes a long way. I'm doing it perhaps every 200 miles or so. having the bike on the main stand makes this a very simple and quick process. No need to be overly fussy about it. just don't allow any drips to form. be sparing. only a couple of dips in the oil is required with a paint brush. i do the chain and then one more brush over with the paint brush to spread it further.

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I did 'above' and 'below'.. so as the chain goes over the chain guide towards the rear sprocket. and then 'below' as the chain comes away from the rear sprocket. so both top and bottom of the chain is done. I put a small dab of white paint on one link so i can see where Ive done from and to. The chain doesn't have a split link. The outside and inside of the chain are lubed at the same time.. as the brush is a tad wider than the chain itself. And when riding the oil will tend to 'thin' and 'spread' as it warms up. Im looking for a thin coating without any drips.. if i see drips i just spread it even more. A little goes a long way. I'm doing it perhaps every 200 miles or so. having the bike on the main stand makes this a very simple and quick process. No need to be overly fussy about it. just don't allow any drips to form. be sparing. only a couple of dips in the oil is required with a paint brush. i do the chain and then one more brush over with the paint brush to spread it further.

 

Perfect, thank you. Hopefully those little basting brushes will be nice and light on the oil release, but if not i'll find an old brush instead (they were only about a fiver, so I thought it was worth a go with them).

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I remember when I started motor biking (bc), general rule was to lube chain after emptying tank of petrol and cleaning and lube it every 3 tanks, so basically lube it every 200 miles and clean and lube every 600.

Of course if you are on the road trip that will be much different. As well for people who are commuting every day I will say do it once a week proper clean and lube.

What ever u use, I remember times when was young boy stealing olive oil from my mother to lube that chain.

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In other news, I think I've identified the problem I was having with regard to the old chain and surface rust.


I was soaking the chain in chain cleaner, and then using a chain brush that I was dipping in a bucket of water throughout the cleaning process to get the gunk off. I guess the use of water a mistake. :oops:

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So far I found that best to clean is kerosene and tooth brush. After brushing, cotton rugs to dry. Lubing with mobile chain past.

But I don’t ride so much, mostly I spend time cleaning it. :mrgreen:

3C39814E-F72E-4FC6-A449-4DE6C0ADD51E.thumb.jpeg.e5b07ebc1b2c203688adde0cb255d41d.jpeg

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I've never had a problem with spray dry wax - having tried many different ways it works for me. Little and often is my preferred method.


Which reminds me my tin is nearly empty - however J&S at Delamere is literally minutes down the road from our new house so that's a temptation I will need to learn to resist.

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As well for people who are commuting every day I will say do it once a week proper clean and lube.

 

Lol.


In my defence I gave the bike an all over clean yesterday (annual leave well spent in the sun lol) and I did inspect the chain... no rusting and still slick so no urgent need. Though it did remind my I need to stock up on cleaner, and I think I might try this gear oil and baster approach!!

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So far I found that best to clean is kerosene and tooth brush. After brushing, cotton rugs to dry. Lubing with mobile chain past.

But I don’t ride so much, mostly I spend time cleaning it. :mrgreen:

 

If you don't ride so much, why waste your cotton rags? Leave the paraffin to dry off over night and lube the next day.

Tooth brush Hmmm, sounds like hard work. Try one of these babies .


EPrKP6c.jpg

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As well for people who are commuting every day I will say do it once a week proper clean and lube.

 

Lol.


In my defence I gave the bike an all over clean yesterday (annual leave well spent in the sun lol) and I did inspect the chain... no rusting and still slick so no urgent need. Though it did remind my I need to stock up on cleaner, and I think I might try this gear oil and baster approach!!

 

That's the spirit :cheers:

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So far I found that best to clean is kerosene and tooth brush. After brushing, cotton rugs to dry. Lubing with mobile chain past.

But I don’t ride so much, mostly I spend time cleaning it. :mrgreen:

 

If you don't ride so much, why waste your cotton rags? Leave the paraffin to dry off over night and lube the next day.

Tooth brush Hmmm, sounds like hard work. Try one of these babies .


EPrKP6c.jpg

 

Yep - one of those with chain cleaner, wipe, then wet chain lube. Has worked great for me over the past year/6k miles, no rust.

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