Multigrade engine oil as chain lube?

[Skylark]

Very dry conditions and ride often on roads that are covered in fine dust. This includes lots of interval training.

Being lightweight also helps, I got 10000km on my last cassette and 38T chainring. I use Shimano 105 chains.

 

Holy moly!!! That's crazy, I'm certainly doing it all wrong but granted that mileage is on a road bike?

[Helpmytrap]

Holy moly!!! That's crazy, I'm certainly doing it all wrong but granted that mileage is on a road bike?

Pfffft. The road bike is just there to offer variety, I don't ride it often enough to know what mileage I get on it's drivetrain to be honest

 

It's my MTB, 2x10 XT drivetrain excluding the 105 (it wears well and is cheap) chain. By dry I just meant that there is close to zero mud and lots of dust that can stick to the chain. Dirt roady is an apt description of the majority of my riding.

[exsanguinator]

I'm curious if pure olive oil or canola oil will do any harm

Anybody tried this? With a bit of garlic?

[CAAD4]

I'm curious if pure olive oil or canola oil will do any harm

Anybody tried this? With a bit of garlic?

I'm curious if pure olive oil or canola oil will do any harm

Anybody tried this? With a bit of garlic?

 

Beware of the neighbourhood dogs...

[Cassie]

There must also be some wear from the roller onto the cog face even on a perfect chain, especially if the chain is dry/no lube or contaimanted with dirt?

 

I do have a Park Tool chain checker, chains always changed just before .75, used 2 chains/approx 3000km on the current drivetrain and the chainrings and cassette are looking noticeably worn now, current chain is just on .75 .Could maybe run a new chain and ride the cassette a little bit more but the chainrings are looking well past their prime so I'm planning on riding out this last chain and replacing everything when the chainsuck inevitably starts in the next few hundred or so kms.

 

How many Kms do your drive trains last for?

 

You might be surprised to find it may actually be 1000km's...(If not too much mud is involved)...I've had that and is yet to repalce the drive train...still waiting for the dreaded "suck"...

[Pants Boy]

All this being said, I just bought myself Smoove to try out in hope that it would last longer that 90km.

Any feedback regarding Smoove? Keen to try something new

[Rider3000]

Maybe i should try this also…. but now that i know (its the hubbers chasing up the oil price after all this time )…lol

[ChUkKy]

Any feedback regarding Smoove? Keen to try something new

 

My experience with Smoove:

I do not like it, leaves a buildup like squirt does. That buildup sticks to the cassette and chain rings like *** to a wool blanket.

It doesnt always wash off so great so when you re-apply the night before you ride you mix the fresh with the old crap thats still stuck in there.

 

This weekend I didnt ride so I stripped my drive train to clean everything nicely. I eventually got so the moer in trying to get all the black off my chain, I dumped it in degreaser followed by the cassette pieces and even then it was still tough to get that black *** off. I eventually succeeded.

After the degreaser I cleaned all of that off with normal bike wash, left cassette and chain to to dry then soaked the chain in oil.

 

Im back to oil, always found it works best, easier to clean than Smoove as well.

 

I dont like missioning, Smoove to me is a mission.

Also this put on the night before *** storie is a pain, oil I put on and go ride... my wheels still stay clean because I dont apply it like an EFF supporter would.

[Skylark]

 

My experience with Smoove:

I do not like it, leaves a buildup like squirt does. That buildup sticks to the cassette and chain rings like *** to a wool blanket.

It doesnt always wash off so great so when you re-apply the night before you ride you mix the fresh with the old crap thats still stuck in there.

 

This weekend I didnt ride so I stripped my drive train to clean everything nicely. I eventually got so the moer in trying to get all the black off my chain, I dumped it in degreaser followed by the cassette pieces and even then it was still tough to get that black *** off. I eventually succeeded.

After the degreaser I cleaned all of that off with normal bike wash, left cassette and chain to to dry then soaked the chain in oil.

 

Im back to oil, always found it works best, easier to clean than Smoove as well.

 

I dont like missioning, Smoove to me is a mission.

Also this put on the night before *** storie is a pain, oil I put on and go ride... my wheels still stay clean because I dont apply it like an EFF supporter would.

 

Rouxtjie says the big reason he likes Smoove is it's so easy to clean off and it doesn't gum up the cass. etc like squirt?

[rouxtjie]

Rouxtjie says the big reason he likes Smoove is it's so easy to clean off and it doesn't gum up the cass. etc like squirt?

 

yip, and sticking with it...doesnt build up like squirt. Well that is my experience anyway. We must remember chucks went to a special school so donners the whole bottle of smoove over his cassette and chain...shame die arme ding

[Brian Fantana]

Multi grade oil is too thin for a chain lube application. It will leave small black spots all over your chainstays and areas surrounding your chain.

 

I have been using 80W90 gear oil for more than a year now. It is a lot heavier than multi grade and it does not spray any oil when you apply it, nor does it create strands.

 

I apply it the evening before a ride, and wipe the excess off the next morning, completely (as in COMPLETELY). My chain runs smooth, and quiet for 100km easily. It does not attract dirt or dust (because you wiped the excess off). There will be a little bit of black residue on the chain rollers and on the tips of the cogs after a ride, but it is cleaned off very easily.

 

The biggest advantage is that there is no gunk build up as with wax based lubricants, and the drivetrain remains smooth quiet for a long ride.

 

Most important thing, wipe excess off before your ride. I usually ride for 500m inside the complex and shift through all the gears, and wipe the excess off after that.

 

Anyway, that is my experience and opinion, please don't spitbraai me online because of it.

[ChUkKy]

Multi grade oil is too thin for a chain lube application. It will leave small black spots all over your chainstays and areas surrounding your chain.

 

I have been using 80W90 gear oil for more than a year now. It is a lot heavier than multi grade and it does not spray any oil when you apply it, nor does it create strands.

 

I apply it the evening before a ride, and wipe the excess off the next morning, completely (as in COMPLETELY). My chain runs smooth, and quiet for 100km easily. It does not attract dirt or dust (because you wiped the excess off). There will be a little bit of black residue on the chain rollers and on the tips of the cogs after a ride, but it is cleaned off very easily.

 

The biggest advantage is that there is no gunk build up as with wax based lubricants, and the drivetrain remains smooth quiet for a long ride.

 

Most important thing, wipe excess off before your ride. I usually ride for 500m inside the complex and shift through all the gears, and wipe the excess off after that.

 

Anyway, that is my experience and opinion, please don't spitbraai me online because of it.

 

No spit braai from me, I agree 100%

[rouxtjie]

No spit braai from me, I agree 100%

 

waaahaaa who is spitbraai'ing who?

[DACoetzee]

More is always better...

 

Remember,

 

Too much lube never hurt anyone, thats what it's there for

[Mojoman]

My experience with Smoove:

I do not like it, leaves a buildup like squirt does. That buildup sticks to the cassette and chain rings like *** to a wool blanket.

It doesnt always wash off so great so when you re-apply the night before you ride you mix the fresh with the old crap thats still stuck in there.

 

This weekend I didnt ride so I stripped my drive train to clean everything nicely. I eventually got so the moer in trying to get all the black off my chain, I dumped it in degreaser followed by the cassette pieces and even then it was still tough to get that black *** off. I eventually succeeded.

After the degreaser I cleaned all of that off with normal bike wash, left cassette and chain to to dry then soaked the chain in oil.

 

Im back to oil, always found it works best, easier to clean than Smoove as well.

 

I dont like missioning, Smoove to me is a mission.

Also this put on the night before *** storie is a pain, oil I put on and go ride... my wheels still stay clean because I dont apply it like an EFF supporter would.

I have not used Smoove but when I was using Squirt and a wax product Go (from Bearing Man) I used to use hot water and sunlight liquid to clean the chain. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes then a couple of hot rinses!

[jcza]

yip, and sticking with it...doesnt build up like squirt. Well that is my experience anyway. We must remember chucks went to a special school so donners the whole bottle of smoove over his cassette and chain...shame die arme ding

 

I must give the stuff a go BUT I must add that I am suspicious.