What's your favorite home brew chain oil recipe?

[jberenyi]

Would love to try some of your recipes on my Campy Record chain. I live in dry climate and never ride in the rain unless I get caught in it.

[Louis]

Why? It's not like "regular" lube (i.e. any of a various commercially available options) is either 1) terribly expensive, or 2) inadequate.

I'm all for experimenting, but IMO you have to have a decent justification. What's yours?

Louis

[jberenyi]

Why? It's not like "regular" lube (i.e. any of a various commercially available options) is either 1) terribly expensive, or 2) inadequate.

I'm all for experimenting, but IMO you have to have a decent justification. What's yours?

Louis


Both 1 & 2. Now share.

[Louis]

Now share.

Pro-Link's good enough for me...

[mnoble485]

My lbs used to wax chains. Does anybody still do this? It was great for keeping the squeeks away and everything looking clean.

[jberenyi]

Pro-Link's good enough for me...


Homebrew please.

[R2D2]

My lbs used to wax chains. Does anybody still do this? It was great for keeping the squeeks away and everything looking clean.

I've been using KryTech which is a wax based lube.
Much easier then having to melt parafin etc...........

[gdw]

3-1 White Gas and Mobil 1.

[Kevan]

road kill. Liberally applied...no one can stay with you.

[bigbill]

Odorless mineral spirits and synthetic motor oil. 3 to 1 ratio for the dry months and as much as 1 to 1 in the wet PNW winter. More oil equals more dirt, less oil mean you have to apply more often.

[gasman]

Dave is a big user of homebrew lube and he uses white gas and synthetic motor oil at 1:5 to 1:9 I believe. I think he also uses 90w gear oil.
I have been using mineral spirits with 10-30w oil at 1:5 on my commuter. Seems OK so far I am trying it only because I had some of each laying around.

[jberenyi]

Interesting. I haven't heard the term white gas in a while but it makes sense to use that instead of mineral spirits due to its ability to evaporate faster. I've got to try that.

[Dave]

Interesting. I haven't heard the term white gas in a while but it makes sense to use that instead of mineral spirits due to its ability to evaporate faster. I've got to try that.

Just remember that is it more flammable. I'm using it (Coleman Camper fuel) and it works fine, but it will burn readily, even with oil in it. Mineral spirits, mixed 3 or 4/1 won't light with a match, when the mix is at room temperature. I've tried to burn off some small quantites of old mineral spirits used for degreasing and couldn't get it to light. I suspect that heating it a bit would allow it to burn.

I've tried several oils, but most often I use 5W30 Mobil 1 or whatever I'm using in my car at the time. I've recently tried Royal Purple 80/90 weight gear lube, but it sure stinks. Chainsaw bar oil is another common recommendation, but I seemed to get more black gunk on the chain with it.

Whatever you use, frequent application and wiping is the key to long chain life. When the lube costs 30 cents for a small bottle, rather than $8, I use it generously.

[gasman]

When the lube costs 30 cents for a small bottle, rather than $8, I use it generously.


True, true. I seem to use it to also clean the chain-apply, wipe and repeat.