Comments on: How to Lube Your Chain http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/ Mountain Bike Reviews, News, Deals and How Tos Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:24:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Aaron http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-121785 Aaron Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:06:03 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-121785 I like these how-to's for bike maintenance. I like checking with how other people do things compared to my own techniques- thanks! I like these how-to’s for bike maintenance. I like checking with how other people do things compared to my own techniques- thanks!

]]> By: Kerbouchaud http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-120956 Kerbouchaud Sun, 14 Oct 2007 01:54:17 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-120956 Lately I've started using the premix from my weedeater to degrease and clean my chain. Now before you go bashing me, hear me out. I pour the premix into a container with a sealable lid, then add chain and shake, fish out the chain with a coat hanger and wipe it down with a rag. After that, I pour the used premix through a couple of coffee filters back in to the weedeater. Works great! the oil in the premix makes the fuel much less explosive, and also coats out the chain so I don't get any rusting if I happen to miss an area during relube. By doing the cleaning in a closed container, I'm not gassing off a bunch of vapors, and by filtering it and putting it back into the weedeater, I'm not generating a bunch of hazardous waste. I mean lets face it, I was going to use the weedeater anyways, might as well get an extra use out of the fuel right. Anyways, it's a pretty efficient and effective method for the degrease, use whatever works for the relube. For those of you who want to burn me in effigy for cleaning with gas, you can use the coffee filters that I used on the premix.....I still haven't figured out what to do with them yet ;) Lately I’ve started using the premix from my weedeater to degrease and clean my chain. Now before you go bashing me, hear me out. I pour the premix into a container with a sealable lid, then add chain and shake, fish out the chain with a coat hanger and wipe it down with a rag. After that, I pour the used premix through a couple of coffee filters back in to the weedeater. Works great! the oil in the premix makes the fuel much less explosive, and also coats out the chain so I don’t get any rusting if I happen to miss an area during relube. By doing the cleaning in a closed container, I’m not gassing off a bunch of vapors, and by filtering it and putting it back into the weedeater, I’m not generating a bunch of hazardous waste. I mean lets face it, I was going to use the weedeater anyways, might as well get an extra use out of the fuel right. Anyways, it’s a pretty efficient and effective method for the degrease, use whatever works for the relube. For those of you who want to burn me in effigy for cleaning with gas, you can use the coffee filters that I used on the premix…..I still haven’t figured out what to do with them yet ;)

]]> By: Arleigh http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-117337 Arleigh Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:16:34 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-117337 The reason for wiping off the "surface dirt" is so that when you do lube your chain it doesn't push the dirt/grime into the rollers. Same idea for wiping off the excess, you are trying to rinse out the rollers and relube, wiping off the excess lube from the chain keeps the chain from picking up more dirt than normal. Chain machines do work well, and in another post I'll address the ones I've used. This was mainly to inform the every day rider how to keep their drivetrain from squeaking or getting excessively over lubed. I've never used Park ChainBrite. I tend to use a Citrus degreaser. The reason for wiping off the “surface dirt” is so that when you do lube your chain it doesn’t push the dirt/grime into the rollers. Same idea for wiping off the excess, you are trying to rinse out the rollers and relube, wiping off the excess lube from the chain keeps the chain from picking up more dirt than normal.

Chain machines do work well, and in another post I’ll address the ones I’ve used. This was mainly to inform the every day rider how to keep their drivetrain from squeaking or getting excessively over lubed.

I’ve never used Park ChainBrite. I tend to use a Citrus degreaser.

]]> By: BearSquirrel http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-117317 BearSquirrel Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:54:25 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-117317 Surface dirt doesn't matter. It's the stuff inside the rollers that will do the damage. I don't think this method will accomplish anything except improved aesthetics. Chain machines do an excellent job. They scrub between the rollers and flush out the grit. Repeat until the grit is gone. For the record, Park ChainBrite is a ripoff. Try 90% Isopropyl Alcohol, it's cheap and works just as well. It also dries rapidly and obviously there is not water to rust the chain. An alternative method involves an empty two liter bottle (presumably leftover from a Mentos experiment) and diesel fuel. It does of course require that you remove the chain from your bike. Surface dirt doesn’t matter. It’s the stuff inside the rollers that will do the damage. I don’t think this method will accomplish anything except improved aesthetics.

Chain machines do an excellent job. They scrub between the rollers and flush out the grit. Repeat until the grit is gone.

For the record, Park ChainBrite is a ripoff. Try 90% Isopropyl Alcohol, it’s cheap and works just as well. It also dries rapidly and obviously there is not water to rust the chain.

An alternative method involves an empty two liter bottle (presumably leftover from a Mentos experiment) and diesel fuel. It does of course require that you remove the chain from your bike.

]]> By: Grant http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115594 Grant Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:18:59 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115594 The soy based stuff sounds like a good replacement for the green Finish Line lube. The soy based stuff sounds like a good replacement for the green Finish Line lube.

]]> By: Arleigh Jenkins http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115512 Arleigh Jenkins Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:26:54 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115512 Invisible spokes!! If you look hard enough you can see the nipples, but that is pretty neat. Invisible spokes!!

If you look hard enough you can see the nipples, but that is pretty neat.

]]> By: Kerbouchaud http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115470 Kerbouchaud Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:30:25 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115470 Just curious, I was looking at pic #4, and notice that you can see almost 90 degrees of the arc of that wheel yet no spokes? Somethin spooky goin on here :) Just curious, I was looking at pic #4, and notice that you can see almost 90 degrees of the arc of that wheel yet no spokes? Somethin spooky goin on here :)

]]> By: Guitar Ted http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115465 Guitar Ted Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:40:23 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115465 Grant: Yes, I've used both the Pedros Chanj and a few soybean based lubes as well. They are great, but used very, very sparingly. I don't like it on my mountain bikes so much because of it's sticky nature, especially the Pedros. In wet, rainy, wintry weather the stuff is awesome. (Actually, my very favorite lube at the moment is in Arleigh's picture! :) ) And while I'm at it, Arleigh, that lubing of the bottom run of the chain from the top is very "Sheldon Brown" of you! ;) Grant: Yes, I’ve used both the Pedros Chanj and a few soybean based lubes as well. They are great, but used very, very sparingly. I don’t like it on my mountain bikes so much because of it’s sticky nature, especially the Pedros. In wet, rainy, wintry weather the stuff is awesome.

(Actually, my very favorite lube at the moment is in Arleigh’s picture! :) )

And while I’m at it, Arleigh, that lubing of the bottom run of the chain from the top is very “Sheldon Brown” of you! ;)

]]> By: Grant http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115381 Grant Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:51:15 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115381 Has anyone used any of those newer plant oil based lubes? Pedro's even has one now. Any good? Has anyone used any of those newer plant oil based lubes? Pedro’s even has one now. Any good?

]]> By: Arleigh Jenkins http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115280 Arleigh Jenkins Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:24:46 +0000 http://bluecollarmtb.com/2007/09/19/how-to-lube-your-chain/#comment-115280 Those chain washing rigs do work, but this post was more about week to week maintenance. I don't recommend degreasing your chain on a weekly basis. I'll have to write up on more indept service. Those chain washing rigs do work, but this post was more about week to week maintenance.
I don’t recommend degreasing your chain on a weekly basis. I’ll have to write up on more indept service.

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