3-In-One Oil

[Zen]

Made to clean, lubricate, and prevent rust. So why buy R&R or Pedro's or any of that other expensive stuff?

Somebody convince me.

[KnottedYet]

Cuz it dissolves away the layer of lubricant your other goo lays down on your chain and other moving parts... and then it washes away in the next rain or evaporates because it's such a light oil and has so many aromatics.

Leaving your goodies unprotected.

[Zen]

it washes away in the next rain or evaporates because it's such a light oil and has so many aromatics.

Sounds reasonable to me, especially considering I'm so lax in the maintenance department

[Cataboo]

I use 3 in 1 oil, just cause the bf said to 'cause that's what he's been using the last 20 years or so. Not having laid any other goop on my chain, I'm not worried about it being lifted off by 3-in-1 oil. I can't say I've noticed my drivetrain or any of his wearing any faster from it. I've definitely never had the stuff evaporate - I also haven't had it wash off. But I don't do an awful lot of wet riding. I get caught in a thunderstorm or torrential downpour periodically. Riding through several creeks doesn't seem to wash it off on a mountain bike.

Chains get cleaned and re-lubed periodically.

I just googled around - lots of people using it on their bikes, lots of people telling them not to. Can't say that I've tried anything else, maybe my bike would be faster with something bike specific.

Now, an advantage I see to using fancy stuff is you might not get black grease on your legs if you touch the chain.

[Zen]

Now, an advantage I see to using fancy stuff is you might not get black grease on your legs if you touch the chain.

Ummm...no such luck

[Cataboo]

This thread kinda cracks me up:
http://forum.biketechreview.com/view...php?f=1&t=2211

[Eden]

Not having laid any other goop on my chain, I'm not worried about it being lifted off by 3-in-1 oil.

Your chain comes with a really nice lube job done by the manufacturer - that's what your taking off (or really rather out - of all the hard to reach places) if you put a degreaser or a solvent (like 3 in 1 or am I thinking of WD-40?) on it.

I heard, and this made a fair amount of sense to me, that scrubbing your chain and/or soaking it in a degreaser really isn't that good for it. It is better to put enough lube on the chain to float the grit out and then to wipe it off very thoroughly. Leave the factory lube intact as long as you can. I've started following this method of chain cleaning and I do think they stay cleaner, smoother and in better shape longer. I like Boeshield T-9 myself. It doesn't attract as much gunk as some lubes, but it does need to be applied fairly often.

[OakLeaf]

Pedro's has two soybean-oil based lubes, Go! which is lighter, for dry applications, and Chainj for wet use.

I know the amount of toxics involved in bici chain lube pale in comparison to moto chains. Still, the less of that stuff I can breathe, get on my skin (yeah I wear nitrile gloves to clean and lube, but you know there's no not getting chain lube on yourself ) or leave on the road, the better. Never mind the toxic aspects of manufacturing.

[tulip]

Back in the day, we used to remove our chains, clean them in kerosene (sometimes in gasoline ) and then heat up paraffrin wax and dip the chain in. The wax would seep into the little nooks and crannies and provide long-term lube. At least that's what we believed.

I'm terribly lax in the chain cleaning and lubing department, too. Probably because I have some mental block stemming from the kerosene and wax days. That was at least a two hour job.

[Cataboo]

Your chain comes with a really nice lube job done by the manufacturer - that's what your taking off (or really rather out - of all the hard to reach places) if you put a degreaser or a solvent (like 3 in 1 or am I thinking of WD-40?) on it.

3 in 1's not a degreaser.