newbie guide: best method to oil lube your chain...?

wisc · Post by **wisc** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:10 am

I did a quick search on the fourm but was unable to find info on lubing your chain easily, there is probably one, but i couldnt find it.

now that i have my rear stand its extreamly simple to oil it and i though i should look into how to do it the best possible way. (using presurised spray can and not the automatic oilers)

When i did my H.A.R.T training course, im pretty sure they told me it only needed to be done every 1000KM

since then people have been telling me to do it once a week, i know if you put to much on it starts to pick up grime and can be bad for the chain too. what is the recommended time frame or average time between lubes?
also should i do it every time i ride it out in the rain as an extra?

ok next question is where, usually ill give it a good spray down the middle and a bit on the edges too, with the rear stand its extremely easy to put a bit on each edge of the chain and a strip down the middle. should i be putting that much on or do i really only need to worry about the middle and it will work its way though the chain? should i also be doing the top and the bottom or is that excessive?

I cant remember what chain lube i use, maybe a shell one? its red and sticky, good because you can easily tell where you have done. is there any chain lube that is better than other chain lube?

when its really dirty i use some kero to give it a wipe down,(get rid of all the excess grime with a toothbrush) some people say that it can wreck the links as it erodes them but i figure its better than having the sandy grim run them down... any thoughts?

Final question is how much. I guess its different for each oil, but as it usually foams, should i be putting about half a cm as i spin the wheel? or should there just be a thin stream or should i put a big glob on as I spin the rear tyre as it bubbles down pretty quickly?

If anyone else has advice that i haven't asked for please post it here too.

here are a few other things i do.
I go for a quick ride to heat the chain up, 5 minutes or so, or after i return home from a trip before i oil it.
(some people go for a ride afterwards to flick the excess oil off the chain.) not sure if this is good or not.
i usually take the top guard off the chain so i can lube more of the chain at the same time I find its a lot easier to do the top part as well.
I find if you put to much on it builds up at the front clogs and collects heaps of grime. which cant be good.

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:16 am

lube AND clean it regularly, works for me.

lube the chain when its hot.

i use maxima chain wax but like tyres and oil everyone has their own ideas on whats best. as long as it works for you.

i use wd40 to clean the chain but i try not to get it anywhere other than the out side of the links

wisc · Post by **wisc** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:17 am

Phil wrote:lube AND clean it regularly, works for me.

how do you clean it? what do you use?

Edit: aren't some products corosive, like degreaser and its bad for the little bits in the chain? wears them out quicker, is wd 40 the same? though i did think the degreaser was just presurised kero...?

ross79 · Post by **ross79** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:38 am

Big post dude.
I use kero for cleaning as well. As for chain lube, wouldn't mind trying the wax stuff as the yanks tend to love it. At the moment I use Motul, have to coordinate as I'm using Motul engine oil

As for oiling, spray the down the side bits where the links are, wouldn't bother spraying down the middle, that's how I always do mine, and have an article in one of the bike mags and they suggest the same. I do mine once a week or after riding in the wet.

GForce · Post by **GForce** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:23 am

would using a little bit of degreaser and wiping it down dry after be a good way to clean the chain??

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:27 am

I do mine whenever I wash it. This probably equates to about every 500k's but I don't commute.

Kero and a paint brush to clean the old goo off, then hose the loose crap out, not too vicious with the water pressure though. Like Phil said WD40 works a treat too.

When the bikes finished I take it for a blat to warm the chain up, put it back on the stand and oil from the inside. I try to get the lube in between the rollers and the plates and then give it a bit of a spray all over. I then don't ride it it as it will just flick off and make a mess of the bike.

I use a Motul chain lube which goes quite sticky and doesn't seem to fling off too much.

Post by **Wattie** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:25 am

same as glen, except i dont ride it straight after i wash it, i give it a quick spray so it doesnt go rusty.
1 give it a spray after every few rides, when its warm,
i use Maxima chain wax aswell
if the chains pretty clean, it wont flick off.

most important bit is not to ride straight after spraying it on.

i dont really spray the middle, just along the edges where you can see the "o" rings

i clean it with supercheap degreaser everytime i wash it.

and sometimes give it a light brush over to help get the gunk off.

ross79 · Post by **ross79** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:31 am

GForce wrote:would using a little bit of degreaser and wiping it down dry after be a good way to clean the chain??

Degreaser is a bit harsh and is no good for the o-rings, best stick to kero.

Post by **Wattie** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:44 am

whats the diff between kero and degreaser? they both smell the same

well the pressurepack supercheap one does anyhoo

Saki · Post by **Saki** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:50 am

i used a sprey bottle filledwith kero, an old tooth brush and Chain wax. I used it use Motul oil and yes it goes very sticky, but i find little rocks and crap get stuck to it, so i tend to stick with the wax as its not sticky.

if ever i have a free moment in the evening, i usually go out inspect the chain and just give it a light wax over, that way i keep the wax upto it all over,
then usually every saturday ifi have been riding lots otherwise ever second weekend, sprey it all down with the kero clean all the rocks and crap out do all parts of the chain, clean the teeth on the sprocket and the guide rails then get a light sprey of water clean all the kero off, then using a rag wipe the chain down, this also helps pull any extra oil and dirt off the chain.

Once thats done, i usually put a light film just a quick sprey to lubei t up a little, take the bike for a raz around the block, pull in, back up on the stand go crazy on teh lube, sit there spin the wheel and go both sides of the chain.

works a treat i usually go thru a can of chain wax which is $20 in about 3-4 weeks. Big 4L bottle of kerp is roughly $10 and thats about it!!!!

rotaboy · Post by **rotaboy** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:57 am

this is what i do
wash with kero
oil with motul oil when chain is hot(about to buy a wax based motul though)
only spray in the middle as that is the contact patch
and with the excess oil that has got onto the rag (to stop oil going onto bike/ wheels i will run that over the chain sides/ bottom to prevent rust

Nanna10r · Post by **Nanna10r** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:58 am

WD40 is the go, degreasers can remove the grease packed into the O rings.

I spray silkolene chain lube onto a rag & run the chain through a loop of the rag (just close hand around rag around chain). Do that several times hey presto. Remember you want the o rings lubricated more then anything else. (Keys in your pocket of course dont want the motor runnning for this one)

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:08 pm

I am really fastidious with my chains! As soon as the rollers turn silver, I methodically hoist the back wheel off the ground on the side stand and spray some shit I have in me bag all over em, have a smoke and ride!

When the chains fucked...I then raplace it! It seems to work for me!

wisc · Post by **wisc** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:26 pm

yeah but how many chains have you gone though strika?

so wd40 and kero seem to be the go for cleaning all the crap out of them.

well the award for most loved chain would have to go to Saki's i think.

only spray in the middle as that is the contact patch

I didnt think that was correct as you want to get it inside the orings so they spin right?

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:06 pm

wisc wrote: I didnt think that was correct as you want to get it inside the orings so they spin right?

That is the whole idea of lubing a chain, to keep the orings in good clean lubed condition, the rest of the chain will last way longer than the orings. Use kero, wd40 gets past the oring and destroys the encased grease inside the roller. Any chain manufacturer says that on their websites.