Oil or Grease for Trek Bicycles.

[Happy James]

Hi,

 

for my trek 7100 vehicle can i use the oil which cycle shop people use or should i go for a branded grease and Oil.

 

Regards

Mahesh M

[Rohan Kini]

For what purpose Mahesh ?

If its the chain - get a thin chain lube. You dont need grease for anything, unless you are planning to service the innards of the bike.

If you donot have access to proper chain lubes, you could use a thin lubricant like the sewing machine oils. 

On how to lube the chain - http://blog.bumsonthesaddle.com/2007/7/26/lubing-the-chain

Stay clear of spray lubes (unless you know the issues with them and how to use em) - http://blog.bumsonthesaddle.com/2008/3/26/no-wd-40

--
biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
 
are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?
Visit www.bangalorebicyclechampionships.com for more details

[saravanan]

Dear Mahesh,

It is wise to use the a bike lubricant with PTFE. You should be able
to find lubricant from IceToolz in your LBS. It is available at FTT:
http://fitnessthroughtravel.com/blog/?page_id=440

-
Saravanan

[Happy James]

Hi Roha,

 

I had done washing of the Bike with water and also i have put lots of soap water on the chain and removed lots of dirt whch was accumulated in the chain pulleys, so thought of oiling, can i do oiling?

[alphazed1]

Gang....

I have tried the singer sewing machine oil and :( :( :(...
Its a magnet for dust..though it helps but the muck builds up like
anything..
I was trying to get my hands on White Lightning Chain lubricant or
Woods Tenacious Oil but Rohan tells me that he has no stock of it as
of now.
Can anyone tell me where can i get it from?? (have asked a friend to
get it from states and well.. he s had his part of fun :D...)

Sumit Agarwal

On Aug 29, 9:25 pm, Happy James <mahesh.m.ku...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Roha,
>
> I had done washing of the Bike with water and also i have put lots of soap
> water on the chain and removed lots of dirt whch was accumulated in the
> chain pulleys, so thought of oiling, can i do oiling?
>
>
>
> On Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 8:07 PM, Rohan Kini <rohan.k...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > For what purpose Mahesh ?
>
> > If its the chain - get a thin chain lube. You dont need grease for
> > anything, unless you are planning to service the innards of the bike.
> > If you donot have access to proper chain lubes, you could use a thin
> > lubricant like the sewing machine oils.
>
> > On how to lube the chain -
> >http://blog.bumsonthesaddle.com/2007/7/26/lubing-the-chain
> > Stay clear of spray lubes (unless you know the issues with them and how to

> > use em) -http://blog.bumsonthesaddle.com/2008/3/26/no-wd-40

>
> >   On Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 4:16 PM, Happy James <mahesh.m.ku...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> >>   Hi,
>
> >> for my trek 7100 vehicle can i use the oil which cycle shop people use or
> >> should i go for a branded grease and Oil.
>
> >> Regards
> >> Mahesh M
>
> >> --
> >> biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
>
> >> are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?

> >> Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comfor more details- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[alphazed1]

forgot to add.. i use kerosene and a toothbrush to clean the chain..
works wonders.. No WD 40 or soapy water for me.. :)

> > >> Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comformore details- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Deepan Chakravarthy]

Hi Saravanan,

Where can I buy IceToolz chain lube?

> --
> biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
>
> are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?

[Dileep]

Hi Deepak,

You can get IceToolz chain lube from Track and Trail. It is price
around Rs. 450/- I am using it for last 5 months. Before that I used
to use singer machine oil.

I would not say that IceToolz chain lube is great. It is just okay. It
is slightly thicker than singer machine oil. Though it does not
attract too much of dirt, once the dirt is accumulated, it is
difficult to clean the chain as well. So, at least once in two months,
I need to clean the chain with diesel to make it perfect.

Regards,
Dileep

[Rohan Kini]

Sumit, its NOT a magnet for dust. if you are a careful and wipe your chain clean after using it. :) hehe. should have mentioned it.

There are a couple of musts when you lube your chain (whatever lube you use)

- apply sparingly

- clean lube on the exterior of the surface thoroughly.

If this is done correctly, the lubrication is not bad at all. And considering that chain lubricants are not that easy to source in India at the moment ... (for some more time, there are some good ones on the way)

What commercial lubricants give you

- not as sticky (as you mentioned) This of course depends on the kind of lube you buy. 

- you dont have to lube the chain as often (since they donot gather as much muck).

Ice Tools chain lube should be available at Track n Trail. 

Best would be to get someone to get 1 bottle of nice Finish line Dry, purple extreme or White lightning :) It will last you quite a bit. 

I am currently using Purple extreme and its awesome.

[deepakvrao]

Ice Toolz is not good, and Singer is worse. Get some real chain lube.
Its available online and lasts a long time, as long as you dont get
wax lube.

On Aug 30, 3:16 pm, Deepan Chakravarthy <codesheph...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi Saravanan,
>
> Where can I buy IceToolz chain lube?
>
> On Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 7:15 PM, saravanan
>

[Sanjay CR]

Hi

 

I would like to add, the best to use is use white petroleum jelly just enough to lubricate, any product that is sticky will abrsorb dust but the jelly is safe and can be used regularly.

 

SRC

Visit www.bangalorebicyclechampionships.com for more details

--
Om Sri Ram Anjanayaa

[Sudhir P]

but petroleum jelly is too thick... It will not get inside the chain links where it matters

================================
Sudhir.P
Blog : http://roastedneutrons.blogspot.com
Photoblog : http://roastedphotons.blogspot.com
Comic strip: http://ktpdq.blogspot.com

I do not suffer from insanity......
I enjoy it!
================================

[Yogesh N. Rao]

There's no easy solution: Dry-lube washes away very quickly in the rain, Singer oil gets the chain messy very quickly (the gunk in the links needs de-greasing), Wax lubes like Vaseline don't percolate everywhere.

One thought striking my head is if the wax based vaseline can be heated before application to reduce viscosity? I think George Joseph once mentioned using melting wax crayons and pouring them over the chain while still hot so that it forms a thick lube on the chain. I wouldn't do that on my MTB or Roadbike though :-)

[Sreepathi Pai]

On Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 9:16 AM, Yogesh N. Rao <yna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> There's no easy solution: Dry-lube washes away very quickly in the rain,
> Singer oil gets the chain messy very quickly (the gunk in the links needs
> de-greasing), Wax lubes like Vaseline don't percolate everywhere.

Here are some additional thoughts on these:

1. Singer oil - forget gunk, it does not even last a week of a normal
commute. And if it rains, it washes out really fast.

2. Motor Oil 20W40, this is much better than Singer oil, seems to
collect less gunk despite being "wettish", and lasts through 3 or 4
rains.

3. OKS 451/450 -- Saw this first at Pedals and Wheels, available in S
P Road, <http://www.oks-germany.com/en/products/oils-detail/226/> and
<www.oks-india.com/user/pdf/OKS%20451.pdf> and most closely resembles
factory chain lube on my KMC chains. Lasts about a month even in the
rains (inside the rollers), is washed off outside.

KMC has a service page,
<http://www.kmcchain.com/index.php?ln=en&fn=service>, where they
discuss the properties of an ideal chain lube (hah!) "you can test it
by spraying some on your hand-first it feels like water (penetration),
after some time it should become sticky". OKS 451 is like this. Note
that the service page also has other stuff that may contradict some
deeply held mechanical beliefs:

"NEVER EVER use a so-called'chain washing machine' in combination with
solvent. This is the one
and only sure way to instantly ruin your chain."

> One thought striking my head is if the wax based vaseline can be heated
> before application to reduce viscosity? I think George Joseph once mentioned
> using melting wax crayons and pouring them over the chain while still hot so
> that it forms a thick lube on the chain. I wouldn't do that on my MTB or
> Roadbike though :-)

Paraffin treated in the manner you mention is often mentioned as an
ideal dry chain lube. The problem with wax-based lubes, AFAIK,
however, is that once they dry they do not "migrate" to a place
requiring lubrication as an oil/wet lube would.

--
Sreepathi Pai

[George Joseph]

Honestly I think it's important to keep a little perspective. 

Keep you chain links clean and free of dirt to reduce wear and tear over time. Don't sweat the rest. 

Everything else is just marketing over-hype. 

You will never notice the extra wear and tear or additional force pedal due to variations in viscosity of whatever lubricant you use. 

After all a bike is not the same as a car engine spinning at 5000+ rpm for 4 hours everyday for week after week while be subjected to temperatures well above 400 degrees!

I've used Vaseline, last time I used the A&D cream for my daughters diaper since it was petroleum based. I'm sure the vitamin A&D "nourished" the chain and made it feel extra smooth. ;)

George Joseph

gjos...@gmail.com

C: 847 970 0037

[George Joseph]

To be clear I did not advocate "pouring" melted wax over the chain WHILE it was attached to the bike. ROLF.

That would only create a layer of wax that would crumble away when cold and you are biking.

1) What I DID do was remove the chain off the bike.
2) coat the chain in lube
3) wipe it down
4) stick the chain in a pan with liquified crayons.
5) proceed to move an exercise to allow a very thin layer of wax to work it's way into and in between the links and pins. Keep in mind the wax is very hot on the pan and has a water like viscosity.

I was told this allows the very thin layer of wax to coat over a layer of oil. I was told this is a pretty old fashion simple materials approach to luging you chain and is still done by pro tour mechanics - just search cyclingnews or velonews.

George Joseph
gjos...@gmail.com
C: 847 970 0037

[Yogesh N. Rao]

Ah! So, the melted crayon is to hold the lube inside and the dust outside.

[deepakvrao]

George,

Difference between a bicycle drivetrain and a car is this: A car is a
sealed system, while the chain is completely exposed.

With all due respect, I think you will change your point of view if
you cycle a bit more in Bangalore cities on crowded weekdays etc. The
dirt that a chain attracts is just amazing compared to abroad. I have
ridden more that 400-500km abroad with a chain that looks as good as
new, but in Bangalore, a couple of hundred kms is enough to make the
chain dirty. Huge improvement in chain cleanliness with a 'real' chain
lube, and its not that expensive finally, so why not? Obviously if the
rides are mainly Nandi etc, the chain will remain a bit cleaner.

Abroad on wet roads, you get a wet chain, while here you get a filthy
chain. I rode 50km today on wet roads, and my bike looks like a MTB
which has gone off road. The roads are full of mud everywhere, and
this was in spite of this bike having full fenders.

On Aug 31, 4:44 pm, George Joseph <gjosep...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Honestly I think it's important to keep a little perspective.
>
> Keep you chain links clean and free of dirt to reduce wear and tear over time. Don't sweat the rest.
>
> Everything else is just marketing over-hype.
>
> You will never notice the extra wear and tear or additional force pedal due to variations in viscosity of whatever lubricant you use.
>
> After all a bike is not the same as a car engine spinning at 5000+ rpm for 4 hours everyday for week after week while be subjected to temperatures well above 400 degrees!
>
> I've used Vaseline, last time I used the A&D cream for my daughters diaper since it was petroleum based. I'm sure the vitamin A&D "nourished" the chain and made it feel extra smooth. ;)
>
> George Joseph

> gjosep...@gmail.com
> C: 847 970 0037

>
> On Aug 31, 2010, at 8:40 AM, Sudhir P <sudhirpalli...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > but petroleum jelly is too thick... It will not get inside the chain links where it matters
>

> > On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 10:51 PM, Sanjay CR <sanjay13...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi
>
> > I would like to add, the best to use is use white petroleum jelly just enough to lubricate, any product that is sticky will abrsorb dust but the jelly is safe and can be used regularly.
>
> > SRC
>

> > > > Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comformore details

>
> > --
> > biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
>
> > are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?

> > Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comfor more details

>
> > --
> > Om Sri Ram Anjanayaa
>
> > --
> > biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)
>
> > are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?

> > Visitwww.bangalorebicyclechampionships.comfor more details

[George Joseph]

Yes when it's highly heated it becomes very thin.

Also crayons are just paraffin wax with coloring. 

George Joseph

gjos...@gmail.com

C: 847 970 0037

[George Joseph]

I know what you mean. There's ally of fine dust in the air.

That being said I did a lot of trail riding in my younger years 1600km during summer vacation and it wasn't that bad as long you sprayed down the frame and chain and wipe dry. Iwoukd occasionally drop a couple of drops of baby oil and then wipe down again.

Every couple of years I would get it lubed up properly by a bike store the difference to the chain was not noticeable to me.

As far as a car is not a closed system since the air, pollutants and gasoline ignite thousands of times a minute to create all sorts of carbon based products that coat metal cylinders causing extreme friction in addition to the wear tear of metal parts grinding against each other.

Take a look at a oil filter or pull the plug out of the oil drain reservoir one day. The amount of metal in suspension is so prevalent that lots of cars have magnets at the bottom of the oil drain.

George Joseph
gjos...@gmail.com
C: 847 970 0037

[Chidambaran Subramanian]

LOL. Can identify with almost every sentence you wrote Deepak

Chiddu

[Vijay Ramesh]

hey george,

How much will that OKS 451 approx. cost? any idea?

Cheers,

Vijay

[Rohan Kini]

Its also to have nice red and pink color chains ... yummy !

[Sreepathi Pai]

On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 7:15 AM, Vijay Ramesh <vjj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> hey george,
> How much will that OKS 451 approx. cost? any idea?

MRP is 400, they sell it for around 380 in S P Road. Try Zenith
Industrial Supplies or call Pedals and Wheels.

--
Sreepathi Pai

[gokul]

I am a newbie, but interested about people's experiences (if there are
any) using common vegetable oils


Found this in "http://ask.metafilter.com/25446/Olive-oil-for-my-bike-
chain" on googling a bit:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/1992/1992.pdf

"The still-excellent 1992 Bridgestone Catalogue (PDF via Sheldon
Brown) says "Olive... oil or hot, melted butter will keep your chain
lubricated for at least 300 miles under dry road conditions" (page
13).

So, if you need something that is a quick-fix, you won't do any harm
to your chain, provided that you have degreased it prior to
application.

Basically, every liquid lubricant will hold and attract the grit that
will eventually wear down the bushings of your chain. I use melted
paraffin in all conditions, and it works great. That very same Page 13
in the catalogue gives a good recipie, and the paraffin will hold
better than White Lightning or other like liquid-applied lubes in all
temperatures, under all forms of precipitation, under the dirtiest of
conditions.
posted by Avogadro at 11:25 AM on October 13, 2005 "



So what do any of you think? I want to use sunflower oil or something.
Do you think I could grease seatposts with hydrogenated vegetable oils
(which are bad for _our_ health but possibly nice enough as grease?)

[gokul]

This is also interesting...

About bike chain efficiency:
http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/home99/aug99/bike.html


It says lubes don't necessarily improve efficiency.

(In my opinion probably just prevent wear or something like that)

And it also says efficiency is higher with higher tension. I have a
guess-explanation of that:


****
Lets say the chain is set up to a certain tension.
While pedaling, the upper section of the chain gets higher tension and
the slower slackens by the same slight amount.
Now this could cause a slight reversible springy stretch in a link on
the upper section, which after traveling over the sprocket to the
lower slightly slacker section loses its extra-stretch.

So these chain links slightly, springily and possibly completely
reversibly, expand and contract repeatedly.
This can lose energy.

This would happen less when the chain tension is already high, so that
the links expand and return much less during pedaling.

****

[Sudhir P]

Well, all the energy for that grinding noise comes from the effort you put on the pedal stroke :)

Anyway, i guess, wear n tear is a much bigger concern.... And shifting gears happens less smoothly with all the grit....

initially, i used to shun away all the cleaning and lubing precautions as the job of all the perfectionist types.... But, once i started putting enough mileage on the bike, i started to feel the difference all these apparently tiny things make.

-sud

--
biking conversations on the world famous "Bangalore Bikers Club" :)

are you a part of the bicycle racing scene?
Visit www.bangalorebicyclechampionships.com for more details

--