# chainsaw oil for bike chain



## lonewolf (Jun 12, 2012)

Expensive chain oil from bike shops I think is a complete waist of money. I use chainsaw oil for lubricating the chain & mineral spirits for cleaning the chain. The idea came from a cyclist racing forum that recommended it to its racers. They said the more expensive products are a waist of money.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

All you need is WD-40, use it to clean and wipe off excess ... nuff said.


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## Synergy (Mar 18, 2013)

I wouldn't use WD-40, it's not intended for that type of purpose and won't last. The bike forum appears consistent to what I've leant in the past: mix together some synthetic motor oil and oderless mineral spirits (1-3 mix) - rub it in and wipe off the excess. The biking community calls this homebrew. Personally I've always used a synthetic oil developed specifically for bike chains.


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## atrp2biz (Sep 22, 2010)

WD40 is a water displacer (WD) and is not a lubricant. Chain or motor oil and mineral spirit is fine on the coast or other wet places. But in drier climates, this 'wet' lube attracts too much dust and dirt so in Calgary, I go with the intended dry lube. 

Mineral spirit is great for cleaning though.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Chain saw oil & WD-40 is not good for bike chains. WD-40 is mostly a solvent removing any chain oil left. It evaporates quickly...the bit of lubrication qualities left on the chain is a sticky mixture attracting dirt .
Chain saw oil is formulated for high speed high heat protection...might as well lube the chain with honey...you'll be pedaling with a lot of dirt grinding your chain and black streaks on your starboard side pant leg.

For a casual rider either or none is fine...

If you keep the chain clean religiously you won't need to ever lube it. The black on the chain is aluminum oxide from wearing chain rings...along with water these spell death for chains regardless of goop on the chain.(I pedal 1000's of miles every season on & off road and found this works)


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Eder said:


> WD-40 is mostly a solvent removing any chain oil left. It evaporates quickly...the bit of lubrication qualities left on the chain is a sticky mixture attracting dirt . <snip>
> 
> If you keep the chain clean religiously you won't need to ever lube it.


This is exactly why you'd use WD-40, gives you a clean chain with no excess oil left on to collect dirt. Remember, wipe off any excess and the little film that remains won't be an issue. As many other riders do, I've also been doing this for years on bicycles and motorcycles ... no chain problems what so ever.
If you feel better buying "special lubes", all the power to you but you just don't need it is all I'm saying. BTW, my original chain on my Kona from 1996 is just fine with many thousands of km's on it, go figure.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

What about a spray silicone lubricant for bike chains? I use silicone lubricant on the rollers of my garage doors.


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

We aren't talking huge quantities of lubricant here. If you run a bike repair shop you'd see a difference in your budget if you choose a cheaper lubricant. But even for someone who commutes every day and/or takes long tours for vacation, a small bottle of "expensive" bike lube can last you at least a couple of years. Over your lifetime you might save $20 or $30, is it really a savings worth pursuing?


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Most riders dont wash their bikes properly leading them to believe the chain and other things need oil.


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## Synergy (Mar 18, 2013)

brad said:


> Over your lifetime you might save $20 or $30, is it really a savings worth pursuing?


That's what I'm thinking. I've been been riding (road & MTB) for well over 25 yrs, many miles per year and I still have the same bottle of lube! A little goes a long way...


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

oh come on - an oil thread on a money forum? lol

I'm going over to iboats to ask about my TFSA.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

hystat said:


> oh come on - an oil thread on a money forum? lol
> 
> I'm going over to iboats to ask about my TFSA.


Haha yea this was the only forum I had without oil threads

Are we talking about the chain oil or 2 stroke oil here? I buy expensive chain grease for my bike so it doesn't fly all over me and the bike... and I wear work clothes when I use a chain saw because oil will fly all over me and the chainsaw..

You might not save any money depending on the price of your clothes


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

hystat said:


> oh come on - an oil thread on a money forum? lol


And in the frugality section to boot! 

Wonder what the best oil is to save money in cars would be ....


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Well I guess there's lots of bike Nazi's among us (including me)...

NO OIL FOR YOU!


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## lonewolf (Jun 12, 2012)

m3s said:


> Haha yea this was the only forum I had without oil threads
> 
> Are we talking about the chain oil or 2 stroke oil here? I buy expensive chain grease for my bike so it doesn't fly all over me and the bike... and I wear work clothes when I use a chain saw because oil will fly all over me and the chainsaw..
> 
> You might not save any money depending on the price of your clothes


 My next bike is going to be chainless, going to be drivetrain


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## brad (May 22, 2009)

lonewolf said:


> My next bike is going to be chainless, going to be drivetrain


There are also carbon belt drive bikes on the market now for bicycles. They get mixed reviews, especially for winter use, but motorcycles have been using belt drives for a long time; it's not like it's a brand new technology. They can't be fitted on standard bikes; the frame needs to be altered to accommodate.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I used to make my own motorcycle chain lube from gear oil, graphite and varsol. Brush it on with a paint brush after a ride, let it soak in and the solvent evaporate off before the next ride. I never wore out a chain but then I was riding British bikes with Reynolds chain and properly designed chain drives. Japanese bikes did not have such good chain drives.


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

Riding west years ago, a buddy on his Suzuki split a chain roller, boy did those sprocket teeth front & back ever disappear fast. We used to carry a short rope for such unforseen pit stops, pulled him to the next town.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

New motorbike chains have sealed rings.. so intensive repetitive cleaning with kerosene or pressure washer probably does more harm than good and oiling is not as important as people think. I wipe the chain with a rag and light grease depending on the conditions I've been riding in (rain, dirt, mud etc). There are auto-oilers but they make an oily mess, collect more dirt and don't remove any dirt anyways.

You could probably make a chain last forever if you ride gently on dry pavement and lube everyday but the way I ride the sprockets will wear and in harsh conditions it's futile to try to keep the chain oiled. The cost of the chain drive per km is far behind insurance, gas or tires etc. It's much easier to fix a chain on the side of the road and it will keep going long after it's worn. A drive shaft is expensive and when it breaks you're stranded!


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

m3s said:


> You could probably make a chain last forever if you ride gently on dry pavement and lube everyday but the way I ride the sprockets will wear and in harsh conditions it's futile to try to keep the chain oiled. The cost of the chain drive per km is far behind insurance, gas or tires etc.


Yup, new motorcycle o-ring chains are very strong, last many, many years and km's. Pretty much the key is to just keep them somewhat clean and not let them rust, especially over the off season if you have one. I just did a chain replacement at 41,000 kms on one of my bikes, lasted 10 years before it wore out and I was fairly hard on that chain during those km's.


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## bds (Aug 13, 2013)

I have the same $12 bottle from 5 years ago with lots left. Hardly seems worth it to use a potentially inferior product. I would imagine chainsaw oil would attract more dirt than bike chain oil as well. That makes a difference if you ride trails often.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

DuPont Teflon Multi Use Dry Wax is under $6 CAD at Lowes. I like it because less mess and less dirt sticking to it

DuPont Teflon Chain Saver is $7.50 CAD at Lowes. Probably the same thing?


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## Synergy (Mar 18, 2013)

m3s said:


> DuPont Teflon Multi Use Dry Wax is under $6 CAD at Lowes. I like it because less mess and less dirt sticking to it
> 
> DuPont Teflon Chain Saver is $7.50 CAD at Lowes. Probably the same thing?


I generally stay away from aerosol sprays - over spray around brakes, etc. If you're careful it could work. I use a drip bottle.


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## Synergy (Mar 18, 2013)

Here's a pretty good video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5uvLCynJxE


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I thought I'd have a leisurely cruise home on the back trails and waterfront paths as the sun set tonight. Well the disk brakes decided to drag the whole way. Chains are spray and forget, disk brakes are love/Hate.


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## lonewolf (Jun 12, 2012)

I ride my bike on a very dusty trail. No matter what I used the dust would get on the chain & stick to it even silicon spray. It seamed like the wax based lubricant collected the most dirt. In one season of ridding I had to replace the entire back sprockets, teeth on derailer were worn & chain. I do not live close to a sport check where parts & labour are less expensive. It cost me close to $200 to replace parts & labour. Lately I have been riding on road with little dust & dirt & the chainsaw oil is working great. I will soon be going back to riding the dusty trail again so I will see how it holds up. A liquid lubricant mixed with dirt I think would do less grinding to the chain & teeth of the sprockets then a dry lubricant mixed with dirt. I do not buy the argument that less dust sticks to the dry lubricant because it sure did not work for me. 

For the trail I want to ride I think going chainless is the way to go. No cleaning the chain after every ride & lubricating it. In the long run it cost less to go chainless when ridding on a dusty trail. The 1-2% efficiency lost not really concerned about. From reviews it seams riders find the drivetrain bikes seam to go for years & years.


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