Oil's

LUKEG2411

Hi guys just want to get your opinion on these oils, what you recommend you should use and what you shouldnt,

WD-40
3in1
GT85

Thanks for your time lads.

bcmf

wd-40 is not an oil but a Water Displacer.
3 in 1 is a good general oil but for use on a bike!?!
Gt-85??

DirkVoodoo

For what? WD40 is fine for what it's intended to do, disperse water. I use 3-in-1 as a cable lube (don't put it near a chain unless you want to turn it onto a dirt magnet).

Do you want to put them on a chain? Because they have dedicated lubricants that do the job better:

Summer and Winter

There are plenty of other brands and varieties, those are just the two I use.

LUKEG2411

GT-85 is a lubricant for bikes I got it in Halfords I think its good. Would you purchase the other two in a bike shop yourself?

LUKEG2411

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Do you want to put them on a chain? Because they have dedicated lubricants that do the job better:

I wasnt going to put them on the chain but for generall use on the bike

DirkVoodoo

LUKEG2411 wrote: »

I wasnt going to put them on the chain but for generall use on the bike

Define general use? Bikes tend to be quite specific about what you should use and where, with grease and thread locker being two good examples. Good for specific applications, I wouldn't say I have grease for general use on the bike.

Sorry to sound pedantic but you did ask what I thought (bad idea).

paddymacsporran

gt85 has teflon in so supposedly displaces water.

I use tf-82 to clean the chain, wipe off the crud with a rag and then use finish line to lubricate it. I then wipe off the excess so the chain is clean. At least once a week, and after every wet ride.

Clean chains work better and last longer than claggy oil-dripping ones and dont collect dirt and grit as a result

LUKEG2411

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Define general use? Bikes tend to be quite specific about what you should use and where, with grease and thread locker being two good examples.

Well I only ues GT-85 on the chain and another de-greaser when cleaning it. I was asking to see if other people use them.:)

CheGuedara

+1 on Dirks recommendations - with the summer alternative of the FinishLine Ceramic Road lube, not sure if there's any real world advantage over the DryTeflon one but it's very clean running.

In all honesty the XC wet one could be used all year round in Ireland...

If you want a really good one try Chain-L No.5 - once you don't overload the chain, as Fiddy would say if he cycled; it's the bidness

feck sake lads

stay away from all 3 wd40 is bad for bikes it's basically a cleaner 3in1 will clog up everything .the best oil imho is Pro Gold for your chain and everything else on the bike Tri Flow;)
it's down to you of course but if you want your bike and gear to stay in top condition use what the pro's use .;)

LUKEG2411

feck sake lads wrote: »

stay away from all 3 wd40 is bad for bikes it's basically a cleaner 3in1 will clog up everything .the best oil imho is Pro Gold for your chain and everything else on the bike Tri Flow;)
it's down to you of course but if you want your bike and gear to stay in top condition use what the pro's use .;)

Thanks for all your replys keep them coming.:)

C3PO

GT85 is very similar to WD40 .... but it smells much better!! I use it to disperse water after washing and it's great on a cloth to give a nice sheen to the matt black paint on my bike. It is not suitable as a chain lubricant!

pprendeville

feck sake lads wrote: »

stay away from all 3 wd40 is bad for bikes it's basically a cleaner 3in1 will clog up everything .the best oil imho is Pro Gold for your chain and everything else on the bike Tri Flow;)
it's down to you of course but if you want your bike and gear to stay in top condition use what the pro's use .;)

totalyl agree re triflow. savage stuff. even smeels nice. where do you get yours? i'm running low on this stuff. my dad used to get it at work.

here's a good link to chain cleaning. http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055673412&highlight=rapha+condor

this link does recommend GT85 though.

feck sake lads

my brother usually brings me home a load from the states but i think chainreaction stock both.

seamus

WD40 and GT85 are good degreasers.

I use finish line wet lube all year round. Great lube that stays in place even during Irish monsoons. The only problem is that your drivetrain and everything that touches it gets manky dirty.

tomasrojo

3-in-1 was originally designed for use with bicycles, and it would do if you had nothing else. I've used it on chains, but the biggest drawback is that it's very easily washed out.

doozerie

I've tried a variety of lubricants on my bike chains over the years. I never found one that was both effective and convenient, for me. They either washed out quickly in the rain (a real hassle for a commute bike) or were really difficult to remove when cleaning the chain. Some of them worked very well as lubricants (e.g. FinishLine Wet Lube) but the teflon-based ones in particular were a hassle to clean off - I must admit that I've gotten lazy about cleaning my chains though so anything that takes more than a few minutes with a chain cleaner upsets me these days.

On the basis of some good reviews I recently moved to ProGold ProLink (for chains only). It is meant to simultaneously lube and clean the chain. This does mean that you have to re-apply it often, perhaps before every ride, but "cleaning" the chain just involves wiping it down with a rag after each ride to clean off any dirt that the lube has worked to the outside. It's obviously not hassle-free as it involves frequent re-application, but I like the idea of less messy chain cleaning. I've only been using it for a couple of months and haven't ridden the bike in particularly wet weather yet, but it seems fine so far. Mind you I've only used it on my road bike so far as I haven't mustered the enthusiasm to actually clean the manky chains on my commute bikes first. I could use ProLink to clean the chains of course, but it's not cheap and is certainly more expensive than degreaser and in the battle of thriftiness versus laziness, laziness really couldn't be arsed putting up a fight.

Keep_Her_Lit

[SIZE=-1]Here are a few poorly organised, hasty observations on this topic. Don't ask me to back any of this up with evidence, as it's all just opinionated conjecture on my part, designed primarily to enrage and infuriate as many posters as possible.

OK, with the disclaimer out of the way, I can now confidently proclaim that WD-40 works just fine as a [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]bicycle chain lubricant. In fact, I never use anything else.

A couple of things:
1. I have about as much interest in cleaning my bicycle chain every weekend (or day?!) as I do in cleaning my car's underbody.
2. When it comes to commuting, I'm strictly in the "cheap and cheerful" camp. Dragging XTR/DuraAce class components through filthy Irish winters makes little sense to me.

Strategy derived from 1. and 2. above:
a) Spray chain with WD-40 as often as needed.
- "Need" is based on the desire to minimise transmission losses and get as much of the meagre power that my ageing legs can still generate onto the road.
- Chain longevity and appearance are secondary concerns.
b) Repeat until chain/cassette/chainrings/jockey wheels are completely shagged.
- "Completely shagged" is arguably a subjective term.
- However, a reliable indicator is when you stand up to climb/accelerate and the chain jumps a couple of teeth.
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]c) Replace drivetrain components with cheap, unfashionable dreck and start over again.

I have been applying this little ABC of chain "maintenance" for years and it meets my needs perfectly. Component replacement isn't required any more than annually (>10,000km). An added bonus is that I get to spend more time with my family than I do with my bicycle chain. [Precautionary note: for reasons which shouldn't need to be explained to male readers, phase b) of the plan should not be extended unduly]

Some further inflammatory remarks:

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Despite any claims to the contrary, WD-40 is a lubricant as well as a water dispersant - a quick squirt gets a chain spinning very freely. Clearly, it is lubricating, not just dispersing.
Granted, it is a light lubricant. In dry weather, this is not a problem. It stays put and lubricates very well for extended periods, requiring only infrequent re-application (weeks apart).
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]A clean, well lubricated chain lasts a very long time when subjected to the modest sustainable power outputs of humans. Metal-lube-metal interface -> Okey Dokey.
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Being a light lubricant, WD-40 attracts less crud than stickier, more viscous alternatives. So a clean chain stays that way for longer.
So far, so good.
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]The problems with wear and tear are greatly amplified when the weather is not dry but Irish.
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]What really kills chains is road grit and crud, rather than lack of lubrication per se. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Metal-sludge-metal interface -> Blurk!
In these conditions, a couple of hundred Watts of leg power becomes a potent, destructive force.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Wet lubes attract [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]road grit and crud galore, as I found out during the one winter that I used them.
On the other hand, WD-40 gets washed off easily by surface water. But a quick squirt always gets the chain flying again. The penetrating agents carry the light lube straight into the load bearing surfaces, where it's needed.
The fact that WD-40 is used for cleaning mechanical assemblies does no harm here either, since there is plenty of cleaning to be done.
Worst case, [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]a quick squirt will be needed[/SIZE][SIZE=-1] thrice weekly during the mankiest depths of winter (summer?).

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]A conventional bicycle chain is a very crude, poorly protected mechanical assembly.
This is the bottom line really. If you ride in wet, dirty conditions, drivetrain lifetime is going to be pretty limited.
Regular cleaning will obviously extend this lifetime somewhat. But by how much?
I suspect that the improvement is much less than many believe.

Concluding question:
If you can get a full year / 10,000km from just repeatedly dosing your drivetrain with a cheapo spray like WD-40, how much additional effort and expense are you prepared to outlay to extend this by, say, a few months?
My answer: Zero[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]

LUKEG2411

Thanks lads for all your contributions. Greatly appreciate and having taken all on board now can state how I wish to lubricate my bike in future.
When I commenced cycling some 9 months ago I was given a loan of my friend’s ten year old bike that had never seen a drop of oil in its life. That first day as we climbed up the sally gap, I could not keep up. I have since got a new bike and the difference in performance is amazing, firstly when you pull the chain up at the centre of the chain wheel it rises about 8mm, on the old bike but hardly rises at all on my new bike, there is an obvious loss of power here on the old bike. Secondly the roughness which can be felt from the bearings on the old bike (when one lightly holds the handlebars when spinning the wheel) is substantial. The smoothness of my new bearings requires less effort or watts to propel the bike forward.
I suspect that we are all in agreement that my new bike needs to be oiled. Imagine trying to run a car or garden machinery without oil – they seize. A bike witch has many moving mechanical parts rarely seizes from use but will perform less efficiently without cleaning and lubricating.
Like the rest of you I do not want to spend much time cleaning and oiling my bike, so what oil should I use? WD-40 is my preference for cleaning, spraying it on the chain and then cleaning with a rag will remove all the grit from my bike on a weekly basis. Spraying it on the frame and cleaning off with a cloth will keep my bike looking new.
WD40 will act as a lubricant because it contains Teflon (PTFE) which is the best substance used for lubrication. However, the WD40 website does not claim that it is a lubricant.
3 in one have brought out a special bicycle spray oil. So my plan is to use both. Clean with WD 40 and finish lubricating with 3 in One bike oil. There are many other oils on the market but I feel that WD40 and 3 in One can be purchased in many outlets. So for me to keep my bike and life simple and clean it will be WD40 plus 3 in One bike Oil.

feck sake lads

they won't get proper oils.

tomasrojo

Keep_Her_Lit wrote: »

[SIZE=-1]
Concluding question:
If you can get a full year / 10,000km from just repeatedly dosing your drivetrain with a cheapo spray like WD-40, how much additional effort and expense are you prepared to outlay to extend this by, say, a few months?
My answer: Zero[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]

I very rarely change the cassette and chainrings. A mudflap on the front, near-weekly cleaning and changing the chain when it shows signs of elongation means the chainrings and cassette don't show much wear.

However, each to his own. I guess it might be better to accept the wear for the sake of more spare time.

Lumen

LUKEG2411 wrote: »

Thanks lads for all your contributions. Greatly appreciate and having taken all on board now can state how I wish to lubricate my bike in future.
When I commenced cycling some 9 months ago I was given a loan of my friend’s ten year old bike that had never seen a drop of oil in its life. That first day as we climbed up the sally gap, I could not keep up. I have since got a new bike and the difference in performance is amazing, firstly when you pull the chain up at the centre of the chain wheel it rises about 8mm, on the old bike but hardly rises at all on my new bike, there is an obvious loss of power here on the old bike. Secondly the roughness which can be felt from the bearings on the old bike (when one lightly holds the handlebars when spinning the wheel) is substantial. The smoothness of my new bearings requires less effort or watts to propel the bike forward.
I suspect that we are all in agreement that my new bike needs to be oiled. Imagine trying to run a car or garden machinery without oil – they seize. A bike witch has many moving mechanical parts rarely seizes from use but will perform less efficiently without cleaning and lubricating.
Like the rest of you I do not want to spend much time cleaning and oiling my bike, so what oil should I use? WD-40 is my preference for cleaning, spraying it on the chain and then cleaning with a rag will remove all the grit from my bike on a weekly basis. Spraying it on the frame and cleaning off with a cloth will keep my bike looking new.
WD40 will act as a lubricant because it contains Teflon (PTFE) which is the best substance used for lubrication. However, the WD40 website does not claim that it is a lubricant.
3 in one have brought out a special bicycle spray oil. So my plan is to use both. Clean with WD 40 and finish lubricating with 3 in One bike oil. There are many other oils on the market but I feel that WD40 and 3 in One can be purchased in many outlets. So for me to keep my bike and life simple and clean it will be WD40 plus 3 in One bike Oil.

Cleaning the frame with WD-40? :eek:

Chips Lovell

I use Durex PlayFeel lube on my chain. You can't beat it.

DirkVoodoo

WD 40 is mostly solvent. I limit it's lubricating to locks and key holes, maybe the odd hinge. For something like a bicycle chain, with thousands or revolutions in a single trip, totally exposed to the elements, it's not great. Remember if you are using it for cleaning to leave it evaporate or wipe as much off after washing, otherwise you are spraying oil onto a solvent which is an expensive waste of time.

As for the 3-in-1 bike oil, I don't see any mention of it on their website. Do you have a link?

I don't know what you mean by availability, every bike shop will stock chain lube, it's cheap and a little bottle goes a long way. It's not exactly a specialist product that is hard to come by.

One other tip, go easy on the WD40 for cleaning, you don't want to get that stuff onto your rims or brake blocks really.

LUKEG2411

Agreed WD40 is mostly solvent.
Everybody agrees it works brilliant on hinges, as for locks any oil is going to glue the sensitive springs and the lock will cease to work. You are supposed to use graphite powder in lock cylinders. Many people publish positive results about WD40 when using it on bikes, however bike enthusiasts criticize it but I’d like to see comparisons and results on wear and tear after using WD40 versus Special Bike Oil versus not oiling ever. The most damaging thing as regards bike wear must be leaving grit on the chain to grind down the metal. The most annoying thing I find about a bicycle grease is that it leaves your skin very dirty if you accidentally touch it while out riding (i.e. if the chain touches your leg while out riding many oils will leave a dirty chain mark.)

3 in One have tried marketing thicker oil for bikes through the years but have failed with market penetration from cyclists. Their new product is Bike spray oil but it is not on their website yet.

Chips Lovell

LUKEG2411 wrote: »

The most annoying thing I find about a bicycle grease is that it leaves your skin very dirty if you accidentally touch it while out riding (i.e. if the chain touches your leg while out riding many oils will leave a dirty chain mark.)

If that's the case, you're lubing your chain wrong.

DirkVoodoo

Ok, so you find that using WD40 on a lock will allow dirt and grime to collect on the pins and springs, affecting functionality, but this is ok when it comes to a bike chain?

All I'm saying is that I have used Finish Line for the past 2 years without issue. It is not just a question of extending chain life, but keeping your drivetrain running smoothly and efficiently. A clean bike is a happy bike.

Also, cleaning a chain is not as laborious a procedure as the above comments make it out to be, most modern lubes are self cleaning and you can get good results with a quick wipe down and reapplication. For a chain with more dirt/debris, a complete degrease/clean/lube is a pretty quick procedure (this is coming from a guy who is pretty slow at doing each link, so you may be even quicker).

Bike lube works great, why look for an alternative?

EDIT: I don't like sprays, I used some on the RAI and they seem to get everywhere except the rollers. Penetration is vital, simply spraying a lube is not good enough, drip applicators are much better and most bike lubes come with one.

HappyHarry

Anyone know where to get Tri-Flow in Dublin or somewhere online?

CRC don't appear to have it as per previous post.

seamus

Got some of this last week: http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/1-step.htm

Good performance so far, but it hasn't rained yet...