New chain should I oil it - the solution

Bear77

Having just read the discussion about oiling a new chain I am now a little bit confused. In anticipation of some better weather I am planning to put new chains on two of my bikes. An SRAM eight speed chain and a Shimano ten speed. I would usually just put them without cleaning or adding further lube but I am now sort of scared to do so. I think when I set out there will be a clap of thunder and an incredibly loud voice from a Sheldon Brown shaped cloud will inform me of my stupidity.

This is also a clearly emotive subject and I noticed some forum members being rude to each other which is unusual when Lance Armstrong is not involved.

So in the interests of world bike forum harmony I have decided to sacrifice these two chains. What I will do is clean and relube half of each one. I have not yet decided to whether to do equal or say, alternate links. Thing is, if I did alternate links I could also test different lubes. I could lube two links with each type and I would have a greasy and non greasy pivot and plate. I could do about sixty types that way. After say 500 miles I would take some very close up photos of each pair of links and post them on here, with appropriate captions. I would make sure they were massive photos so you could all look at them with binoculars or something. We would then have the definitive answer!

What does everybody think?

Tail end Charlie

I think if you did this you would need to post on the thread in commuting "tell everyone what fettling you've done" as you would clearly be the "King of the Fettlers".

dennisn

I think you're crazy. It's much more fun to argue endlessly and be rude to other posters
about a totally ridiculous subject, than to bother with testing. or attempting to prove anything. Which goes right along with my theory of cycling, and I quote, "No one knows or can prove anything about anything as far as the bicycle is concerned".

softlad

Bear77 wrote:

What does everybody think?

I think nobody would listen - and would then carry on linking to sheldon brown and bicycle tutor....

balthazar

Unbelievably, I think somebody actually did this years ago on rec.bicycles.tech. I don't remember the outcome... other than that, there's a century or so of experience lubricating steel interfaces and bearings in industry and motor vehicles, from model airplane motors to container ship engines. You could see if and why anything other than lubricating oil or grease is used there, and then maybe ask why bicyclists prefer voodoo.

nicensleazy

Oil it when it needs it!

Bear77

maybe ask why bicyclists prefer voodoo.

voodoo, why didn't I think of that :idea:

Stellite

Ill just let my mechanic worry about this 8)

skyd0g

The definative way to oil a chain efficiently is using nothing more complex than baby oil.

I've got the oil...

...and I've got a very good idea on the most effective way of applying it evenly to the chain...

8)

I'm willing to risk a few chains on proving my method.

spen666

Bear77 wrote:

Having just read the discussion about oiling a new chain I am now a little bit confused. In anticipation of some better weather I am planning to put new chains on two of my bikes. An SRAM eight speed chain and a Shimano ten speed. I would usually just put them without cleaning or adding further lube but I am now sort of scared to do so. I think when I set out there will be a clap of thunder and an incredibly loud voice from a Sheldon Brown shaped cloud will inform me of my stupidity.

This is also a clearly emotive subject and I noticed some forum members being rude to each other which is unusual when Lance Armstrong is not involved.

So in the interests of world bike forum harmony I have decided to sacrifice these two chains. What I will do is clean and relube half of each one. I have not yet decided to whether to do equal or say, alternate links. Thing is, if I did alternate links I could also test different lubes. I could lube two links with each type and I would have a greasy and non greasy pivot and plate. I could do about sixty types that way. After say 500 miles I would take some very close up photos of each pair of links and post them on here, with appropriate captions. I would make sure they were massive photos so you could all look at them with binoculars or something. We would then have the definitive answer!

What does everybody think?

What would Lance do?

dennisn

spen666 wrote:

Bear77 wrote:

What does everybody think?

What would Lance do?

Probably tell some mechanic to "just put some lube on the d*mn thing". Or he might be a bit more specific and say "just put some GOD D*MN lube on the GOD D*MN thing".

Bear77

Lance would clean it, Lance was always clean!