Old Oil on the chain

gareth2134
gareth2134 Posts: 198
edited June 2010 in Road beginners
couple of questions,

1: How much does old oil affect the speed of your bike or should I say does it make more restistance on your bike. For instance If I leave the same oil on for 3 rides is that a big no no or should I change it after every ride. I understand theirs going to be ppl who di it after every ride but if I'm doing 3 rides a week and leave it the old oil on and just top it up before each ride does it matter.

I was it down after a week but im starting to think should i do it after every ride.

2: can someone let me know what is the best oil remover

3: can someone let me know what is the best oil to use 1 for rain and one for summer

Thanks

Comments

  • shmo
    shmo Posts: 321
    When starting with a new chain it's easy to keep it clean and shiny by running it through a cloth after each ride, drizzling on a little more chain lube, then running it through the cloth again. Of course assuming that the ride isn't a 24 hour marathon MTB race or something you don't usually need to use a degreaser.

    Packing new lube on top of the old stuff gives you a really filthy drivetrain. Keeping it clean probably helps efficiency by a small percentage but it also makes maintenance a less dirty job. It'll make the weekly clean less effort too.

    Any off the shelf wet/dry bicycle chain lubes will do. I use the Shimano own brand stuff.
  • rkdj
    rkdj Posts: 50
    WD40

    (noise of can of worms being opened in background)

    [/img]
    older, balder, faster, slimmer, better
  • Veronica Bottoms
    Veronica Bottoms Posts: 94
    Do people oil their chains after every ride?

    I was under impression that this only had to be done once a month.

    Surely when you clean the chain after every ride your wiping away the oil?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Veronica Bottoms wrote:
    Do people oil their chains after every ride?

    I was under impression that this only had to be done once a month.

    Surely when you clean the chain after every ride your wiping away the oil?

    Simply, you oil the chain when it needs oilling.
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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Oil is needed inside the little nooks and crannies of the chain to slow down wear and slop it going rusty and stiff. Trouble is, it's hard to achieve this without getting oil all over the outside bits too. This only attracts dirt and grit, and results in the black gunk which acts as a counter-productive grinding paste.

    The best compromise is to wipe the chain down whenever it starts to look dirty, or after any wet ride, until the rag stops removing black gunk. Then relube every link, and run the chain backwards for a while to ensure everything's evenly coated. Then run the chain through a clean rag to remove any excess lube, and the inevitable black goo the clean oil will have flushed out.

    In summer I'm quite thorough with this last step; I like the chain to be dry to the touch. In winter or wet weather I like to leave a film of oil on the side plates to prevent them from going rusty.

    Summer wipe / relube every week or two. Winter virtually every ride, and certainly if it's wet
  • Veronica Bottoms
    Veronica Bottoms Posts: 94
    That makes sense. I was thinking it's a bit extreme to oil the bike every day.

    I watched a few videos on bicycle tutor which show some good advice in regards to cleaning chains.
  • Veronica Bottoms
    Veronica Bottoms Posts: 94
    Silly question but do new bikes which get bought via mail order already come with oil on the chain?
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    redddraggon wrote:
    Veronica Bottoms wrote:
    Do people oil their chains after every ride?

    I was under impression that this only had to be done once a month.

    Surely when you clean the chain after every ride your wiping away the oil?

    Simply, you oil the chain when it needs oilling.

    +1........ Just oil it. No mountains from molehills please. You're creating a problem that doesn't exist.
  • rdt
    rdt Posts: 869
    keef66 wrote:
    The best compromise is to wipe the chain down whenever it starts to look dirty, or after any wet ride, until the rag stops removing black gunk. Then relube every link, and run the chain backwards for a while to ensure everything's evenly coated. Then run the chain through a clean rag to remove any excess lube, and the inevitable black goo the clean oil will have flushed out.
    t

    I do that, but it sure gets through the cloths... I use old t-shirts, old sheets, old socks, old whatever for cloths (charity shops don't get a look in), but am now nearly out of them. Don't want to start buying cloths. What do others use?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Our household seems to produce more rags than I can ever use. I suppose you could recycle them by giving them a wash in a bucket of hot water / detergent.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    keef66 wrote:
    Our household seems to produce more rags than I can ever use. I suppose you could recycle them by giving them a wash in a bucket of hot water / detergent.

    Anyone who needs rags has only to come over to my place and get them. Like "keef66"
    we have way more than we will ever use. Not sure where they all come from but I have a theory that a rag pile will actually multiply exponentially if kept in a cool dry spot.
  • gareth2134
    gareth2134 Posts: 198
    dennisn wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    Veronica Bottoms wrote:
    Do people oil their chains after every ride?

    I was under impression that this only had to be done once a month.

    Surely when you clean the chain after every ride your wiping away the oil?

    Simply, you oil the chain when it needs oilling.

    +1........ Just oil it. No mountains from molehills please. You're creating a problem that doesn't exist.

    It's hardly a mountain out of a molehill if someone doesn't know the answer thats why they ask. The question was when or not to oil after every ride if we knew when it needed it the question wouldn't be asked.

    Clearly you should be on the Pro forums or just not have imput on ones like this if your answer is just irrelevant or no help to anyone.
    Sorry to be raw genius but don't understand why you respond with something like that.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    gareth2134 wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    Veronica Bottoms wrote:
    Do people oil their chains after every ride?

    I was under impression that this only had to be done once a month.

    Surely when you clean the chain after every ride your wiping away the oil?

    Simply, you oil the chain when it needs oilling.

    +1........ Just oil it. No mountains from molehills please. You're creating a problem that doesn't exist.

    It's hardly a mountain out of a molehill if someone doesn't know the answer thats why they ask. The question was when or not to oil after every ride if we knew when it needed it the question wouldn't be asked.

    Clearly you should be on the Pro forums or just not have imput on ones like this if your answer is just irrelevant or no help to anyone.
    Sorry to be raw genius but don't understand why you respond with something like that.

    Sorry. Lube your chain once a week or so. Wipe off excess. Use whatever lube you like(oil, wax, WD40). It doesn't seem to matter. My theory is to "lube" it often enough to keep it running quietly.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    wipe it when wet or dirty, lube when it squeaks.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    gareth2134 wrote:
    couple of questions,

    1: How much does old oil affect the speed of your bike or should I say does it make more restistance on your bike. For instance If I leave the same oil on for 3 rides is that a big no no or should I change it after every ride. I understand theirs going to be ppl who di it after every ride but if I'm doing 3 rides a week and leave it the old oil on and just top it up before each ride does it matter.

    I was it down after a week but im starting to think should i do it after every ride.

    2: can someone let me know what is the best oil remover

    3: can someone let me know what is the best oil to use 1 for rain and one for summer

    Thanks

    Couple of questions

    Just noticed that you have been on this forum for 4 years. Right?

    Assuming you've been riding for at least that long. Right?

    What have you been doing to your chains all this time? :? :?
  • Mad Roadie
    Mad Roadie Posts: 710
    gareth2134 wrote:
    couple of questions,

    1: How much does old oil affect the speed of your bike or should I say does it make more restistance on your bike. For instance If I leave the same oil on for 3 rides is that a big no no or should I change it after every ride. I understand theirs going to be ppl who di it after every ride but if I'm doing 3 rides a week and leave it the old oil on and just top it up before each ride does it matter.

    I was it down after a week but im starting to think should i do it after every ride.

    2: can someone let me know what is the best oil remover

    3: can someone let me know what is the best oil to use 1 for rain and one for summer

    Thanks


    best oil remover http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/241-412553 - citrus de-greaser - has my cassette nice and shinny every week.
    best lube? simple light oil 3-in1 it used to be called for the chain, but there is a a whole sting of postings on here about WD 40 - its not man enough as a chain oil

    I also use GT85 for the mechanism and dry-lube in summer
  • gareth2134
    gareth2134 Posts: 198
    dennisn wrote:
    gareth2134 wrote:
    couple of questions,

    1: How much does old oil affect the speed of your bike or should I say does it make more restistance on your bike. For instance If I leave the same oil on for 3 rides is that a big no no or should I change it after every ride. I understand theirs going to be ppl who di it after every ride but if I'm doing 3 rides a week and leave it the old oil on and just top it up before each ride does it matter.

    I was it down after a week but im starting to think should i do it after every ride.

    2: can someone let me know what is the best oil remover

    3: can someone let me know what is the best oil to use 1 for rain and one for summer

    Thanks

    Couple of questions

    Just noticed that you have been on this forum for 4 years. Right?

    Assuming you've been riding for at least that long. Right?

    What have you been doing to your chains all this time? :? :?

    Obviously not to happy with my response to your earlier reply to my question. I started up 4 years ago and had a mountain bike and was asking questions about that nothing technicle and i was on it for 2 months then didnt come back on here for nearly 2 years and that was when I first got into road biking.

    And my question doesn't have a time boundry because if it hasn't worked or I find i', not happy with how it opperates then I will ask the question.
  • timmyflash
    timmyflash Posts: 526
    Just to add to the question - so does that mean that i should really be keeping my cassette and chain at least some kind of silvery metallic colour rather than its usual grimy black?..

    It's currently not that grimy looking - but that took a fair bit of cleaning. I figured it only looked nice and metallic when you first bought it, and that was it... - no?
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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Mine's black from September to April, then if the weather improves I give it a proper spring clean off the bike with degreaser etc and marinate the chain in oil overnight. Then it's much easier to keep it sparkly through the "summer" with the odd wipe / relube.

    Some people manage to keep their drivetrain spotlessly clean all year round, but I have a life / job / family dog etc
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    timmyflash wrote:
    Just to add to the question - so does that mean that i should really be keeping my cassette and chain at least some kind of silvery metallic colour rather than its usual grimy black?..

    It's currently not that grimy looking - but that took a fair bit of cleaning. I figured it only looked nice and metallic when you first bought it, and that was it... - no?

    I don't really buy into the idea that because it's black, it's therefore grimy. Could it be that nice and metallic looking means it's not lubed all that well? Maybe???
  • D@VE
    D@VE Posts: 73
    gareth2134 wrote:
    couple of questions,

    1: How much does old oil affect the speed of your bike or should I say does it make more restistance on your bike. For instance If I leave the same oil on for 3 rides is that a big no no or should I change it after every ride. I understand theirs going to be ppl who di it after every ride but if I'm doing 3 rides a week and leave it the old oil on and just top it up before each ride does it matter.

    I was it down after a week but im starting to think should i do it after every ride.

    2: can someone let me know what is the best oil remover

    3: can someone let me know what is the best oil to use 1 for rain and one for summer

    Thanks

    1: Old oil shouldn't slow you any at first but it does increase wear and it won't shift gears smoothly(It may sound like the gear indexing is out).
    I think oiling once a week should be ok , you will start to judge it right.
    To much oil and you will find it picks up more sand,soil etc.. faster from the road.

    2: There are many products out there to remove oil the choose is your.
    I use diesel(old school i know) put into a sprayer, as it removes the oil a treat.
    Thinking about getting one these as well http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeLine_Chain_Cleaning_Kit/5360024028/ (any good?).

    3: The oil i'm using Finish Line Pro Road.
  • Variado
    Variado Posts: 107
    Thinking about getting one these as well http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360024028/ (any good?).

    I have one - it's ok, but not as good as the Parks one. Not as expensive either.

    Works well for cleaning up a very dirty chain, but if you keep things reasonably well cleaned/lubed anyway then I don't think it's that useful - I wipe down with a rag after each ride and relube every 100 miles (the lube I use cleans too, and removes most of the black gunk) and don't find the chain cleaner gets much use.
  • D@VE
    D@VE Posts: 73
    Thx Variado i'll take a look.

    What is the lube you use by the way?

    Is there any where on the forum where people post there favourite products?

    Oh and if you use diesel to clean make sure it does not go into the hub.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Variado wrote:
    Thinking about getting one these as well http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360024028/ (any good?).

    I have one - it's ok, but not as good as the Parks one. Not as expensive either.

    Works well for cleaning up a very dirty chain, but if you keep things reasonably well cleaned/lubed anyway then I don't think it's that useful - I wipe down with a rag after each ride and relube every 100 miles (the lube I use cleans too, and removes most of the black gunk) and don't find the chain cleaner gets much use.

    I've just got to ask again. Why is black stuff on your chain considered BAD? That's all you hear. Nasty black gunk. Get rid of it. Is a shiny chain PROOF of good lubing practices? In the end I doubt that shiny or black or in between makes any difference at all, just as using any lube, whether it be oil, wax, or WD40(whatever WD is?) makes any difference on a bicycle chain. It's only a bike chain, not a rocket ship. H*ll, I doubt even rocket ships get much in the way of "special" lubes. :? :? :?
  • D@VE
    D@VE Posts: 73
    It's an American production that very popular hear in the UK.
    WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt". see Wikipedia.
    The oil part of the product is to thin to be used as a lube i think.

    Dennisn said,"H*ll, I doubt even rocket ships get much in the way of "special" lubes".

    Just read this : developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen, founder of the Rocket Chemical Company
    and this : WD-40 was first used by Convair to protect the outer skin of the Atlas MISSILE from rust and corrosion.

    So some rockets do use "special" lubes that is :lol: WD40

    As long as it's running smoothly it can be red white and blue for me :D

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