Edible chain lube?
redbug444
Posts: 5
This is a weird one, but I am serious.
I work for an organisation that does cycle training in primary schools and, as well as a van load of spare bikes, we bring boxes of helmets, a track pump and some basic tools to the schools to fix up the kids bikes prior to the training. We used to bring a can of spray lube too, for rescuing squeaking chains, but we have stopped including this in the boxes now because they sometimes got left in the playground at break time, and it seemed only a matter of time before a curious year 1 pupil got an eyeful of GT85. The question is: Is there anything we could use as chainlube that would be unquestionably non-toxic? Vegetable oil?
I work for an organisation that does cycle training in primary schools and, as well as a van load of spare bikes, we bring boxes of helmets, a track pump and some basic tools to the schools to fix up the kids bikes prior to the training. We used to bring a can of spray lube too, for rescuing squeaking chains, but we have stopped including this in the boxes now because they sometimes got left in the playground at break time, and it seemed only a matter of time before a curious year 1 pupil got an eyeful of GT85. The question is: Is there anything we could use as chainlube that would be unquestionably non-toxic? Vegetable oil?
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Comments
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"Spray lube" in invariably a water displacer/penetrant. It will actually wash out any lube that is in the chain, and then dry out making it worse than it was.
Yes, any vegetable oil can be used - however it will attract dust/dirt and get pretty scudgy quite quickly, when compared to an actual bicycle chain lube. So, the lighter/thinner the better, and then wipe off as much as you can (it's the parts of the chain where you don't wipe, where the lube does its good).Commute - MASI Souville3 | Road/CX - MASI Speciale CX | Family - 80s ugly | Utility - Cargobike0 -
TBH i would look at you procedures and even things like your tool boxes. a place for everything so you can see that something is missing.
there are many "green" lubes that are non toxic rather than edible."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
pure do a range of biodegradable lubes, they can't be that harmful...
don't work very well though!!!0 -
Olive oil???0
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Food grade while containing PTFE? Yuck! I know it's supposed to be non-toxic but it's still a synthetic polymer and linked to cancer.oxoman wrote:I work in the food industry and we have to use food grade stuff, which basically means that if it gets into the food it won't harm you. Try googling food grade chain lube / spray it will come up with loads. I have used the stuff in link below myself as previous employer used to use it and i could get the odd can for personal use.
http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Ambersil_C ... tAodcHkA1Q
Green Oil is the only one I know of genuinely made from plant products (other brands' claims of biodegradability should be taken with a large pinch of salt). Have been using it for 3 or 4 years now.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
oxoman wrote:I work in the food industry and we have to use food grade stuff, which basically means that if it gets into the food it won't harm you. Try googling food grade chain lube / spray it will come up with loads. I have used the stuff in link below myself as previous employer used to use it and i could get the odd can for personal use.
http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Ambersil_C ... tAodcHkA1Q
This is a genius idea. Thank you, this is exactly what I am looking for.
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Simon E wrote:
Food grade while containing PTFE? Yuck! I know it's supposed to be non-toxic but it's still a synthetic polymer and linked to cancer.oxoman wrote:I work in the food industry and we have to use food grade stuff, which basically means that if it gets into the food it won't harm you. Try googling food grade chain lube / spray it will come up with loads. I have used the stuff in link below myself as previous employer used to use it and i could get the odd can for personal use.
http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Ambersil_C ... tAodcHkA1Q
Green Oil is the only one I know of genuinely made from plant products (other brands' claims of biodegradability should be taken with a large pinch of salt). Have been using it for 3 or 4 years now.
I'll look at 'Green Oil' but my guess is it hasn't been developed or tested for non-toxicity. There are plenty of plant products that are toxic.0 -
Simon E wrote:
Food grade while containing PTFE? Yuck! I know it's supposed to be non-toxic but it's still a synthetic polymer and linked to cancer.oxoman wrote:I work in the food industry and we have to use food grade stuff, which basically means that if it gets into the food it won't harm you. Try googling food grade chain lube / spray it will come up with loads. I have used the stuff in link below myself as previous employer used to use it and i could get the odd can for personal use.
http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Ambersil_C ... tAodcHkA1Q
Green Oil is the only one I know of genuinely made from plant products (other brands' claims of biodegradability should be taken with a large pinch of salt). Have been using it for 3 or 4 years now.
Eating a banana is linked to cancer and they're supposed to be non-toxic, and is made from genuine plant products.
The problem with this is pretty much anything can be linked to cancer (even oxygen is, but I'm not planning on giving that up!). It's how much the risk of cancer is altered that is key and far more rarely given. From the links you've given PTFE isn't linked to an increase in cancer but one of it's breakdown products is. Given how slowly PTFE breaks down I'm more concerned about the hydrocarbons.0
