The Chain gang

[Richard Kuysten]

#2920

Any thoughts on the best options in modern chain lube?

[Dave Ross]

#11907

Any thoughts on the best options in modern chain lube?

From what I have learned, near dry is best in dusty off-road situations and chain wax seem to make less of a mess. Spray on and wipe off excess. Don't get fingers stuck in sprockets (has not happened to me yet) don't let them become to loose and don't worry too much about them. I don't like chains all that much, but can live with them if I have to.

[Anonymous]

#11908

Any thoughts on the best options in modern chain lube?

From what I have learned, near dry is best in dusty off-road situations and chain wax seem to make less of a mess. Spray on and wipe off excess. Don't get fingers stuck in sprockets (has not happened to me yet) don't let them become to loose and don't worry too much about them. I don't like chains all that much, but can live with them if I have to.

Hmm, several of my fingers have become too loose, and dislocate quite willingly now (years of soldiering, farming and heaven only knows what other abuse will sometimes do that.) They hurt when they dislocate, and are bloody agonising when I put them back in................................. I guess it would hurt if you put a loose finger in a sprocket, as well.  😛 😛 😛

[Richard Kuysten]

#11909

Yes Bruce, too long in the printing industry at a time when OSH hadn't  been invented has a similar effect on ones digits.

[Richard Kuysten]

#11910

And while we're talking S**t I'll leave you with this little gem:LITTLE GIRL ON A PLANEA stranger was seated next to a little girl on the airplane when the stranger turned to her and said,'Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.' The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?' 'Oh, I don't know,' said the stranger. 'How about nuclear power?' and he smiles.OK, ' she said. 'That could be an interesting topic.But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass - . Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?' The stranger, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea...' To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don't know shit?  Good night all.

[aegis4805]

#11911

Hi Malcolm (and others watching this thread) a Scott Oiler works for me on my DR. cheers S

[Richard Kuysten]

#11912

Thanks Steve and Alex for your input.  Steve I fitted a Scott Oiler to my early model Funduro and after a little bit of experimenting with oil viscosity (with much help from the bonny boys in Scotland) found it to be really good.  However they are a little expensive so might try a cheaper option for the time being.

[Dave Ross]

#11913

Any thoughts on the best options in modern chain lube?

From what I have learned, near dry is best in dusty off-road situations and chain wax seem to make less of a mess. Spray on and wipe off excess. Don't get fingers stuck in sprockets (has not happened to me yet) don't let them become to loose and don't worry too much about them. I don't like chains all that much, but can live with them if I have to.

Hmm, several of my fingers have become too loose, and dislocate quite willingly now (years of soldiering, farming and heaven only knows what other abuse will sometimes do that.) They hurt when they dislocate, and are bloody agonising when I put them back in................................. I guess it would hurt if you put a loose finger in a sprocket, as well.  😛 😛 😛

😛 I guess I deserved that 😀  I'd made some fancy changes with cut and paste resulting in a more entertaining syntax. Proof reading would have fixed that.

[Arne Rohde]

#11914

Two of the cheapest chain lube systems are the Tutoro and the Loobman. The Loobman is also available in NZ from Nigel Marx in Christchurch. You can find his email address and a review in this Kiwibiker thread.

[David]

#11915

It may not be the cheapest but the best chain lube is called 'shaft drive'!

[pdmeikle57]

#11916

From my time with an F650 (or as our american friends say a “sic-fiddy”) I found a useful tip from the F650 internet group The Chain Gang and that was to use atf (auto trans oil) oil. It is light and doesn't attract as much dirt/grit etc but unlike a lot of wax lubes it actually does “get in” to where it is needed instead of just sitting on the outside.The proof in this pudding was owning the bike for near on two years, never replacing an existing chain and only adjusting up slack in it once... just before I sold it 🙂and yes... I love having a shaft drive again.cheersTracy

[Arne Rohde]

#11917

It may not be the cheapest but the best chain lube is called 'shaft drive'!

Even better would be an in-hub electric or hydraulic motor.But back to reality, although you can get bicycles with shaft drive I have yet to see a 250 or 650cc dual-purpose or off-road bike with shaft drive.

[Richard Kuysten]

#11918

“But back to reality, although you can get bicycles with shaft drive I have yet to see a 250 or 650cc dual-purpose or off-road bike with shaft drive”Now there's a challenge Arne 😀 what do you know about the smallest ever shaft drive? 

[Dave Ross]

#11919

From my time with an F650 (or as our american friends say a "sic-fiddy") The proof in this pudding was owning the bike for near on two years, never replacing an existing chain and only adjusting up slack in it once... just before I sold it 🙂cheersTracy

So how many k's did you do during the two years?

[Murray]

#11920

what do you know about the smallest ever shaft drive? 

In the late 1950s a guy called Ralph Bonham created the Tote Gote, a shaft driven off roader of sorts, because he got tired of walking through the Utah mountains while hunting. The Tote was powered by a 3hp Briggs and Stratton using a straight shaft powering a worm gear which then turned a gear. The outer casing was aluminium, and was supported by two rubber bushings. The engine faced forward in the frame. He originally called it the "Mechanical Goat", but it was renamed to refer to its ability to "tote" (carry) deer out of the woods while climbing inclines with the skill of a mountain goat. The first Tote Gotes could reach speeds of around 5 mph (8 km/h), too slow for functional use, and the front wheel rose off the ground when too much throttle was applied (an excellent feature).It must have been reasonably okay though, the first Tote Gote was sold on 1 June 1958. After entering mass production, 3,700 Tote Gotes were sold in 1960. The second version of the Tote Gote entered the market in 1959, called the Model A or the "Scamp".

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