experimenting with new lube

[ARP]

Nothing new about it actually, tried the search function and came up empty. Marvel Mystery Oil, about 5 bucks a quart or so. Apparently from what I have read on another forum it is basically a motor oil with transmission fluid in it. It is thin in nature, very fluid like, It cleans the chain fairly well and certainly does lube it. I'm curious as to how "sticky" it might be to attract dirt, certainly not any better or worse than the home brew I was trying. Has a nice sort of minty scent too

[ultraman6970]

The best oil for me is the one for chainsaws, you get like a quart for 5 bucks at home depot. Clean the chain with fuel or whatever really well.

Hang the chain and poor the oil over the chain and let it sit for a few hours or at night. If you want submerge the chain in the oil is ok too but you have to let it drop the excess oil by gravity for a few hours.

Clean it with a paper really well, install and ready to go.

That oil is designed to stick in the chain.

ps: have used AT tranny oil and the problem is that wont stick to the chain as good as other stuff.

[looigi]

From Wikipedia, according to an NTSB safety report: "As of 2002, Mystery Oil is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard."

[ARP]

I can say this, since I have been riding and cleaning and lubing since the 70's I have tried a lot of lubes. Currently the experiment I am running is on a trainer set up in the house. Saw no fling(wiped area with white paper towel after session) Marvels seems to be a bit different and cleans well w/o being runny. Question is does dirt really stick to it as opposed to the dry wax type lubes.

I've done the uber clean and lube, taking off the chain and soaking in citrus based degreasers, wipe and dry it out and then replace and re lube followed up by the wipe down every few rides with WD40, then re lube etc. Marvels might eliminate that WD40 step unless I end up caught out in the rain for a long time.

[jmlapoint]

Mystery Oil sounds like from viewing the components that it should work really well for lubing chain. As long as you wipe it down after application.

If you are looking for a lube that 'sticks' and stays where you put it, I have been very happy with Chain-L Lube. I ride fixed and chain is very quiet and lube lasts a long time.
john

Home Page Chain-L High Mileage Bicycle Chain Lubricant

[steelbikerider]

Been using it off and on for awhile. works about as well as the others. To be honest, I can't tell much off a difference in wet chain lubes. Drip it on, wipe off excess, ride 1-2 weeks, repeat. Chain lasts 6 months/3000 miles regardless of lube.

[metoou2]

From Wikipedia, according to an NTSB safety report: "As of 2002, Mystery Oil is composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard."

mystery solved

[ARP]

Been using it off and on for awhile. works about as well as the others. To be honest, I can't tell much off a difference in wet chain lubes. Drip it on, wipe off excess, ride 1-2 weeks, repeat. Chain lasts 6 months/3000 miles regardless of lube.

Actually the idea to use it came from a firearms forum. Just like anything that is higher end hobby related, if a product is designed specifically for that hobby, the price will be thru the roof. For example a 2oz tube of Rem Oil cost about $5 I think and a quart of Mobile synthetic motor oil cost about $6. Plenty of people using both Marvels and Mobile One in guns these days. And with the cleaning and lubing properties of Marvels, the great big pissing match debate over whether it is wise to lube a gun with motor oil product is appropriate.

[froze]

Not all lubes are made the same that's for sure. All the wax based crud I've ever used the chains lasted less then a third as long as teflon based dry lubes. And I am using Chain L on two of my bikes and so far so good, it does last longer between cleaning and relubing, but while Chain L says to clean and relube every 900 miles, I'm doing it every 500 which is longer then my other preferred lube make by Finish Line called Dry Teflon Lube which allows me to go about 250 miles between cleaning and relubing (any wax product I ever used only lasted about 70 miles between relubing).

I do know I get about 13,000 miles on my chains with the Finish Line, but I've got just over 2,000 on one of my chains with the Chain L so I'm not sure about the chain life yet.

But I thought about experimenting myself using STP Oil Treatment because it has a stringy consistency like the Chain L, but I will have to experiment to get the right percentage of carrier to blend with it. The other thing I was thinking of experimenting with is using Mobil 1 gear oil and a carrier mix.

Personally I think Marvel Mystery oil is too thin.

[threebikes]

I bought some Du Pont Teflon Multi Use Lubricant at lowes.
4 oz for $ 3.97
Shop DuPont 4 oz Multi-Use Lubricant at Lowes.com
11 oz aerosol is $ 5.58
Shop DuPont Teflon 11 oz Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant at Lowes.com


They also have Teflon Chain Saver , 4oz for $ 4.97
Shop DuPont 4 oz Chain-Saver Lubricant at Lowes.com

[Kevin29r]

I tried the DuPont spray Teflon lube, but it seems to build up, become gummy, and was hard to remove. The best road bike lube I have used is Chain-L. It seems to stay inside the rollers and links. I just wipe the chain and gears after each ride and rarely reapply. The chain stays clean. However, it gummed up on the mountain bike.
For that bike I use Pro link after each ride, which consists of wiping, lubing, wiping, lubing, and the a lot more wiping. Its a bit of work, but the chain never requires complete sovent or water cleaning.
I am happy with these two lubes for these totally different uses.

[pulser955]

I just mixed up some Mobil1 and odorless mineral oil about 50/50. I usually use Rock n Roll lube. But becasue my bikes live out in the cold it wont work on a really cold chain with out making a big mess. So I need something for the winter that's oil based. I did some Googleing today and found an interesting recipe that I want to try. 2/3 coconut oil 1/3 Isopropyl alcohol and a dash or corn oil.

[ARP]

Not all lubes are made the same that's for sure. All the wax based crud I've ever used the chains lasted less then a third as long as teflon based dry lubes. And I am using Chain L on two of my bikes and so far so good, it does last longer between cleaning and relubing, but while Chain L says to clean and relube every 900 miles, I'm doing it every 500 which is longer then my other preferred lube make by Finish Line called Dry Teflon Lube which allows me to go about 250 miles between cleaning and relubing (any wax product I ever used only lasted about 70 miles between relubing).

I do know I get about 13,000 miles on my chains with the Finish Line, but I've got just over 2,000 on one of my chains with the Chain L so I'm not sure about the chain life yet.

But I thought about experimenting myself using STP Oil Treatment because it has a stringy consistency like the Chain L, but I will have to experiment to get the right percentage of carrier to blend with it. The other thing I was thinking of experimenting with is using Mobil 1 gear oil and a carrier mix.

Personally I think Marvel Mystery oil is too thin.

I did the 50/50 mix thing and thought it is waaaaay to thin to be effective. Going to run Marvels for the first half of the year and see how it goes.

[DrSmile]

2 days and no mention of home-brew? As for experimenting with new lube, it tends to mess the sheets!

[flatlander_48]

I bought some Du Pont Teflon Multi Use Lubricant at lowes.
4 oz for $ 3.97
Shop DuPont 4 oz Multi-Use Lubricant at Lowes.com
11 oz aerosol is $ 5.58
Shop DuPont Teflon 11 oz Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant at Lowes.com


They also have Teflon Chain Saver , 4oz for $ 4.97
Shop DuPont 4 oz Chain-Saver Lubricant at Lowes.com

I have both liquids at the moment. One of them (can't remember which one as I am not at home) looks like White Lightning chain lube...

[AtomicMoose]

Another vote for Chain-L here. Works great and not too messy.

[Touch0Gray]

and marvel mystery oil has the coolest name and a damn good looking can!

[thalo]

with comments of viscosity (thicker oil, strands of oil, stickier oil, etc.), has anyone tried using lucas oil treatments? you know, when you go to the auto part store and there is the display of the gears in the clear plastic box and you get to turn the crank and see that the lucas oil treated oil holds together much more with larger "web" area between the gears, and stuff.

just a thought, not tried it and dont really plan to in the near future.

[Dave Cutter]

I tried Marvel Mystery Oil.... after I realized my pricey LBS bottle of chain oil contained asphalt. No wonder the chain turned black so quickly.

My bottle of Marvel listed use for bicycles.... right on its label. Marvel was clean, and quite. But I switched to an even cleaner oil [IMHO only I have no stats or data]... again from the LBS called ProLink.

So many opinions on chain oil... and lubricating methods.... not something I want to get into. I have no expertise or advice. But for me.... I like a clean light oil. From time-to-time I wash off the old oil with a spray of Simple Green, warm soapy water and a good rinse from the garden hose. I let the chain dry well before I re-lube and then wipe nearly dry.

[froze]

Do not use Simple green to degrease your chain, this stuff is actually corrosive, and SRAM even issued a warning not to use it on their chains. Simple Green is a water based cleaner that will leave rust causing moisture and thus should never be used on chains, only non water based cleaners should be used like mineral spirits, WD40, Kerosene, (gasoline but don't do to the extreme hazard of the stuff), or one of the bike specific brand of chain cleaners.

You can recycle solvents by simply pouring the dirty solvent through a coffee filter and recapture it in a bottle then reuse it to clean the chain the next time as a first cleaning followed by a second cleaning with virgin solvent.

There are different ways to clean a chain, either leaving it on the bike or taking it off the bike, I prefer to leave it on and use the Finish Line Chain Cleaning machine, it's quick, hassle free, non-messy, and it cleans as well as taking the chain off.

I learned to recycle my solvent from years of using a solvent basin, and then I read from Sheldon Brown some years ago I can recycle my cycling solvent I use in the Chain Cleaning machine by first running the dirty solvent through a paper coffee filter allowing it to pour into a bottle then save the "dirty" solvent for the first cleaning the next time, and follow up with a second cleaning of virgin solvent instead of using virgin solvent twice on one cleaning.

[ARP]

and marvel mystery oil has the coolest name and a damn good looking can!

so far I like the lube properties, i poured some from the bottle into one of those thumb operated oil cans. love the scent too.

[jmlapoint]

Yummy!

[jmlapoint]

I want to go back to Home Brew for chain and as I remember most folks use 3:1 ratio of Motor Oil:Odorless Mineral Spirits.
john

[jmlapoint]

Has anyone used straight motor oil or gear lube? Let it penetrate for a while, and then wipe chain until no residue on rag. Seems like lube is lube, and if you wipe the outside of the chain so that lube is only inside the rollers, that the chain won't collect grime no mater what you use.
john

[jmlapoint]

so far I like the lube properties, i poured some from the bottle into one of those thumb operated oil cans. love the scent too.

ARP:
I have never tried Marvel Mystery Oil, but it sounds like you have stumbled onto something cool. I have a huge container that I add to my Jeep, but never considered trying it as chain lube. I am going to give it a try.
Thanks for posting.
I ride Fixed and I am a chain freak. I want my chain to be smooth and quiet, but als want my chain-drive to look clean and sparklie. I will give you a follow-up.
Thanks,
John