Finally stopped buying chain lube and switched to used motor oil instead

I used to spend like $12 every few weeks on fancy bike chain lube from the shop, figured it was just part of the deal. Then my buddy at the co-op in Austin told me he just drains old oil from his truck and wipes it on his chains, has done it for years. I was skeptical at first because I thought it would gunk up everything, but I tried it last month on my commuter bike and honestly the chain runs smoother than it did with that overpriced stuff. You just wipe off the excess so it's not dripping everywhere, and it repels water fine for everyday riding. The best part is it costs zero dollars since it's just waste oil I'd have to dispose of anyway. Has anyone else tried this or am I just being cheap lol?

2 comments

2 Comments

claire9991mo ago

My buddy in Portland has been running diesel oil on his single speed for like 5 years, chain and cog look fine. I figure if it's good enough for a car engine it's fine for a bike.

dixon.felix1mo ago

I mean, it's still engine oil tho.

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