Yes I know it lasts but £7.50 for 120ml seems a bit much.

I know veg based oils are pretty crap, has anyone tried anything else?

I use fat that I scavenge from the drains of restaurants

it’s cheap, lasts ages and great on toast if you collect an excess

i use compressor airline oil from tool station. very cheap, and one bottle will last you forever.

Currently experimenting with pure jojoba oil, with good results

Now, you may laugh – but the historical manufacture and use of jojoba oil was because the discovered it bore the closest lubricating properties to case/sperm oil, which I can’t find for sale anywhere…

Not ghetto, but Juicy Lubes Viking Lube is proving to be the best combination oil I’ve ever found. Lasts well in the shitty weather, doesn’t cover your drive train in black gunk, washes off easily, and goes on easily.

pricey, but I’ll buy again

Been using chainsaw oil for years. Generally get 2000 miles out of a 105 cassette and kmc 10 speed chain. Around 1200 miles with 11 speed.

It’s cheap so use it more often than I would a “proper” Lube. I refill the small bottles with it and lob in my bag so I can always shove a bit more on.

5 litres (or even 20) works out better value. I get mine from screwfix

http://m.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-hp-146-1ltr-chainsaw-oil/27933?kpid=27933&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%2520Listing%2520Ads-_-Sales%2520Tracking-_-sales%2520tracking%2520url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%2520-%2520Outdoor%2520and%2520Gardening-_-Shopping%2520-%2520Outdoor%2520and%2520Gardening&gclid=CjwKEAiA_ra1BRDV-byb_aDqpQoSJAA-ofB9iP48JXL2q9KHvDM9WNfWkRlg6OMTghyYpNr5osXvQxoC-DPw_wcB

Ive found Ambergis to be excellent. A bit fiddly to apply but lasts ages.
Ghetto yes.. cheap………errrrrrrr, not so much

Chainsaw oil +1

I have some 10w 40 semi synthetic oil left over from an oil change. Any reason it won’t work as a chain lube?

I have done some experimentation.. Motor oil is messy. I used a similar spec castrol gtx once.. And never again… It’s like to dirt magnet.

Also don’t use motor bike chain spray.. It’s sticky like glue that never quite sets!

I’ve been using wd40 chain lube for a few months (not regular wd40) and it seems pretty decent, cheap too.

£2.49 Its great stuff.

http://www.wilko.com/all-bike-parts+accessories/wilko-performance-lubricant-100ml/invt/0344046

I’ve used both motor oil and chainsaw oil with success. I only use them on mtb, cross, commuters where it regularly gets washed off. On my road bike I stick to proper oils, usually dry lubes since I don’t like the manky black build up. On my cx there is not lube after a race, just mud so not an issue.

chainsaw oil is sticky and a bit thick. To enable me to get less actual lube on I found a small bottle and thinned it back roughly 5:1 (oil:solvent) with white spirit. Seems to be working for the last few years, still hardly made a dint in the 1L bottle I bought for a tenner.

3.99 invested in chainsaw oil. Doesn’t seem that thick.

I’ve always got chainsaw oil knocking around, so in winter that’s what I use. I use a dry type lube in Greece though, where it’s dry and dusty.

It’s very stringy chainsaw oil even messier than an engine oil flicks up all over your frame and doesn’t seem to stay on all that well either IME

I find slug slime a real bugger to wash off my hands, maybe the slime could be harvested, or failing that, maybe cable tie one onto your frame so as it slimes your chain.

Qwerty – you should submit that to ‘Viz Top Tips’!!!

Wilko does an even cheaper basic bike oil at £1:49. i have used it all winter and it seems fine.
i have also used it to thin down some of the expensive wet lube type oil I bought years ago but never used because it was so thick and made the whole drive train into a black gungy mess. Thinned down 50/50 with the cheap stuff they are all getting used up now 😀

http://www.wilko.com/all-bike-parts+accessories/max-c-cycle-oil-100ml/invt/0199457

No Wilko in Jockland

Been using this as it was cheap oil

but I’d guess it’s the same as wilkos just in a different bottle and a quid more. I’ll be stocking up at wilkos next time I’m passing though ?

No-one’s mentioned putoline chain wax yet? For shame.

Been using chainsaw oil for years.

Got about 3ltrs you can have for free.
Havent used it since I started using White Lightning Epic. OK, costs £10 (less my discount) but lasts me about 6-8 months & doesn’t attract the amount of shite that chainsaw oil does.

good old 3 in 1 is £2 at B&Q iv not tried it as a chain lube tho

http://www.diy.com/departments/3-in-1-multi-purpose-oil-100ml/254584_BQ.prd?gclid=CMmEg9XQ18oCFSsKwwodXNwLtg&ppc_type=shopping&ecamp=SEAPLA254584_BQ&ef_id=Vq8IKwAAAZm3f02K:20160201223819:s

Well chainsaw oil seems OK. 1/15 the price of FL etc.

3 in 1 is crap. It’s veg oil.

+1 chainsaw oil.
Degrease the chain, run it through a dry rag, put some oil into another bit of rag and run the chain through that.
Works well.

cynic-al – Member
No Wilko in Jockland

There are a few…

Castle Douglas,
Clydebank,
Falkirk,
Hamilton,
Kilmarnock,
Livingston,
Motherwell

Northcountryboy, That 2 in1 stuff in the white bottle is shit, It goes on a treat, then for some bizarre reason it clogs up on the jockey wheels forming a thick black residue which is kind of gummy in appearance but almost chalky to the touch, when it gets wet it attracts all manner of grit, grime and gunk and it sticks like shit to a cat.

Putoline wax is no good for bike chains, it’s too thick and waxy, it keeps the crap out but it doesn’t like the cold where it makes the chain rigid and then the plates and rollers skip all over on the cassette, it’s quite effective in theory but your not getting the wear protection that it gives motorbikes, the graphite does help with the wear but the chain isn’t benefiting, it’s messy l, bloody dangerous and a waste of time. Best off using the White Lightning wax stuff, squirt is OK but Rock n Roll for year round protection, or leave the coating in that chains come with. Imagine that 10 times thicker that’s what putoline is like,