Use Dry-Lub or Grease on Bike Chain and Lawn Mower?

[Jay Chan]

I have a question on what I should use on the chain in a bicyle and for gear inside a lawn mower. Normally, I would use grease for this stuff. But I come across a product call Dry-Lub that is supposed to be dry to touch. I think this sounds great for putting it in the chain of a bicyle to avoid dirty grease from getting into our pants. I have a couple questions though:

- Is Dry-Lub appropriate for being used in a chain of a bicycle?

- Should I clean out all the grease from the chain first before putting on Dry-Lub onto it? I think I should if I want to prevent grease from getting onto my pants. What kind of solvent should I use to remove the grease without damaging the metal chain?

- I have already bought a can of Dry-Lub. I doubt that I can use it up just for the bicycle. I am wondering whether I can use the remaining Dry-Lub in the gears of a lawn mower?

- Can I use it on metal surface of gardening tools to prevent rust?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

[m Ransley]

If lawnowers gears have a grease fitting no, you are still best using what is recommended, For kids bikes you would need to take the chain and soak it in gasolene to remove old oil, rain may remove it quicker than oil plus it wont last as long, I have dry lube from 20 yrs ago I rarely use it. For your bike maybe yes but its hard to know when it is worn off. Door hinges car and house may be good or sticking windows and door frames or locks.

[Joseph Meehan]

For the mower use what the manufacturer specifies. There are lots of different designs and they don't all need the same lube.

For the bike, stop by a bike shop. They have cleaner (really just the orange or green stuff repackaged) that is effective and safe. DON'T use gasoline as someone suggested. You can use the orange or green stuff from the hardware store not the bike shop. For lube use the stuff the bike shops have. It is formulated special for bikes. It is "dry" but goes on wet. It will stay on better in the rain than other lubes and is less likely to drip or stain clothing etc. Well worth the small cost. They even have chain cleaners so you don't need to remove the chain to clean it.

[Clark Griswold]

[m Ransley]

Don't use gas you say , the only way to remove embedded crud is a soaking. You will newer get into friction crevices, even if you spend over an hr. Even then every link has semi sealed points of friction only a wash has a chance of removing. Or else you are cleaning surface dirt, not the friction points that actually wear. You only need to remove the rear wheel, the chain then has enough play to move in whatever solvent you choose. Ive done this for 30 yrs on bikes with

100$ chains. surface cleaning with a brush is that, surface cleaning. For people that race or are enthusiasts this is normal practice for least friction and longest wear. Maintain a bike or replace it often.

[Joseph Meehan]

Bad unsafe advice and wrong in so far as there are many safe solvents. Maybe you would like to tell us how gasoline can get into a crevice that Simple Green can't.

One additional note: some parts have rubber seals and gasoline can damage them

[m Ransley]

Bad advise Joe ?, I said drop the wheel and soak the chain, that is the right way , sure there are lots of safer solvents, but you use alot and gas is cheap. Harmfull to what the chain? no. Harmfull to other parts . I havn`t had a problem, can you be specific, not generalise. You say to clean chain on. Well I will tell you why this is the best way, Ive tried it on, then unhappy soaked it, the crud removed my " Clean " chain was amasing. Tell ya what Joe , Next time you clean a chain clean it your way , When your done cleaning soak it in a clean solvent of you choise, Only then will you understand . The easiest way to keep from replacing expensive chains is extensive cleaning.

[Greg O]

Mineral spirits is onlt $3 a gallon. Filter the dirt out with a paint or coffee filter and pour it back into the can for next time. Mineral spirits will not burn like gasoline will. Greg

[Joseph Meehan]

Ask you local fire department or your insurance company what they think of your idea. It is a Buba idea. Not too swift.

Some chains have rubber seals. They can be damaged by gasoline. I don't believe they are in common use.

How about your face. See above.

No I said "They even have chain cleaners so you don't need to remove the chain to clean it."

All else being equal I agree that removing the chain can result in a better cleaning than not removing it. However the convenience of being able to clean it in place will often mean it gets cleaned more often.

[m Ransley]

A buba idea, only if around heat which could ignite it. But yes there are more proper solvents that most should use. So call me Bubba.

[Sue]

What he said. The chain cleaners work pretty well. removing a chain off a bike can be a pain, you need a chain tool, and some patience. Well actually removing it is easy, getting it back on securely, without a stiff link, can be hard. Sue

[m Ransley]

No chain tool, drop rear wheel , leave chain on, chain is loose and has play to work with. Yes a pain, but I ride trails and crud them up bad.

[Jay Chan]

Seem like anything else is better than using Dry-Lube. Oh well, I will have to use the Dry-Lube that I bought on door hinges and such that I usually use WD-40 (that does't last).

Seem like no one seconds the idea of using WD-40 for lubricating the chain as suggested by a salesman in Home Depot.

I probably will use paint-thinner because I have a whole can sitting in my basement doing nothing (I have been using mostly latex paint lately). Great, finally I can use it up for good reason. I will take the chain down for a good cleaning. And then go to bike shop to see if they have any clean stuff for lubricating the chain.

I will follow people advice and stick with grease for the lawn mower. I believe grease is what the manufacturer recommends.

As for the metal gardening tools, I probably use dirty engine oil that I removed from my lawn mower last year to oil them. This will be a way of recyling. I just need to find a way to easily apply the engine oil over the gardening tools -- may be a can and a brush and some paper towel.

Thanks everyone for helping me with this.

Jay Chan

[Joseph Meehan]

Despite what the ads suggest WD-40 is NOT a lube, it is a solvent; a very very light oil.

It would be better to use it as the solvent to clean the chain.

I have seen people who keep a bucket of sand with some old oil mixed in for garden tools. Things like shovels can be stuck in there a couple of time and the sand cleans them and the oil prevents future rust.

[Philip Lewis]

I've heard of folks getting a bucket of sand, pouring the oil in, then stabbing the garden tools several times into the sand. the sand helps clean the tool and the oil coats it "just enough".

I havn't tried this, but i imagine you might need a small whisk brrom to brush the sand off.

[Trent©]

That's also the best thing for your bike chain. Put the oil into an oil can...run the tip quickly and spray the top of the chain. Move the chain...so that the bottom is now on the top. Spray again.

Take the bike around the corner slowly one time.

And you need to get a new chain guard is the chain is getting your pants dirty.

Don't you have fingers?

Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde? A golden retriever.

[Zaf]

$100 Chain? The chain on my $2500 Serrotta is a $30 chain. I don't think I have even seen such a thing. And actually a road bike needs very little maintence, the chain needing the most frequent attention. Mtn bikes (or anything ridden in dirt is another matter.

Chain lube on a bike chain is like a religion, more at

and rec.bicycles.tech (you may be tagged as a troll if you mention chain lube!).

[Jay Chan]

Thanks for the confirmation. This was the reason why I didn't buy WD-40 when I was in Home Depot on that day.

Yes, I also saw this being done in a gardening TV show "Gardening by the Yards". I choose not to do this because I don't have any more bucket. I have used up all the drywall compound buckets from my last home improvement project for various purposes (fishing, car wash, ...). I will have to make do with the "paper towel" approach. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Jay Chan