A reviewer/endorser on Fixed Gear gallery wrote that a chemist had determined that Pro Link chain lube is just mineral spirits and synthetic motor oil. I don't know that I believe that, but it got me thinking.
I'm going to try using sugar water on my chain. The ants eating the sugar will remove dirt from the chain. The movement of the drive train will crush the ants, allowing the juices of their bodies to lubricate it. Regular applications of sugar water will keep a steady supply of ants coming. They will also no doubt appreciate the nutrients provided by the crushed bodies of their predecessors.
It's 100 per cent biodegradable and renewable, but I guess it isn't cruelty free.
That slickwilly stuff was the closest to a good buy and effect lube i'd tried.
ReplyDeletefigured Prolink was the same...
this is the stuff though:
EVerlube
Works v.well... would put the lube industry out of business... or, buy a gross of 2oz bottles for the shop, have some stickers made up and boom - presto $2-6/bottle and you've got a better money maker than a flat fix!
The real holy grail is a lube the dubs can use once a year and not get a rusty chain. Both Pro Link and your home brew leave the naked side plates vulnerable to rust. This corrosion can work its way into the spaces where inner and outer plates overlap, leading to stiffies, and not in a good way.
ReplyDeleteIf you care enough to lube often, you're way ahead of the game. I have developed different lube protocols for people who lube often versus hardly ever. The neglectful ones get gooberlubed. The conscientious ones can use the light lube of their choice, or Pro Link if it's left up to me. Home brew would work for them, too.
Some ants have a waxy, waterproof coating on their exoskeletons, so that should provide extra protection for the chain. What a brilliant idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm tellin' ya! Yeah!
ReplyDelete