I have wondered about this, having ridden a belt driven bike for the last 10 years. Gear oil it is, for a while!
The reason for cleaning and re-lubing a sealed 'O' ring chain is to protect the 'Rubber O Ring's' which keep the manufacturers lubricant inside the links ! A modern chain (o ring) will last somewhere around 25,000 plus klms with no re oiling or cleaning ! But it will rapidly deteriorate when the seals die ! I had a chain last well into the high 40,000 klm range but died suddenly when on a long tour and it rained for two days and I couldn't keep the oils up , they wouldn't stick !!
Didn’t bring it with me But the chain was well oiled before I set off If I think on I’ll post a picture when I get back
@andypandy used a mustard jar and the end of a 1 inch brush carried in a sandwich bag, I know cos he was good enough to share with me last year. The sandwiches were fu3k1ing awful.
Thanks SteveRS, for interest this is what RK say on their website; Please use RK genuine cleaner/lubricant or equivalent product in terms of keeping quality of the chain. Please use a chain cleaner only for sealed ring chain. DO NOT use regular cleaner, which is not for sealed ring chain. Please DO NOT use gasoline, kerosene, break cleaner, carburetor cleaner, or anti-rust lube as these would harm sealed ring and shorten the lifetime of the chain.
The reason for cleaning and re-lubing a sealed 'O' ring chain is to protect the 'Rubber O Ring's' which keep the manufacturers lubricant inside the links ! A modern chain (o ring) will last somewhere around 25,000 plus klms with no re oiling or cleaning ! But it will rapidly deteriorate when the seals die ! I had a chain last well into the high 40,000 klm range but died suddenly when on a long tour and it rained for two days and I couldn't keep the oils up , they wouldn't stick !! See as I said above, cleaning and relubing is all about protection of the rubber "O" rings !
Lol, it must be the same idiot that wrote the article in the manual on how to break your engine in. A prime example not to take everything in the manual as gospel.
It's odd isn't it. Couldn't find any RK lube or cleaners for sale anywhere online, apart from a lube for karts. Was hoping to see what they are made of as the list of 'DO NOT USE' doesn't leave much and isn't always very specific.
Ok, I brushed a small amount on yesterday before a ride and there was no sling at all. I added the oil to the brush and worked into the chain. It’s easy and the best thing is no mess from overspray either. I’m sold.
+1 for gear oil, much better than any lube I have used in 21 years of riding. It will fling a little on the fist ride, 10 miles or so but wipes off really easily then does`t really fling after that. You don`t get all the dust and crud sticking to the chain Motul - HD 80W-90 Gear Oil 1 Litre This is £8.99 and will last a very long time
Being an old git and never want to spend more than i paid in the 70s, i use gear oil. I pour some on to a microfibre cloth( i used to use old Tshirts as they were free) and run the chain through it. I get enough on the chain but not too much that the rear wheel gets covered in it. I oil the chain every 200 miles and in the last 1200 miles, I've only had to adjust the chain 3 times.
I’m sure the Motul gear oil is great stuff, but I can’t justify paying more than double for it compared to cheap gear oil that does the same thing. As far as the sling, if brushed on like I mentioned I did the other day, there is absolutely no sling. And you’re right about nothing sticking to it, I just love that benefit.
