Lubricating (oiling) the chain is surprisingly complex when it comes to bicycle maintenance.

If your chain is black, you can assume it has oxidized and is old.

I hope this provides a guide for how often to oil the chain and how often to perform maintenance.

Oxidation of Chain Oil Varies with Usage Frequency

It's difficult to determine the right time to change chain oil or perform maintenance.

Even if left for a long time, a certain degree of lubrication effect can still be expected.

While it's not necessarily bad just because it's black, the lubricating effect has definitely decreased.

Also, if you're a neat freak who can't stand the black appearance, you tend to clean it frequently.

While it's satisfying to see it clean, it's a hassle.

There are five main reasons for oil oxidation.

These are "oxygen," "temperature," "moisture," "ions," and "sunlight."

Oxygen makes up 21% of the air, so it's almost impossible to avoid.

The higher the temperature, the more easily oil oxidizes.

Generally, it's said that for every 10-degree Celsius increase in temperature, the rate of oxidation doubles.

This means oil oxidizes more easily in summer compared to winter.

Moisture is also relatively high year-round in Japan, so this cannot be avoided either.

Regarding ions, some metals that oil comes into contact with can accelerate oxidation.

However, since most chains are made of iron alloy, there's no choice in material, so we'll disregard this here.

Finally, sunlight.

Specifically, ultraviolet rays in sunlight cause oil to oxidize.

This means that if you frequently ride your bicycle outdoors or if it's parked in a sunny spot, the chain oil is more prone to oxidation.

The Chain is an Important Bicycle Part

There's little noticeable difference when riding a bicycle whether the chain is well-oiled or has little oil.

However, for long-distance riding, it definitely reduces fatigue.

The difference in sliding friction with or without oil is only measurable with machinery.

The power you exert on the pedals is not 100% transferred to the gears.

The power loss is about 8% without oil and about 2.5% with oil, a difference of about 5%.

Although it's a small difference, after riding 50km or 100km, the level of fatigue will vary.

Two Types of Oil to Use

When people hear "oil the chain," some simply apply WD-40 and consider it done, but this is actually not very effective.

Two types of oil are required for chain maintenance.

The first is "degreaser oil."

This is also known as rust preventative or rust remover.

The second is "machine oil."

Machine oil has high viscosity, or to put it simply, it's a "thick oil."

The former, degreaser oil, has low viscosity and is thin.

Using only this will cause it to be flung off by centrifugal force when riding, and many are highly volatile, so the chain will be dry within a few days, making it prone to rust and increasing sliding friction.

Now, I'd like to tell you what you need for maintenance and the maintenance procedure.

Items Needed for Maintenance

・Degreaser oil

・Machine oil

・Rag (like a dustcloth; a piece of old shirt is fine)

・Toothbrush or nylon brush

・Rubber gloves or work gloves

Maintenance Procedure

When performing maintenance, always start with "checking."

Look at the chain and sprocket to check the darkness of the oil and how much dirt is caught in them.

Sometimes it can accumulate as a black, clay-like substance.

Taking photos allows you to compare how clean it became before and after maintenance.

Spray degreaser oil onto the chain and wipe it off with a rag.

Every two weeks to a month is sufficient.

This process takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

At this point, using a toothbrush or nylon brush will also remove the old, clay-like oil and dirt.

Washing with water is also an option here.

While some people believe that iron rusts when wet, it won't rust immediately just by getting wet, so feel free to wash it with water.

Using a shower head, like one for watering plants, makes it easy to wash.

Again, since fingers can't reach into the gaps of the sprocket or between the chain links, using a toothbrush or nylon brush will clean them effectively.

If you want to be extra thorough, using a neutral detergent like dish soap here would be a good idea.

By scrubbing with an automotive brush or similar, the chain will become significantly cleaner.

However, if you use a toilet cleaner, most are acidic and will cause rust.

If it's already rusted, acidic cleaners can remove rust easily, so use them for that specific purpose.

If you use an acidic cleaner, you must neutralize it afterward with an alkaline cleaner; otherwise, it will rust later.

Please be careful.

Finally, apply machine oil.

Since a degreased chain is more susceptible to rust than usual, always apply machine oil at the end.

Machine oil can be found at 100-yen shops, and the spray type is generally easier to use.

By holding a clean rag against the chain and spraying the oil, you can apply it without dripping and without getting the surroundings dirty.

Once finished, compare it to the photo you took before maintenance.

You'll likely see a significant difference.

Once you ride the bicycle, you'll feel the pedals are lighter.

This might contradict my earlier statement that "you won't notice much difference after oiling," but I believe you'll genuinely feel the lightness after performing the maintenance yourself and riding it.

Maintenance frequency depends on the bicycle's environment, but about once a month should be sufficient.

By performing maintenance, you can extend the lifespan of your chain.

Please give it a try.