dcs@hocsp.UUCP (09/24/84)
Over the years I have been searching wfor ways to keep my bike clean and lubricated with a minimum of effort. So far I have a good system which is composed of the following: 1. To lubricate the chain I use a product called AMS/OIL Metal Protector. I lube the chain every 200 to 300 miles and have been using the same chain now for over 6,000 miles with no problems (same gears also). I lube the chain right on the bike. It picks up very little dirt. I never have to remove the chain to clean it. Note: let the lube dry overnight. When the carrier evaporates a very light grease (almost invisible but a good lubricant) is left. 2. To clean the bike I make a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part Heavy Duty Cleaner by Stenor Corporation. It is a non-caustic solvent that is not bad on the hands (removes skin oil if you have dry hands) but makes the bike sparkle. I use a hand sprayer to apply to gears, frame, chain, etc. and then hose it off. It looks like I dismantled the bike, cleaned it with a toothbrush and strong solvent and reassembled it, except that it took only 2 minutes and 10 cents worth of the cleaner! The rims also shine without having to touch them. 3. I use a diester based synthetic grease in the bearings. In the bottom bracket the grease still looks good after 3000 miles but I repack them anyway (once a year). The Metal Protector and grease are easy to find, just look in the yellow pages under lubricants for AMS/OIL. The cleaner is sort of hard to find as the company just started a few months ago. I know the founders of that company and if you send mail to me I will try to locate an outlet near anyone interested. Using the above methods I spend only a few hours per 3000 miles in routine maintenance. This is only about 1/5 of what I spent when I started cycling a few years ago. Doug Smith ATT-IS Holmdel, NJ 201-834-2811 hocsp!dcs