University of Strathclyde in Glasgow once carried out a series of tests between lubricated and dry roller chains and found that there was if I remember correctly negligble frictional difference between a chain well lubricated and one running dry. it was however clear that wear becomes an issue in the unlubricated chain as was the increase in noise!. This report was on the web until recently but I'm no longer able to find it - or have not looked hard enough.
**Warning Personal Opinion Forthcoming**
I have to say, chain oilers on racing bikes seem about pointless or as effective as ashtrays on motorbikes. Clearly in the days of the Giro during the 30s the roads were dusty, but dropping oil onto a chain in such conditions has to be only slightly better than filling your hubs with valve grinding paste. In other non-dusty environments, just how much oil did the chains really need ? Maybe Fausto dropped of at the nearest service (gas) station for four pints of leaded and a shot in the seat tube mmm... A very Italian invention - it looks good, but totally pointless.
Being from the traditional Scottish school of prudence, I have to side with the view that overmuch snake oil is poured on chains encouraged of course by companies and cycle shop owners with a vested interested in making sure the carbon fibre boutique brigade spend twice nay three times as much on "superslideyfaster X2" than old fashioned and somewhat boring oil or grease.
Whilst lubricants have clearly been developed more in recent years, chains stay much as they were since the turn of the last century. Shimano and SRAM still supply chains in that sticky grease like condition from new.
Bob Reid Stonehaven Scotland.
On 30 Jul 2005, at 21:00, Aldo Ross wrote:
> I don't understand why they stopped equipping racing bikes with chain
> oilers.
>
> Aldo Ross
> BlueBall, Ohio