How to lubricate a bicycle: tips for choosing a lubricant. Operation of centralized grease systems

The performance of equipment and its operating efficiency depend on its provision with highly effective lubricants (oils, greases, cutting fluids).

The main purpose of lubricants is to reduce friction and wear in the rubbing parts of mechanisms, which makes it possible to increase the mechanical efficiency of the engine and protect rubbing pairs from wear and jamming. Their second important role is to remove heat from the engine and parts that heat up during friction. In addition, the lubricant protects parts from corrosion, washes away and removes contaminants, provides a seal, and in some cases performs special tasks: for example, it serves as a separating layer between the mold and the casting.

The lubricant is also subject to a number of requirements that are not related to its operational functions, but are necessary from the point of view of ergonomic and environmental properties. Lubricants must be non-toxic, do not have an unpleasant odor, do not pollute the environment, be biostable, and, under certain conditions, biodegradable.

They must fit well with construction materials, be filtered and pumped, and not form foam upon contact with air. Lubricants must be retained in the friction unit, not dry out when exposed to high temperatures, and not harden during operation.

Special lubricants must meet special requirements, for example, be resistant to contact with aggressive media, have high electrical resistivity, or, on the contrary, good conductivity.

Most widely used lubricating oils. This is facilitated by their relatively low cost and ease of use.

Lubricants are used in friction units where the use of liquid oils is difficult or irrational. The most common are plastic (grease) lubricants. Their global production is about a million tons per year, which is significantly less than the production of lubricating oils (about 40 million tons per year).

Plastic lubricants are thick ointments intended for lubricating rolling bearings of various types, hinges, levers, cam-eccentric systems, etc. Unlike liquid oils, greases have shear strength.

Greases have the following advantages:

Maintained on inclined and vertical surfaces;

They are not squeezed out of contact, have good lubricity over a fairly wide temperature range, and are able to seal the unit;

Provide low lubricant consumption and simplify the design of the unit;

Reduce metal consumption, reduce maintenance costs.

Disadvantages include low thermal conductivity, accumulation of wear products, etc. Greases are more prone to oxidation and breakdown than liquid oils.

The cavities of friction units are filled with grease. The lubricant is replaced during maintenance. A number of units provide for replenishing the lubricant supply using grease fittings.

About 150 types of lubricants are produced in Ukraine. Lubricants are classified by consistency, composition and areas of application .

By consistency lubricants are divided into semi-liquid, plastic and solid.

Plastic And semi-liquid lubricants are colloidal systems consisting of a dispersion medium, a dispersed phase, as well as additives and additives. Greases are most widely used in rolling and sliding bearings, hinges, gear, screw and chain transmissions, and multi-strand cables.

Solid lubricants before hardening, they are suspensions, the dispersion medium of which is a resin or other binder and solvent, and the thickener is molybdenum disulfide, graphite, carbon black, etc. After hardening (evaporation of the solvent), solid lubricants are sols that have all the properties of solids and are characterized by low dry friction coefficient.

The most common group are greases, which in consistency occupy an intermediate position between liquid oils and solid lubricants.

The composition of greases includes: base oil (70-90%), thickener And additives.

The content of thickeners in lubricants is, as a rule, 10-15%, with low thickening ability - up to 20-30% by weight. It is the thickener that, under normal conditions, allows the lubricant to behave like solid body, and when a load is applied, it flows like a liquid. As a matter of fact, the type and amount of thickener determine the performance properties of the grease, therefore the type of lubricant is determined by the thickener.

Improving the quality of lubricants is achieved by introducing various additives(0.001-5% by weight), which are usually used as organic compounds that are soluble in a dispersion medium and have a significant effect on the formation of the structure and rheological properties of lubricants. Ionol is most often used as an antioxidant additive, nitrated oxidized as an anti-corrosion additive. petrolatum, anti-wear – tricresyl phosphate etc.

In addition to additives typical for oils, solid additives (anti-friction, sealing) can be added to the grease, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) or graphite.

By composition depending on type dispersion medium produce lubricants based on petroleum (mineral) and synthetic oils. Of the mineral oils used in the manufacture of greases, the most widely used are industrial oils grades 12, 20, 30, 45 and 50(GOST 1707-51).

When choosing a base oil, the area of ​​application of the lubricant is taken into account. Thus, in friction units with low loads and high speeds, it is more advisable to use a lubricant containing low-viscosity mineral oil.

On the contrary, for friction units that carry a large load and operate at low speeds, it is advisable to add high-viscosity oils to the grease.

Depending on what they contain thickener distinguish:

1. Soap lubricants , for the production of which salts of higher carboxylic acids (soaps) are used as a thickener. Depending on the soap anion, lubricants of the same cation are divided into conventional and complex (calcium, lithium, barium, aluminum and sodium).

A separate group includes lubricants based on mixed soaps, in which a mixture of soaps is used as a thickener (lithium-calcium, sodium-calcium, etc., the first listed is the soap cation, the share of which is large in the thickener). Soap lubricants, depending on the fatty raw material used to produce them, are called conditionally synthetic (soap anion is a radical of synthetic fatty acids) or fatty (soap anion is a radical of natural fatty acids). Calcium lubricants are called solid oils(also applies to solid oils graphite lubricant USA). These are the most common lubricants in our country so far due to their low cost and satisfactory performance characteristics. When heated to approximately 80 °C, solid oils irreversibly decompose, and this makes it impossible to use them in such vehicle components as, for example, front wheel hubs, water pump bearings, and ignition distributor.

Complex calcium lubricants Compared to solid oils, they are thermally stable, have high extreme pressure properties, but are prone to heat strengthening and are hygroscopic (they must be stored in an airtight container).

These lubricants include Uniols.

Sodium and sodium-calcium lubricants (grease 1-13, fatty constalins) , owe their distribution to a fairly high melting point. However, their scope of application is limited, since they are not waterproof - they dissolve in water, are easily washed off with water from surfaces, etc.

By modern standards, the listed lubricants are obsolete, their production is gradually being phased out. Due to their valuable performance qualities, they are becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world. lithium and lithium complex greases (lithols, CV joints, fiols, severols, CIATIM and etc.). Complex lithium lubricants, unlike lithium ones, are operational in a wider temperature range and are used in equipment in the textile, machine tool, automotive and other industries.

Barium lubricants (ShRB) are somewhat inferior to lithium in temperature characteristics, but superior to them in water resistance.

A progressive type of lubricants that are used abroad are complex aluminum lubricants . Their cost does not exceed the cost of solid oils, at the same time they have high mechanical and physicochemical stability, high adhesion and very high water resistance. The disadvantage is low heat resistance (operability at temperatures up to 70°C). They are used mainly in rough mechanisms operating in seawater, as well as in threaded connections.

Inorganic lubricants , for the production of which heat-stable highly dispersed inorganic substances with a well-developed specific surface area are used as a thickener. These include silica gel, bentonite, graphite, asbestos and other lubricants.

Organic lubricants , for the production of which thermostable, highly dispersed organic substances are used. These include polymer, pigment, polyurea, soot and other lubricants. The new generation of polyureate lubricants prepared with petroleum and synthetic hydrocarbon oils, having an upper application temperature of 220°C, in this indicator are very close to high-temperature Teflon lubricants based on perfluoropolyethers, differing favorably from the latter at a significantly lower cost.

Hydrocarbon lubricants , for the production of which high-melting hydrocarbons are used as thickeners. These are mainly conservation and rope lubricants.

By area of ​​application, lubricants are divided into:

Anti-friction (reducing wear and friction of mating parts);

Highly specialized (industry) lubricants;

Conservation (prevention of corrosion of metal products and mechanisms during storage, transportation and operation). In turn, they are divided into lubricants general purpose and rope lubricants (preventing wear and corrosion of steel ropes);

Sealing (sealing gaps, facilitating assembly and disassembly of fittings, stuffing box devices, threaded, detachable and moving connections, including vacuum systems).

The largest group of lubricants by area of ​​application is anti-friction lubricants . This group of lubricants in turn includes:

- General purpose lubricants (Solidol S, Solidol Zh, Graphite, Graphite Zh). Until recently, solid oils, as the cheapest lubricants, were the most in demand. Recently, there has been a tendency to reduce the production of solid oil. This is due to the replacement of solid oils with multi-purpose lubricants.

- General purpose lubricants for elevated temperatures (the most common brand in this subgroup of lubricants is grease 1-13, Konstalin).

- Multi-purpose lubricants (the most common are Litol-24, Fiol-2).

- Heat-resistant lubricants (Ciatim-221, Ciatim-221s, Uniol-2M/1, VNIINP-207, VNIINP-210, VNIINP-214, VNIINP-219, VNIINP-231, VNIINP-233, VNIINP-235, VNIINP-246, VNIINP-247 , Graphitol, Aerol, Silikol, Polymol, Maspol, BNZ-4, BNZ-5, PFMS-4S).

- Frost-resistant lubricants (Tsiatim-203, Snaryadnaya VS, GOI-54p, Lita, Zimol).

- Chemical resistant lubricants (Ciatim-205, VNIINP-279, VNIINP-280, VNIINP-282, VNIINP-283, VNIINP-294, VNIINP-295, VNIINP-298, Cryogel, No. 8, Fluorocarbon 10 OKF, Fluorocarbon 3 F, Fluorocarbon KST).

- Instrument lubricants (Tsiatim-201, Tsiatim-202, OKB-127-7, OKB-122-7-5, ATs-1, ATs-3, Delta-I, Delta-III, SOT, VNIINP-223, VNIINP-228, VNIINP -257, VNIINP-258, VNIINP-260, VNIINP-270, VNIINP-271, VNIINP-274, VNIINP-286, VNIINP-293, VNIINP-299, Orion).

- Semi-fluid lubricants (Tsiatim-208, Shakhtol, Shakhtol-K, STP-L, STP-3, OZP-1, Transol-100, Transol-200, Transol-300, Transol-ROM, Reduktol, Reduktol M, SKP-M, LZ- PZHL-00). - Running-in pastes(Limol, VNIINP-225, VNIINP-232).

TO highly specialized lubricants relate:

- Lubricants for electrical machines (LDS-1, LDS-3, VNIINP-242, ESh-176, SVEM).

- Automotive lubricants (the most common of them are SHRUS-4, Fiol-2, as well as Litin-2, Litol-459/5, AM cardan, LSTs-15, ShRB-4, No. 58, LZ-31, KSB, DT-1, Dispersol-1, MZ-10).

- Railway lubricants (LZ-TsNII (U), Kulisnaya ZhK, TsNII-KZ, ZhT-72, ZhT-79L, ZhA, ZhR, ZhD, Kontaktnaya, Buksol, Kasetol).

- Marine lubricants (AMS-1, AMS-3, MS-70, MUS-3A, MZ).

-Aviation lubricants (Era, VNIINP-254, VNIINP-261, VNIINP-281, Svintsol-01, Svintsol-02, ST (NK-50), No. 9).

- Industrial lubricants (Uniol-2M/2, IP-1, LKS-2, LKS-metallurgical, Pressol-M, KSB, LS-1P, Start, Siol, VNIINP-273, Rotational IR, Termolita and others).

- Drilling lubricants (Dolotol N, Dolotol AU, Dolotol NU, Geol-1, Plastol).

- Electric contact (VNIIP-248, VNIIP-502, Pasta 164-39, Electra-1).

conservation lubricants general purpose is a gun lubricant, among cable cars lubricants – Torsiol-35B.

The most common brand among sealing lubricants is the brand Armatol-238. The group of sealing lubricants also includes the following brands of lubricants: R-2, R-113, R-402, R-416, VNIIP-263, VNIIP-291, VNIIP-292, VNIIP-300, Vacuumnaya, Kranol, Rezbol OM-2 , LZ-162u, etc.

Note that the abundance of names of domestic lubricants (according to various estimates, several thousand names) is due to the fact that in the former USSR until 1979. The names of lubricants were set arbitrarily. As a result, some lubricants received a verbal name (Solidol-S), others - a number (No. 158), and others - the designation of the institution that created them (CIATIM-201, VNIINP-242). In 1979, GOST 23258-78 was introduced (currently in force in Ukraine and Russia), according to which the name of the lubricant must consist of one word and a number. Now in Ukraine, a mandatory requirement for lubricant manufacturers is to produce products in accordance with State Industry Standards (GOST), or in accordance with Technical Conditions (TU).

Abroad, manufacturing companies introduce the name of lubricants arbitrarily due to the lack of a uniform classification for all performance indicators (with the exception of classification by consistency), which also led to the emergence of a huge assortment of greases.

The main indicators characterizing performance properties of lubricants are:

grease consistency(according to the NLGI classification - National Lubricating Grease Institute - US National Lubricating Institute, lubricants are divided into several groups, designated by numbers from 0 to 6);

drop point;

operating temperature range;

mechanical stability;

water resistance, etc.

Compatibility of the lubricant with other lubricants is most often determined by the type of base oil and thickener included in the lubricants.

The composition of some lubricants produced by enterprises and used in various industries is presented in Table 9.1.

The grease production process is a complex physical and chemical process for producing highly stable gels with desired properties. Therefore, the technology of lubricants is much more complex than that of fuels or oils. Even in enterprises with extensive production experience, the percentage of unsuccessful brews for a long time was very tall, and it was considered in the order of things

Lubrication systems:

1. Embedded grease in the bearing housing.
2. Periodic lubrication using a syringe.
3. Lubrication using manual stations.
4. Centralized lubrication systems.

Conditions for filling the bearing with grease:

1. Correct amount of lubricant.
2. The correct way to bookmark.
3. The correct grade and quality of lubricant.
4. Correct relubrication intervals.

Limitations when operating lubrication systems:

1. How long does the lubricant last?
2. How to replace used lubricant.

Calculation of the main parameters of grease lubrication systems

The optimal conditions for supplying the lubricant, its quantity and frequency of supply are determined during operation by selection. To roughly calculate the need for lubrication at metallurgical plants, use the formula:

q = 11 × K 1 × K 2 × K 3 × K 4 × K 5 cm 3 /m 2 ×h),

Where q– the amount of lubricant (cm 3) that should be supplied hourly to 1 m 2 of the rubbing surface of the friction unit; 11 – minimum rate of lubricant consumption for bearings with a diameter of up to 100 mm at a rotation speed not exceeding 100 rpm; K 1– coefficient taking into account the dependence of lubricant consumption on the bearing diameter: K 1 = 1 + 4 × (d – 100) × 10 –3– plain bearings, K 1 = 1 + (d – 100) × 10 –3– rolling bearings; K 2– coefficient taking into account the dependence of lubricant consumption on bearing rotation speed K 2 = 1 + 4 × (n – 100) × 10 –3; K 3– coefficient that takes into account the quality of rubbing surfaces at the rate of lubricant consumption (at good quality(total area of ​​damage does not exceed 5%) K 3 = 1, with satisfactory K 3 = 1.3; K 4– coefficient taking into account the operating temperature of the bearing (at temperatures below 75 °C K 4 = 1, at operating temperature 75…150 °C K 4 = 1.2); K 5– coefficient taking into account the bearing load (at rated load K 5 = 1, when the design value is exceeded K 5 = 1.1).

The performance of the dosing feeder is calculated using the formula:

V n = q × F × T,

Where Vn– the required volume of lubricant that the feeder must supply in one stroke of the plunger, cm 3, for a given lubrication mode (the period between two successive feeds) T, h; F– area of ​​the bearing rubbing surface ( D×B), m 2.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to increase or decrease the calculated value of the dosing feeder productivity. In most cases, such a discrepancy depends on reasons that cannot be taken into account in the calculation:

• poor seal design;
• a large amount of water;
• falling on the friction unit and washing away the lubricant;
• poor location of lubrication grooves;
• a type of lubricant that does not correspond to the temperature and load conditions of the unit.

These reasons cause an increase in the standard size of the feeder compared to the calculated one. On the contrary, a lower operating speed of the machine, a lighter operating mode, and a well-functioning compaction lead to a reduction in the designed size of the feeder.

Determining the amount of lubricant

The necessary and sufficient doses of grease used for the initial filling of the bearing housing and for periodic replenishment are regulated by the data given in. The volume of lubricant should occupy 40...60% of the free space of the bearing housing. There must be free space in the bearing housing for the lubricant to be squeezed out. If the machine operates without increased vibration, this volume can be increased to 80%, provided that lithium lubricants are used. If the machine operates with high vibrations, then the maximum amount of lubricant is 60% of the free space of the bearing.

Table 5.3 - Amount of lubricant for one-time filling of the bearing housing and for periodic addition

Volume of grease (cm 3) for filling into the bearing unit:

V = f × B × D 0 / 1000,

Where D0– average bearing diameter, cm; IN– width of the radial bearing or height of the thrust bearing, cm; f– filling factor depending on the inner diameter of the bearing d:

For rolling bearings with d VN> 140 mm the amount of lubricant to fill the housing is calculated using the formula:

Q z = 0.001 × B × (D 2 – d 2),

Where Q z– amount of lubricant required to fill the housing, g; IN– bearing width, mm; D– outer diameter of the bearing, mm; d– internal diameter of the bearing, mm.

Amount of lubricant for periodic addition over time h, h:

Q = 0.005 × D × B G.

Lubrication frequency

Under normal operating conditions, the bearings are completely recharged after 4...6 months of operation, under severe operating conditions - after 2...3 months. An increase in temperature of 15 °C requires lubrication twice as often.

Time h(h) between successive additions of grease under normal operating conditions (no leaks, normal unit temperature, proper lubricant quality), depending on the diameter d bearing bores and speed n, can be approximately determined from graphs ().

Stationary housings and lubrication points

If a double-row bearing is installed and there is a hole for lubrication, then the lubricant should be fed into the bearing centrally. It is necessary to provide a hole for the outlet of used lubricant.

Centralized grease systems

Based on their operating principle, centralized automatic lubrication systems are divided into two types: loop systems and end systems.

Loop systems It is advisable to use in cases where lubricated machines are located close to each other or it is necessary to service a separate machine that requires frequent supply of lubricant; if necessary, install valves on branches from the main line to disconnect from the lubrication system mechanisms that require a less frequent supply of lubricant than the main one equipment groups.

End systems It is most advisable to use it in the linear arrangement of lubricated units and mechanisms over long sections.

Loop systems

1. Lubrication station.
2. Storage tank.
3. Refill pump.
4. Filling valve.
5. Electric motor and plunger pump.
6. A command device that turns on the station at specified time intervals.
7. Self-recording pressure gauge.
8. Signal lamp.
9. Siren - turns on when the station is running for too long or the station is not started on time.
10. A pressure valve connected to a limit switch is installed at the end of the longest branch line.
11. Feeders.
12. Main pipelines.
13. Pipelines supplying lubricants to friction units.
14. Electrically controlled distributor.
15. Mesh filters.
16. Distributor electromagnets.
17. Electrically controlled linear distributors - for periodically disconnecting a group of points from the system that do not require lubrication during each station operation cycle.

Finite-type systems are used to lubricate equipment located linearly over long areas, which is typical for metallurgical equipment. Terminal systems have simpler main line piping since there is no need to introduce return lines required for a loop system.

Figure 5.6 – Final centralized lubrication system

Feeder operation

The feeders work as follows ():

• position I– lubricant supplied under pressure through line A lowers spool 2, opening the upper oblique channel 4;
• position II– having passed through channel 4, the lubricant forces piston 3 to lower, while the lubricant from the space under the piston is squeezed out through channel 5 to the friction unit;
• position III– lubricant enters through line B and spool 2 moves upward;
• position IV– having passed through the lower oblique channel, the lubricant forces piston 3 to rise upward, while the lubricant from the space above the piston is squeezed out through channel 5 to the friction unit.

Figure 5.7 – Stages of feeder operation

The indicator rods 1 of all feeders must always occupy the same position: either raised or lowered all the way. Feeders that fail to operate during three consecutive injection cycles must be repaired or replaced. Development and replacement of failed feeders when lubricant is supplied by an automatic station should be carried out only after switching the station to manual control.

Operation of centralized grease systems

1. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of dirt, sand, water, and air getting into the system.
2. The lubricant used must be of the same type, homogeneous - without lumps or foreign inclusions.
3. Do not fill the manual station reservoir from the top with the lid removed.
4. Avoid lubricant leaks through feeders and pipelines.
5. When replacing pipes, the new pipe must be pickled or sandblasted, washed and filled with lubricant.
6. Shut-off devices installed on the oil pipeline near the stations must be open during operation.
7. It is necessary to observe the timing of filling the reservoir with lubricant, and do not allow it to empty.
8. Change the chart on the self-recording pressure gauge once a day. The results of the previous day must be analyzed.
9. Do not allow lubricant to get into the mechanism of the recording pressure gauge.
10. Regularly check pressure gauge readings at control points.
11. Check the operation of the feeder once per shift.

Operation of handheld stations

1. When pumping, the handle is not brought to its extreme position, with constant pressure control.
2. Do not leave the system under pressure. The station handle must be in a vertical position.
3. Protect the station from contamination and moisture.
4. It is advisable to number all feeders, lubricated points and outlets in the same way.

Typical cases of feeder problems

1. The limiter housing is damaged. Replace, if possible, restore.
2. Linear feeder rod is bent. Replace the rod or limiter.
3. The feeder only works upwards. The spool has a very long lower shank.
4. At normal pressure, the feeder passes lubricant in excess of the required norm. Either there is no spool, or the spool is worn out.

In the absence of lubrication, dirt and water do their unnoticed work: traces of rust appear, the working surfaces of parts are erased, and jammed elements are destroyed. To prevent your bike from failing on the road, you need to lubricate all its working components in the garage. Bicycle lubricants, by sealing metal surfaces from air, prevent the formation of rust. A layer of lubricant applied to the contacting surfaces significantly reduces wear of parts and friction losses between them.

How to lubricate a specific bicycle part?

There is no shortage of lubricants for bicycles, as for other machines. All existing lubricants can be divided into several types.

1. Consistent. Durable, tolerate significant low and high temperatures. But they are difficult to apply and it is difficult to remove excess. A lot of dust and dirt sticks to them.
2. Liquid. It is convenient to apply using a syringe or oil can, and can be poured into assembled units. Residues are easy to wipe off. Cons: they drain from the parts being coated and change viscosity with temperature changes.
3. Two-component. In the form of a liquid it can be applied precisely; in the form of an aerosol it penetrates into closed areas of the lubricated unit. Cons: aerosol oil is sprayed past the part to be coated; after lubrication, you need to wait until the solvent dries.

Greases (thick) lubricants

Sold in jars and tubes. This type of lubricant belongs to plastic substances. Bicycle grease is used in slow-rotating mechanisms. This is what needs to be used to process bearings in all components of the bicycle, threaded connections, and lever bushings. Thick oils are used when preserving chains for long-term storage.

Let's look at how to choose a specific thick oil in more detail.

Lithium oils

Greases containing lithium are usually yellow or red in color. Lithium compounds in lubricating oil are necessary to increase slip and expand the temperature range at which the oil maintains its performance properties. Lithium oils operate at temperatures from -50°C to +180°C. Examples of lubricants with lithium include domestic LITOL, CIATIM, FIOL, CV joints. They are washed off with water, but for a long time - throughout the year.

Domestic lubricant No. 158 has high adhesion; it is practically not washed off with water. It has a distinctive blue color. This color is given by a pigment - copper phthalocyanine, which is a thickener and antioxidant additive at the same time. During operation, this oil cleans cups, cones, and bearing balls to a shine. Has a temperature range from -40°C to +120°C. If grease No. 158 is not available, you can lubricate the rear suspension arm bushings, carriage assembly, and fork ball bearings with other thick oils.

Imported Lithium Grease from the English company Weldtite Products contains, in addition to lithium, Teflon.

Lithium greases have a common disadvantage - they react chemically with aluminum.
Their overall advantage is more low price, in comparison with other types of lubricants.

Calcium oils

Oils based on calcium compounds are most often yellow or green in color. Such lubricants adhere well to metal parts, so they take a long time to wash off with water. Examples of lubricants with calcium are the domestic ones Solidol and Uniol. They should be used for wheel bearings, pedal ball bearings, brake levers and other bicycle components that are often exposed to water.

But under no circumstances should you lubricate the bushing with the brake mechanism with grease and other thick substances. If the hub brakes, due to the inexperience of the cyclist, were lubricated with thick grease, they must be washed with kerosene and dripped with liquid oil.

All metals can be coated with calcium lubricants to protect against corrosion, since the chemical activity of calcium is very low compared to lithium.

The disadvantage of calcium lubricants is the narrow, compared to lithium, temperature range at which they retain their properties - from -30°C to +50°C.

Graphite lubricants

Graphite powder itself is an antifriction substance. After the oil that binds it dries or burns out, it will remain on the surface of the lubricated part. The remaining thin layer of graphite will ensure good sliding of the two parts in contact, even those that are under heavy load. An example of a graphite lubricant is the domestic USSA oil.

Graphite oils are suitable for application to threaded connections and bushings of rear suspension arms. There was a time when cycling enthusiasts used graphite to weld chains in it. It was labor-intensive and time-consuming work, in which you need to ensure that the oil does not boil and, as a result, does not collapse. With a large selection of two-component lubricants available, there is no need to weld the chain in graphite or other thick lubricant.

The disadvantage of graphite lubricant is that it greatly stains everything it comes into contact with.

Technical Vaseline

Unlike medical and cosmetic, technical Vaseline undergoes the least purification. It is not transparent and its color can vary from yellowish to dark brown. Technical Vaseline protects metal parts from air and water better than other lubricants, so it perfectly protects them from corrosion. Vaseline perfectly lubricates all bicycle cables and stays on them for a long time.

Boric petroleum jelly contains free acids that can attack the chrome surfaces of bearings and legs.

Liquid oils

Sold in barrels on tap or in small canisters and oil bottles. Liquid bicycle lubricant can have varying degrees of viscosity. Examples of lubricants with different fluidity are industrial, spindle, and automotive oil. Automotive liquid oil can lubricate the rotation axes of brake levers, brake levers, speed switches, and ball bearings of ratchets. It is suitable for bicycle bushings: it is enough to pour 2-3 drops of automobile oil into them once a month to renew the lubrication. But you should avoid overfilling, since the oil leaking from the bicycle components forms sticky dirt with dust. Oil that gets on the tires destroys the rubber.

Less viscous, industrial or spindle oil is poured into the bicycle fork as the working fluid of an oil shock absorber, or lubricated with it on the fork legs.

Liquid oil can be used to coat cables, but it does not adhere well to exposed surfaces, so it will need to be applied frequently. Liquid lubricant should be renewed 1-2 times a month or every time the bike is exposed to rain.

Two-component lubricants

Supplied in aerosol cans and oil bottles. A two-part lubricant consists of a thick oil and a solvent that thins the oil. This combined bicycle lubricant has the fluidity of water and easily flows into the assembled elements. After application, the solvent evaporates, leaving only a thick oil inside. Therefore, it is convenient for lubricating the chain, chain tension wheel bushings, derailleur axles, brake lever supports and other closed bicycle components.

The oil film that remains after spraying from a can is difficult to wash off with water, so two-component lubricants can be applied to the surface of the bicycle to protect it during winter skiing or long storage.

Silicone Grease

Silicone-based oils can be purchased as a spray, liquid, or grease. Such variety is necessary for ease of application. Despite the differences in design, they all consist of an oxygen-containing silicone compound and a solvent. Silicone oil, as opposed to mineral or essential oils, does not destroy rubber parts.

Silicone lubricants are also highly resistant to dust adhesion, so they are indispensable for processing rubber seals.

Teflon grease

This type of lubricant has the most high rate abrasion resistance. Being between two moving parts, it is not produced for a long time under high pressure. Therefore, Teflon oil is the best chain lubricant.

In addition to the solvent, Teflon oil also contains antistatic components that repel dust.

Wax lubricant

Unlike Teflon-based lubricants, it creates a thicker waxy synthetic layer of oil on the outside that will need to be renewed less often. In terms of its ability to linger on parts under increased pressure, it is inferior to Teflon.

Before reapplying wax, the surface will need to be cleaned of any old oil.

Penetrating oils

WD-40 and its analogues

Sold in aerosol cans. They perfectly soften rust, dilute dried grease and displace water. Analogues of imported WD-40 are AnyWay and the domestic product UNISMA. These fluids are not actually lubricants. They contain white spirit, binders and only a little kerosene as a lubricant. Their main active ingredient is the solvent, not the oil.

It is correct to use WD-40 and similar liquids only for unscrewing rusted threaded connections and removing old dried grease, and not for lubricating bicycle components.

Nanoprotech lubricant

Nanoprotech lubricant is also a penetrating lubricant, but it uses mineral oil as a base. Therefore, with its help you can not only clean parts and unscrew rusted bolts and nuts, but also lubricate unloaded rubbing parts. Although it is best to use it when disassembling a bicycle and preserving it.

Lubricants should not contain solid impurities, free acids and water, so they should be stored in clean containers with a tight-fitting lid.

Now basic knowledge regarding bicycle lubricants you have. All that remains is to apply them in practice.