Take the 2-minute tour ×  I don't have any chain oil right now,
but I have some gear oil left over from working on my car. Would
it be an effective chain lubricant? It's listed as 80W90, but
reading the Wikipedia article suggests that that's not
equivalent to motor oil viscosity ratings.  share|improve this
question You're in Vancouver, BC. I'm pretty sure that chain
lubricants are not difficult to acquire, and in fact easy to
acquire. So, why do you want to use automotive lubricants for
your bicycle? –  user313 May 29 '12 at 21:19  4 Answers 4  up
vote 8 down vote accepted  Short answer: No, you shouldn't.
Heavy oils attract too much dirt, grit and grime which will
damage the useful life of your chain.  You need a light
lubricant which will wick it's way into the internals of the
chain, rather than simply coating the external portion of the
chain.  A good Teflon carrier lube like the Finish Line Teflon
works well, lasts a good while and doesn't pick up dirt when
properly applied. Using something like that wi