Longer lasting chain ?

[Andre Jute]

KMC X8-93 after running for 3500km on factory lube only, zero added lube, inside Hebie Chainglider. Notice how clean everything is. That’s how easy it is to pull the Chainglider apart for inspection or service of the chain though you don’t do too many of those either — I do none between fitting a chain and fitting the next chain. You don’t take the Chainglider off for anything except major transmission work. Even for removing the rear wheel, you take only the back end of Chainglider off and leave the front on to protect the bike’s paintwork from the chain. The Chainglider is such a good-value component, it is a reason to fit a hub gearbox.

[PH]

thin bead run along only one inside edge of the side plates (if you don't know why, read Sheldon Brown on chain care)

Well, I didn't know, so being stuck inside on a wet afternoon I followed your advice and went and re-read what Sheldon had to say.  I am a little wiser so not a wasted hour, but this idea of just oiling one side is only of any benefit with "old-fashioned bushing-type chains"
Sheldon writes:

I just run the pedals backwards while applying a line of oil down the rollers. It takes 15 or 20 seconds to oil a chain this way. In the case of old-fashioned bushing-type chains, I usually run the oil along the left side only, in hope that the clean oil will be able to flush through the bushings from left to right.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

I'm quite tempted to try the Rohloff oil, I might add a bottle to my next order, I'm in no hurry. 
How thick is it?  I subscribe to the idea that a not too thick oil is likely to flush the rollers out, in a way a thicker oil won't, the downside is having to apply more frequently.

[GaryRT]

I would describe the Rohloff oil as tacky.

You can hear the stickiness whilst pedalling and the transmission doesn’t feel as smooth and free running as when i use the usual 3-in-1 (regularly applied and cleaned my chains last ages with this!).

However, I use the Rohloff oil on my Raven Tour which mainly gets used when it’s wet or raining and it stays on the chain considerably longer than the thinner oil.

I applied some on my (mostly dry weather) Mercury’s chain but remember removing it and going back to the thinner oil.

[PH]

I would describe the Rohloff oil as tacky.

Thanks Gary, maybe I won't put it on my shopping list...

[Andre Jute]

I would describe the Rohloff oil as tacky.

Thanks Gary, maybe I won't put it on my shopping list...

Gary’s “tacky’ is right too. But you need to think this through. Seems to me that for a rider who uses his bikes for work in all weathers, tackiness is added value.

About your earlier post, it doesn’t matter about the construction of the chain: if you apply oil on both sides and create an airlock, it keeps the oil out. Where the oil doesn’t flow, it it doesn’t lubricate.

[PH]

it doesn’t matter about the construction of the chain: if you apply oil on both side and create an airlock, it keeps the oil out. Where the oil doesn’t flow, it it doesn’t lubricate.

With bushingless chains, the lubricant flow is entirely different. If oil is applied to the rollers, it can easily flow into both sides of the rollers, because air (and oil) can flow through the gap between the "half bushings". If a bushingless chain is oiled only on the rollers, for instance by a narrow-spout oil can, the oil is able to flow into both sides of the rollers, through the gap and onto the middles of the link pins. The oil then flows out along the link pins to the side-plate junctions. Since the side plates are oiled from the inside, there is a natural self-flushing action that brings dirt and sand out of the chain instead of into it.

They're not my words, but from the Sheldon article you suggested those who lacked understanding read

[Andre Jute]

They're not my words, but from the Sheldon article you suggested those who lacked understanding read

Sheldon's authority is impeccable. If Sheldon said it is so, I believe you.

But all it means is that the overenthusiastic, in their search for perfect maintenance to take a service-step too far, instead of blocking x equals 2 airways, must block x equals more than two airways. So I'll amend my advice: Never add oil at all the entrances for air and oil; it needs at least one hole for air and dirty oil to escape.

See, that's the beauty of my factory lube/zero maintenance/Chainglider regime: among other advantages I don't have to bother keeping up with oil flow because I add no oil.