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WD40 as bike lube?

8K views 29 replies 15 participants last post by  Burr 
#1 ·
What this I read about never using WD40 on your running gear??? I have been using it for ever!
 
#5 ·
No rain in months.

I'll have to see what I can find over here, maybe 3n1 they call it 4n1 for some reason.

The dirt and dust is so bad here the chain picks up everything. Dry may be better. oily just picks up everything.

I wash dry and lube every Friday both bike (mine & wife's)
 
#6 ·
From the WD40 site:

Whether you’re a fisherman, cyclist, pool shark or anything in between, WD-40® can help protect the equipment you use and ensure you continue doing the things you love. Use America’s favorite multi-purpose product to lubricate, protect and drive moisture from your gear and help avoid costly repairs later.
 
#8 ·
Nigal hit it on the head in my opinion. I understand the WD website has "to lubricate" in their description, but the lubrication qualities should be considered a "light" lubricant at most. The WD stands for Water Displacement and the 40 means it took them 40 times to figure out the right formula to do this. You can find more info here It is good for a lot of reasons, which none of those reasons IMHO include to be a chain lubricant. I've used it on my chain to get rid of the gunk and grime my chain picks up, then after it is dry I go back over the chain with a true lube and wax formula. Just my $.02 worth.
 
#10 ·
I wash dry and lube every Friday both bike (mine & wife's)
If you are that regular with cleaning, which is definitely the way to go, then you should use a good lube even if it does attract a little dust. Regular ATF (automatic trasmission fluid) is an excellent lube, doesn't destroy rubber or irritate skin (much). Good and cheap and easily available.
 
#11 ·
I've never understood peoples fascination with finding other products to lube their chains with.

A bottle of purpose-made bicycle chain lube is less than $5 at any bike shop. Arguably, bicycle chain lube is the best thing to use because if some other product was better, they'd be bottling it and selling it as lube in the bike shop.
 
#12 ·
Ryan, that's just not true. And the sub-$5 lubes you see at the LBS are marginal, most of the time, or in such small quantities as to be useless. I personally have to find a SWEEEET lube at the LBS before I'll pay $1 an ounce for it!

Like so many other things, a lot of it is marketing; general-use stuff, like the garbage WD-40, or tranny fluid (never tried it), or Mobil 1 in a lightweight formulation (recommended by MBA, on the sly) doesn't have the pizzazz or elitist appeal of something that's labeled bike-specific. Don't fall into that trap, that's where the salesmen want you, and they don't care about what's best for you.

Now, having said that, Giant Liquid Silk IS SWEEEEEEEEET! And it's about $8 for 8 ounces -- but it's good enough that I'll pop for it the next time I hit the LBS. Until then, Mobil 1 0W-20, alternated with stainless-steel cleaner/polish in a spray can, will do me quite well -- got me through 2 cold, salty, nasty winters!
 
#13 ·
You guys got to remember I live in The Philippines and have to hunt for everything I get.

I have other lubes but fine that they are full of sand after one 20 mile ride. WD40 doesn't hold the dirt.

I don't know, I'll test some more but I wash and lube every week. So maybe I can get away with the WD40.

I'll keep an open mind!!!
 
#14 ·
Burr, I know people who have tested WD-40 vs the pricier lubes, and their chains last just as long with either. IOW, the lubricating properties of WD-40 aren't an issue. Bike chains aren't exactly put to the same stresses as car engines, either in terms of temperature or of pressures. No matter what some of the guys around here might think of their power outputs. The biggest factor for long chain life is keeping it clean. With WD-40 you have to reapply often, but that means you're cleaning the chain often.

OK, all that said, I use White Lightning Clean Lube. It's rotten for wet conditions; but being wax-based, it doesn't attract dirt.
 
#15 ·
I like motorcycle chain lube. In an aerosol can. It sheds the sand here in Florida, and will last about a month. That's with riding 30-40 miles per day maybe 5 days a week, and leaving the bike out in the rain.
It keeps the chain really smooth and quiet. It's like the bike don't even have a chain, like it's belt drive or something. You can tell when it needs another 'lil squirt.

Just don't do like I did and get trigger happy with the stuff, and spray everything in sight. It leaves a nasty waxy film that'll stain everything. Most cans come with a straw so you can get only on the chain. After it dries for a day it's dry to the touch.

The brand I use is Honda. I think it's made for Honda by Bel-Ray, a motorcycle lube company. It's under $10 at a Honda motorcycle shop.
 
#16 ·
...OK, all that said, I use White Lightning Clean Lube. It's rotten for wet conditions; but being wax-based, it doesn't attract dirt.
Second this, I used this on my bike while stationed in Korea for a year. I haven't had a problem with it at all and will still use it now that I'm home. And it can be ordered on Amazon as well, unless they don't ship to the Philippines.
 
#17 ·
Anything shipped to The Philippines will be stolen before it get 50 feet from the airplane.

I've tried it many times. The post office steals everything, UPS stole my wife's Credit Card. The only one that seems good (so far) is LBC and that's because of the local man. He was off the other day and his relief told them I wasn't home after I waited all day for a box.
 
#18 ·
Hey Burr, Maybe its the older dude thing. I use wd 40 under the covers of my outboards in the most hostile envioments in the world. Its also in the ignitions switches, trolling motor shafts, trailer parts, reels, and damm near anything else outside the kitchen. (Thats why they make olive oil). I wipe wd 40 lightly all over the bikes to avoid any rusting etc. Including the chain. I am sure its not on any list, and the LBS store sees the bikes on a regular basis for service also.
 
#20 · (Edited)
WD-40 is a water displacement product. WD stands for Water Displacement and the 40 is the 40th formula. Use it if your chain is rusted, stuck and gunked up to help clean and unstick it. Then use a degreaser and then a quality chain lube. NOT WD-40! I like White Lightening for my chain and Giant brand Liquid Silk for everything else.

WD-40 is also good for deicing frozen and stuck things like locks, etc. But it is not a lubricant. It is a water displacement product.

It is also good for removing pretty much any type of magic marker from almost any surface. But it is not a lubricant.

It is great to spray on the bottom of a lawn mower deck to prevent grass from building up, but it is not a bicycle lubricant.

It is good to spray on to unstick frozen rusted bolts/nuts that need to be removed when replacing worn snow thrower slide shoes, but it is not a bicycle lubricant.

It works great at displacing/removing frozen snow and ice when shear pins need to be replaced on a snow thrower after they break, but it is not a bicycle lubricant.

It is good to spray garage door springs to keep them from freezing up in the winter time so the garage door opens and closes with no problems, but it is not a good bicycle lubricant nor is it a good lubricant to use on the roller track for the garage door.

Are you starting to get the idea here? It has a lot of good uses, but lubrication for a bicycle is NOT one of them.
 
#21 ·
In a warm humid high salt crosive envoroment (before global warming kicked in) it (WD 40) kept stuff like break cables, wheels, bolts, nuts, and any scratches from rotting off. After washing I give the bikes a wipe down with it. Chain actually gets something else, will post name later when it comes to me but its from the marine industry. (Because I already have it)
 
#22 ·
Burr, I think the reason that WD40 gets such a bad rap as a lubricant is that most people who use it spray it on once and then 4 months later complain when the chain or whatever it was sprayed on is rusty and nasty. They then complain that WD40 doesn't lube worth a damn.

For me I don't think it is a good lube for stress areas. I have always been taught that there needs to be a layer of lubricant on the pieces to hold the 2 metal pieces apart. While WD40 is a petroleum based product I just always thought that the amount of lube left is so thin that it can't properly hold the metal parts apart. It will be there to reduce the friction but not hold them apart for an extended period of time under stress. So for a chain I would choose something different.

One important thing most are overlooking is your maintenance schedule. You are cleaning every week. You are not letting the chain sit for an extended period of time with only one application. So I don't see that it will hurt to continue doing what you are doing. Keep doing it until you can find a dry type lubricant that you can easily source there for use on your chain. The dry type lubricants carry the lube in a carrier solvent which evaporates after carrying the lube into where it is needed. This way there is nothing for the dirt to attach to, the exterior of the chain will be dry and the interior roller parts will have lube on them as that is where it got stuck when the solvent carrier evaporated. But for now keep doing what you have always done. It is working. Will other stuff work better yeah probably but is it easily sourced, affordable, so awesome that you will die in an explosion without it, nope so no big deal.
 
#23 ·
I have been in many debates about what is best to use or not use. I don't want to spark a a huge debate and I'm not advocating the following product since I have not yet used it yet, but will when the next lube is due. I received a free bottle from a bicycle mechanic friend and this product is called No #5 Chain-L. (Home Page Chain-L High Mileage Bicycle Chain Lubricant) It has to be the thickest oil I have had for a chain lube and they make some really big claims.

From thier FAQ:

What Is Chain-L ?
In a word, it’s oil. More specifically, Chain-L is a blend of
extreme pressure (EP) lubricants in a high film-strength
mineral oil base, formulated to provide the maximum possible
lubrication to the tiny bearings that make up a chain. Chain-L
also contains rust inhibitors and other additives to improve its
longevity and wet-weather performance.

Having been a heavy equipment mechanic for years I am a firm believer in good quality lubricants, just my .02 worth :)

Just another product to try if you are looking for a change and can find it.
 
#24 ·
okay as a bicycle mechanic i've always used Boesheild T9, it's cheap in large quantities and works great. Last year, Phil Wood came out with Bio-lube. well never knowing phil wood to make anything bad, i decided to try it. i've been in love with phil's grease and tenacious oil for years, so why would this be bad?

well after using it on my personal rides (mountain, road, commuter) and my higher paying clients askign them for feedback, i'm sold on this. it works in nearly every conditon. and you dont need to use at much. a 4 oz drip bottle lasts in my shop for over a month. a little goes a long way.

i ride a lot of conditions, wet, dry, dusty, muddy, you name it. it's excells and exceded all my expections. on top of that, it's bio-degradable and wont pollute the local trails and waterways.
 
#25 ·
I have been in many debates about what is best to use or not use. I don't want to spark a a huge debate and I'm not advocating the following product since I have not yet used it yet, but will when the next lube is due. I received a free bottle from a bicycle mechanic friend and this product is called No #5 Chain-L. (Home Page Chain-L High Mileage Bicycle Chain Lubricant) It has to be the thickest oil I have had for a chain lube and they make some really big claims.

From thier FAQ:

What Is Chain-L ?
In a word, it’s oil. More specifically, Chain-L is a blend of
extreme pressure (EP) lubricants in a high film-strength
mineral oil base, formulated to provide the maximum possible
lubrication to the tiny bearings that make up a chain. Chain-L
also contains rust inhibitors and other additives to improve its
longevity and wet-weather performance.

Having been a heavy equipment mechanic for years I am a firm believer in good quality lubricants, just my .02 worth :)

Just another product to try if you are looking for a change and can find it.
The guy that owns that company gave me a bottle at Interbike a few years ago. I put it through the ultimate torture test - neglected Mormon Boy Scout bicycles dragged in out of the weather for a quick service so that they could be ridden to qualify for badges. These were inexpensive bikes that weren't very well maintained, yet they ran smoother and quieter with Chain-L. And it provided continued protection.

I usually prefer a dry lube, but this stuff works well. And I like the quirky marketing.
 
#26 ·
Burr, I think the reason that WD40 gets such a bad rap as a lubricant is that most people who use it spray it on once and then 4 months later complain when the chain or whatever it was sprayed on is rusty and nasty. They then complain that WD40 doesn't lube worth a damn. ...
You're exactly right. WD40 and similar are great products with many uses and there's no reason to disparage them.

Very useful for cleaning stuff and protecting against condensation and moisture.

A decent product for casual, short term household lubrication, especially for the irritating squeak found from time to time.

Chain lubricant: ideal? absolutely not. But indeed better than no lubricant. In a pinch, or even regularly, use it if it's what you happen to have! Just beware that it's not the best and won't last the longest.

The worst lubricant is (usually? always?) better than none.
 
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