WD40?

pilsburypie

Is WD40 any good on your chain? Why should you use a special chain lube that costs twice as much?

supersonic

Because WD40 is not a lube - it is a solvent. It has very little lubricating properties. Oil stays where it should, lasts longer, and does a better job.

Apollo748

Can I ask does this apply to GT85 too, I'm always confused about this since it's supposed to be a WD40 a-like but is advertised as a PTFE lubricant with teflon in it.

supersonic

GT85 does have some mild lubing properties, but again, primarily a solvent. It simply doesn't last long enough on the chain.

Careful oiling is the best way.

ratty2k

And when you consider just how long one of the £5 bottles lasts... 12 months or more for my last one, actually good value!
Just a drip on each link of the chain will do, no need to slather it on, it just attracts more crap to it. Saying that tho' in the Peak, i wonder why I bother! After every ride, the grit and rain have just washed any oil away. Still put it thro the cleaner and then dip in IPA reassemble and then lube.

Rockhopper

I use WD40 to get rid of water (as it was designed to do) then lube the chain with normal chain lube.

strodey

WD40 is made to also get into places other things can't, such as pedals that would not budge! as a short term lubricant it's great for loosening stuff

ratty2k

Hmm, but simple maintenance will stop things siezing up...
Wouldn't use its a lubricant full stop. Once items are loose enough, strip repair and lube with appropriate lube ie: Grease, chain lube etc.

dave_hill

pilsburypie wrote:

Is WD40 any good on your chain? Why should you use a special chain lube that costs twice as much?

Check out the WD40 Website which has all the info you could ever want about WD40.

The idea was originally conceived as a lubricating water-displacement fluid for use on electrical equipment.

WD40 is NOT a solvent as such - a true volatile solvent will disperse to gas at atmospheric pressure without leaving a residue - a good example is brake cleaner or trichloroethylene fluid. WD40 does not do this - it leaves a thin lubricating film.

However, it is also a penetrating fluid and it WILL thin adhesives, oil and grease to the point where they break down - for this reason keep it away from pedals, headsets, bottom brackets, etc. That said, it makes removing grease marks, bits of old stickers and what have you from the frame an absolute doddle.

It's fine to use a lube for cables and I've also been using it for a chain lube for as long as I care to remember without problems. However, it doesn't last long and needs to be reapplied after every ride. That said I clean the whole drive chain religiously after a ride so it's kind of immaterial to me.

pilsburypie

Cheers for the advice chaps.

So after a good ride in mud and crap, wash the chain and sprockets with warm soapy water with the rest of the bike then apply a decent chain lube.

Magic 8)

johnsav

dave_hill wrote:

pilsburypie wrote:

Is WD40 any good on your chain? Why should you use a special chain lube that costs twice as much?

Check out the WD40 Website which has all the info you could ever want about WD40.

The idea was originally conceived as a lubricating water-displacement fluid for use on electrical equipment.

WD40 is NOT a solvent as such - a true volatile solvent will disperse to gas at atmospheric pressure without leaving a residue - a good example is brake cleaner or trichloroethylene fluid. WD40 does not do this - it leaves a thin lubricating film.

However, it is also a penetrating fluid and it WILL thin adhesives, oil and grease to the point where they break down - for this reason keep it away from pedals, headsets, bottom brackets, etc. That said, it makes removing grease marks, bits of old stickers and what have you from the frame an absolute doddle.

It's fine to use a lube for cables and I've also been using it for a chain lube for as long as I care to remember without problems. However, it doesn't last long and needs to be reapplied after every ride. That said I clean the whole drive chain religiously after a ride so it's kind of immaterial to me.

Load of rubbish
WD40 is made up of mainly solvents the same as of similar to kerosene. Anyone that uses it to lube a chain is doing more damage than anything else.
Why not just use the stuff thats designed to work!

xtreem

johnsav wrote:

Anyone that uses it to lube a chain is doing more damage than anything else.

I use WD40 for lubing the chain. :twisted:
1 year on my old crap one tone steel bike, and 2 months on my new one, and I'm still going to use it. :twisted:

The drivetrain will be damaged at some point in the future. :twisted:

strodey

Hmm, but simple maintenance will stop things siezing up...

Crikey i ain't removing pedals after each time i ride!

wordnumb

The clue is in the name. Water Displacement 40. I believe there were 39 less useful versions prior to the blue and yellow.

Like Ratty2K says, a bottle of the proper stuff will last a decent length of time and is actually designed to lube a bike chain. Why buy a cat and expect it to fetch your slippers?

strodey

smells nice, and loosens stuff! thats about it.

Konahed

johnsav wrote:

Load of rubbish
WD40 is made up of mainly solvents the same as of similar to kerosene. Anyone that uses it to lube a chain is doing more damage than anything else.
Why not just use the stuff thats designed to work!

Kerosene is not a solvent. Get your facts right. WD40 is NOT a solvent.

supersonic

He did mention similar to. Kerosene can be used as a solvent, and it has more solvent properties than oils used for chains. WD40 has may more solvent properties than it does a lubricant.

WD40 is a poor chain lubricant, and is generally not recommended for this purpose. Use a chain oil.

johnsav

Konahed wrote:

johnsav wrote:

Load of rubbish
WD40 is made up of mainly solvents the same as of similar to kerosene. Anyone that uses it to lube a chain is doing more damage than anything else.
Why not just use the stuff thats designed to work!

Kerosene is not a solvent. Get your facts right. WD40 is NOT a solvent.

why dont you look up the data sheet smarty pants?
Ive got my facts right so stick it up your a**
I didnt say it WAS kerosene, i said it is similar to. In fact any kind of petrolium distilates that it may contain are going to be great at breaking down grease.

Dont argue the toss, im just making the point that WD40 isnt a lube for bikes.
Have a look on their website and see if you can find the statement " used for lubricating bicycle chains "
You wont.

xtreem

You guys say:
- "chain oil last longer"
- "by using chain oil I don't have to relube the chain for 12 months"
- "I clean and re lube the chain after each ride"
- "WD40 doesn't stays long on the chain"

So from this I can say that you probably ride your bikes once a year, and after that rare ride you clean your chain, re lube it and you leave your bike to stay another one year until the next ride. And that's why you don't use WD40 because it will evaporate after a few weeks.

But that's why I use WD40 because I ride the bike every day, and I lube the chain with WD40 ones after 1 or 2 weeks, and I never clean my chain because WD40 does that job also.

pilsburypie

Bloody hell! Such contraversy over my WD40

singlespeedexplosif

Because WD40 is not a lube

ah, that old chestnut. Of course it is a lube. It's not a very good one for mountain bike chains, mind. Like saliva, honey or fairy up. All of them will lubricate your chain. None of them will work very well for very long though.

dav1

It should be in the toolbox though.

I use it frequently to remove water after my chain has been cleaned before the application of chain lube.

I also find it is very good for coating parts that may corrode when being stored (e.g your nice clean chain after it has been in a bath of degreacer just before holidays, spare bolts and so on)

ratty2k

strodey wrote:

Hmm, but simple maintenance will stop things siezing up...

Crikey i ain't removing pedals after each time i ride!

Washing and checking is part of a maintenance routine.

ratty2k

Xtreem wrote:

You guys say:
- "chain oil last longer"
- "by using chain oil I don't have to relube the chain for 12 months"
- "I clean and re lube the chain after each ride"
- "WD40 doesn't stays long on the chain"

So from this I can say that you probably ride your bikes once a year, and after that rare ride you clean your chain, re lube it and you leave your bike to stay another one year until the next ride. And that's why you don't use WD40 because it will evaporate after a few weeks.

But that's why I use WD40 because I ride the bike every day, and I lube the chain with WD40 ones after 1 or 2 weeks, and I never clean my chain because WD40 does that job also.

I ride a couple of times a week at present, chain lasts as long as it lasts really. I expect to change one at around the 4 month mark. Soley due to conditions that we ride in tho'
I claen and lube my chain after every ride, but after last night, all the lube has been washed out, chain is covered in peat/ grit and some cow shit in there somewhere as well. Just one of those things.

lesz42

i have some WD39, its really rare.......... yours for £lots

simon_ramsey

I just wipe my bike down with the nearest wet dog and apply a good dollop of lard to me chain after every ride

S_J_P

johnsav wrote:

Dont argue the toss, im just making the point that WD40 isnt a lube for bikes.
Have a look on their website and see if you can find the statement " used for lubricating bicycle chains "
You wont.

Actually I've just found this on the WD40 website under uses:

"What about using WD-40 on my sports equipment?

WD-40 is safe and effective to use on all types of sporting goods. Use WD-40 on your bike to clean, degrease and lubricate your chain, derailleur, gears, cogs, and moving parts."

I would like to say that I wouldn't use it on my chain! I'll stick with degreasant and proper chain-lube!

supersonic

From the site:

Can WD-40 be used for Arthritis?

WD-40 is not a medical product. We would never recommend to people that they spray WD-40 onto the skin. Our recommendation is to see your GP for expert advice on alleviating arthritis.



hehehe

S_J_P

I'm sold on WD40 now, just look at these uses......

"Cleans ostrich eggs for craft use" :shock:

"Displaces moisture from submerged cellular phones" :?

"Helps remove reflector tape from life jackets" :?:

"Shines bike tires" :roll:

Surf-Matt

I used WD40 for many years on various bike chains without problems.

I now use dry lube about once a fornight/month and GT85 (very lightly) after every wet (in other words almost every) ride on the chain - the chain is a year old, has done 2500 miles and still looks not far off new

People get very uppity about chain lubes - I need to lube mine every day so am not going to faff around with proper chain lube every time - costs a fortune and takes AGES to apply.

Must say that post dry lubing (ProLink Gold I think), the drivetrain does feel like teflon coated silk...

glen4

jeez, a chain lasts me 250 miles before it's stretched to 0.75% and needs replacing, I do wonder about the whole lubing thing tho', where I live is very sandy, if I use WD-40 or similar the chain stays nice and clean, if I use a lube it ends up like grinding paste very shortly after, now THAT can't be good for the transmission?