Can I use WD-40 on my bike?

Question

Is WD-40 really bad to apply on bikes? I was told so but still see people doing that.

Also I saw WD-40 launching their new products of bike lubricant and degreaser. Did anybody try those?

Answer 1

WD-40 is mostly a solvent with a very light lubricant mixed in. It's great for getting stuck parts moving again. When you spray it on, the solvent dislodges whatever gunk may be causing the part to stick and then evaporates, leaving a light lubricant behind. This will allow the previously stuck part to move again.

The reason it is generally not considered a good bicycle lubricant is because it is a light lubricant. It's just fine for household items like door hinges, which aren't exposed to weather and don't get moved a couple hundred times a minute. But the lubricant is not thick enough to adhere to rapidly moving bike parts for any length of time, especially when you add a little bit of road grit and/or rain.

Some people do use it for loosening up shifters in the winter time (they stick when it's cold) or cleaning chains and derailleurs. You will notice in the answers and comments on the aforelinked question that whether or not this is good practice is highly debatable. Some people will use WD-40 as a cleaner and degreaser followed by a bicycle-specific lubricant, with or without a cleaning inbetween, depending on personal preferences.

I don't have any experience with their bicycle-specific products, but they're a solid company that's been in the business of cleaning and lubricating mechanical parts for a long time. They also make Lava soap and 3-in-1 Oil, a product that was originally designed as a bicycle lubricant (although they did acquire both of those from other companies). I actually didn't know until I read this question that they were making bicycle-specific lubricants now. Given their history and the number of patents that they have to draw ideas and develop from, I'm certainly willing to give them a shot. The worst case scenario is that I have to clean it off and go back to my previous products.

Answer 2

WD-40 (original) can be used as a de-greaser on bike parts. It is a bit harsher than other bike specific de-greasers, or common house hold degreasers (like Simple Green) that are often used by bike mechanics but essentially does the same thing.

Keep it mind that it is NOT a lubricant, but a de-greaser. After using any de-greaser you want to wash the area with soap and water and then apply a lubricant.

I have used the WD-40 bike specific lubricants and don't have any complaints. The wet lube held up well in a few nasty cyclocross races, and the dry lube is what I've been using on my "indoor trainer" bike.

They have thrown a lot of money into the launch of these products over the last few months and I expect that with this type of support, their products will become a household name in the bike space in the coming years.

Answer 3

The "W" in WD-40 stands for water and the "D" stands for displacement, and the 40 stands for the 40th. attempt at being successful with the product. WD-40 doesn't really lubricate much of anything. It's actually a de-greaser, so it will remove any lubricant from bicycle chains, cables and other pivot joints. If you're cleaning your chain for re-lubrication purposes with a product other than WD-40, then WD-40 will be fine to use. It's also said to "rust proof" items, but probably because of it's ability to displace water which commonly causes rust to form. I haven't tried any of the new products yet. They have a bike "degreaser", a bike "foaming wash" and two different chain lubricants, as well as a frame protectant. It will be interesting to see some reviews about these new products as far as pricing and how well they work.

Answer 4

I have used many types of bicycle lubrications over the years. The short answer is that WD-40 can be used; my experience pretty much the averages out of all the comments above. The strength of WD-40 is that it is time efficient and cost efficient. A small amount of money buys you a big can, and one application both cleans and lubricates (a little). When you spray it on you will see all the grime etc. dripping off (not quite as good as properly degreasing using a chain cleaner ) and you will be left with a chain that is reasonably well lubricated. The slightest bit of rain will wash it off, and even with no rain it will disappear quite quickly. However it is very easy to re-apply. I found that it worked for me for a bike I was just using for short rides (45 mins ~ 1 hr) on the road. I would just give it a spray every 2 rides or so (or every time after rain). I turned to this after years of using expensive bike-specific lubes. They definitely do a better lubrication job, but I found the dry ones were washed off easily by the rain while the wet ones attracted a lot of dirt, while both required the chain to be properly cleaned before application.
The bottles were always expensive, so in the end I found that for that particular bike WD-40 provided a cheap-and-cheerful time and cost effective soln. The chain will also wear out a little quicker if you use WD-40.

Your own choice will depend on how much time /money you want to spend, how long your rides are, what type of riding (off or on road) etc. The very best way to lubricate your chain is to properly wax it; this will take a whole morning but will then last a year, which also provides a good cost performance if you have a morning to spare on it.

Answer 5

Ordinary, boring WD-40 can be used on your bike drivetrain. In fact, for around five thousand miles it has been the only product I use on my single-speed bicycle drivetrain (other than rags and an old toothbrush). It keeps my drivetrain spotless and silent-running. My rides range in length from a quick trip to the shops, to around 100 miles round-trip. Most of my rides are around 40 miles in length. I live in the UK, and so the weather conditions are highly variable.

I get away with this because WD-40 contains within it everything a bicycle drivetrain needs: anti-rust agents, penetrative agents, de-soiling agents, degreasing agents (which help with cleaning) and lubrication (yes, WD-40 contains a lube). In fact, I would go so far as to say it is the perfect product for those that prefer light, non-viscous lubrication and cleaning of their drivetrain.

For those that prefer thicker lubricants (perhaps due to concern that the lubricant might be washed off the bike on a very wet, very long ride), then the cleaning properties of WD-40 can be augmented with a separate “wet” lube that will cling to the drivetrain longer.

As other answerers have correctly pointed-out: the lube in WD-40 is very light. For this reason, after every ride during which water landed on my drivetrain, I use WD-40 to drive the water out (Water Displacement, 40th formula), clean and re-lube my chain. That said, even with a wet lube after such a ride, I would clean and re-lube my chain out of sheer OCD for a clean drivetrain (and concern about rust), so I’m not doing anything I wouldn’t do anyway.

In the summer, when it is dry, if I am feeling lazy I might not touch my drivetrain after a ride. There will be no observable ill effects. Perhaps if I then left the drivetrain untouched for two or three rides the lube will then have worn too thin, making the drivetrain noisy, and mandating a re-application. But I would very, very rarely let my drivetrain fall into that state. Even in the summer I would at the very least wipe down my drivetrain with a rag soaked in WD-40 after most rides. Note: I would never spray WD-40 directly at my bike, because so doing would contaminate my disc brakes.

And by “ride” I mean travelling a meaningful distance (say twenty miles or more). A two mile round-trip to the shops will have little or no effect on the drivetrain.

Finally: WD-40 is not a miracle worker. Your drivetrain components will still, eventually, wear out and need to be replaced.

"Ordinary, boring WD-40" excludes the bicycle-specific products sold under the "WD-40 branding"

Answer 6

I used WD-40 on my oil starved bike chain and gears, and it totally brought it back to life. It was like magic!!

Answer 7

WD 40 washes out the manufacturers high quality lube from the chain links so do not use it.

Answer 8

I would avoid using WD40 on any bike of value. There are better purpose designed options to degrease the drive train. My preferred choice is Finish Line Degreaser.

As far as WD40 specific bike lube, I have used the WD40 Wet Lube and had no issues going about 100 - 120 miles between chain cleans. I think it is a decent enough bike lube and for me a better choice than a dry lube or wax.

I recently have switched to Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube. I find that the chain does seem to stay a bit cleaner longer with the Finish Line product and it is a bit more water resistance at least the few times I have been caught in the rain than when using WD40 Wet Lube.

Hope that helps

Answer 9

You can totally use WD-40 on your bicycle chain. Anyone who says otherwise is believing a myth that's been spread for a long time. Yes, WD-40 is a cleaner and degreaser, but it also has a lubricant in it.

Answer 10

The question was,"Can you use WD40 on bikes". The answer is, of course you can! As a degreaser to clean your chain, then it's a good idea to remove it, wash it off with soap, then use a good oil like, Shimano wet lube to actually lubricate the chain.

Answer 11

I like wd40. I usually use this protocol when using it for both degreasing and lubrication. This only works if wd 40 is being used for both degreasing and lubrication, and there cannot be substitution.

1) Spray chain and cassette and let sit 15-20 minutes

2) Wash chain and cassette in soapy water.

3) Dry completely

4) Lightly spray wd 40 on the chain and cassette.

5) Lightly grip chain with rag and run through about 3-4 times.

Everyone says Wd 40 is a lousy lubricant. But, when it comes to lubricant less is always more, and wd40 seems to lubricate the right ammount.

Using wd40 leaves my drive chain feeling quick and light.