Old timer told me to quit using WD-40 on chains, guess who was right

This guy at my local shop named Dave, been wrenching since the 70s, told me six months ago to throw away my WD-40 for chain lube. I laughed it off because it's what my dad always used. Fast forward to last week, my chain started skipping and making this grinding noise after about 2,000 miles. I pulled the cassette off and found the whole drivetrain gummed up with this sticky black goo. Dave was spot on, that stuff just attracts dirt and dries out. Anyone else have a stubborn habit they finally broke after a costly repair?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonp7612d ago

Dave's been doing this long enough to know WD-40 is a degreaser, not a lube. Once I switched to proper chain oil, my shifting got way smoother and my parts actually last more than one season.

ryan_barnes12d ago

Right, WD-40 is for cleaning, not lubing. Took me a muddy season and a seized jockey wheel to figure that out myself. Just grab a bottle of dry lube for summer or wet lube for winter and you'll be set.

ninaowens11d ago

Read something just the other day from a gear reviewer who said WD-40 is basically just a solvent with a little bit of light oil that evaporates quick. That matched up with what @simonp76 is saying about it being a degreaser. The sticky black goo you saw is likely the residue of dirt mixing with that thin oil film after the WD-40 evaporated. Took my neighbor a whole new drivetrain rebuild to learn the same lesson when his mountain bike chain snapped on a climb. Proper chain lube costs like eight bucks and lasts way longer than a can of WD-40 anyway. Makes you wonder how many bike shops stay in business off that one mistake.