WD-40 and your Bike

For many new to cycling, the every trusty can of WD-40 is the fix-all can for their bike. Many have and still use WD-40 on chains, to slide new grips on, lubing components and hubs. While WD-40 may have its place in the toolbox, it the aforementioned uses are incorrect uses of the product. WD-40 stands for Water Displacement, formula number 40; it’s a solvent. It works great on cleaning off road grime and grease buildup on chains and other drive-train components, but it also removes all lubricants as well. If you must use WD-40 on your bicycle, be sure to follow up with a bicycle specific lubricant like Tri-Flow, Pro-link, Rock n’ Roll, etc. This will ensure proper protection of your bike from rust and squeaks. For proper lubrication of the chain, apply the lubricant of choice liberally to the chain making sure to coat each individual link. let the lubricant sit for a few minutes to soak in and then wipe all of the excess with a rag. For more information on this topic, be sure to come to one our free bicycle maintenance clinics.

January 14, 2012 | Categories: Reference | Tags: chain, chain lubricant, lube, lubing, pro link, tri-flow, WD_40 | Leave A Comment »