Can I Use WD40 on Bike Chain?

Riding a bike demands strict and regular maintenance, which of course, doesn’t come for free. You must be aware of that if you are into bike riding and do so on a regular basis. It’s totally validated if you are looking for a product with a reasonable price to maintain your bike’s optimal performance.

This might be the reason you are considering this WD40 multi-purpose product. Let me admit that I was also lured by the cost-effective option that WD40 is and was tempted to give it a try, which I did.

Can I Use WD40 on Bike Chain? – Getting Started

There are still questions about how the product works on a bike chain, even whether you can use WD40 on a bike chain or not. Well, the short answer to the second question is yes, you can use it on your bike.

It’s still not it, though; before using the product on your bike, giving a read to this article is going to save you a lot of time and possibly even damage. I tried WD40 for different purposes on my bike chain and got different outputs. Below are explained the purposes you can use WD40 on your bike chain for and how does it work for those.

WD40 as a Lubricator for Bike Chain

The idea of whether you should use wd40 as a bike chain lubricator or not has not reached a doubt-free conclusion yet. There are people who think that the product works just fine as lube for a bike chain, then there are those who keep saying that it is as good as nothing.

It’s important to understand the type and nature of the product before understanding whether or not, or how well, it is going to work on your bike chain.

What is WD40?

WD-40 is basically a solvent with a small amount of lubricant in it, which is why it is not taken as a good bike chain lubricant or a lubricant at all. The solvent gets evaporated, and the lubricant that is left behind is little.

Even though it works pretty well for ordinary household things like door hinges because they don’t move nearly as frequently as a bike chain. But the light consistency of the lubricant is not enough to stick to a bike chain for a long time, which is so heavy and moves so fast.

Although it does keep the bike chains rolling for a shorter time, if something like rain doesn’t wash it off even quicker, it lasted my bike nearly an hour. So you see, it’s still much better to use a bike-specific lubricant to keep you going for a while.

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2. WD40 as a Cleaner and Degreaser for Bike Chain

WD-40 works pretty well as a bike chain cleaner and degreaser. Since it is a solvent, it removes the grime on the bike chain, leaving it dry and clean, making it a great product for degreasing. Just spray it on the bike, and all the filth will come off.

However, you need to make sure that you remove all the cleaner properly with a rag, or wash it with soap, and then apply a bike-specific lube. In fact, it is great if you clean and degrease the bike chain with WD40 and then follow it using a separate heavy lubricant that will last for quite a while.

Keep in mind to use an oil for lubrication after, though; it’s important because the chain will be dry after you use the product and then dry it.

Read my detailed article on difference between Shimano Sora and Tiagra.

3. WD40 as a Rust Remover

WD40 is originally designed as a rust-remover and does great at that, doubtlessly. If you have not treated your bike chain for some time and it has started to rust, using WD40 will restore your chain to its former shiny rust-free glory.

Spray the product directly onto the rusted surface, leave it for 10 minutes, then use a wire brush to scrub off the rust. Using a cloth, clean the residue and keep repeating the process until the surface is completely free of rust.

Again, make sure to clean off the product with a cloth or wash it off and use a bike chain oil afterward. WD40 worked pretty well for my corroded bike chain, leaving it clean and shiny. It can increase the lifespan of your bike chain, reducing wear.

FAQs About Usage of WD40 on Bike Chain

How often should you oil your bike chain?

How often you should lube your bike chain depends on how much or how frequently you ride your bike. Frequent rides call for frequent lubrication, like several times in a week, and ideally, you should oil the bike after each or every second ride. Otherwise, if you don’t often ride, oiling the bike at least once a month would suffice to maintain the performance and condition of the bike.

Can you use olive oil on the bike chain?

You can use olive oil on your bike chain as it is somewhat effective and makes a good quick solution to deal with certain problems. It prevents rust and corrosion along with dirt and filth as well, but the effects are not long-lasting. So, other than using olive oil as an immediate solution, it’s better to avoid sticking to it permanently.

What are the other uses of WD40?

There are multiple and versatile uses of WD40, other than using it on a bike. Those include lubrication of several items like a shovel, and door hinges, cleaning stains like nail polish and other makeup, paint, and scuff marks from tiles. WD40 can also be used to scrub away stains like gum, crayon, goo, as well as rust from surfaces. You can also use it to unstuck items because of its lubricating properties.

Also Read Difference between Shimano Sora and Shimano 105

Final Words About Usage of WD40 on Bike Chain

A definite and clear answer to whether or not you can use WD40 on a bike chain is yes; of course, you can use it on your bike. However, the way you use it on your bike is important and decides how the product works out for you.

This article gives a detailed account of that, elaborating the ways you can use WD40 for your bike chain and benefit from it. What roles it can play and how well it can perform in those. Also, there are other products by the company, a line of bike-related products named WD40 Bike. WD40 has come up with bike cleaners, lubricants, and degreasers, just so you know, if you want to get dedicated, bike-specific products from the company.

You may also want to read about: Best Mountain Bike Hydraulic Brakes