Caught a guy lubing his chain with WD-40 at the shop yesterday

He was spraying it on the drivetrain like it was some kind of miracle fix. I had to stop him and explain that WD-40 is a solvent, not a lubricant, and it'll actually strip away any grease on the chain. After he wiped it off, I showed him how a proper bike chain oil like Tri-Flow or a wax lube lasts way longer and keeps the drivetrain quiet. Has anyone else run into customers who think all spray cans are the same thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

xena_taylor642d ago

I read somewhere that WD-40 actually stands for "Water Displacement 40th formula" and it was never meant to be a chain lube. It's like using lighter fluid to fix a squeaky door. I saw a guy at a truck stop do the same thing on his bike once and he just shrugged when I told him it would dry out his chain in a couple days. Tri-Flow is way better, or even that cheap Finish Line wet lube works fine if you just wipe off the extra. People hear "lubricant" and think it's all the same stuff.

carter.jennifer2d ago

@xena_taylor64 bet the guy was just trying to save his bacon in a pinch lol.