What kind of lubricant is recommended for a bicycle chain?

Question

Is WD40 okay or do I need a specialty lubricant for my bicycle chain? I have a hybrid Schwinn if that makes a difference.

Answer 1

In looking through the answers others gave, I noticed a few things of note. I agree that WD-40 is not a good choice. Here's a list of things I've used over the years that seem to have worked (I don't have to change chains very often, and mine never squeak)

1) Automatic transmission fluid. Works very well for road bikes where dust and dirt are not much of a factor. Also, you can use the ATF fluid as a cleaner/lube all in one. However, it does collect dirt and road grime and makes wonderful chain stripes on your legs and could make a mess of anything it brushes against. Road bike chain only -- not good for mountain bikes.

2) Dipping wax. You break your chain, clean it with simple green or orange blast cleaner, dry it, then dip it in melted wax made for bike chains. Works great road bike chain or mountain bike chain. Downside -- you have to break your chain and then re-install a new pin when you are done.

3) Pedro's Ice Wax. I've been using it exclusively for about two years. It does seem to act as a self-cleaning agent as they claim. Works great in dry, dusty conditions. The dirty lube does not rub off the chain much onto legs and clothing. You do have to do a bit more cleaning to get the hardened, dirty lube off bogey wheels. I use it about every other ride. Because it does not make an oily mess on chain, you can be very liberal with it. Use it as directed on bottle.

4) Teflon based spray lubes (or as liquid in squeeze bottles) work well if you don't mind having a fairly liquid black mess on your chain. They do attract more dust and road grit. But -- better to lube than to not lube.

5) Whatever lube you use (remember, don't use WD-40) clean your chain often and lube often. Just think how much strain a chain takes. Chains need all the help they can get.

Answer 2

Well, bikernoj is right that wd40 is not a good bike lube, but he's wrong that it is _not_ a lubricant. It is in fact a lubicant, and a very good general purpose one at that, but not appropriate for bike chains unless you plan on cleaning your chain and relubing after every ride. WD40 is a wet lubricant that is best used for situations where there won't be exposre to dirt or dust: door hinges, etc. Dirt sticks to it rather nicely, and you end up with a 'wet sanding effect' which will wear down your bike components very nicely.

What you need is a dry lubricant, one that contains a teflon lubricant in a spray that evaporates quickly and leaves the dry teflon behind.

Ronnie recommended Triflow, which is a good choice but still takes a while to dry, you would need to lube the night before then wipe the down down to remove the excess, or dirt will stick it.

Uncleneals suggestion of Pedro's Dry is the best choice. It evaporates quickly and leaves a high volume of teflon behind. You can apply it just before you ride, wipe off the excess, and by the time you're out the door it will be almost dry. Almost all bike shops carry it, and if not you can get it at pretty much any web-retailer like performancebike.com or nashbar.com.

Answer 3

Let's go over this again, since without a large mallet to the skull it seems this fact isn't getting through to everyone: WD-40 IS NOT A LUBRICANT AND SHOULD NEVER BE USED ON A BICYCLE FOR ANY REASON!!!! Go to a bicycle shop, yes, an actual SHOP, not Wal-Mart, and ask them about chain lubes. Depending on where and how you ride, you can use a dry lube like White Lightning, Rock 'n Roll or Krytech, or a wet lube like Pedros SynLube, ProLink or Tri-Flow. Wipe the chain off with a rag & degreaser, then apply a drop of lube to each roller and turn the chain backwards to distribute the lube where it needs to go. Let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess with a clean paper towel. Keep the bike out of the weather, either inside the house or a garage. I have NO sympathy for people with rusty bikes due to leaving them in the rain.

Answer 4

Let's go over this again, since without a large mallet to the skull it seems this fact isn't getting through to everyone:

WD-40 IS NOT A LUBRICANT AND SHOULD NEVER BE USED ON A BICYCLE FOR ANY REASON!!!!

Go to a bicycle shop, yes, an actual SHOP, not Wal-Mart, and ask them about chain lubes. Depending on where and how you ride, you can use a dry lube like White Lightning, Rock 'n Roll or Krytech, or a wet lube like Pedros SynLube, ProLink or Tri-Flow.

Wipe the chain off with a rag & degreaser, then apply a drop of lube to each roller and turn the chain backwards to distribute the lube where it needs to go. Let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess with a clean paper towel.

Keep the bike out of the weather, either inside the house or a garage. I have NO sympathy for people with rusty bikes due to leaving them in the rain.

Answer 5

never use WD40! its a water displacement chemical, not lubricant. get a bottle of lube designed for bikes. i use Finish Line krytec wax based lube on my chain. i apply once every 2 days. dont forget to wipe off the excess. a greasy chain will run smooth for a while, until all the dirt thats attracted to it starts grinding away. an 8oz bottle is about $5, which should last all year.

Answer 6

NEVER use WD40 on ANY part of your bike

for your chain, if in dry conditions, I use Pedros Dry Spray Lube
for wet conditions, I use TriFlow Teflon spray
remember to wipe up the excess after it dries a bit
most good local bike shops will carry these

Answer 7

WD40 is not a lubricant.

get a teflon based lubriacnt form a real bike shop. Also avoid wax based lubricants (eg white lightining) as the dirt clings to them and means lots of cleaning is needed, very regularly

Answer 8

Hi. WD40 is working fine with me. I am a 58 year old cyclist and as of now is having a 150 mins ride during Thursdays and Fridays while 80 mins. during Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. I measured my training ride in mins. as my speedometer fell-off and broke. Every end of the ride I make sure that I clean my chain and chainwheel with kerosene with the aid of an ordinary used toothbrush. After that I wipe it dry with an old cotton cloth, then I spray it with WD40 and that's it, chain as well as chainwheel is sparkling and shining white (or stainless color). WD40 also eliminate that squeking sound if your chain becomes dry. Don't also forget to spray WD40 a little bit on the rear derailleur's jockey wheels. Don't use grease as it normally attracts too much dirt; the fastest you crank your bike, the more it collects dirt. Regular bike cleaning and maintenance makes your bike always look brand new. If you need to know more about basic bike maintenance, visit www.bicycling.com, there are lot of useful tips you can find. Good luck.

Answer 9

We had antique Schwinns as kids, and we always used WD40 on our bikes. They lasted for years. Actually, some kids somewhere may still be peddling on them.

If you ride more than 4 miles a day, or have a very expensive bike, you probably better check out what your pro shop has to say. But if you have a regular ol' bike that you use for just a few miles a day during good weather, WD40 should be fine.

Answer 10

Don't use WD40. It's great for loosening up rusty parts or for pushing out water, but it's too volatile to use as a bicycle lubricant.

Get a dry lubricant with teflon (PTFE) from your bike shop.