Looking for some maintenance advice.
I’m about to embark on some touring. I don’t have space to take more than one canned product. Is WD-40 what I need?
As I understand it from some research, WD-40 is by some magic both a degreaser and a lubricant. This is mysterious to me. In my mental model of chemistry, you degrease with detergent, not more grease. So now I’m imagining that WD-40 is a sort of “light grease” which dissolves “heavy grease”. Is that right?
So if I can only take one product, is WD-40 it? PS: If not, then what? Also, is there a generic name for it, or cheaper similar products to look for which do the same thing?
PPS: The consensus seems to be that WD-40 is not a miracle product, by which really I meant “a single portable product that can somehow de-gunk and lubricate” and is less risky than what I was doing before: using chain oil for the lubrication and dish soap for the cleaning.
PPPS: This question was asked in the best possible faith. I have been a cyclist for decades and always been curious about this product. And yet still I get downvoted. What is about social media that makes people so toxic and mean-spirited? It’s almost as mysterious as WD-40.
Wd-40 is not a miracle product. It’s main purpose is to unseize stuck parts. It’s good to remove rust and moisture. It’s a mix of different chemicals, that does leave behind a thin layer of lubrication and does do some degreasing, but it doesn’t really count as proper lubrication (AFAIK it doesn’t last long, it’s too thin to be suitable for mecanisms that require heavy grease and attracts too much crap for mecanisms that require light grease)
Now I’m not the expert on bikes, I wouldn’t mind using it on my bike as part of the cleaning process but I’d only use it as a temporary solution for lubrication while I get the proper product.