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.
It’s a solvent that can dissolve a lot of stuff. This may make the part seem lubricated at first but it shouldn’t be used as a lubricant. It attracts dust that will, eventually, gum things up.