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.

  • plactagonic@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    As others said it isn’t the best or even good product for what you want to use it for.

    That said there are options for touring, for example last year I started my tour with waxed chain. It isn’t the best solution either, it doesn’t like wet conditions without bit more maintenance than oil (if you don’t do it it starts to rust).

    I switched to oil and bit more cleaning after a while, but because I use spirit stove I had already some alcohol with me so in the end it was quite a breeze to deal with it. Also when you use drip on oil and apply it correctly (just enough on rollers and wipe the excess) it last quite a bit longer and doesn’t muck that much.

    For one product I would take something for wet conditions in drip on package. I have something from motorex.

    But if the condition of the trip is right the wax is better option.

      • plactagonic@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        2·
        1 day ago

        Just a tip for using WD-40 on bikes for regular maintenance it is good to know what for it was developed - protective oil coating for steel/stainless steel plates.

        So it can be used to give nice shine to the frame paint after cleaning or it is excellent for coating cassette and chain before longer storage (it leaves the oil coat and protect it from rust).

        The side effect of needing to cover every craves of the surface means that it is penetrating quite deep so people started using it everywhere - stuck bolts, hard to oil parts…