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When you grease the bike parts, do u have to use those grease thats made for bike or would stuff like WD-40 work?
Greasing bike
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WD-40 is absolutely not a good lubricant for bikes. It is too thin. If you're really in a pinch you can use motor oil, but I would highly suggest buying some bike lube. The problem with motor oil is that it will attract dirt. I like a good dry lube like "Finishline" which won't attract dirt like motor oil and won't build up like a wax lube, such as "white lightning".SpiritHunter said:
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The "WD" in WD-40 stands for Water Displacing. The intended use for WD-40 is to dry out something that is wet, such as ignition wires.
Don't get me wrong, I like the stuff and use it all the time. I buy it in the 1 gal can and refil a sprayer bottle. As the previous poster mentioned, it is too thin to use as a bike lube. I also agree with him, on a MTB, you need to use a dry lube. Best place to get it is at you LBS, yes it costs more but this is your hobby.
Tom
Don't get me wrong, I like the stuff and use it all the time. I buy it in the 1 gal can and refil a sprayer bottle. As the previous poster mentioned, it is too thin to use as a bike lube. I also agree with him, on a MTB, you need to use a dry lube. Best place to get it is at you LBS, yes it costs more but this is your hobby.
Tom
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Good, cheap all around grease
For coating bolt threads, seatposts, etc, look in a car supply store for a tub of Sta-Lube Boat Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease. It's very cheap, works great and is quite water resistant. Use a lighter bike specific grease for wheel bearings, cables, etc. Ti frames and bolts need anti seize. Certain applications like Chris King hubs, use dedicated lubes.
White Lightning is often improperly used. If you put on quite a bit, spin the cranks through the gears a hundred or so revolutions, then THOROUGHLY WIPE OFF EVERYTHING YOU CAN, it is a great dry conditions lube. The key is to wipe the chain off for, say, 10 crank revolutions forwards and backwards after spinning it in. The only place you want it to stay is between the chain plates and rollers, and you can't wipe it out of there.
WD 40 is a solvent. Works great for displacing water as others have said. It's also good for cleaning greasy stuff. Don't use it as a lube.
For coating bolt threads, seatposts, etc, look in a car supply store for a tub of Sta-Lube Boat Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease. It's very cheap, works great and is quite water resistant. Use a lighter bike specific grease for wheel bearings, cables, etc. Ti frames and bolts need anti seize. Certain applications like Chris King hubs, use dedicated lubes.
White Lightning is often improperly used. If you put on quite a bit, spin the cranks through the gears a hundred or so revolutions, then THOROUGHLY WIPE OFF EVERYTHING YOU CAN, it is a great dry conditions lube. The key is to wipe the chain off for, say, 10 crank revolutions forwards and backwards after spinning it in. The only place you want it to stay is between the chain plates and rollers, and you can't wipe it out of there.
WD 40 is a solvent. Works great for displacing water as others have said. It's also good for cleaning greasy stuff. Don't use it as a lube.
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I'll second this recomendation. I've used it for years on race cars. On your bike just make sure to use a thin film and not just glop it on. (Or, just glop it on and wipe off the excess.)Bob the Wheelbuilder said:
It comes in a pretty blue-green color too.
Oh, I might add that WD40 works quite well as a hand cleaner. I also use it to clean my SPD pedals when they get a little gunky looking by just spraying the heck out of them. I lube them with a bike specific oil after the WD40 drys.
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