There are many cyclists who primarily use WD-40 and have had no issues. In dry conditions it can arguably keep your chain cleaner longer than regular bike lubricants, because is less oily.

According to the cyclist in the video, he’s been using WD-40 for the past 5 years of riding! For all you naysayers out there – perhaps you need to give it a try before you bash on it! This graph shows the overall performance of the lubes, and the ten that performed the best in these tests… If you do want to up your game and try to use the best possible product to increase efficiency and lengthen drivetrain life, then start with cleaning. You will need to start with a properly cleaned chain. Investigate what degreasing products you want to use to get your chain sparkling, and head to Zero Friction Cycling which has more information than we could possibly include here on the subject and this will enable you to find the best lubricant for your riding and budget.

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With a working temperature of -40 degrees to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, WD-40 Specialist Roller Chain Lube is ideal for farm shops. Whether you’re battling below-zero temps or pushing the RPMs, your chains will keep performing. The testing of Scottoil showed it worked very well when you remember that it’s a constant loss system. This isn’t really designed to coat the outside of the chain plates, which while only cosmetic, can get a bit rusty if you haven’t got the delivery just so. Still though, they really do keep the rollers well lubed with little hassle. There are other chain oilers available too, like Tutoro, PDOiler and Loobman, but I don’t have any experience of these. Anecdotally, automatic oilers tend to be popular among their owners. Using Tungsten Disulfide which, without getting too nerdy, is a very smooth and slippery component that's perfect for a chain lubricant. So slippery in fact the lube almost wants to slide off your chain links when applying.

You will want to spray it on the rusty areas of the chain and let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes. to work its magic. Next you’ll want to use a wire brush to scrape and remove off the rusted chain portions. There, we’ve said it. Forget the conspiracy theories that chain lube’s a scam; in this feature we’ll show you why it’s essential, how to apply it and – importantly – which is the best for the average road rider. The right chain lubricant is the one that has been recommended by the manufacturer. You can find the recommendation in your owner’s manual.Finding the right chain lube can feel a bit like trying to find the best road bike saddle for you; the lube that will perform the best for you will depend largely on where you ride, how much you ride, and how often you clean and or re-lube. They were trying to create solvents and degreasers that would prevent rust. It took them 40 times to figure out the formula that is now known as WD-40. The name stands for “water displacement” with the 40 referencing the number of attempts it took to create. You love riding your bicycle through different terrains, over sandbanks, dirt paths, and in hot, dry climates. But do you ever wonder how different terrains can affect your bike chain? Sometimes your bicycle can suffer from the dirt and dust that gets displaced when you ride. This debris can cause friction in your chain, ultimately affecting your performance. Here at WD-40®, we have the solution! Our WD-40 Bike® Dry Lube is perfect for bike chains in dry conditions. It has been specially formulated as a bicycle chain lube for off-roaders who like dry and dusty conditions. Keep reading below for a guide on how to lubricate your bike chain. There’s no industry standard for chain lubes, but in general, a wear scar of 2mm is usually considered very high in lubrication testing, whereas one of 0.4 is good. As a rule of thumb, a wear scar of one millimetre or more would usually indicate that a lubricant isn’t performing as well as it should.

With the chain cut apart, the centre roller can be removed, showing how it needs to be kept lubricated

Muc-Off All Weather Lube

When treating your chainsaw with WD-40 Specialist Roller Chain Lube, use the nozzle’s precision stream option to target hard-to-reach areas of the chain. Waxed-based drip lubes are popular because they work well in both wet and dry conditions and for on and off-road applications. Wax lubes are made up of friction modifiers and or products like tungsten disulfide which are often emulsified in a carrier fluid; the liquid helps the particles get where they need to be and dries, leaving just the wax inside. Due to the nature of wax, it dries and doesn’t attract much grit and can also support additives like Teflon, while coating and protecting metal components. Sometimes you’ll hear that WD-40 is only for removing water and keeping things rust-free. I have heard and read from other cyclists claiming that WD-40 isn’t a lubricant.