hey you guys, my bicycle chain just got a little rusty and i sprayed it with wd40 however, i then found this link https://bicycletutor.com/no-wd40-bike-chain/

should i not use wd40?

if not, what should i use? ...im sort of in the middle of a tour right now and am in the middle of nowhere in a grocery store...all they have is automotive oil...should i use motor oil?

you can use anything, that's an oil, really.

for WD-40, you just need to apply it very frequently, since it doesn't leave a lot of oil to protect the metal.

you could use 10W30 or a lighter engine oil straight, but they're toxic and don't come in a bottle size you'd want to carry around on a tour.

what about cooking oil...im in the store right now and they have alot of that for cheap.

if you don't mind the fact that it'll go rancid after a while, sure, that'll work.

lol

Go with the motor oil.

Don't use WD-40 except as a cleaner. It is too thin and will simply wash away any oil that is already there.

Don't use vegi oils. They not only turn rancid quickly but also get gummy and will hold onto every speck of road grit and shorten chain life.

Motor oil would work well. Use plenty of it, then plenty of paper towels to remove as much from the outside of the chain as possible.

WD-40 leaves a very thin film of oil. WD stands for "Water Displacement".
It's very thin and doesn't have the same sticking power as thicker oils, that's why you have to apply it very frequently.

Then again if you over run the runway at NY JFK airport and end up in Jamaica Bay
using gallons of WD 40 will keep you from nessisarily buying 4
complete new pratt and whitney jet engines.

Motor oil . Then again if the OP is still at the grocery store, he has other problems.

You can usually salvage enough oil from a discarded engine-oil container to treat a chain. Add a squirt of WD40 to gear oil to help it flow better.

Wake up guys. Or is all above in jest? DO NOT use WD-40. As has been stated it is a water displacement. Basically a solvent, very good for cleaning not a lube. Get a specific chain lube. My preference is a dry lube or a waxed base type. These are formulated for chains ant as a cooking oil.

if you're on tour you'll eventually pass a bike shop so stop in and get some proper chain lube. in a pinch - use the motor oil.

I'm w/rumrunn. Use motor oil for now if that's all that's available. Pick up some bicycle-specific lube when you have the opportunity.

FWIW, I usually apply oil, run the chain backwards a bit, maybe let it sit a bit, then wipe off as much as I can from the outside of the chain. Enough will generally stay behind to protect from rust.

"if not, what should i use? ...im sort of in the middle of a tour right now and am in the middle of nowhere in a grocery store...all they have is automotive oil...should i use motor oil? "

If that is your situation and you are limited to what is in the grocery store, then go with the WD40 - spray and wipe daily. I'm thinking that a small spray can of WD40 is smaller/lighter than a qt of motor oil.

You might find White Lightening lube in a WalMart.

Oh yuck!

I agree with the part about removing as much from the outside of the chain as possible. "Use plenty of it", not so much. It only takes the tiniest drop that you can manage on each link. Give it a while (15 - 30 min) to migrate into the innerds of the chain and then wipe away as much as you can.

FWIW, even most grocery stores have 3in1 oil. The original special purpose bicycle chain oil. The container is small enough to pack.

Anyone use penetrating oil?

I am thinking of PB blaster or maybe a generic penetrating oil. It could also be used for cleaning too.

Personally i use a home mix of mineral spirits and gear lube. To clean i brush on mineral spirits and wipe.

I'd rather ride another 100 in the tour until I eventually find a bike shop than buy 1l of motor oil and then figure out what to do with the rest of it as it would be a pain to carry.