Degreasing & Lubing Bike
02-09-13, 12:56 PM
#1
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Degreasing & Lubing Bike
Hi,
I was at my local BS and the guy told me if I don't buy a degreaser I could use WD-40 as one. It won't do anything near what the other real bike degreasers will.
BUT what can I use to oil my chain? Household items?
I have a few cans of ballistol (gun lube). will that work?
I was at my local BS and the guy told me if I don't buy a degreaser I could use WD-40 as one. It won't do anything near what the other real bike degreasers will.
BUT what can I use to oil my chain? Household items?
I have a few cans of ballistol (gun lube). will that work?
02-09-13, 01:10 PM
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I don't even have WD40 in the house. I generally use SimpleGreen for cleaning but it requires rinsing with water.
I am not familiar with ballistol, but I use my spray RemOil for some pivot things. For you chain your better off using a dry lube like White Lightening
What kind of grease are you trying to remove anyway? Most modern bikes don't require alot of lubing other than the chain.
I am not familiar with ballistol, but I use my spray RemOil for some pivot things. For you chain your better off using a dry lube like White Lightening
What kind of grease are you trying to remove anyway? Most modern bikes don't require alot of lubing other than the chain.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
02-09-13, 01:45 PM
#4
Mechanic/Tourist
You should wipe down the chain when lubricating. A chain should not need to be cleaned after 2 month. WD-40 will not clean the chain, just make the part you can see look better. When you do reach the point of needing to remove and clean it Just Google clean bicycle chain to get a host of ideas as well as pros and cons or just go to Sheldon's chain maintenance page.
02-09-13, 02:35 PM
#5
Senior Member
For deep cleaning a squirt of liquid dish detergent in a bucket of warm water works well (as recommended to me by instructors at UBI Bike school). But wiping down chain after every ride takes 22 seconds an keeps my chain clean to point I rarely have to do anything else. As for lube, anything designed to be a lubricant -- chainlube, 3in1, motor oil, etc-- will work but the heavier oil, the more dirt it will attract. So light lube is what you want. I am not a fan of dry lubes because I find they don't stand up to the humid conditions where I live but if you live in dry place they'll do fine. Otherwise wiping chain and light lube will do you fine.
