WD-40 Is Just Fine for Chain Degreasing (Ignore the Snobs)

Let’s get something straight right off the bat—bicycle maintenance is not the sacred art these self-anointed gear priests make it out to be.

Some of these guys talk about chain lube like they’re curing cancer. You ever ask about WD-40 in a bike forum? It’s like throwing a lit match into a puddle of gasoline.

Oh no, not WD-40! The horror! The apocalypse! Your chain will disintegrate, your bike will combust, and you’ll be excommunicated from the Church of the Perfect Drivetrain.

Bullshit.

I’ve been using WD-40 to clean my chain for years. Guess what? My bike didn’t explode, my chain didn’t melt into a puddle of regret, and I haven’t been struck by lightning.

You wanna know why? Because I follow seven simple truths.

1. WD-40 is Not a Lubricant, But Who Cares?

First thing’s first—yes, WD-40 is not a lube. No argument there. But we’re not talking about lubrication. We’re talking about degreasing. And as a degreaser, WD-40 works just fine.

Better than fine, actually. It’s designed to break down gunk, dissolve grime, and—this is important—displace water.

Use it to clean your chain, wipe that sucker down, and then apply a proper lube. If you skip that last step, you deserve the crunchy, squeaky hell you’re about to ride through.

2. The “It Leaves a Residue” Myth

OMy favorite. Some people claim WD-40 leaves behind some mysterious, evil film that secretly destroys your chain from the inside out. Funny how I’ve been riding thousands of miles without a problem.

Here’s the truth: WD-40 evaporates quickly. The small amount of residue it does leave behind is negligible and disappears once you properly lube the chain. If you’re that worried about it, give the chain a quick wipe with a clean rag before applying lube.

---

3. Cycling Elitists Are Annoying

There are two types of cyclists:

1. People who actually ride their bikes.
2. People who spend more time on internet forums debating the chemical properties of chain lubricants.

The second group thinks they know everything because they watched a YouTube video and read a whitepaper on friction coefficients.

These are the same people who say things like, “You should only use Shimano-approved chain oil, applied with a sterile cotton swab at precisely 73.2°F.”

Relax, nerds. This isn’t aerospace engineering. It’s a bike.

4. The Pros Use It (But Won’t Admit It)

You think pro mechanics only use top-tier, $30-a-bottle boutique degreasers? Nope. They use what works and what’s convenient.

You think they’re above grabbing a can of WD-40 to clean a chain between races?

Ask around. Some will swear against it publicly, but a lot of them use it when the cameras aren’t rolling.

Hell, even Simon from GCN uses it. And if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for your rusty-ass commuter bike.

---

5. WD-40 is Cheap, Easy, and Available Everywhere

You can find WD-40 in literally any hardware store, gas station, or even grandma’s junk drawer. Meanwhile, these “specialty” chain degreasers cost twice as much and are only available in niche cycling stores run by guys with ironic mustaches.

I don’t need to spend $15 on a degreaser when a $5 can of WD-40 works just as well. Maybe you enjoy wasting money. If so, go ahead and spend $30 on a chain cleaning kit that looks like a rejected Transformers toy.

---

6. The “WD-40 Will Destroy Your Chain” Lie

One guy once told me WD-40 would strip my chain of all its internal lubrication and reduce it to dust. I asked him how long he had been riding. He said three years.

Three years.

Meanwhile, my chains last just as long as anyone else’s, and I don’t spend half my paycheck on fancy degreasers.

Listen, WD-40 will break down grime, dirt, and old lube. That’s the point. That’s why you reapply lube after using it. If your chain disintegrated, it’s not because of WD-40. It’s because you were too lazy to lube it afterward.

---

7. You’re Overthinking This

Here’s the bottom line: Keeping your chain clean is more important than whatever product you use to do it. A dirty chain wears down faster, costs you more money in replacement parts, and makes you work harder while riding.

If WD-40 is what you have, use it. If you prefer a different degreaser, use that. The key is to clean your damn chain and lube it properly. End of story.

---

Summary Table:

Myth	Reality
“WD-40 is a lubricant.”	No, but it’s a great degreaser.
“It leaves a residue.”	Barely, and it evaporates.
“Only expensive bike-specific degreasers work.”	WD-40 works just fine.
“WD-40 destroys chains.”	Not if you re-lube afterward.
“WD-40 is too cheap to be good.”	That’s just dumb.
“Pro mechanics don’t use it.”	Some do—they just won’t admit it.
“WD-40 is the devil.”	It’s just a damn degreaser. Relax.

Look, you can do whatever you want. You wanna spend money on overpriced bike-specific degreasers?

Go for it. You wanna act like WD-40 is the antichrist of cycling?

Be my guest.

But don’t come crying to me when your chain is still dirty, your wallet is empty, and you’re spending more time arguing on Reddit than actually riding.

Me? I’ll be out there, pedaling away, with a clean chain that I degreased with WD-40.

And you know what? My bike still isn’t on fire.