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I bought a new bike for my son on craigslist and want to grease up the chain a little. Someone at work (who is not a bike mechanic) told me to use WD 40 on the chain. I read somewhere else that WD 40 is a terrible idea unless you use it every time you ride. Since I am not going to do this all the time, is there a brand/type of lubricant I can use. I'd like to spray some on my bikes before I put them away for the winter in the next month or two. Thanks!
WD-40 is a penetrant, solvent and water displacer. It's great for cleaning and winter storage; it is NOT for lubricating anything. It attracts dirt and evaporates within a short time. I'm not entirely clear on your question, but if you plan to put your bikes up for the winter, that's a good application for WD.
You'll find a lot of different opinions on chain lube (and a lot of different lubes for different conditions). My personal preference for road cycling in dry conditions is Pedro's Go! - it's soybean-oil based and low toxicity, which is important when you think about how much chain lube winds up in the ground (or the storm drain) every time you wash your bike. :( They also make a wet-condition chain lube called Chainj.
WD40 is great for cleaning parts.
To lube them, use something like Oakleaf mentioned, or Boeshield if you live where it is wet/rainy.
The favorite of bike mechanics around here is ABT (Absolutely the Best), which is a lubricant suspended in a light solvent. So the solvent cleans lightly then evaporates leaving lubricant. It's a bit thinner than some so it gets where it needs to go, yet it doesn't attract gunk to the chain.
Thanks for all your responses and sorry that I was unclear. I was actually asking 2 separate questions and after re-reading my post, I realized that it was confusing.
1) What is the best bicycle grease to use right now so that my son can enjoy riding for the next 2 months?
2) Also, what is the best thing to use when putting the bikes away for winter storage?
Looks like I got answers to both! Thank you all for your help!!!
Grease is a third question. :D
Are you looking to re-pack the bearings on his bike? Phil Wood grease is popular and ubiquitous. Campagnolo grease is more expensive but renowned for its long life.
Depending on how lightweight his bike and how fine the tolerances in his components are, regular axle grease from the auto parts store - whatever you already have in your garage - might be plenty.
Don't use grease on external parts like chains and cables. Save it for parts like hubs, bottom brackets and headsets that are more or less sheltered from water and grit. A *thin* layer of grease on quick-release skewers is a good idea, too.
LOL! Can you tell that I know nothing about bikes? I was talking about lubing the chain and winterizing the bike. Thanks for the suggestions. I went with the Pedro's Go for the chain and and WD-40 for the winter. Thank you!
What do you mean, "Winter storage?!" lol. You mean you won't be riding in the winter?