What is the best anti-rust for your bicycle?

The best anti-rust for your bicycle is the attention you put in taking care of your bicycle.

A well lubricated bike can reduce mechanical problems. However, you should check that the moving parts of your bicycle are clean before you lubricate them. The lubricant will not be effective if the parts are encrusted with dirt, especially after a wet or muddy ride. Should that be the case, remove the old lubricants first with a degreaser. Read the instruction on the bottle on how to use it correctly. After spraying directly on the parts, you can use a brush to remove the dirt.

Then wash the residue off with soapy water. While you are at it, check the parts for wear or damage. After washing, dry the parts before applying the lubricant. You do not have to worry that you are not able to dry all parts on your bicycle. A good quality lubricant should be able to displace moisture still on your bicycle.

Regular lubrication can help a bicycle run smoothly as it reduces friction. That can prevent excessive wear and tear of parts. As the lubricant can also clean, the best time to lubricate them is the night before your ride the following day. If you leave it overnight, you will notice that any excess lubricant that dripped onto the floor is blackened with tiny specks of debris in them.

Another reason why you should not cycle on your bicycle right after lubricating the parts is that dirt and dust can easily stick to the lubricant. That will create friction on the moving parts and your ride will not be as smooth.

The best lubricant will not be effective if it is not applied routinely. Do you have a “Bicycle Owner's Manual” to refer to? In it you will find a schedule for lubricating parts on your bicycle. If you do not have one, you can easily find one online by doing a search for “Bicycle Owner's Manual .pdf”. This is a page extracted from one of the manuals I have.

Note that not all metal parts on your bicycle can be lubricated. You will find the additional information I shared in the following question I answered earlier useful.

When should you apply lubricant on your bicycle

Where do you keep your bicycle? Do you often leave it out in the open facing the elements of the sun and rain? If you cannot store your bicycle under a proper shelter, make sure that it is properly covered for protection against rain.

If possible store it hung up above the floor so that the wheels will not become rusted by water from the rain or being splashed on while the floor is being washed. There are many type of wall racks and hangers in the market for bicycles.

If you are not going to ride your bicycle for a period of time, there are also bags which you can buy to store it. 

Check out this bicycle from the early 1970s sent to us for repair. The owner kept his New Model Sprinter Cooper in the space under the stairs of his home.

This is the condition of the emblem on it.

This is the condition of the emblem of a bike we restored. It was kept outdoor. We did not know that it is a Raleigh until we removed the dirt and rust on it.

Read the information I shared at the following link if you think that the WD-40 Multi-Use Product that you often spray on your bicycle is a lubricant.

Can you put WD-40 on a bike chain with a chain guard?

Can you put WD-40 on a bike chain with a chain guard?

When customers sent their bicycles to be fixed at our bike shop, we usually suggest that they use bike lubricant if we see rusty parts on them. When they told us that they have WD-40 at home, we know that they are refering to this WD-40 Multi-Use Product.

If that is what you have on hand too, you have to note that WD-40 Multi-Use Product can damage plastic parts and destroy the circuits and the mechanisms inside the electrical device. So, it is not a good idea to use it if your chain guard is made of plastic or you are cycling on an ebike.  

There are many other plastic components that you can find on a bicycle or an e-bike.  They are:

-the protective parts like the "dork disc". 

-fenders.

-controller housing.
-motor covers.
-display casings.
-pedals.
-handlebar grips.

Also, WD-40 Multi-Use Product cleans more than it lubricates the parts on your bicycle. It is a petroleum-based solvent which will dissolve the bike lubricant already on your chain. This is why you can use it like a degreaser. However, when used on your chain, the solvent will evaporate once it is exposed to the air or get heated up by the hot rays of the sun or friction as your ride. So, after applying WD-40, you should also spray your chain with bike lubricant.

Do you know that in 2012, WD-40 Company founded WD-40 BIKE Company which supplies cycling-specific maintenance needs product? So, under their WD-40 Specialist product line, you should be able to find Bike Degreaser and Bike Chain Lube. It is easy to find lubricants meant for bicycles at your local bike shop which will not affect plastic parts. I know that WD-40 Specialist product are currently more expensive. Just go for the brand that you are willing to pay for.

Most articles I read, will suggest that you wipe the excess lubricant off your bike chain before your ride. If you read the other functions of a bike lubricant from its bottle, you will see that it can remove grease and grime from your chain.

It will be more effective if you spray the lubricant on your chain the night before your ride the following day. In that way, instead of wiping the excess lubricant off, you can leave it on the chain to do its job. However, it is alright to use a cloth to wipe any lubricant accidentally sprayed on the frame of your bicycle so that it will not be too oily to the touch or stain your clothes. You will notice that the frame looks cleaner as you wipe it off.

If your bicycles are installed with disc brakes, are you aware that you are not supposed to spray any lubricant on the rotors? There will be a squeaking noise when you brake if your rotors or disc brake pads have been contaminated with oily residue.  Click on the following link to find out what you can do if there is noise whenever you use your disc brake.

How can I stop my disc brakes from squeaking?

Note that WD-40 Multi-Use Product fumes should not be inhaled as it can cause the inhaler to get high which can then lead to potential abuse. If you use it at home, keep it away from fire as it is a flammable chemical. You can read about the benefits of WD-40 and how to use it correctly at the following link:

Is WD-40 Flammable?

When should you apply lubricant on your bicycle?

The best time to lubricate the moving parts of your bicycle, which includes your chain, is right after you clean it, especially, after cycling in wet or dusty condition.

According to instruction manual from Cylion the manufacturer for “Multifunction Chain Cleaner” and chain cleaning agents, it is recommended that you clean your bicycle after every 100km of riding.

However, if you look at your bike manual, you will see that there is a schedule for you to clean and lubricate the moving parts on your bicycle with grease, lubricant and chain lube.

So, even if you have not cycled for a while, you should try to follow the schedule to prevent rust and corrosion.

Grime and grit on moving parts will cause friction. You will know that you have to lubricate them when you feel that your ride is less “smooth” than usual. So, it is alright to lubricate them more often then scheduled. Use wet lube if you tend to ride in wet and dusty condition.

This schedule is a page from the “Bicycle Owner’s Manual” for Apollo bicycles.

If you do not have a manual, you can google “owner's manual for bicycle” to find one online.

The first thing you should do, if you have not lubricated your bicycle since day one you ride on it, is to wash the drive train. That will be the chain and the components that it runs through. Hose off any dirt sticking to the parts first then wipe it dry with a towel before you lubricate the chain and all the moving parts.

There are many type of cleaning set in the market. Here is one of the models from Super B.

Some cleaning agents and sets come with instruction on its packaging which will give you an idea how your drive train should be cleaned. I always keep a copy of such for product sold in my shop. This one is from Cylion.

If you do not want grit to stick to recently lubricated bike, it is best not to over lubricate parts to prevent dirt build up. For best results, you can lubricate your chain 24 hours ahead of your ride to allow liquid carrier of the lube or lubricant to evaporate. Before you ride, wipe off any access that you see. That way your drivetrain will stay cleaner after each ride.

Be careful when spraying lubricants to avoid getting any on your brake disc rotor or pads. You will know that it has been contaminated if you can hear a squealing sound when you brake. You can clean the rotor with a degreaser or rubbing alcohol to stop the annoying sound. As a last resort, you can use soap and water.