# How did people lube bikes in the olden days?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 28, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299 "2012-05-28T01:00:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299/41 "2012-05-29T21:54:25Z")

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I love this site. TMI and 26 minutes 'til late for the gym…both at the same time.

The WD40 site itself says what we’re all agreeing to: WD40 WILL lubricate (because it has SOME oil in it) and your kid WILL get to school and back without his chain welding itself into one piece and hurling him into traffic, BUT if you’re a serious rider, it won’t cut it. Because it’s mostly NOT OIL.

I buy it by the gallon (literally) and use it in a spray bottle for everything from cleaning kayaks to coating racecar engines and headers between races. But not on the bike chains.

IMHO “long-term lubrication” on a bike chain means at least a whole ride.

From WD40 site:

WD-40 and Bike Chains

Myth: WD-40 Multi-Use Product should not be used on bike chains.

Fact: While WD-40 Multi-Use Product it is not a grease, it is formulated with strong lubricating oils and other ingredients, and is a terrific product to use for bike maintenance. It does not attract dirt or moisture to metal surfaces – just be sure to wipe off any excess WD-40 Multi-Use Product before riding. For long-term lubrication, a specialized bicycle lubricant may be used.

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**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299/42 "2012-05-29T21:57:22Z")

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> [@dropzone](#):
>
> Why would you clean or lube a gun you knew was loaded? That’s almost as bad as my father’s, “I coulda sworn I unloaded it,” as my mom yelled about the new hole in the wall.

Never carried a gun for work, have you? So you probably never got it wet. And never had to go back out in 6 hours.

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299/43 "2012-05-29T21:59:45Z")

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Will petroleum jelly work?

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-lube-bikes-in-the-olden-days/623299/44 "2012-05-30T20:22:44Z")

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I’m no expert, but I would expect petroleum jelly to be really bad about dirt and gunk sticking to it.

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