roland@inmet.UUCP (08/23/84)
#N:inmet:15400014:000:1181 inmet!roland Aug 21 09:28:00 1984 If you read the label on the WD40 can, you will notice that at no time do they claim it is a lubricant. They do make statements which could lead a reader to believe that it is a lubricant. They do say that the carrier will evaporate, leaving WD40 (whatever that is) behind. They also say that it is a cleaner (which it is, but have you ever considered cleaning and lubricating something with the same substance?). In my five years as a motorcycle mechanic I never detected a residue and I thought it was a volatile fluid. My experience and the recommendation of a local bicycle shop is that it is unsuitable for long-term lubrication (e.g. chains). It is great for assembling parts which are hard to put together but don't need lubrication once assembled. TriFlow and Dri-Slide have volatile carriers which leave behind a residue which is a lubricant (Teflon and molybdenum disulfide, respectively). This is not to say that I recommend either TriFlow or Dri-Slide as chain lubricants - I don't have experience with either with bicycles. Motorcyclists have used paraffin as a chain lubricant with good results. Dri-Slide is commonly used for control cables. - Roland Crowl