Kerosene for cleaning chains?

[ChinaV]

The biggest advantage is that WD-40 keeps your chains and sprockets really really clean all the time and does not damage the rubber of the O-rings,

Agree 100%, the fact that it cleans, lubes, and removes dirt helps extend chain life greatly.

so it cannot dissolve the lube inside them.

Disagree 100%. Put a blob of grease on something, spray it with WD40 and watch it dissolve. This is the argument of why people think WD40 is bad for O-Ring chains. It penetrates past the o-rings and washes the grease away. My feeling is that it may wash the grease away, but it is a lubricant, so it still helps.

WD40 works well for people that religiously lube and clean their chains, however, it's not a good solution for extended riding in places like China. I agree you will see 20,000 mile chains, but probably not in China with WD40.
#1 China coats your chain in an astounding amount of grime and micro fine grit on a daily basis.
#2 WD40 evaporates quickly when the temperatures increase. If you don't lube between every ride, you lose a lot of its benefits.
#3 WD40 attracts dirt, but so does just about every other lube I've tried, so cleaning regularly is very important.

The most important thing about using WD40 is making sure it is real. China is full of fake WD40. You can immediately tell by smelling it. I get very strange looks when I buy the stuff because I always spray some in my hand and take a whiff.

Cheers!
ChinaV