On my previous MAC hub motored bike, I never cleaned the chain and just lubed it every now and again.
This worked fine for that set-up, as I rarely needed to change out of top gear, and the bike had a robust 7-speed rear derailleur.
Moving on to my Bafang BBS02 bike, I felt it was time to take better care of the drivetrain system, as it relies on this for reliable performance.
Spotting some Muc-Off Chain Cleaner on Halfords website with some glowing reviews, I reserved a tin and picked it up an hour later.
BTW, it's price matched at the moment for £5.25 for 400ml, but I don't know how long it will stay at this price.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/tools-maintenance/cleaning-lube/muc-off-chain-cleaner-400ml
On closer inspection of my drivetrain, I saw that it was actually a lot dirtier than I thought. I had just been using one of those Bikehut gear cleaning brushes, to remove the worst crud off after every ride, but obviously this was not enough.
I put a couple of rags on the floor beneath the bike, gave the can a good shake as instructed, and sprayed the chain and rear mech, whilst rotating the crank.
Wow, the dirty black greasy muck literally fell off
With the spray nozzle pushed fully down, the cleaning fluid comes blasting out, driving out muck from between the chain links and the cassette cogs.
A quick rinse with the garden hose and the drivetrain was like new.
I reckon, after the initial deep clean, I should only need a maintenance clean, using less fluid, maybe once a week.
I only recommend a product if I think it does what it claims to do, and boy does this stuff perform.
For all you crank drive owners out there, this is a product that is a welcome addition to your bike maintenance arsenal
Pros
This worked fine for that set-up, as I rarely needed to change out of top gear, and the bike had a robust 7-speed rear derailleur.
Moving on to my Bafang BBS02 bike, I felt it was time to take better care of the drivetrain system, as it relies on this for reliable performance.
Spotting some Muc-Off Chain Cleaner on Halfords website with some glowing reviews, I reserved a tin and picked it up an hour later.
BTW, it's price matched at the moment for £5.25 for 400ml, but I don't know how long it will stay at this price.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/tools-maintenance/cleaning-lube/muc-off-chain-cleaner-400ml
On closer inspection of my drivetrain, I saw that it was actually a lot dirtier than I thought. I had just been using one of those Bikehut gear cleaning brushes, to remove the worst crud off after every ride, but obviously this was not enough.
I put a couple of rags on the floor beneath the bike, gave the can a good shake as instructed, and sprayed the chain and rear mech, whilst rotating the crank.
Wow, the dirty black greasy muck literally fell off
With the spray nozzle pushed fully down, the cleaning fluid comes blasting out, driving out muck from between the chain links and the cassette cogs.
A quick rinse with the garden hose and the drivetrain was like new.
I reckon, after the initial deep clean, I should only need a maintenance clean, using less fluid, maybe once a week.
I only recommend a product if I think it does what it claims to do, and boy does this stuff perform.
For all you crank drive owners out there, this is a product that is a welcome addition to your bike maintenance arsenal
Pros
- Will get the dirtiest of drivetrains sparkling clean
- Takes minimal effort to achieve good results
- Handy, short, built in nozzle extension, for directional control of spray
- Trusted brand for quality bike products
- Biodegradable
- Can get a little messy, if you are not careful whilst spraying
- A little on the expensive side, if you pay full price
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