Chain cleaning

[biffanio]

Hello all

Which methods of chain cleaning do most people find work best for there bikes please?

A chain cleaning machine or degreasing spray and brushes ect?

Many Thanks

Neil

 

[indalo]

Hello all

Which methods of chain cleaning do most people find work best for there bikes please?

A chain cleaning machine or degreasing spray and brushes ect?

Many Thanks

Neil

My preferred method is prevention. A Dutch-style bike with fully enclosed chain cover alleviates the need for much cleaning. On my other bikes, without such a device, I only clean off crud when it's really necessary and I don't buy expensive, specialist chain-cleaning agents. Just a little detergent or paraffin if it's really bad does the job and very little light oil occasionally if the chain looks dry.

Any old stiff brush does the job well enough but a local bike shop wouldn't charge a lot to carry out a basic inspection and service occasionally. They will also clean and lubricate as required if they're any good and will advise on wear to the chain and cogs. Those wearing parts are not actually terribly expensive to replace and they will require replacement inevitably at some point anyway so I can't get hung-up on chain maintenance.

There are videos and written material on the internet about bicycle maintenance including looking after chains but life's too short. Just get out, ride the bike and enjoy it.

Indalo

 

[oigoi]

If you want to give it a thorough clean, take it off and put it in a tub of paraffin or white spirit and get an old toothbrush.

I just keep putting more oil on it. By the time the chain is dirty enough to need a major clean it's probably stretched enough to need replacing anyway, I generally find.

 

[Pedalo]

I used to regularly clean my chain with a chain cleaning machine and scrub away at the deraileur mechanism etc and generally keep my bike squeaky clean.

Nowadays I just change the chain and cassette once a year (approx 3000 miles) and give everything a good clean at the same time. Like Oigoi, I just oil when necessary and don't really do any other cleaning to the chain (or bike!). Life's too short for all that!

 

[Hugh]

GT40 spray and a dirty old t-shirt or similar rag. I'm still on the same chain and sprockets after 2.5 years.

 

[Axcess Electric Bikes]

you may be interested in the following link
Dirt Trap Chain Degreaser Machine | Weldtite

 

[flecc]

I never clean chains. With single speed or hub gear bikes I grease them liberally and when the grease hardens and flakes off it takes road dirt with it. With derailleurs I use light oil and just add more from time to time until chain replacement time.

 

[GaRRy]

I just use really hot water with washing up liquid in it with a good brush to clean it all down (chain,cogs,detailers etc).

Then WD 40 and clean rags to get rid of water and any left over crud.

Then lightly oil.

but I only do this every few months IF its all really crudded up.

 

[the_killjoy]

Reminds me of the old days of boiling motorcycle chains in grease on the kitchen stove whilst mother went mad.

She also seemed to be against putting engine bits in the oven prior to fitting bushes and valve guides

 

[NRG]

I still use this method from time to time but I'm not as obsessive about it now and I use Paraffin instead of Gunk:

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/8197-chain-cleaning-oiling.html

 

[yselmike]

My flyer with dualdrive and a Panasonic motor is a disaster in the winter,it picks up all the mud and grit going.
The chain jumps if I dont clean it, its only come of once Its great learning how it fits at midnight in a storm and halfway home make sure you know how to remove the chainguard and have the tools to do it and some disposible rubber gloves
are a plus.
I am going to make sure all my lubes are organic so I can use some de-greaser that I can get from work we use it in the kitchen its safe for all metals [not sure about rubber though] and its designed for fat and grease.
It comes in a ten ltr jerrycan as I am ****ed off at paying for tiny little bottles!!!!.so its in the shower every week or two
in the winter and every month in summer and it seems I have to be sparing with the lube as that attracts grit.
I have a cargo bike had it for 8 years and I have never seen the chain its covered, Dutch bikes Bliss.

 

[flecc]

I have a cargo bike had it for 8 years and I have never seen the chain its covered, Dutch bikes Bliss.

Brilliant. I remember the oilbath chaincases of half a century and more ago which didn't just run for years but for decades with no attention.

 

[neptune]

To clean a chain, I use an empty bean tin with about an inch of paraffin in it , and apply it to the chain with a paint brush. I keep a small piece of old carpet to place under the chain, to keep the workshop floor clean. I then let the bike stand for a couple of hours to drain. Then I clean up any mess, and wipe the chain thoroughly with rags. Oil is then applied. The oil I am using at present is motorcycle 90 grade gear oil. It seems to stay on the chain longer than lighter oils.

 

[jerrysimon]

I have been round this loop buying a chain cleaner and agent to clean it. To be honest its all just too mucky and too much faffing around.

My latest chain had been running for about a year and 2000 miles, (just wiped down with a rag and a little oil/lube every month or so), when I remembered to check it with my chain wear gauge. Oops should have checked it a couple of months earlier. I put on a new chain and it was jumping on the highest of my two sprockets of my Brompton. The 12T one used most. So waiting a little longer has meant I have lost a sprocket.

But then £8 for a new chain and £4 for a new sprocket does it really matter ?

I now know that I need to check/measure my chain wear after six months + of daily use and maybe change around 8 months if I don't want to loose a sprocket.

£8 is worth it over the cost of a £25 chain cleaner and all the faff.

Out of curiosity if I have left it would my main chain ring have started to wear ? I hadn't really noticed a degradation of performance even though it had measured worn.

Regards

Jerry

 

[Scimitar]

I brush it with paraffin, then lube with ATF or motor oil, whatever's to hand.

Reminds me of the old days of boiling motorcycle chains in grease on the kitchen stove whilst mother went mad.

She also seemed to be against putting engine bits in the oven prior to fitting bushes and valve guides

Nowadays the missus seems to dislike the dishwasher being used to clean engine bits. I don't understand it myself.

 

[Mussels]

If you want to give it a thorough clean, take it off and put it in a tub of paraffin or white spirit and get an old toothbrush.

I just keep putting more oil on it. By the time the chain is dirty enough to need a major clean it's probably stretched enough to need replacing anyway, I generally find.

I don't go much for the toothbrush method, the outside doesn't really matter and it's more important flushing stuff out from where the brush won't reach.

you may be interested in the following link
Dirt Trap Chain Degreaser Machine | Weldtite

That looks exactly like the Halfords Bikehut cleaner, I guess just a generic Chinese product rebranded. That said it does work well.

The best way to keep a motorbike chain clean and oiled is with a continuous drip feed of oil (usually Scottoiler), I keep meaning to rig up one of these on my pushbike as it is purely gravity fed. I don't see how it could work with cassettes or freewheels though.
chainoiler.co.uk

 

[flecc]

I don't see how it could work with cassettes or freewheels though.
chainoiler.co.uk

I suppose the Scottoiler nozzle could be placed near to the chainwheel which would work, assuming there weren't double or triple chainrings.

Even multi-chainrings could work with it if the nozzle was mounted on the front changer so tracking the chain movement.

 

[GaRRy]

I suppose the Scottoiler nozzle could be placed near to the chainwheel which would work, assuming there weren't double or triple chainrings.

Even multi-chainrings could work with it if the nozzle was mounted on the front changer so tracking the chain movement.

Scottoiler Bicycle Oiler - Active Fluid System | products

Only trouble is while they work well on motorbikes they can be messy as all the excess oil has to go somewhere .

 

[flecc]

Keep the back tyre nice and shiny.

Seriously, it should be possible to impede the nozzle outlet a little to keep flow minimal.

 

[Mussels]

Scottoiler Bicycle Oiler - Active Fluid System | products

Only trouble is while they work well on motorbikes they can be messy as all the excess oil has to go somewhere .

I'm not a fan of Scottoiler, on my motorbike it would usually not give enough or dump the whole lot in one journey. I found the much cheaper Loobman a better system, just not as aesthetically pleasing.