I’ve become a bit obsessive about chain cleanliness recently, probably bought on since my purchase of a Proconnect! I’ve used the various wet, dry, spray on, pour on etc types of chain lube / cleaners before with varying degrees of success but none have worked really well.

 

Reading the late Sheldon Browns web site about chain maintenance he mentions a trick taught to him by a mechanic friend using an old plastic coke bottle: Chain Maintenance and I thought I’d try it out.

 

This method does mean the chain needs to be removed from the bike but with the use of quick release chain links the task is not too much of a chore. If your chain has no release link then fitting one is easy enough. You’ll have to break the chain with a conventional link removal tool and then insert one of these: SRAM Powerlink Connector | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com Select the link for the number of speeds your bike has.

 

Tools

What you’ll need is:

A wire coat hanger cut about 12” long with hooks fashioned at each end

4pint and a 2pint plastic milk bottle with screw on lids

Lubricant of your choice

Tin of Gunk from all good motor factors inc Halfords!

An oven heated to 100C

An old biscuit tin or similar

An understanding partner who is out for the day / afternoon (very important this one!)

A garage or space with a nail in a rafter high enough to hook the chain and coat hanger onto without the chain touching the floor but also allowing the 4pint bottle to stand underneath.

 

Cleaning

Drop the chain into the 2pint bottle. Pour in 1” to 1.5” of Gunk. Screw the lid on and shake and shake and shake!

 

Pour the contents down the drain or sink (it rinses away with water and your partner should be nowhere to be seen!). Repeat.

 

Fill the bottle with hot water from the tap and shake, empty and repeat.

 

Fish the chain out of the bottle with the wire coat hanger. Dry off with kitchen paper. Make sure the chain is clean, if not repeat the Gunk process or brush down the chain then repeat the Gunk process.

 

When clean lay the chain in the biscuit tin and ‘cook’ in the oven at 100C for 20 mins to drive out any moisture from the links.

 

Remove from oven and leave to cool.

 

Oiling

 

Oiling is now a personal choice. With the chain still in the tin you can apply either wet or dry spray oils or wax and hang the chain up in the garage to dry or you can submerse the chain totally in an oil bath. I’ve been using the submersion method and the results have been very good so far.

 

Take the 4pint bottle and pour in the oil, I’m using synthetic EP90 oil that I have spare. Drop the chain into the oil, screw the cap on and shake...

 

Fish the chain out using the coat hanger, find the end link and hang the chain up from the rafter with the 4pint oil bottle underneath and allow to drip dry overnight. Clean the bike chain rings and sprockets.

 

Next day wipe any excess oil from the chain with a clean lint free cloth or kitchen roll paper and refit the chain to the bike.

 

I’ve found with this method you will need to wipe down the chain a few more times after riding the bike for a bit...the oil seems to get squeezed out from between the rollers. EP90 oil may not be the best to use though, it does smell (a bit like gas!) and there is some ‘throw off’ from the chain. Also, wet lubricants in general pick up dust and grit especially if you ride on dusty paths etc. So maybe this is best for winter riding or pure road riding.

 

After doing this on my Proconnect and then riding a number of Sustrans routes off road I found the chain had picked up a lot of dust so I’m now trying a Castrol ‘Race’ motorcycle Wax lubricant that is very similar to the original Wax the chain was first covered in. This is sprayed on and left to dry before refitting the chain.

 

I’m also planning on trying the Bikehut Wax lubricant that Aldby pointed out in another thread.

 

I’ve now done the above cleaning and oiling on all of my bikes and I’m pleased with the results, however, the jury is out on what type of lubricant is best at this point.

Edited April 14, 201115 yr by NRG

Hi Try these chain cleaner and separate lubricant

 

 

Muc-Off Chain Doc Chain Cleaner Bike MTB / Road Bike | eBay UK

 

 

Muc-Off Dry PTFE Chain Lube Bike MTB / Road Bike 400ml | eBay UK

 

 

Pedros Ice Wax 2.0 Chain Lube MTB & Road Bike 120ml | eBay UK

 

 

Frank

There's some good methods there. However this is the issue I've always had with any maintence on chains which I learnt on Motorbikes.

 

It was easier and cheaper to buy cheap chain and sprockets and replace them more often and a reduced cost than buy super expensie chains and spend every weekend oiling and cleaning them.

 

Now I just use motorbike lube on it. Spray and leave and job done. A new chain hardly costs anything. I'm sure its different on your bike. But thats alot of effort to effectivly keep a chain in tip top condition.

 

Its a wear part that no matter how well you keep it going will eventually fail.

Has anyone ever used any type of scottoiler on a push bike?

I recently cleaned the chain on my 15 month old, 1600 mile EBrompton.

 

Quite frankly for the time and cost involved it would have been better buying and fitting a new chain.

 

It was fun though and I had a nice sense of achievement when it was done

 

I also noticed having cleaned all the parts how well the bike seems to ride, I guess down to the fact that all the parts are well worn in and now matched. I pass many bikes that creak and groan as they are ridden, mine kinda purs as it moves along.

 

Maybe a little deep (or naff), but I feel at one with my little bike as I commute to work each day

 

Regards

 

Jerry

Edited April 14, 201115 yr by jerrysimon

It may be an old wives tale but are you not supposed to change the cassette when you change a chain.

 

I never have but I never listen to old wives either.

 

If motorcycle spray is good enough for my motorbike it is good enough for all my bikes.

 

Steve

Admitadly alot of my knowledge is motorbike based.

But when chaging chain and sprockets on a motorcycle you should always change them as a set. As failing to do so ends up with accellerated wear.

 

I would think it applies on a smaller scale too.

NRG, Just a suggestion: instead of using gunk, use parafin. It cleans just as well, but you don't have to dry it off. Just let it drip and then oil it.

 

For those with motorbikes: Don't use anything other than an O-ring chain. Some of the cheaper chains don't have them, and they're a complete waste of time and money. Forget all the fancy spray lubes. As NRG suggests, just use 90 grade gear oil. If it needs cleaning, use a paintbrush and parafin. Always lube it after riding in the rain, otherwise it'll go rusty and damage the O-rings, rendering it useless.

Sorry forgot to say a cheap "O" ring chain. Never the standard ones as your right they are useless and need adjusting constantly lol.

 

That and I always used to go for the smallest front sprocket with the largest rear sprocket (Increased overal accleration but at the cost of fuel comsumption and increased wear) But made most bikes little wheelie machines!

NRG, Just a suggestion: instead of using gunk, use parafin. It cleans just as well, but you don't have to dry it off. Just let it drip and then oil it.

 

Good suggestion, I'll try it next time, thanks!

It may be an old wives tale but are you not supposed to change the cassette when you change a chain.

 

I never have but I never listen to old wives either.

 

If motorcycle spray is good enough for my motorbike it is good enough for all my bikes.

 

Steve

 

If you can catch the chain before it has worn enough to damage the sprockets. I have change just a chain on plenty of occasions and the second chain has lasted the same as the first. There is a measuring tool you can buy that helps you decided when a change is needed or if you have gone too far. Personally I would prefer to do this and keep the chain as clean and as well lubed as possible. Replacing a quality cassette can be expensive for decent quality. Also I found when I change the casettes the indexing can take a little while to sort out to get a smooth change on all the gears.