# Chain Cleaning



## Jody (16 Dec 2013)

Hi All,

I need some advice for chain cleaning. I have searched the site and it mentions the mickle method. This seems OK especially for road use but my chain has grit and mud in it which I don’t think the rub and lube will remove. I have ordered a chain bath to get in and scrub the chain but was wondering if anyone has any tips for cleaning and recommendations for degreasing type products for the bath that don’t break the bank.


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## cosmicbike (16 Dec 2013)

Rather than degrease using solvents which will remove all the lubricant from inside the chain,why not bath it in oil something to remove the grit etc?


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## smokeysmoo (16 Dec 2013)

Tip 1 - Mickle is king. 

Tip 2 - Cancel the chain bath, they just make a mess.

Tip 3 - Save yourself £££'s and get some chainsaw oil.

PS: you cannot Mickle too often


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## PpPete (16 Dec 2013)

The mickle method will remove all kinds of crap, maybe slightly less efficiently than degreasers, but most importantly it will not strip the lubricant out from the important bit between the plates in the way that degreaser will.
If it is really really shitty then the "coke-bottle shake" with white spirit is cheap - and less likely to dump nasty solvents in to the environment than any chain bath.
Then you need to let it dry and do three cycles of mickle (i.e. lube-wipe-wipe lube-wipe-wipe lube-wipe-wipe) to get rid of the solvent or degreaser.


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## Jody (16 Dec 2013)

I will give this mickle method another go next week when its filthy again. I just want to try an avoid wear on the group set from grit.


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## Paul99 (16 Dec 2013)

Jody said:


> I will give this mickle method another go next week when its filthy again. I just want to try an avoid wear on the group set from grit.


 Don't have to wait until it's filthy. A quick mickle after every ride is the way to go.


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## Jody (16 Dec 2013)

Other than riding on the road its going to be filthy very ride at the moment.

A quick mickle it is then.


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## VamP (16 Dec 2013)

Dry lube is what you need. White lightning stuff is self cleaning in as much as possible. You can rinse grit residue with water after the ride and reapply. 

I think those advocating just wiping off with a rag with wet lube for off road riding don't do much off road  especially in combination with chainsaw oil


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## Custom24 (16 Dec 2013)

Chain bath for me. And a biodegradable degreaser. I've not tried dry lube. Currently use Finish Line Wet weather.


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## PhilDawson8270 (16 Dec 2013)

How suitable is motorcycle chain lubricant on push bikes?


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## Pale Rider (16 Dec 2013)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> How suitable is motorcycle chain lubricant on push bikes?



Fine, same stuff as far as I can gather.

I'm still using a motorbike aerosol dry lube which I've had for years.


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## 02GF74 (16 Dec 2013)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> How suitable is motorcycle chain lubricant on push bikes?


 
it is brilliant

I have no idea what the mickle method is but from experience I have learned not to overclean a chain.

A couple times I took the chain off, put it in a tin with paraffin and shake. This removed most of the oil/grit/grease but I found it went too far and stripped the grease between the links and the rollers and I found it is quite hard to regrease them; I could hear the chain grinding and graunching after greasing by spraying from a can.

nowadays I use chain lube - motorcycle chain wax type - the sort you can spray on but has solvent so it solidifies is best , then wipe the from the chain.

too much oil/grease on a chain results in grit sticking to it. you only need the grease at the moving parts, not all over the chain.


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## Rickshaw Phil (16 Dec 2013)

The @mickle method for those who don't know it: *Link*

It does work and I agree with @smokeysmoo on the chainsaw oil.


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## Pat "5mph" (16 Dec 2013)

Jody said:


> I will give this mickle method another go next week when its filthy again. I just want to try an avoid wear on the group set from grit.


I find the Mickle method too time consuming if the chain is caked in mud or road grit.
So I take it off (I have fitted all the bikes with a quick link), give it a wash in soapy water, rinse, dry, then put it back on the bike and mickle.
I use car shampoo if I got it, or washing up liquid - the latter is not recommended because it contains salt


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## Cubist (17 Dec 2013)

This is what I do, there are other methods available, but I ride on millstone grit bridleways and therefore have a vested interest in getting it all clean properly.

There aren't any shortcuts really, but it results in a nice clean drivetrain with acceptable wear levels.

My clean chain is lubed with Finish line Dry Ceramic lube. It ain't cheap, but then you don't use much to start with. After a ride I take the wheels off and get the bike in a bike stand. I hose off the thickest mud using a hose with a garden nozzle attached. I have to be careful around the BB, but otherwise water isn't going to get in the wheel bearings 'cos they're the other side of the garage...

I then use a sponge and bucket with Turtle Wax car shampoo to sponge the bike clean, and rinse it all off with the hose. I then use a nylon washing up brush to detail clean the mechs and scrub along the chain which removes what grit and grime adhering to the dry lube (which often isn't all that much) Another rinse with clean water and then I leave the bike to drip dry (or lovingly dry it with a teatowel.... just don't tell Mrs Cube)

I clean the wheels and hubs over a bucket using the sponge and nylon brush to clean the cassette, again, making sure not too much water gets inside the hubs, but they're Hope sealed cartridge bearings with plenty of waterproof grease in them anyway.

With the wheels back on the bike I use a rag and a squirt of GT85 to get the water out of the chain and then relube with dry wax, dripping a drop onto the inside of every roller as I backpedal. I then run the chain a few revolutions to get the wax through the whole chain, then add a drop of the lube to a clean rag and run it over the chain again, this time doing the Mr Allen's Proprietary Efficacious Championship Chain Lubrification Methodology.

I have tried chainsaw oil and found it far too sticky. With dry wax not nearly as much grit adheres to the chain, which is why you can simply clean it with a sponge and car shampoo.


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## jazzkat (17 Dec 2013)

For me the chain comes off every time. 
3 jars of white spirit.
Shake the chain in the first, it clears the most dirt. Then into the second jar shake and then finally into the third jar where the white spirit is almost completely clear and the cleanest.
Take the chain out wipe of the excess white spirit and wash in the kitchen sink using soap and water. Wipe dry and sit on the radiator to dry out the inside. 
Then once properly dry, a drop of lube on each roller worked into the chain by back pedalling, then wipe all the excess off.
Takes less time than it sounds and my chain always looks like new and lasts for thousands of miles.


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## avalon (17 Dec 2013)

I do love a chain lube / cleaning thread.


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## Jody (17 Dec 2013)

avalon said:


> I do love a chain lube / cleaning thread.



Feels like I have opened a can of worms with this. I have more questions about wet or dry lube also but might leave that for a later date


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## VamP (17 Dec 2013)

Hardly a can of worms. 'Mickle' method always gets reeled out on these boards, and chainsaw oil. Disregard for off-road application. Dry lube all the way. There's only two people posting on this thread that ride off-road in any serious sense to my knowledge, both of them have recommended the White Lightning Dry lube. Make your own mind up.


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## Motozulu (17 Dec 2013)

I've got onto 'Squirt' dry lube - the best dry lube I have tried by far. Self cleaning and great in the wet too. No matter how much mud I'm ploughing through I never get a dirty chain. Quick soft wire brush off when dry and re lube and go again. Can't speak highly enough of this stuff. Treat yourself. 

http://www.in2dust.co.uk/


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## Jody (17 Dec 2013)

VamP - I am going to buy some dry lube next trip to the LBS. White Lightening doesn't look too bad for the money and a lot cheaper than a worn group set.


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## VamP (17 Dec 2013)

Motozulu said:


> I've got onto 'Squirt' dry lube - the best dry lube I have tried by far. Self cleaning and great in the wet too. No matter how much mud I'm ploughing through I never get a dirty chain. Quick soft wire brush off when dry and re lube and go again. Can't speak highly enough of this stuff. Treat yourself.
> 
> http://www.in2dust.co.uk/


 
Sounds like the White Lighting stuff, probably the same ingredients. Does seem more expensive though...


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## VamP (17 Dec 2013)

Jody said:


> VamP - I am going to buy some dry lube next trip to the LBS. White Lightening doesn't look too bad for the money and a lot cheaper than a worn group set.


 
240ml bottle for around £8 will last you a pretty long time. It's the Clean Ride one that you want.


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## Custom24 (17 Dec 2013)

Cubist said:


> After a ride I take the wheels off and get the bike in a bike stand. I hose off the thickest mud using a hose with a garden nozzle attached. I have to be careful around the BB, but otherwise water isn't going to get in the wheel bearings 'cos they're the other side of the garage...


 
Presumably you also have to be careful around the headset?
Bike stand and taking the wheels off sounds good. I will try it. I've been really, really gentle with the hose near the casette on my second freehub, but again I've found rusty bearings inside there the other night, luckily only on the drive side. I've got a new freehub on the way.


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## 02GF74 (17 Dec 2013)

Custom24 said:


> but again I've found rusty bearings inside there the other night, luckily only on the drive side. I've got a new freehub on the way.


 
that may be saveable, wash out with paraffin then regrease.


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## mickle (17 Dec 2013)

jazzkat said:


> For me the chain comes off every time.
> 3 jars of white spirit.
> Shake the chain in the first, it clears the most dirt. Then into the second jar shake and then finally into the third jar where the white spirit is almost completely clear and the cleanest.
> Take the chain out wipe of the excess white spirit and wash in the kitchen sink using soap and water. Wipe dry and sit on the radiator to dry out the inside.
> ...


It takes exactly as long as it sounds. Too long.


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## Custom24 (17 Dec 2013)

02GF74 said:


> that may be saveable, wash out with paraffin then regrease.


Thanks - already did that but based on last experience, I will at least have the freehub on standby and probably swap it over the next time I have the wheel apart.


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## Cubist (17 Dec 2013)

Custom24 said:


> Presumably you also have to be careful around the headset?
> Bike stand and taking the wheels off sounds good. I will try it. I've been really, really gentle with the hose near the casette on my second freehub, but again I've found rusty bearings inside there the other night, luckily only on the drive side. I've got a new freehub on the way.


Next chance you get, take the cassette lock ring off and pack the space around the axle with a decent grease. Chandlers or marine grease is good. Replace the lockring and you'lll see there's a waterproof barrier that'll stop water getting into the freehub body at least from that side.

Never use water under pressure near it as the grease may flush out. When I clean the cassette over a bucket, I make sure the cassette is pointing downwards, so no detergent can get into the freehub. Oh, and I never, ever use degreaser on anything on the bike.
As for the headset, same applies. Washing the bike upside down doesn't help, but I always use a generous amount of grease when I fit the steerer, around the crown race and on top of the topmost bearing, under the seal that fits over the compression ring. I also always remove new bearing seals and add extra grease to start with , as many manufacturers only half pack them, even Hope.


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## Motozulu (18 Dec 2013)

VamP said:


> Sounds like the White Lighting stuff, probably the same ingredients. Does seem more expensive though...




Have never used the White Lightning, tried the Muc off dry wasn't impressed with that - the Squirt is so good though that I won't try anything else, if I'm happy with a product then I don't mind paying a few bob extra for peace of mind.


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## Jody (18 Dec 2013)

VamP said:


> 240ml bottle for around £8 will last you a pretty long time. It's the Clean Ride one that you want.



Yes, thats the one I found. Evans sell it at the same price and there is one a few miles from my house. Thanks for the recommendation!


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## jazzkat (18 Dec 2013)

mickle said:


> It takes exactly as long as it sounds. Too long.


What can I say?
I like cleaning!


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## 400bhp (18 Dec 2013)

VamP said:


> 240ml bottle for around £8 will last you a pretty long time. It's the Clean Ride one that you want.



I have the epic ride - took a punt 2 years ago when it was on offer. Used on all my bikes and the other halfs too. Approx. 15000 miles and I still have about 20% of the bottle left.


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