Chain cleaning - how often?

[mickle]

I use Halfords own Chain Cleaner which was a gift. Works very well indeed. Can't see how it's messy in any way. In fact, my hands are cleaner than using a rag on the daft mickle method. Chain cleaners are just so much quicker and leave a properly cleaned chain on inside and out. What's not to like.

How very jolly dare you Sir!

 

[mickle]

Mickle ... leaves the crap on the inside.

You're getting crap on the inside of your chain because why?? I would suggest it's because you're leaving your chain too wet. If you ran it drier, you'd not need to degrease the crap out of it.

Be honest, you've not actually tried The Method have you?

 

[mickle]

Why do I even care about total stranger's chains!? *sobs*

 

[Apollonius]

The best advice I have had on chains is this: you only need lubrication to keep the chain articulating. Keep it clean and dry works!

 

[Cuchilo]

I Mickle with baby wipes and dry lube .

 

[gbb]

I had all the time in the world in my last job to develop a chain cleaning regime....
Bear in mind I work in a workshop, have high pressure airlines etc etc..
Chain off, wipe, blast with high pressure airgun, spray with WD or similar, blast with airline again...all this probably took minutes, maybe 5. The black gunk flows oit.

Then soak in a tray of oil...half an hour maybe while I did something else.

Hang on a nail over the tray for the rest of the day to drip all the excess off.

Thoroughly wipe, wipe again, wipe ahain. Fit to bike, wipe again.

In all, I probably spent 10 minutes on the chain each time, split up over the day.
I occasionallycleaned it with high power degreaser then airline, dry, driptray etc as above.

During the winter, this seemed particually neccessary.

Did my chain last any longer.....no. IME, with hindsight, its a waste of time spending too much time cleaning chains. It doesnt extend mileage in chains at all or its insignificant.
Ive long since come to the conclusion a chain is a consumable, wipe it, oil it sparingly, spin pedals, leave it a while then wipe thoroughly.
A good rag, a drop of oil on each roller and a good wipe....my chains las.t just as long as they ever did

 

[Mattonsea]

I think your right , I just soaki in degreaser for a day wipe and relube. With other kit with chains I never clean the chains as anal as what I use too with a bike.

 

[winjim]

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wypall-L30-500-Sheet-Large-Roll/p/114449

 

[mjr]

Mickle method cleans the outside of the chain only. Leaves the crap on the inside.

Thorough washing out of the citrus cleaner and leaving it to dry is the way to go, followed by fresh lube.

Washing it with what?

Why not just flush the chain with thinner lube instead of degreaser?

I don't do this after every short ride btw.

At last, reasonable efforts? How often do you do it?

 

[bpsmith]

How very jolly dare you Sir!

I like using the Chain Cleaner tool. Have always used them on motorbikes in the past and its habit.

My other comment is simply to fan the flame on what is always a weekly lively debate!

I have used your method too, don't worry.

 

[slowmotion]

I don't bother until overwhelmed with guilt by threads like this one. Then I get out the chain stretch tool and see how bad it is, realise it's perfectly OK, and go back to my slothful ways.
Every few months I stick it in an ultrasonic bath with some evil industrial degreaser, wash it with detergent, rinse it many times in cold water....and dry it in the oven for an hour.
I might put some oil on it after that, but it's so long ago that I can't actually remember.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Why do I even care about total stranger's chains!? *sobs*

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY

Here is your daily affirmation, @mickle .

Keep on caring....

 

[RichardB]

Any ancient motorcyclists remember Linklyfe? For the young and/or forgetful, it was a large flat tin of dark waxy grease. You put it on the stove (or on a heater outside, if your Mrs/Mum was particular) and laid the chain on top. As the wax melted, the chain sank in. The wax floated out all the gunk from the chain, and penetrated the rollers. As the chain got hot, it all flowed really well. Turn off the heat, pick up the chain by the wire you carefully threaded in at the start, and hang the chain over the tin for the drips to go back where they came from. This left the chain with a heavy-duty coating of stuff that no rain would ever wash off, and seemed to work well in the era before O-ring and X-ring chains.

Richard Ballantine recommended something similar with paraffin wax for bicycle chains back in the 70s. According to my online research, this method seems to be coming back into fashion. The wax penetrates the rollers, floats away the dirt, and dries 'clean', so no dirty trouser bottoms or hands if you have to manhandle the bike into a car, for example. People reckon it lasts up to 500-600 miles between treatments. Anyone here do this? I'm tempted.

 

[User6179]

I Mickle with baby wipes and dry lube .

That would make a great t-shirt slogan , although you may get some funny looks

 

[Gravity Aided]

Any ancient motorcyclists remember Linklyfe? For the young and/or forgetful, it was a large flat tin of dark waxy grease. You put it on the stove (or on a heater outside, if your Mrs/Mum was particular) and laid the chain on top. As the wax melted, the chain sank in. The wax floated out all the gunk from the chain, and penetrated the rollers. As the chain got hot, it all flowed really well. Turn off the heat, pick up the chain by the wire you carefully threaded in at the start, and hang the chain over the tin for the drips to go back where they came from. This left the chain with a heavy-duty coating of stuff that no rain would ever wash off, and seemed to work well in the era before O-ring and X-ring chains.

Richard Ballantine recommended something similar with paraffin wax for bicycle chains back in the 70s. According to my online research, this method seems to be coming back into fashion. The wax penetrates the rollers, floats away the dirt, and dries 'clean', so no dirty trouser bottoms or hands if you have to manhandle the bike into a car, for example. People reckon it lasts up to 500-600 miles between treatments. Anyone here do this? I'm tempted.

Pretty common on the racing bikes, back in the day. Paraffin wax, or Gulfwax, was a good penetrant and lube, stuck where it needed to, did not where it did not need to. Racers mostly used this method, IIRC. I still have a block of Paraffin wax around. Since it has no water in it, it won't melt in a microwave, it is best done in a vessel with a non-open flame as the heat source, or hot water heating the paraffin in a separate vessel.