Chain cleaning

[Rickshaw Phil]

Are there any reasons against using motorbike chain lube on a bicycle? I have a couple of Castrol race lube cans and figured if they're great for a bike, they may as well work fine on a bicycle?

I've not tried it so don't know for sure, but would have thought it would work well since it's meant for chains.

I'd certainly give it a go it if I had some to hand - using Mickle's method of course.

 

[MaxInc]

using Mickle's method of course.

That was an interesting read, helped me better understand the differences between cycles and motorbikes chains. The method won't work with the stuff that I have since it gets pretty sticky and there is no way you can wipe it clean without the help of a solvent.

The construction of the chain is different and so is the amount of torque at the sprockets. On a motorbike it is essential to have a thin layer of grease on the outside of the rollers to prevent wear of the sprockets (which could happen pretty quickly with a dry chain). Motorbikes chains also have o-rings keeping the grease inside the rollers and preventing outside contaminants from getting in.

The amount of grit on the sprockets demanded a full degreasing and proper lubing so it remains to be seen how will the stickiness of the motorbike lube will affect grit accumulation. Drive train is certainly a lot quicker now

 

[MaxInc]

Following up on the motorbike chain lube, it's probably a bad idea. After about only 30 miles the chain if full of grit and needs another cleaning. This stuff is obviously too sticky for a bicycle chain. Just in case anyone else wonders

 

[Chaddie]

Sorry to sound stupid but what is the Mickle Method?

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Sorry to sound stupid but what is the Mickle Method?

http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=349&subjectId=9

 

[Chaddie]

Thank you

 

[mark st1]

The salt from the detergent is bad for your chain. Avoid if you can.

I use white spirit. Good at cleaning and far cheaper than real chain cleaner!

Salt ? I wasnt aware it had salt in ? Its recommended to use in the Park Tools chain cleaner set i bought a fair while ago guess they must be wrong.

 

[sabian92]

Salt ? I wasnt aware it had salt in ? Its recommended to use in the Park Tools chain cleaner set i bought a fair while ago guess they must be wrong.

It does, that's why you shouldn't clean your car with it either as it scratches the paint!

 

[mark st1]

It does, that's why you shouldn't clean your car with it either as it scratches the paint!

Get on to Park Tool and correct them they need to know this as they are producing incorrect literature. I certainly wont be using it then.

 

[themosquitoking]

It does, that's why you shouldn't clean your car with it either as it scratches the paint!

I thought salt was soluble, if you threw a glass of salt water at your car it wouldn't scratch it.

 

[avalon]

I'm going to disagree with everyone and say don't bother cleaning your chain. I have done it in the past and I don't think it made any difference, apart from making it shiny on the outside. Cleaning it with solvent disolves all the oil that's holding small particles of grit on the outside and spreads it all over the chain washing it into the rollers. you then have to keep washing in clean solvent to get it all out, at the same time washing out any lubricant that's still inside. You then have to smother the chain with enough lubricant to flush out any remaining solvent before the replacement lubricant can start doing it's job properly. To lubricate the chain I put a drop of oil on each roller and avoid puting any on the outer links.
It works for me, the chains on my bikes rarely need replacing and out last many other components.

 

[mickle]

I'm going to disagree with everyone and say don't bother cleaning your chain. I have done it in the past and I don't think it made any difference, apart from making it shiny on the outside. Cleaning it with solvent disolves all the oil that's holding small particles of grit on the outside and spreads it all over the chain washing it into the rollers. you then have to keep washing in clean solvent to get it all out, at the same time washing out any lubricant that's still inside. You then have to smother the chain with enough lubricant to flush out any remaining solvent before the replacement lubricant can start doing it's job properly. To lubricate the chain I put a drop of oil on each roller and avoid puting any on the outer links.
It works for me, the chains on my bikes rarely need replacing and out last many other components.

Dont disagree with everyone before reading what everyone has written.

 

[sabian92]

Get on to Park Tool and correct them they need to know this as they are producing incorrect literature. I certainly wont be using it then.

To be honest I don't use Park Tools as I find them generally overpriced (but then as a student most things are!). If somebody cleans their chain with domestic dish washing liquid then to be honest I question their basic mechanical ability! A bottle of white spirit which is what I use is less than 2 quid and lasts me 2 months if not more and it's far better than dish washing liquid and a lot cheaper than proper chain cleaner which frankly is a waste of money as they're usually at least a tenner a bottle.

 

[themosquitoking]

I'm going to disagree with everyone and say don't bother cleaning your chain. I have done it in the past and I don't think it made any difference, apart from making it shiny on the outside. Cleaning it with solvent disolves all the oil that's holding small particles of grit on the outside and spreads it all over the chain washing it into the rollers. you then have to keep washing in clean solvent to get it all out, at the same time washing out any lubricant that's still inside. You then have to smother the chain with enough lubricant to flush out any remaining solvent before the replacement lubricant can start doing it's job properly. To lubricate the chain I put a drop of oil on each roller and avoid puting any on the outer links.
It works for me, the chains on my bikes rarely need replacing and out last many other components.

Shiny things look so pretty though.

 

[Andrew Brown]

cleaning ??,do it prop ,take it off the bike ,get a used 2ltr coke bottle (or any suitable container )-empty of course, put the chain in ,cover with a degreaser (gunk is really good )screw cap on and shake ,give it a while and when its not bad take it out and dry it with an old rag(bin this) and refit and relube ,while the chains off give things a gen clean in that area (chainstays and the cranks and stuff)not a lot of hassle and very good

I concur this is the only truly effective way based on trying everything and reverting to this time and again.