Clean that Chain!!!!

[Theseus]

i've heard a lot of people mention white spirit for cleaning chains, is it really that effective?

It cleans the chain well enough. The problem for me (as with other degreasers) is that unless you can remove it completely from the chain it will emulsify any lube applied and render it ineffective.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

I've always used diesel. It's cheap and lasts ages. It does a very good job of cleaning too, while not completely removing all lubrication.

It isn't really a great idea to remove all lubricants from the chain. It takes time for oil to work its way back through all the links, time during which premature wear will occur.

A diesel-soaked rag does the job.

 

[martint235]

Just cleaned my chain (again!). I used the Mickle method a couple of weeks ago which was wonderful, then I put some chain lube on it (rather than the spray stuff I usually use) and it went black the first time I went out on it!!! Filthy!

Just scrubbed it down with some motorbike degreaser and put some dry lube on it to see if it fares any better.

 

[Fnaar]

I Mickle my chain fairly often, then scrape the crud off the jockey wheels etc from time to time. I rode behind a guy on a sportive for a bit, on a fancy looking bike which seemingly had no lube on... it was squeaking like a trapped mouse...

 

[cyberknight]

I clean mine once a week when i clean the bikes........

Normally i use citrus degreaser to remove the worst of it then baby wipes to clean the chain+ cassette followed by a relube.

 

[Garz]

To some that is still not clean...

 

[mickle]

Take the chain off the bike and put it in an empty mineral water bottle. Pour in about half a litre of Jizer, a water soluble workshop de-greaser. Screw the top on the bottle and shake it like a cocktail artist on speed...say three minutes. Empty the bottle and replace the de-greaser with water and washing up liquid. Shake like crazy, empty the liquid and rinse repeatedly, while shaking, until there are absolutely no detergent bubbles.

Extract the chain and cook it for about two hours in the oven at 70 deg, C. Dribble oil on all the rollers and Mickle it.

Sorted.

I think you've completely failed to understand The Method.

 

[lukesdad]

Lube and clean every ride except winter hack which is once a week.

 

[Red Light]

Lube and clean every ride except winter hack which is once a week.

I hope you meant clean & lube

But every ride is excessive. When you count up all the time, cleaner & lubricants it's much cheaper to replace the chain & cassette more often, even at minimum wage.

 

[Cubist]

Example One.
Shimano XT chain, about 700 miles, all off-road. Cleaned with a squirt or two of gunk degreaser diluted five parts to one with tap water, scrubbed with a nylon brush, dries, GT85 wiped then lubed with Finish Line Dry Teflon:

Example 2:
SRAM PG970, Mickle method every week. Finish Dry Teflon Lubed.

Why ride with a dirty chain when you can ride with a shiny clean one?

 

[thehairycycler]

I give mine a spray with WD40 wipe it off with a cloth, then I use Finishline Wet Lub not as nice looking but does the job in wet conditions, I do it about once every 200 miles or after a really wet day

 

[slowmotion]

I think you've completely failed to understand The Method.

Always a possibility.

 

[RichardWHardwick]

I do nowt. Had my bike a year and a half and do about fifty miles a week.
Am I about to inherit problems?
I don't care about a shiny chain but I do want the bike to continue working...

 

[fossyant]

Nice pics Cubist - use the same wipe method - done it for years...

 

[User482]

Why are people so worried about their chains looking clean? Life is too short!

I just wipe my down well with a clean rag, oil it, then wipe off the excess. I don't appear to suffer from components wearing out quickly, my transmission doesn't make much noise, and shifts well.