Cleaning it!

[Mad at urage]

Your chain should always look pretty clean; if it doesn't, then sort it. Oil it, wipe off pretty much all of the oil with a rag - the oil only needs to be inside the rollers after all. Excess oil on the outside does nowt but collect crap. Sounds sad, but I only ever apply a single drop of oil to each roller, run the whole lot around for a bit, then wipe it all off. I'd suggest investing in a really good quality chain.

You can get spray on degreasers from Sainsbury's - good for cleaning the sprockets, but don't go mad.

The rear mech is bomb proof really; just wipe it down with the baby wipes.

www.muddyground.com

+1 - except the bold (IMO that depends):

Road salt & other crap can cause the cable to jam. hopefully you have slotted cable stops, use these to move the outer cable and clean under it (I use the dreaded WD40 for this, what else you put on afterward depends on whether the outer is lined or not - i.e. don't use oil if lined, do if not).

Jockey wheels can fill with crap (especially if the chain has been very oily - see muddy's remarks about not over-oiling) - gentle use of a screwdriver blade will clean the worst off, followed by a wipe with a cloth soaked in your favourite degreaser (not diesel as it will encourage more crap build-up), pinched on each jockey in turn whilst back-pedaling (on your bikestand ).

 

[Phixion]

I think using a jet wash is ok as long as you don't put it too close to the frame/components. I've never used one though! The Karcher jet washer we had died after 5 or so uses, we later discovered they are only built to last for a certain amount of hours, I can't remember the number but I was shocked it was so low - being as they are damned expensive!

 

[funnymummy]

I tried babywipes last night...Even though I use them round the house (they are brillinat for removing sticky childsize handprints off everyhting) I had never thought of using them in my bike....
Cheers for the heads up x

 

[Muddy Ground]

Forgot the jockey wheels ;¬)

Now that it it summer you could use a wax based lubricant; all they need to be cleaned off is hot water.

www.muddyground.blog

 

[Mad at urage]

Wax-based lubricants are good (until you forget to relube, then the red-coloured chain reminds you ). They are also good for cleaning the tracks of sliding doors!

 

[Davidc]

WD40 is pretty good for getting rid of grime, just don't, whatever you do, get it on the brakes or rims. You'll know what the inside of an ambulance looks like very soon if you do.

Funny - I've been using WD40 to clean my rims and brakes for the past 40 years, and have found it superb for the job. I'd test carefully if I moved away from alloy wheels and standard blocks, and wouldn't use it if I ever had ceramic or carbon fibre rims in case it damaged the surface.

The blocks respond well to lightly rubbing with an emery board nail filer.

WD40 is also the best thing I've found for getting oily and tarry muck off the paintwork, but I'm always careful to keep it off bearings and chain because it removes all the oil from them.

Car shampoo does the main work very well, finished off with furniture polish.

 

[Muddy Ground]

WD40 and disc brakes..... now there's a worry. But as you say, used carefully it does the job well. With my motorcycle a bit of light oil on a cloth, quick rub down, and all was well with the world. I've never used it to clean a chain as I suspect the residue left would not allow oil to get to the rollers.

www.muddyground.com

 

[TAV]

if you want to get oil off tape try furniture polish that will do the job pledge great stuff

+ 1 for the baby wipes... tried them for the first time today after the bike shop man left oily prints all over my nice white frame.....and they're fab! Pity they don't take the oil off the white bar tape too.

 

[Phixion]

I bought a Muc-Off kit last week, it does the job okay but you don't get much for your money.

Today I used baby wipes and was amazed at how easily the crud came off, even the muc-off didn't remove the oil on my chainstay - it came off in 1 wipe with the baby wipes!

So I ended up using a combo of Baby Wipes and Muc-Off.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Road salt & other crap can cause the cable to jam.

Ever since I had a jammed cable in the outer sleeve of my rear mech a few years ago, I always put a smear of grease over the hole where the bare cable comes out,

I don't know if it's right, wrong or indifferent, but I do know it works - haven't had a seized cable since

 

[Furkz]

i use meguiars quik detailer and a decent meguairs microfibre, left over from my car cleaning days. works great all over. will buy a chain cleaining kit soon (only had the bike a week)

 

[- Baz -]

Baby wipes and Mr Sheen (you can even get Mr Sheen wipes!). Works a treat.

 

[chillyuk]

Do baby wipes leave a thin film of oil on the frame? I have noticed since I started to use them that my frame very quickly gets a coating of dust that seems to be stuck to the frame. It only takes a minute to wipe it off, but I never noticed it before using wipes.

 

[Rouge Penguin]

Can you take a chain off? Take if off and soak it over night in White spirit.

I use a small 1" decorators brush to clean the Rear D and cog, gets right in to the hard places. Then Baby wipe everything and then finish line it.

After that, i use the AutoGlym high gloss resin (i think its called). its a clear liquid that gives a really good shine and protective layer. Stops crap sticking to it and easier to clean after

 

[Rebel Ian]

I've become quite evangelical about baby wipes in the last few years. I haven't yet found anything they won't clean and they are particularly good for bicycles. That's what I always use along with some degreaser for the chain and cassette.