Grit in chain - how to remove?

[ChrisEyles]

I went out for a quick spin around Woodbury Common this afternoon - it's a pebblebed heath up there, with a lot of sand and grit around as well as mud, and I ended up going through a few streams too

Halfway around, my transmission was making a horrible grinding noise, and flexing the chain a little between my fingers you could feel the build up of grit. No problems, thought I, I'll give it a clean when I get back and it'll be right as rain.

You've guessed it - I've just spent ages cleaning, oiling, re-cleaning the chain and chainrings/sprockets, and it's still graunchy as anything. It's a relatively new chain (around 400 miles on it, alebeit all off-road) so I'd like to save it if I can, even if it takes a bit of elbow grease. Feels like there's a substantial amount of grit in pretty much every single link so I'm thinking it won't last that long if I can't get it out.

Any suggestions?

 

[ChrisEyles]

Should have said I follow the Mickle method for cleaning the chain - only this time I gave it a few squirts of degreaser and a good wash down with a cloth and lots of water to get the mud off first.

 

[DaveReading]

How did you clean the chain?

Realistically the only way the grit is going to come out is by being washed out. In your situation, I would probably slosh the chain around in a bath of paraffin, then rinse it out and stick it in the dishwasher when the wife's out.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I cleaned the chain while it was still on the chainrings/sprockets, back pedalling the chain with one hand and gripping it in a soft dry cloth with the other hand until no more dirt comes off. Then add a bit of oil to the chain, whizz it around a few times and then repeat a few times. I also cleaned the RD with a toothbrush and cloth, and cleaned in between all the sprockets with a bit of rag, so no grit left there.

I don't have any paraffin around, but I guess I could try taking the chain off and giving it a bath in the kitchen sink?

 

[Colin_P]

I jet wash mine, then either take it for a quick spin to flick the water out or blow it dry with a high pressure airline, then oil it.

I obviously have both a jet washer and an airline. If I didn't I'd use an automotive aerosol brake cleaner. This is simply a solvent in a can and will wash anything away including old oil leaving the chain perfectly clean and then it will quickly evaporate leaving it ready for lube.

 

[ChrisEyles]

@User9609 - the tracks I was riding today are probably the equivalent of doing a bit of beach riding. I've got oil and a paint brush to hand so I'll give this a go. Cheers!