Rusty chain

[Andy_G]

What am i doing wrong ?

Sunday i washed my bike and since then ive done 53 miles upto now, i use the muc off chain box thingy to clean the chain and i run a line around the chain with wet lube and leave it for a few minutes and then hold the chain with a rag in my hand and take off the excess.
But today ive just notice i have rust patches on the chain. ?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Just MICKLE your chain and sack the 'chain box thingy' no need.

Don't forget to wipe it dry as well if it's been raining.

 

[Andy_G]

Just MICKLE your chain and sack the 'chain box thingy' no need.

Don't forget to wipe it dry as well if it's been raining.

Cheers for that link Smokey ill try that from now on, but tonight i did spray the chain with chain cleaner and put some more lube on.

Any ideas how i can or can i remove the bits of rust on the chain.?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Any ideas how i can or can i remove the bits of rust on the chain.?

Wire wool should do the trick, then just keep it mickled

 

[Andy_G]

So soaking it in wd40 is a no no ?

 

[smokeysmoo]

So soaking it in wd40 is a no no ?

No, it's a NO NO

 

[HovR]

With the roads being gritted recently, and now we've had all this rain, the roads are covered in salt water. Makes a perfect rusting agent when sprayed off your front wheel on to the chain set!

My commuter is having the same issues at the moment. To clean it off I'll lightly spray GT85 on to a rag (not directly to the chain) and then wipe the surface rust off. Then oil with a proper cycle lubricant.

 

[smokeysmoo]

FWIW I use chainsaw oil. Relatively cheap and last forever*


*this may be an exaggeration but I've only bought one bottle since I started using it

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Just rub the chain hard. it usually comes off easily enough and anything that does not usually disappears after the next use (something I have to do frequently with my OH's bikes because he is not using them very often at the moment).
and as above, dry the chain after washing the bike down (to get salt off) and just mickle. The more often you mickle the less time it actually takes to mickle it each time.
If you really want to then you can pull the chain off the bike, soak it in oil overnight and mickle tomorrow and then put it back on. Works really well with very gentle heat application to thin the oil and get it back where it needs to go (and get the grit out), but depends on what chain it is, how much it cost and if you can be bothered. I have rescued seemingly badly rusty chains this way getting exceptionally good results, but you have to be careful with the heat application...

 

[Andy_G]

Just rub the chain hard. it usually comes off easily enough and anything that does not usually disappears after the next use (something I have to do frequently with my OH's bikes because he is not using them very often at the moment).
and as above, dry the chain after washing the bike down (to get salt off) and just mickle. The more often you mickle the less time it actually takes to mickle it each time.
If you really want to then you can pull the chain off the bike, soak it in oil overnight and mickle tomorrow and then put it back on. Works really well with very gentle heat application to thin the oil and get it back where it needs to go (and get the grit out), but depends on what chain it is, how much it cost and if you can be bothered. I have rescued seemingly badly rusty chains this way getting exceptionally good results, but you have to be careful with the heat application...

What type of oil.?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

What type of oil.?

apparently chainsaw oil is really good ^^.
I have used a synthetic oil - you want something that is "dry" rather than "wet" so cooking oils are out, they hold too much water really. I would imagine a 100% synthetic car engine oil could also work.
Just be careful with the heat - which is really useful, you will see the air bubbles & dirt coming off the chain quite readily if you heat it as well.
You want a "dry" oil because you are basically lubricating the inside of the chain by soaking it and you don't want that black gunge building up on the inside.

 

[Andy_G]

Ok cool.
So on my shopping list i need:
wire wool (to get shot of the rust thats on the chain already)
100% synthetic oil.
How would i heat it up.?

 

[ianrauk]

It's just surface rust. Not harmful to the chain.
Keep the chain wiped, cleaned and lubed and the rust soon disappears

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Ok cool.
So on my shopping list i need:
wire wool (to get shot of the rust thats on the chain already)
100% synthetic oil.
How would i heat it up.?

I just have a cheap dedicated small pan for it and use the stove... but I'm the cook in this household. I didn't need any wirewool by the way - think it of it as an either or scenario. You may want to filter the oil afterwards once it is cold (can re-use it that way). Won't really need more than 500ml or so in the right sized pan... (milk pan type size).

 

[snorri]

What am i doing wrong ?.
But today ive just notice i have rust patches on the chain. ?

Get yourself hub gears and a chain case and oil your chain annually.
These were the days