Should I clean my chain?

[DaveReading]

Or just buy a new one?

8-speed on my tourer, I don't log all my rides but it's probably done about 2500 miles.

My shifting is fine, but frequent mickling with ordinary bike oil has had a predictable effect, and my nice silver links are encrusted with black gunge - so much so that I had trouble locating my quick link to take it off.

I'd like my nice shiny chain back, and I've dumped the bike oil in favour of a decent lube, but with a new KMC only costing £8, it hardly seems worth the hassle of chipping the gunge off when I've had my money's worth from it already.

 

[Drago]

Yet surely not mickling it very well if its all mucky?

 

[slowmotion]

Why stop at a new chain? You could just chuck the whole bike away and buy a nice shiny new one.

 

[oldjontrev]

Buy a new one AND KEEP IT CLEAN, you might need a new cassette as well though !

 

[DaveReading]

Yet surely not mickling it very well if its all mucky?

It had been on the bike for a while before I discovered mickle, and it's entirely possible that my technique leaves a bit to be desired. In fact my wife might have mentioned it once or twice ...

Anyway, mickling will be a thing of the past as far as I'm concerned, at £15 a pop for ProGold, it will be going on the new/cleaned chain with a syringe/eyedropper.

 

[Profpointy]

i was told off at work by one of the keen cyclists as my " chain is a disgrace" but he then moaned that his ultra clean one had gone rusty whilst my black oily one was fine. He was a bright analytic guy so you could see the penny dropping

 

[summerdays]

I start my mickle with a rub with an old rag to remove the crud!

 

[Fab Foodie]

..... before I discovered mickle, and it's entirely possible that my technique leaves a bit to be desired. In fact my wife might have mentioned it once or twice ...

More lube then really wipe down well with a baby wipe afterwards .... Never use the curtains.

Can't help with the bike ....

 

[Fab Foodie]

.... oh, just buy the cheaper KMC chains, the fancy ones are no better.

 

[bpsmith]

Prime example of why I don't mickle. Chain cleaner, with citrus degreaser, and quality lube after drying. Definitely leaves a slicker running drivetrain. Chain isn't rusty either.

 

[youngoldbloke]

It had been on the bike for a while before I discovered mickle, and it's entirely possible that my technique leaves a bit to be desired. In fact my wife might have mentioned it once or twice ...

Anyway, mickling will be a thing of the past as far as I'm concerned, at £15 a pop for ProGold, it will be going on the new/cleaned chain with a syringe/eyedropper.

- £15? - must be for 16 oz? That should last you a long time for one bike. Reckon I use around 2-3 oz/year per bike, and that's also using it to lube other pivot points on the bike.

 

[steveindenmark]

Do what I do.

Every time your bike gets dirty, give it away to someone who needs it and buy a new one. People dont clean bikes nowadays.

 

[Profpointy]

- £15? - must be for 16 oz? That should last you a long time for one bike. Reckon I use around 2-3 oz/year per bike, and that's also using it to lube other pivot points on the bike.

'kinell for £15 I'd be after a gallon of oil.- what's it made from; baby blue whales?

 

[DaveReading]

- £15? - must be for 16 oz? That should last you a long time for one bike.

Yes, I don't expect to have to buy chain oil again. Ever.

 

[zacklaws]

Anyway, mickling will be a thing of the past as far as I'm concerned, at £15 a pop for ProGold, it will be going on the new/cleaned chain with a syringe/eyedropper.

Do it same as me, apply it with a small modeling paint brush, just take top off oil bottle squeeze some oil into the bottle top to make it easy to get at the oil and then just use the brush to paint it on the side of the rollers