Bike drivetrain cleaning

[dan m]

What are you using to clean your cassette, derailleur, chainrings these days? Prefer something I can rinse off and not worry about it going down the drain. Something citrus based?

 

[Woodface]

Halfords citrus degreaser is pretty good. GT85 is also very effective.

Avoid anything by Muck Off, just total expensive crap.

 

[mercalia]

I just use rags. Nylon works well. Same for the chain. Take it off then pull through rags. For lubing hang on a piece of wood with a nail in it and squirt carlube oil fromthe top and let it trickle down taking any muck with it

 

[stevec67]

I have a chain scrubber that use s petrol. It only used a drop, I put it in the bin and it evaporates. Or I would, but I've lost it.

 

[stevec67]

Another trick for chain cleaning requires a magic link. Break the chain and put it in a plastic lemonade bottle. Add petrol, paraffin, diesel and a splash of oil, replace the cap, give it a shake and a soak, fish it out and drain it off before replacing it. Chain cleaning is a pain, and it's the only bit of bike cleaning that is worthwhile. Everything other than transmission, brakes and bearings is just cosmetic. No amount of cleaning the outside is going to affect the crud that's got into the moving parts.

 

[Somafunk]

Once you've got the chain spotlessly clean and dry use Squirt Lube on it overnight, wipe off in morning.

Ex bike shop mechanic and raced for 25 years, fecking hated every other chain lube

 

[stevec67]

Once you've got the chain spotlessly clean and dry use Squirt Lube on it overnight, wipe off in morning.

Ex bike shop mechanic and raced for 25 years, fecking hated every other chain lube

The wax based stuff like that is great in the dry. However in the wet the first time the wheel picks up any water it coats the chain in grit all over again.

 

[Waxy]

The wax based stuff like that is great in the dry. However in the wet the first time the wheel picks up any water it coats the chain in grit all over again.

Yep, great for dry weather. Pointless in the wet.

 

[Somafunk]

The wax based stuff like that is great in the dry. However in the wet the first time the wheel picks up any water it coats the chain in grit all over again.

You need to wipe the chain clean/squeaky clean the following day once it is dry, it should only be applied to the rollers where it will penetrate, there is zero benefit to coating links.

It was my lube of choice for the Strathpuffer 24hr (and every other 24/multi day races) and lasted perfectly fine in the worst winter conditions

 

[JezmondTutu]

Gunk Green

 

[Barry123]

Squirt is great stuff. I used to use quick links, submerge the chain in white spirit for 24hrs, let dry and then wipe. Squirt has to fully dry before riding too

 

[sq225917]

Split the chain, shake in petrol, filter paper the solvent and store for reuse.

I've always preferred white lightning or similar dissolved wax lube, fortified with tungsten disulfide. Soak, let dry overnight and take off with rag the next day. The solvent carries the powdered lube and wax whete it's needed.

My current chains and rings are about 20k old. I swap between two chains once a month.

For my mtb I use a wet lube.

 

[gavreid]

White Lightning is excellent. Do they still do the purple heavy, purple stuff for the mud? Paraffin or white spirit is much safer than petrol but not what dan was asking for!

 

[stevec67]

Found my chain scrubber, cleaned two chains with petrol, wax lube on both.

 

[foxwelljsly]

Spray everything with degreaser, scrub thoroughly with plastic brush ,repeat, rinse with a hose, allow to dry, re-lube, wipe off excess.

Oddly enough, the Singer machine oil I bought to lubricste turntable main bearings is great on bike chains. I have loads of green and red finish line as well, which seem to be almost identical to the white lightning winter and summer formulations, which are also very good.

You can buy 5 litres of degreaser for about a tenner which, even used neat, will last for years.

 

[SiBrighton]

Dawn dishwashing cleaner gets a few good reviews for chain cleaning. And is obviously safe. Never tried it, but my current cleaner has nearly run out, so will try it next (it’s only about £11 a bottle) so not expensive as a test. Reading more, don’t think it’s any different to Fairy

 

[ciderglider]

How should the degreaser be disposed of after use?

 

[stevec67]

How should the degreaser be disposed of after use?

You reuse it until it is on the bike and removed by the rinsing process to drain. It's only a surfactant and the quantity used is about one lot of washing up.

 

[stevec67]

Dawn dishwashing cleaner gets a few good reviews for chain cleaning. And is obviously safe. Never tried it, but my current cleaner has nearly run out, so will try it next (it’s only about £11 a bottle) so not expensive as a test. Reading more, don’t think it’s any different to Fairy

A MTBing mate of mine in the 90s used to swear by Fairy liquid. A good gloop on the chain, ride it up and down the street until everything was covered, then hose it off. A good rinse, reoil. This worked on mtbs after a winter ride when everything was under 2" of clag.
I'm another one who favours light oil as a general purpose chain lube. Use liberally, wipe off excess, worry about something else.

 

[sq225917]

Yeh, it's called wer ride these days, same formula though.

All the much off lubes are crap. dont last long enough or pick up way too much crud.