cleaning chain and gears

beckenham
beckenham Posts: 242
edited September 2007 in Workshop
Any advice on the best way to clean the chain and gears?
Beer, the reason my ambitions have not become my achievements

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    chain remove and put in a tin with some petrol and shake. wipe dry and lube with favoured chain lube.

    for cogs and chain wheels use a good thin stiff brush (specific brushes are available) soaked with degreaser. refit chain sorted.

    sometimes it may be better to remove the cassette depending on how much degreaser you need to use.

    i supose i should add there are plenty of biodegradable cleaners out there that work as well as petrol.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Park Tool chain cleaning tool works very well, in conjunction with the thin brush that comes with it to clean the cassette. Benefit of not needing to take off the chain.

    I use a citus degreaser.
  • wastelander
    wastelander Posts: 557
    As I don't use a powerlink I keep the chain on the bike and run it through a chain cleaning tool every week, then hand clean it with of all things baby wipes! Believe me it works a treat. As for the cassette, leave on the hub and clean with a folded over baby wipe inbetween the teeth, then whip the cassette off of the freewheel body every couple of months for a good 'deep clean' with degreaser/brush
  • beckenham
    beckenham Posts: 242
    wastelander wrote:
    As I don't use a powerlink I keep the chain on the bike and run it through a chain cleaning tool every week, then hand clean it with of all things baby wipes! Believe me it works a treat. As for the cassette, leave on the hub and clean with a folded over baby wipe inbetween the teeth, then whip the cassette off of the freewheel body every couple of months for a good 'deep clean' with degreaser/brush

    How easy is it to get the cassette off?

    The chain and cassette where lovely and shiney and now there black! I wonder if I've been using lubricant too much. I tend to give it a quick spray every couple of weeks. Is this too much?
    Beer, the reason my ambitions have not become my achievements
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    cassette is easy with the corect tools.

    cassette removal tool and a chain whip.

    have a look at the how toos on parktools linky below.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • beckenham
    beckenham Posts: 242
    Okay I've got the cleaning machine, now where's the best place to get a cheap stand? I could just hang it from the garage roof in which case is it worth getting a stand?
    Beer, the reason my ambitions have not become my achievements
  • Pagem
    Pagem Posts: 244
    beckenham wrote:
    Okay I've got the cleaning machine, now where's the best place to get a cheap stand? I could just hang it from the garage roof in which case is it worth getting a stand?

    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.a ... SSWORK0200
    Only the meek get pinched. The bold survive.
  • itsaghostcar
    itsaghostcar Posts: 59
    if you don't need a full workstand, this does the trick. Just raises the back wheel to allow you to work on the back of the bike. Only £9 too.
  • beckenham
    beckenham Posts: 242
    itsaghostcar wrote:
    if you don't need a full workstand, this does the trick. Just raises the back wheel to allow you to work on the back of the bike. Only £9 too.

    Looks good value but at the moment when the kids get on my nerves I usually hang them from meat hooks on the rafters in the garage roof. I was thinking of changing the meat hooks for something less likely to scratch the frame and just using that. Costs nothing really and should work okay :)
    Beer, the reason my ambitions have not become my achievements

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