Rusting Chain

steelo

I use my bike regularly once a week and it usually ends up soaking and covered in mud. I hose it down when I get in on a weekday evening 11pm-ish. When I come to check the bike the following evening after work the chain is usually covered in rust, along with the sprockets. Do I have to remove the chain, scrub it, dry it and then re-lube it after every time I hose it down, or am I doing something drastically wrong?

After its hosed down, I store the bike in my shed and allow it to drip-dry.

The last 3 weeks I have been using White Lighting Wax Lube. First application, drop on every link, allow to dry and then repeat. Chain ran fine for the ride but as soon as it was hosed down and left over night it went rusty. Happened 3 weeks in a row.

Does the chain need degreasing, scrubbing, drying and re-lubing everytime the bike is washed?

HELP!!!!

Andy B

Are you using WD40 after you have washed the muck off the chain (before you relube) ?

WD40 is a water displacer, so in theory if used after water has been on your chain it will help prevent rusting.

I use a chain cleaner tool & degreaser, then rinse, then WD40, then dry off, then relube.

steelo

Hopefully there is a chain cleaner in the post from Santa so that will replace the scrubbing brush and elbow grease. Do you remove the chain to rinse, WD40 and dry. Then put the chain back on the bike and re-lube it?

How much WD40 do you use, a good dousing, a fine spray, about half-way between?!?

Do you dry the chain by padding it with a towel, blasting it with a hairdryer, kitchen paper poked between each roller?

Do you see the issues i'm having?!?

Andy B

I don't remove the chain (but some folks do)

I spray enough WD40 to coat the chain (not too much). Watch out for overspray onto your discs or rims (if 'V' brakes)

Dry it by wrapping an old towel around the chain & backpedalling whilst holding the towel tight & wiggling it about a bit.

I do this about every month or so, or after a particularly mucky ride.

steelo

Thats cool, thanks for the info.

Do you tend to 'cake' your bike in wet, gloopy mud when you are out on a ride or do you stick with dry days?

Andy B

I ride @ Dalby most of the time, there used to be a section (unofficially) called 'The Elephant Shitbath'

I've been hub deep in water on several occasions

stumpyjon

I follow exactly the same routine as Andy_B.

When I first got my bike the chain kept getting rust spots on it, since I've been doing the same as Andy they've stopped

steelo

Do you clean the chain as soon as you get your bike back home, or is it still okay to clean it in this way a good few days after the ride?

dennisn

After a bike wash job try blow drying your bike with a shop vac. Gets most of the
water off.

Dennis Noward

stumpyjon

Steelo

yep you need to at least hose or wipe the cr@p off the chain and spray with WD40 as soon as you get back, leave it overnight and the rust will start to appear . If you do this make sure you do clean it properly before using (I find the longer I leave it the less I want to clean it).

On a more positive note I usually find the rust gets rubbed off after my next clean and ride cycle.

Not cleaning your bike occaisionally isn't going to kill it but every time you do leave it deposits will build up and eventually lead to a stiff chain.

dav1

this is how I cleanmy chain and sprockets.

1. spray with fenwicks bike cleaner, scrub with brushes and hose down
2. Clean chain with Muc off chain cleaner in a chain cleaning device
3. Spray all over with a water displacer
4. Wipe everything dry with a rag
5. relube with finish line wet lube.

My chain and sprockets are still working beautifully and the bike has been used to commute daily and ride trails at the weekends for just short of a year now.

cjw

Dav1 wrote:

this is how I cleanmy chain and sprockets.

1. spray with fenwicks bike cleaner, scrub with brushes and hose down
2. Clean chain with Muc off chain cleaner in a chain cleaning device
3. Spray all over with a water displacer
4. Wipe everything dry with a rag
5. relube with finish line wet lube.

My chain and sprockets are still working beautifully and the bike has been used to commute daily and ride trails at the weekends for just short of a year now.

My routine is very similar;

1. Degrease the chain and mechs with Muc-off chain cleaner and device (although I am thinking of taking the chain off in future)
2. Rinse off bike and chain with water
3. Spray with Muc-off bike cleaner - leave for a few mins
4. Rinse off with water
5. Dry with cloth
6. Cover brakes with plastic bags
7. Spray entire bike with water displacer and allow to dry (wipe of excess)
8. relube chain

Above about once a week or so or after muddy ride.

And sometimes polish bike and trat the brakes with brake cleaner

The chain and drivetrain still look like new

pittpony

If you're removing the chain I guess that means breaking it and reattaching every time. Would you use a quicklink or a chain tool?

dav1

quicklink, removing pins too much can weaken them.

personally i find that using the brushes and degreaser followed by a chain cleaner is just as effective when done properly without the hassle of trying to brake the connecting ling when your hands are blue.

cjw

pittpony wrote:

If you're removing the chain I guess that means breaking it and reattaching every time. Would you use a quicklink or a chain tool?

Yes, it's SRAM chain with powerlink.