Cleaning Chain and Cogs

ForumNewbie

I am thinking that I should be giving my chain a good clean and wonder what the best way is to go about it. I see there are chain cleaning kits out there like this:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ning%20Kit
Are they any good? Does that casette thing fit on to the chain when the the chain is still on the bike, to clean it? I would like a good method of giving my chain a good clean without actually removing it.

The last time I asked my LBS about it, they just gave me a thick lubricant, which apparantly protects and oils. However I think there must now be a fair build up of grease and dirt on the chain and I would like to give it a good clean.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Smokin Joe

The fastest way to wear your chain is by immersion cleaning, you will wash all the internal grease away. Just use a paintbrush and some degreaser then wipe clean with a rag and re-lubricate.

feel

ForumNewbie wrote:

Are they any good? Does that casette thing fit on to the chain when the the chain is still on the bike, to clean it? I would like a good method of giving my chain a good clean without actually removing it.


Any advice would be appreciated.

yes they are good and yes you use it with the wheel and chain still in place. There are several different types around. You must however thoroughly oil each link in your chain with a good quality lubricant after cleaning it. If you don't you could do more harm than good.

aracer

There is of course only one correct way to clean a chain http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

justrideallday

Watch out when using chain cleaning devices. I have one and in my early days of riding, I was a bit more ignorant then, I cleaned my road bike chain. It did a great job but the degreaser ran off the cassette into the hub and stripped all the grease out the drive side bearings. :shock:

I now take the wheel out and and use the chain cleaner, with a chainstay protector on the bike (hope this makes sense :? ). I then wash off the cleaner and relube throughly.

Best way of cleaning a cassette is to take it off, but you will need a lock ring remover, a chain whip and a big adjustable will help!

Kléber

I follow Sheldon's advice but also use some metal polish to bring the links up to a fine shine

If you're pressed for time though, the chain bath works very well. Take your bike outdoors, fill the bath up with degreaser (Finish Line is good), turn the cranks 10 times around on one chainring, switch to the other chainring and turn them round 10 times again. Remove the chain bath. Next, brush on some of the degreaser onto the cassette and rear mech jockey wheels and then turn the cranks and use the brush to clean the cassette and jockey wheels, and brush the chainrings too.

Then just rinse everything, you can hose it but be careful not to point the jet onto the bottom bracket or the freehub body. Rinse thoroughly and then when it's dry, lube again. It's a 3min job once you're used to it. Done regularly, it should make your drivetrain look brand new and will make all these parts last much longer.

ForumNewbie

feel wrote:

ForumNewbie wrote:

Are they any good? Does that casette thing fit on to the chain when the the chain is still on the bike, to clean it? I would like a good method of giving my chain a good clean without actually removing it.


Any advice would be appreciated.

yes they are good and yes you use it with the wheel and chain still in place. There are several different types around. You must however thoroughly oil each link in your chain with a good quality lubricant after cleaning it. If you don't you could do more harm than good.

It all sound a bit messy. How much would a good LBS charge to give the chain a good clean for me?

jefferee

Get yourself some good hand cleaner...

Or just do like I do and wash a few dishes whenever you're done working on the bike to get the grease out of your hands... :idea:

Phil Russell

It depends how thorough you want to be. A cleaning device is fine and does a good job but for an anual service I:
Remove chain from bike, wipe as much crud off as I can and then immerse chain in white spirit for a while, then brush gently with an old toothbrush to get off any stubborn bits. You can soon tell when it is clean. when you are satisfied, hang chain over your white spirit jar or tray to drip dry. It will now need a good relube.
For the cassete, you can clean it on the wheel ... I use thick string run between the cogs. Or remove and clean in white spirit as for the chain.

White spirit can also be used to clean a freewheel but it will need good relubing afterwards ... and let it drip dry until no more drips appear. I then place freewheel over a tub and trickle motor engine oil into the mechanism ... turning the mechanism to distribute the oil.. you will soon tell when the oil is getting in as the noise changes from a pretty rough sound to a muted smooth sound. Let oil run through the freewheel to remove any traces of white spirit. When drips stop, refit.

The white spirit can be reused if you leave it to settle the dirt out and decant the now slightly discoloured liquid off for future use.

Cheers, Phil

Smokin Joe

Immersing the chain in white spirit or any other degreaser will make your chain shine like a new pin - and knock between 20 and 30 percent off it's life. You will disolve the internal grease and the lube you apply will never find it's way in to replace it.

lateralus

I'm with Smokin Joe on this one.

Having seen many posts singing the praises of immersion cleaning, 2 chains ago I decided to "do things properly". Removed chain from bike regularly (Sram powerlink), immersed in jar of degreaser, dried, lubed, reinstalled. It didn't last any longer than previous.

The next chain I have neglected utterly - never clean it except a quick wipe with a rag maybe once a month, and lubed with about the same frequency. It's lasted longer than the previous one.

Once you wash the factory grease out of the links, you won't get it back in.

feel

I have used an immersion chain cleaner on my touring bike on and off for 10 years with the same chain on. Not sure if i am just lucky, but one thing i would say is that when i relube the chain i draw a bead of oil across every single roller (ie at right angles to the length of the chain) i then do it again on the inside of the chain. It always take me at least 10 mins plus.

It doesn't have to be messy and it's worth doing it yourself regularly. I don't always bother immersion cleaning, but i do try and lube it regularly.