best chain degreaser and method please?

stueyc

any comments appreciated

redddraggon

White spirit and a rag - cheap and easy.

portuguese mike

if you have a missing link on your chain then i find the best method is:

remove chain
place in old coke bottle with some degreaser in it
put the cap on and give it a good shake
take chain out rinse it in water and dry with a clean rag
place chain on old newspaper (or similar) and spray with GT85 to expel water from around the pins and leave for a few minutes
dry chain with clean rag
replace chain and lubricate

sounds like a faff but it only takes 5mins and i do it in stages while i clean the rest of the bike - it looks brand new when your done (make sure you clean the cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings as well cos otherwise it just gets mucky again straight away)

stueyc

cheers guys

redddraggon

portuguese mike wrote:

if you have a missing link on your chain then i find the best method is:

remove chain
place in old coke bottle with some degreaser in it
put the cap on and give it a good shake
take chain out rinse it in water and dry with a clean rag
place chain on old newspaper (or similar) and spray with GT85 to expel water from around the pins and leave for a few minutes
dry chain with clean rag
replace chain and lubricate

sounds like a faff but it only takes 5mins and i do it in stages while i clean the rest of the bike - it looks brand new when your done (make sure you clean the cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings as well cos otherwise it just gets mucky again straight away)

I used to do it that way, it sure does get the chain sparkling clean, but I find it's a bit OTT to do a couple of times a week. I also find the 10speed missing links difficult to open compared to the 8 speed, so that adds loads of time on.

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Lagavulin

I've got the Park Tools chain cleaner. The Chainbrite works well but when that ran out I was advised (not on here) any washing up liquid would suffice. So I tried it and you'd think we were holding a bloody foam party in the back garden. Went upstairs and ordered a new bottle of Chainbrite.

stueyc

have a chain cleaner...bristles all greased up..pain to clean!!!

spend more time cleaning the cleaner than the chain!!

aarw

portuguese mike wrote:

if you have a missing link on your chain then i find the best method is:

remove chain
place in old coke bottle with some degreaser in it
put the cap on and give it a good shake
take chain out rinse it in water and dry with a clean rag
place chain on old newspaper (or similar) and spray with GT85 to expel water from around the pins and leave for a few minutes
dry chain with clean rag
replace chain and lubricate

sounds like a faff but it only takes 5mins and i do it in stages while i clean the rest of the bike - it looks brand new when your done (make sure you clean the cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings as well cos otherwise it just gets mucky again straight away)

i do similar but wouldn't put GT85 near my chain. after washing/rinsing off the degreaser off i throw it into the oven for 15 mins to dry it (air drying can cause/create rust, and a rag won't get in between the plates), leave to cool and then add a decent dry lube - sparingly. too many people put too much lube on the chains and it'll gather all the crap of the day.

i'm currently using dumonde and finding it the dogs' dangly bits...
i do this once a month or so and rotate chains.

Nuggs

I spray Finishline Citrus Degreaser over the chain and cogs, leave for 5 mins then rinse. Dry with a towel, leave in the sun for 10 mins and then apply a dot of oil on each roller. Wipe with a rag after 10 mins and away you go...

dennisn

Nuggs wrote:

I spray Finishline Citrus Degreaser over the chain and cogs, leave for 5 mins then rinse. Dry with a towel, leave in the sun for 10 mins and then apply a dot of oil on each roller. Wipe with a rag after 10 mins and away you go...

I'm with you. No need to take the chain off the bike every time. I spray the drive line with
"Simple Green", let soak a few minutes, rinse off, blow dry with a shop vac, oil or wax
up the chain, wipe off excess, put a drop of oil at all the moveable joints on the front
and rear mech's, and hit the road.

Dennis Noward

nickwill

I don't ever 'thoroughly' degrease my chain any more. I used to do the full works, chain bath etc. My chain was sparkling clean, but lasted no time at all. I now put some degreaser on a cloth and run the chain through it to get the outside clean. If you soak the chain, you remove the lube from inside, and replace it with sludge from the outside. Result, clean outside of chain and grotty inside. It works for me!