Chain cleaners

Once_In_A_Blue_Moon

Can anyone recommend me one? I've been looking at a couple on CRC, but they have mixed reviews.

Smokin Joe

Useless in my opinion.

A paintbrush and degreaser works well.

blu3cat

Hi, I have a Park Tools chain scrubber.

It works really well, however the clip that holds the magnet on the bottom of the unit to attract metallic particles snapped after about 5 months (got used a lot)

Even with the magnet now being a little wobbly, it still polishes the chain reliably.

windbreaker

I find them all very disappointing . I curently use

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 1&f%5Fbct=
It is just as crap as others in that it breaks every couple of months. It is however effctively everlasting as I just get it replaced at EBC with another year's guarantee.

Clever Inventors :idea: - develop a metal chain cleaner that does not break 'cos it's allergic to degreaser and I will buy it.

Build a better chain cleaner and the world will beat a path to your door

redddraggon

any old rag will do as a chain cleaner

Mettan

Smokin Joe wrote:

A paintbrush and degreaser works well.

+ 1

handsome devil

Finish Line version. Excellent value. Paid around £22 for it around 18 months ago and have never looked back although a rag & degreaser for general duites is fine. I only use the chain cleaner when it`s caked in s**t!!

avoidingmyphd

just use a baby wipe.

i used to use a chain cleaner (edinburgh cycles own brand) but then we had a baby and discovered how amazing baby wipes are.

you can't really cake a chain in too much sh1t ON the road to need anything else.

handsome devil

Yeah, good point! Got carried away and forgot I was in the Road section! I was referring to my MTB chain getting caked in sh*t!!

bompington

avoidingmyphd wrote:

you can't really cake a chain in too much sh1t ON the road to need anything else.

You obviously haven't ever been on the roads round here in winter

nferrar

IME they work well for getting lots of grime of quickly (i.e. you've neglected your chain for a few rides), currently using a Finish Line one but used (and broken) a few other models over the years. I can't see how a baby wipe gets stuff out from between the links, sure with degreaser and a scrubbing brush you can but that's messier and more work than a chain cleaner. I still take the chain off and give it a proper going over every couple of months but a chain cleaner still has a use IMO.

akkers

I use the new Parktool one that won the award in fairly recent C+ magazine. have to say it works fantastically well. If yo use it gently it really does bring up the chain as new.

its pricey, but so easy to use, and does the job in less than a minute.

Philip S

The finish line cleaning device is working for me, especially as it keeps all the oily degreaser contained (I have to do the bulk of my cleaning indoors, seeing as I live in a flat and don't have a garden/yard/garage to spray oil around).

maddog 2

Park tools cleaning machine (on my second now it gets used so much)

and paraffin. Much much cheaper than degreaser and does the same job.

Cranks

A bucket and 'Golden degreaser', marvelous stuff.

Poulsy

Old toothbrush and cheap as chips white spirit works best IME

greeny12

I've been using the White Lightning trigger kit for the past two years and it works very well for me:

http://www.whitelightningco.com/products/trigger.htm

Once over with the trigger brush clamped on, then a blast with just the spray and wipe with a rag - the chain comes up absolutely spotless.

Gazzaputt

Glass jar and petrol.

Once_In_A_Blue_Moon

Thanks for the input guys! I do generally use an old cloth, but it's in need of a real good do.

ps some the roads up here (Cumbria) are a mess, especially the farm lanes after a tractor or 2 has been down, so it does need a regular clean.

NWLondoner

Gazzaputt wrote:

Glass jar and petrol.

:shock: :shock:

Wouldn't use that method after replacing Shimano 10 Speed Pins

doyler78

I've used the finish line, park tools & some other one I can't remember.

The Park Tools one was the worst of the 3. Lasted 2 goes before it was no more. The other one didn't last much longer. The finish line however has lasted me a year now so would recommend it over the rest.

I only use it once every couple of months or if I've been lazy and not cleaned my chain after a wet ride :oops: Good at getting rid of the surface rust without much effort

gcaster

It's another shameless link to eBay from me but I've got one of these. Cheap as chips, gets the shi*t out of my MTB chain great as well as my road bike.
Even comes with a pot of degreaser, not even gonna touch the lube though, just looks naff!

Anyway, I previously had a Muc-Off chain cleaner which was expensive and I'd rate this much higher.

A great buy imo!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BICYCLE-BIKE-CHAI ... 1|294%3A50

ACMadone

avoidingmyphd wrote:

just use a baby wipe.

i used to use a chain cleaner (edinburgh cycles own brand) but then we had a baby and discovered how amazing baby wipes are.

you can't really cake a chain in too much sh1t ON the road to need anything else.

+1 They're fab, frame comes up a treat as well.

Cheshley

gcaster wrote:

It's another shameless link to eBay from me but I've got one of these. Cheap as chips, gets the shi*t out of my MTB chain great as well as my road bike.
Even comes with a pot of degreaser, not even gonna touch the lube though, just looks naff!

Anyway, I previously had a Muc-Off chain cleaner which was expensive and I'd rate this much higher.

A great buy imo!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BICYCLE-BIKE-CHAI ... 1|294%3A50

I bought one of those last year, used it twice and went back to using an old fabric conditioner bottle and some parafin which works much better. Admittedly this was for my MTB with SRAM chain so it's easy to take apart.