Am about to clean my bike - have I got time

Coriander

Unemployment is giving me sudden rushes of blood to the head. Have decided to clean my bike this afternoon - chain, mechs an' all.

I've never done it before. I've taken my back wheel off once, to change brake pads, so my question is this:

My bike must be ready for use by 6pm as I need it to get to my archery class - do I have time to clean it, and reassemble it (bearing in mind that the latter operation may take a while)???

Roastie

Depends on how well and extensively you plan to do it.

When I clean my bike I tend to be quite thorough, so from that point of view, and given that you have to ask, I'd say no.

biondino

Taking wheels off is one thing - that's no problem. If you're intending to take off chains, brake blocks, bearings (noooo!) etc. then maybe don't rely on being able to put it back together that quickly!

Coriander

Bearing? What are bearings?

biondino

That's the spirit.

cjcp

Lashings of time. You even got time to unscrew the jockey wheels from the rear mech and treat them to a bath.

Coriander

cjcp wrote:

Lashings of time. You even got time to unscrew the jockey wheels from the rear mech and treat them to a bath.

Now you're just showing off, CJ.

And really, what are bearings? If I do get rash and decide to have a go, do I need to know what bearings are and where they are????

tardington

They are inside the bottom bracket . If you can see them without meaning too, you are in trouble. :shock:

I'd stick to a wheels-off at the most clean myself!

biondino

These are bearings:



If you can see any of them, then things have gone horribly wrong!

shoulder_of_orion

I cleaned my chain the other day for the first time ever (~5 months old). It involved delinking the chain, which was simple. I then cleaned it off in a bath of degreaser, equally simple if a bit mucky.

But, how in holy hell do you get the little pin back in???

It took me at least an hour, using teh delinking tool on my multi-tool, a pair of pliers to hold the pin in place, strategic placement of the light and a lot of patience....

Back to the OP - no way have you got enough time if you do anything more than just take off the wheels... My cleaning & servicing took me from 630pm till a quarter to one. Looks good now though and it's nice to have brakes that work again...

daniel_b

Shoulder of Lamb wrote:

But, how in holy hell do you get the little pin back in???

SRAM powerlink is your friend

CiB

biondino wrote:

These are bearings:



If you can see any of them, then things have gone horribly wrong!

What a load of balls...

By now you should have the brakes & dérailleurs split down to the washers and the cassette separated on the kitchen table, ready for a good going over with a toothbrush and some Muc-Off.

Bulls-eye. << See?

iain_j

Beware! Last July after my crash I dismantled absolutely everything except the bottom bracket (cos I didn't have the tool for it) for repair, replace, clean, de- and re-grease. It was only last weekend I finished putting it back together :shock: but it's very clean and shiny now

...but a typical all-over clean, degrease and fresh oil will take me all afternoon.

Coriander

Aaaah, I've finished.

It would seem my idea of a thorough clean differs from most of you.

Actually, I'm such a girl - I couldn't even get my back wheel off, so it was just an in-situ scrub with lots of hot, soapy water and degreaser. But got through two toothbrushes, 2 new dishclothes and a new scrubbing brush. Might have to save up for the next clean. :shock:

CiB

Daniel B wrote:

Shoulder of Lamb wrote:

But, how in holy hell do you get the little pin back in???

SRAM powerlink is your friend

What's the trick for separating these johnies though? Mine went together okay, was more worried about unscheduled separation tbh. Needn't have worried - now I can't get the chain apart at all - tried all sorts; pliers, miniature moleys, tweezers [no use at all] etc. Is there some Uri-Gelleresque manoeuvre that gets them off again?

prawny

Mine pop on and off easy, and so far no unscheduled splits. Just squeeze and push together.

CiB

prawny wrote:

Mine pop on and off easy, and so far no unscheduled splits. Just squeeze and push together.

That obviously worked for salsjake & mrs salsajake. Squeeze & push? As in push the opposite ends towards each other. Mine are solid in that plane, as if there's a slight locking action to overcome first. Is that the case?

Thx.

Aidy

ChrisInBicester wrote:

What's the trick for separating these johnies though? Mine went together okay, was more worried about unscheduled separation tbh. Needn't have worried - now I can't get the chain apart at all - tried all sorts; pliers, miniature moleys, tweezers [no use at all] etc. Is there some Uri-Gelleresque manoeuvre that gets them off again?

Slacken the chain around the link, push the plates towards each other, and slide them together. Might need to flex the chain a little to encourage the plates to slide over the pins.

There's a bit of a knack to it, you shouldn't need any tools.

Harry B

ChrisInBicester wrote:

prawny wrote:

Mine pop on and off easy, and so far no unscheduled splits. Just squeeze and push together.

That obviously worked for salsjake & mrs salsajake. Squeeze & push? As in push the opposite ends towards each other. Mine are solid in that plane, as if there's a slight locking action to overcome first. Is that the case?

Thx.

I think the 9 speed are no probelm but my 10 speed won't seperate for love nor money

roger_merriman

Coriander wrote:

Aaaah, I've finished.

It would seem my idea of a thorough clean differs from most of you.

Actually, I'm such a girl - I couldn't even get my back wheel off, so it was just an in-situ scrub with lots of hot, soapy water and degreaser. But got through two toothbrushes, 2 new dishclothes and a new scrubbing brush. Might have to save up for the next clean. :shock:

To be honest thats all i'd do. i really must get a powerlink chain at some point so i get the chain off and clean it well.

snooks

Coriander wrote:

Actually, I'm such a girl - I couldn't even get my back wheel off, so it was just an in-situ scrub with lots of hot, soapy water and degreaser. But got through two toothbrushes, 2 new dishclothes and a new scrubbing brush. Might have to save up for the next clean. :shock:

Just get a pack of babywipes and wipe yer bike down when you think it's dirty

Baby wipes are THE best thing for just wiping down your bike and getting any muck off, £1 for about 80 and you're laughing...they are great for oil and greese and you can clean the bike in the house....job done

Aidy

roger merriman wrote:

To be honest thats all i'd do. i really must get a powerlink chain at some point so i get the chain off and clean it well.

Buy a powerlink, pop a link out, put powerlink in. Job done

always_tyred

Coriander wrote:

Unemployment

"Bugger".

Temporary and short lived, I hope.

roger_merriman

Aidy wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

To be honest thats all i'd do. i really must get a powerlink chain at some point so i get the chain off and clean it well.

Buy a powerlink, pop a link out, put powerlink in. Job done

chains probably about time to change any how. hence the probably buy the whole lot than just the link.

lost_in_thought

roger merriman wrote:

Aidy wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

To be honest thats all i'd do. i really must get a powerlink chain at some point so i get the chain off and clean it well.

Buy a powerlink, pop a link out, put powerlink in. Job done

chains probably about time to change any how. hence the probably buy the whole lot than just the link.

Or just buy a chain tool and reuse the existing pins. Far quicker and less fiddly.

Roastie

lost_in_thought wrote:

Or just buy a chain tool and reuse the existing pins. Far quicker and less fiddly.

:shock: On a SS chain, maybe...

I use KMC chains, the "MIssing Link" is a doddle to use clip and unclip.

After far too many link failures on Shimano chains (and yes, I did use the special pins), I have given up on using anything that requires a chain tool.

Roastie

Harry B wrote:

ChrisInBicester wrote:

prawny wrote:

Mine pop on and off easy, and so far no unscheduled splits. Just squeeze and push together.

That obviously worked for salsjake & mrs salsajake. Squeeze & push? As in push the opposite ends towards each other. Mine are solid in that plane, as if there's a slight locking action to overcome first. Is that the case?

Thx.

I think the 9 speed are no probelm but my 10 speed won't seperate for love nor money

Sometimes if the chain is really mucky, the muck will prevent the plates coming together enough to unhook. A blast of WD40 usually sorts that out.

lost_in_thought

Roastie wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Or just buy a chain tool and reuse the existing pins. Far quicker and less fiddly.

:shock: On a SS chain, maybe...

I use KMC chains, the "MIssing Link" is a doddle to use clip and unclip.

After far too many link failures on Shimano chains (and yes, I did use the special pins), I have given up on using anything that requires a chain tool.

Well, certainly on an SS chain with halflinks, but also on the normal chain on my old commuter, and the chain I replaced on a 7sp roadie, and the one on a friend's MTB...

The secret is not to take the pin all the way out - you get it so it's gripped by just 2 sideplates then bend the chain gently towards the pin - pin stays in one side plate. It doesn't take any force, if it does it's not out far enough. Then you take out/add in what's needed, and pop the pin back through.

Tip courtesy of my Park Tools book....