Black deposit all over chain, cassette, chain rings, frame

silvermachine2011
silvermachine2011 Posts: 3
edited January 2011 in Workshop
Trek 1200. Have used Finish Line wet, Muc Off wet, GT85 over past year. Decide to give bike a good clean. Everything covered in a thin black film almost like painted with thin plastic coating. Tried everything. Muc off, gunk, petrol, white spirit, brake cleaner, hot water, tar remover - you name it. Stuff will not shift. Has gunged up jockey wheels and front mech. Don't remember riding through anything weird. Only way is to chip off with finger nail. Other side of chain rings is dripping in it. Like someone painted on a thin layer of bitumen or underseal. Thinking of trying acetone or paint thinners but worried about damaging paint and components.
Very strange. Could it be because of a mix of oils. PTFE deposits? Help - thanks!

Comments

  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    Wet tar? Turps will dissolve it.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Sounds like a combination of excessive chain lube, brake dust, road dirt and possibly energy drink! Suggest you clean your bike more regularly! I find standard paint wipes from DIY stores are pretty tenacious with sticky bike dirt.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    On the bare metal bits you could try a spot of steam from a cheapo wallpaper stripper. That might soften it up to give the solvents a better chance. Keep it away from the paintwork and plasic bits though.

    Sounds like it might be better to strip it down so you can soak the chain and cassette in solvent while you attack the other bits.
  • silvermachine2011
    silvermachine2011 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the suggestions. Normally keep the frame, wheels etc nice and clean but decided to do the cassette, chain, chain rings thoroughly prior to servicing which is when I discovered this. Guess best to strip it down and use solvent/turps.wipes - whatever gets it off
    Thanks
  • JohnnyAllez
    JohnnyAllez Posts: 785
    Pull the parts off the bike / wheel and get `em in a bowl and use stuff described above. Bin the chain.
    Jens says "Shut up legs !! "

    Specialized S-Works SaxoBank SL4 Tarmac Di2
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Use the decorators/diy wipes. Big wipes are the best, yellow tub with the black lid not the coarse one's with the red lid.

    They get rid of most things, leave them in contact with the dirt for a few secs before rubbing to let the liquid break down the gunk.

    I use them for work all the time and there's not much they dont deal with.

    http://www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/p28434/Bi ... _info.html
  • rocksteadyeddie
    rocksteadyeddie Posts: 294
    If it's properly hardened on try a clay bar used by car detailers.

    For more gentle / everyday cleaning baby wipes shift almost anything. Unlike decorators wipes you can buy them in all the major supermarkets for about a quid a packet.

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