Chain Cleaning?

forcutty
forcutty Posts: 1,055
edited January 2011 in MTB general
It seems apparent that I'm the only one out of my riding friends, that takes their chain and cassette off to clean them.

Am I being Ocd or is this normal too have chains hanging on the radiator drying after cleaning and before lubing :lol:

Comments

  • aaronmroach
    aaronmroach Posts: 341
    Nope thats normal. My missus goes mad when she opens the airing cupboard and my drivetrain's in there
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    OCD.
    The only time a cassette comes off is when a new one is needed.A chain can be cleaned perfectly with a chain cleaner,no need to remove.



    Why waste time?
    Lynskey R480

  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    ibbo68 wrote:
    The only time a cassette comes off is when a new one is needed.A chain can be cleaned perfectly with a chain cleaner,no need to remove.

    Why waste time?

    It's just as fast to take it off, and easier to lube after too, not to mention cleaning better. Oh and no need to buy a chain cleaner o'course.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • D-Cyph3r
    D-Cyph3r Posts: 847
    This is why god gave us Powerlinks.
    My Hectik Custom Build Log
  • RichJJ
    RichJJ Posts: 25
    + 1 for God and Powerlinks.

    I used chain cleaners previously until I removed a 'clean' chain. Unbelievable how much muck was in the bottom of the milk bottle when I'd finished
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    Northwind wrote:
    It's just as fast to take it off, and easier to lube after too, not to mention cleaning better. Oh and no need to buy a chain cleaner o'course.
    Granted taking a chain off is probably just as quick as a chain cleaner but why the FCUK take a cassette off to clean?
    Squirt*insert preferred cleaner here*quick brush and spray with water.....done 8)
    Lynskey R480

  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Yeah, that goes without saying I think.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • forcutty
    forcutty Posts: 1,055
    ibbo68 wrote:
    Northwind wrote:
    It's just as fast to take it off, and easier to lube after too, not to mention cleaning better. Oh and no need to buy a chain cleaner o'course.
    Granted taking a chain off is probably just as quick as a chain cleaner but why the FCUK take a cassette off to clean?
    Squirt*insert preferred cleaner here*quick brush and spray with water.....done 8)

    To get all the dirt out between cogs that could transfer on to the chain. :roll:
    I do at times strip the rear derailler and cranks down as well, normally twice a year.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    forcutty wrote:
    To get all the dirt out between cogs that could transfer on to the chain. :roll:
    I clean my bike after every ride,never take the cassette off and it always looks like new.Muck off/fenwicks and a hose pipe and there is no dirt between the cogs :roll:
    Lynskey R480

  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    It's not just the in between bits you need to clean to make it shiney shiney, you also need to clean the ridges between the teeth - ~180 of them. Much easier with it off.
  • jayson
    jayson Posts: 4,606
    I use a finishline chain cleaner than when ive run it through that a couple times i take it off and put it in a plastic tub ive got and give the face plates a scrub in some citrus degreaser to finish off then rinse and hang it up to dry before replacing and lubing.

    Doesnt take long but absolutely essential and leaves the chain looking brand new again.
    Remedy

    Merida

    Austria 2012
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    chain comes off after every ride for a clean of one description or another, it's easier to do so.

    cassette comes off when it needs to be replaced and at no other time :lol:

    I do clean it briefly if it's really dirty but just use a fat shoe lace or equivalent to get in between the sprockets, couldn't be easier or quicker with the chain off.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Problem with washing and drying in an airer or similar is you are promoting rust (steel + water + oxygen = rust).

    Need to clean, dry and apply a little oil asap.

    However, if you've got a fairly new chain you want to avoid cleaning it as the manufacturer grease on there far exceeds any third party oil you can apply. Cleaning it will just remove it, especially if you use Muck Off etc.

    I generally give it a wipe if it's a little mucky but don't clean it much, just keep it lubed.

    When it comes to a full clean I just use soap & water in chain cleaner device (Park Tools thingy), dry with cloth and lube.

    Cassette gets an occasional clean, but I don't usually take it off. Just a bit of scrubbing. Have used Muck Off recently and whilst it shifts the dirt fast I'm concerned what harm it may be doing to components, especially if it gets into bearings.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    deadkenny wrote:
    However, if you've got a fairly new chain you want to avoid cleaning it as the manufacturer grease on there far exceeds any third party oil you can apply. Cleaning it will just remove it, especially if you use Muck Off etc.

    So SHeldon said but I'm really unconvinced, all my recent KMC chains came with a really sticky, heavy grease that was more like a rustproofing packaging grease than a bike lube- chainsuck central in the slightest bit of mud. So I cleaned the second one off before using it, relubed, and that was fine and lasted just as long.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Guess it depends on the amount of mud. Maybe it's like a good 'dry' lube. Just had new chain on mine and didn't do any oil, and it's fine, but the conditions are reasonably dry with just the odd muddy puddle here and there.

    But yeah, I am going by what Sheldon and co say.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    I can vouch for the kmc x9.93 being covered in "Alien vs Predator" slime, it had to be white spirited immediately, but all new chains get that treatment here anyway, even the super nice low tack stuff that's used on sram 991s
  • blablablacksheep
    blablablacksheep Posts: 1,377
    i use the park tool chain cleaner machine thing, with their degreaser.

    it VERY good, useally took me ages to clean chain now it a simple as:

    put degreaser into the tool, cycle chain, wash off sorted. 5mins easy.

    really must say it saved a lot of time and hassle, i never go back to manual chain cleaning again :D
    London2Brighton Challange 100k!
    http://www.justgiving.com/broxbourne-runners
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Manual chain cleaning on the bike is just distilled fail isn't it... Messy, takes ages and still never gets it really clean.

    I borrowed one of those park chain cleaners and had a go, chain seemed nice and clean but just out of curiosity I threw it in a jar of paraffin and a load more grit and grime came off it. It was like a razor advert :lol:
    Uncompromising extremist
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    Which is exactly the same length of time manually cleaning a chain should take by taking it off. And getting a better clean than any machine. If manually cleaning a chain takes you a long time then you're doing it wrong.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    It's not just the in between bits you need to clean to make it shiney shiney, you also need to clean the ridges between the teeth - ~180 of them. Much easier with it off.
    Does it need to be any cleaner than this?:-
    5404660698_a65a159d38_z.jpg
    In fact the only time my chain and cassette are cleaner that this is when they're new :lol:
    Lynskey R480

  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Left-hand cassette! Rad to the max :)
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    .blitz wrote:
    Left-hand cassette! Rad to the max :)
    the bike's upside down :wink:
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    You don't say!
    :wink:
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    .blitz wrote:
    You don't say!
    :wink:
    whoops :oops: :lol:
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    I know someone who reckons WD40 is an awesome cleaner and lube for his chain etc, which he uses every ride.

    He doesnt want to listen and his cassette etc is a total state, just black.

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