Cleaning a chain / on the cheap

bikeit65

One of the guys from our club cleans the chains on his bikes with a mixture of petrol and engine oil , he mixes the petrol as he claims that the petrol is too harsh when used alone.
he puts the chain into a disused can lets it soak for about five minutes removes it washes the chain in hot soapy water lets it drip dry and refits.
So is this method ok as it is a pretty cheap way of cleaning chains.

chadders81

The petrol will be fine on its own. I wouldn't put engine oil anywhere near my chain. Far too heavy and sticky.

Fine to put it in the petrol and let it drip dry. The petrol will probably evaporate before that happens anyway.

kirby700

Sounds like a bit messy to me mate,

I use this method cheap method

LIdl chain bath (£3.99) half fill with Muc off cleaner and fresh water

spin the pedals about 20 times remove a rinse with clean water and then spray chain with GT85. Dry chain and remove excess GT85.

Re-lube with Muc off dry lube.


Job done, well it works for me on the mountain bike and chain is usually filthy

djfleming22

i have used paraffin for years on my motorbike chain and now use it on cycle as well and its also water soluble

jibberjim

How does your chain get so dirty that it needs such a clean? Use a dry lube (I really like Squirt Lube) and then it just doesn't get that dirty so never needs a deep clean at all. I get 4000+ miles out of a chain without cleaning it with more than a rag a couple of times. Lube it before most rides.

bikeit65

I used Squirt Lube yesterday for the first time, cant comment on it till i use it for a while.

rolf_f

jibberjim wrote:

How does your chain get so dirty that it needs such a clean? Use a dry lube (I really like Squirt Lube) and then it just doesn't get that dirty so never needs a deep clean at all. I get 4000+ miles out of a chain without cleaning it with more than a rag a couple of times. Lube it before most rides.

Don't you find the dry lubricants wash out when the weather gets nasty? I try to use them as much as possible but lately there's been weeks where I'd have to be relubricating twice a day!

keef66

Don't muck about with petrol as a degreaser. It may be cheap and effective, but there are far safer alternatives.

I just give my chain a wipe with a rag moistened with white spirit or paraffin then lube each roller sparingly with whatever comes to hand. I have Finish Line Wet for really yucky wet winter weather, 3-in-1 oil as a spring / autumn lightweight lube, and Squirt as a summer dry lube.

Still undecided about the Squirt. I like the fact it flakes off taking the dirt with it, but I'm less keen on the fact that said flakes tend to accumulate on the chainstay and contaminate the rear wheel rim. I'm also not convinced by wax as a chain lubricant; can't see it redistributing itself inside the rollers etc.

EX DH

Whip the chain off throw it in an old/empty coke bottle fill it up with hot water add a couple of squirts of washing up liquid, then stick the lid on and give it a good shake. Rinse out, dry with a rag job done.

amaferanga

Lidl own brand wet wipes work for me. The problem with petrol and similar things is that it's difficult to flush it all out so when you reapply lube it just degreases in insides straight away.

jibberjim

Rolf F wrote:

Don't you find the dry lubricants wash out when the weather gets nasty? I try to use them as much as possible but lately there's been weeks where I'd have to be relubricating twice a day!

Never found it to be all washed out, and just re-lube before rides.

Gary Marshall

Petrol used to be the default choice before finish line had even been invented and degreasing bike chains was a yearly (tops) event. I remember riding down to the garage to fill old bottles up, no way nowadays! You'd degrease it wipe it and hang it on a nail and stick loads of oil on it to run down overnight. This was cutting edge mechanics in the 80's.

I also remember deciding to set fire to it 'out of interest'. needless to say lucky to still have hair and eyelids. Lesson learned.

chris-red

djfleming22 wrote:

i have used paraffin for years on my motorbike chain and now use it on cycle as well and its also water soluble

This is what I do, paraffin on a toothbrush and they I use motorbike spray chain lube on it.

fossyant

Old t-shirts, wipe, lube rollers, spin, and wipe again. No need for degreasers - just washes lube out from under the rollers.