Lazy chain maintenance

mikebikemike

Just wondering if folks rate those chain cleaning machines which run a chain through a bath of degreaser. On my weekend bikes I'm happy enough to spend a few minutes looking after them but for my commuter I want the laziest maintenance programme possible

thistle_

I've never tried one, I use the Sheldon Shake method which isn't too much hassle.

I think some machines are better than others. Did Lidl have one on offer this week? Might be worth a go if it's cheap.

Dirty-Boy

I use the Park Tool one which is very good

danlikesbikes

Yep have the park tools one, after breaking my muc-off one which lasted about 2 years.

Pretty simple to use TBH just fill up with chain degreaser or other degreaser* run the chain through by turning the crank backwards approx 10 times and out your chain comes nice and clean.

Have had my current one about 3 years and it gets used most weeks, is easy to clean up as the internal brushes etc can be popped out to make clean up really quick.

* Check out other BR threads as lots of different options for degreaser. Currently trying out white spirit & poor back into an old glass jar to allow the crud to settle & then able to reuse the fluid for the next clean.

CiB

I use Aldi's finest, filled with dilute Muc Off. Works a treat.

Afterwards repeat the exercise with an oily rag in place of the cleaner (to get rid of all the watery gunge that's left over), leave it to drip-dry for a bit then lube generously with your lube of choice.

pdw

The chain on my commuter gets nothing more than a regular top-up with dry lube. I get about 5,000 miles out of chain, so apart from looking nice, I'm not sure why I'd bother with anything more complicated.

The Rookie

I just use some kitchen roll to remove excess and then add a wet lube. Over summer it stays lubed and barely touch it, more often in winter to combat the orange chain of shame!