Paraffin, Kerosene, Paint Thinner, Degreaser or other ?

Serious Cat

Tech is fitting new 105 10 speed chain and cassette to my bike and ive asked him to fit a kmc link that will require me to purchase link open and link closing tools to remove the chain for cleaning purposes. Ive read that an empty coke bottle with solvent in it when you drop the chain in gives a proper cleaning and my question is which solvent really cleans every chain part like a new pin ?

sloppyschleckonds

Serious?

dilemna

Serious Cat wrote:

Tech is fitting new 105 10 speed chain and cassette to my bike and ive asked him to fit a kmc link that will require me to purchase link open and link closing tools to remove the chain for cleaning purposes. Ive read that an empty coke bottle with solvent in it when you drop the chain in gives a proper cleaning and my question is which solvent really cleans every chain part like a new pin ?

Search is your friend. So much has been written on this topic and chain lube it is unreal.

slowbike

I've just fitted KMC links and you don't need special tools to open/close them ...

Bar Shaker

But the tool is £9 and makes the job much easier, especially with cold oily fingers.

slowbike

Bar Shaker wrote:

But the tool is £9 and makes the job much easier, especially with cold oily fingers.

It's not cold ... the chain shouldn't be oily and you can use gloves ... oh - and I'm a skinflint ...

Bozman

You won't need a tool for a quick link.
As for cleaning your chain, I wouldn't bath it with any major solvent because you'll remove all of the lubrication, If you clean it on a regular basis just a spray with lube or a mild degreaser like WD and then wipe the crap off, re coat with lube and wipe the excess off. Do it every other ride and you'll keep your chain like new and it'll last.

Bar Shaker

I use a motorbike degreaser in a Tupperware pot, leave it to dry and then re-lube. I do this every 3-4 rides. My chain is like new and shows no signs of wear, after about 1k miles.

If you strain the degreaser through kitchen roll, you can seal the Tupperware lid and re-use it many times. Use an alloy wheel cleaning brush in the cleaning process to ensure you remove the grit/silt grinding paste like film from inside of the links.

dilemna

Don't follow any of the above advice as it is all bolocks, except the reference to using a quick link which is a must have. Use engine degreaser (£1.90 a can) to clean your chain in a large tray, rinse thoroughly and dry. Then run it through chainsaw oil £4.99 a litre which sticks like shote to a blanket. Hang and let excess drip into container for re-use. I ride a lot of miles daily and I clean and re-lube my bike's chain about every 8-10 weeks. I alternate between two chains (HG53) which usually last about 12-18 months for the two and I haven't worn out a cassette or chain rings yet. I ride a great many miles each week. Bike specific degreasers and lubes are expensive rubbish which are frankly not up to the job unless you want to spend ALL your spare time cleaning and re-lubing. Avoid White Lightening products as these are especially crap. A few years back I lost a Campag Record chain set very prematurely to excessive wear when using their lube. HTH

Nb Also disposable oil resistant nitrile gloves about £10 for a huge box are very handy. Also chain link pliers are a must have item, purchase once and think why it took you so long struggling to undo or rejoin a quick link.

diy

White spirit works fine and the crap falls to the bottom so it can be recycled.

If you want to be posh you could use isopropyl alcohol. key thing is to let it dry properly and re-lube with something intended to repel dirt not attract it. i.e. not an oil of any kind. either that or get in the habbit or wiping and using a spray lube regular enough that the chain never really gets dirty.

There are no seals in a bike chain, so using expensive motorcycle chain degreaser is pretty much a waste of money. The reverse is not true and I wouldn't put white spirit anywhere near my motorcycle chains.

andrewjoseph

Everything dilemmna says not to do.

Really though, there are lots of opinions on this.

I use white spirit in a large jar with lid, put chain and links into clean jar with white spirit, shake vigorously, leave for 10 mins, shake again, leave. Repeat several times.

Clean cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings.

Take chain/links out, dry, put back on bike and lube with whitelightning epic (for mtb), or WL clean ride, the wax based stuff for the road bike.

I strain use. WS for use next time.

Bar Shaker

diy wrote:

There are no seals in a bike chain, so using expensive motorcycle chain degreaser is pretty much a waste of money.

It was £4.99 for 750ml and has lasted nearly two years.

Perhaps we are in different tax brackets.

DavidJB

Lol at some of the faff people go through. Just clean it was chain cleaner and some muck off then re-lube and change your chain every 12 months. Problem solved.

racingcondor

Before taking any of the above advice I'd bear in mind that most bike degreasers are a hell of a lot less toxic than Parrafin, Kerosene or White Spirits (as well as not evaporating fast enough that you shouldn't use them in a closed space or being highly flammable). The stronger chemical methods above might give you a chain that gleams for 5 minutes but it's a chain, ride your bike and it will get dirty so I think they're overkill.

That said, there are lots of opinions, primarily because they're all good enough. I use a WD40 spray (I know Ugo, I know!) to wash the dirt out then wipe and regrease. Very simple, very quick.

wheezee

Degreaser for wax? Is that right?