Chain Cleaner and how often?

celf-fella

Time to lean on the experience and knowledge of you guys.

I have bought chain cleaner tool that cleans the chain with nylon brushes as the chain travels through a reservoir of degreaser. There is only a very small bottle of the degreaser supplied with the tool...what else can i use when it has all gone, and how often.....after every ride??

philcubed

I use mucoff in the reservoir after every ride. Rinse and dry. Relube.

cooldad

No - you want lube inside the rollers - degreasing removes it then you need to get more inside.
Personally I never degrease. I use Squirt (wax based lube). Reapply as required, and replace the chain every year or so.
It doesn't pick up gunk like oily lubes.

BigAl

cooldad wrote:

No - you want lube inside the rollers - degreasing removes it then you need to get more inside.
Personally I never degrease. I use Squirt (wax based lube). Reapply as required, and replace the chain every year or so.
It doesn't pick up gunk like oily lubes.

I've never used Squirt - but have seen you recommend it a number of times now.

Does it work like the blurb says? Wipe down the chain and re-apply?

I'm using Finish Line wet lube, and while perfectly good, it does create a right old mucky grinding paste which I need to clean regularly

cooldad

Yep. Works like magic. I apply maybe once a month in dry weather, every few rides in wet weather.
Any mud or dirt just hoses or wipes off. It doesn't form greasy grinding paste like oil based lubes.
You have to follow the instructions - degrease chain properly, apply the day before a ride to let it get inside and the water to evaporate, then just reapply as necessary. After a bit of riding, there's nothing at all visible on the outside.
I'm a bit of a fanboi, but for me it just works.

bladeone

I use squirt stuff does keep the muck off well any dirt on there I just wipe off with a cloth,

but when do you know when to reaply the squirt

Angus Young

cooldad wrote:

Yep. Works like magic. I apply maybe once a month in dry weather, every few rides in wet weather.
Any mud or dirt just hoses or wipes off. It doesn't form greasy grinding paste like oil based lubes.
You have to follow the instructions - degrease chain properly, apply the day before a ride to let it get inside and the water to evaporate, then just reapply as necessary. After a bit of riding, there's nothing at all visible on the outside.
I'm a bit of a fanboi, but for me it just works.

Just ordered some today on your recommendation. You owe me £7.99 if it's crap.

cooldad

You wasted 80p.
I blame Wiggle

BigAl

Just ordered some too and I didn't overpay by 80p

All my drivetrain is off the bike and in the process of becoming sparkly clean.

Angus Young

cooldad wrote:

You wasted 80p.
I blame Wiggle

BigAl wrote:

Just ordered some too and I didn't overpay by 80p

I got free delivery, so it was cheaper.

JBA

I have also joined the Squirters.

Any recommendations for a decent chain degreaser? I have one of those clamp over the chain cleaners but suspect that it doesn't really get the grease from inside the rollers.

BigAl

I'll probably get lynched for this, but....

Remove chain
Clean with something soapy. I used Fairy Liquid and an old toothbrush
Rinse
Rinse
Rinse

Chunkers1980

Some petrol/white spirit in a jar, soak and shake then as BigAl does above with a proper dry. Then Squirt. But only need to do the full scrub down a couple of times in a chain's life.

cooldad

This ^^^ then just rinse thoroughly and hang up to dry.

I only do it once - when the original factory lube is finished.

BigAl

Yep white spirit/petrol is good too, just not in your wife's / mum's kitchen.

Dont forget to give you cassette / chainrings / jockey wheels the same treatment

I have in the past put a cassette (separated into sprockets) in the dishwasher. Worked for me! Just make sure you rinse well afterwards. (Retreats expecting howls of derision)

cooldad

One of my (awesome 80’s multi-coloured) lycra jerseys says top shelf dishwasher safe, but I’ve never actually tried it.

JBA

Cheers, chaps.
A couple of days in a jar of petrol should do the trick.

I like the idea of using the dishwasher but not sure SheWhoMustBeObeyed will approve.

njee20

It doesn't need a couple of days! It needs about 30 seconds, agitate it a bit.

Personally I use a Finish Line Grunge Brush, which IMO is far better than the reservoir type cleaners, with washing up liquid, rinse, lube. Squirt is excellent in the dry, IMO it's not all that in the wet, doesn't last.

Angus Young

njee20 wrote:

Personally I use a Finish Line Grunge Brush, which IMO is far better than the reservoir type cleaners, with washing up liquid, rinse, lube. Squirt is excellent in the dry, IMO it's not all that in the wet, doesn't last.

Here's my version.


Mind you, plays havoc with your teeth afterwards!

njee20

Top bodging!

Thewaylander

I actually really like that idea! lol

Angus Young

Works a treat. Not sure one of those bath things would do much more. And I have a habit of saving old toothbrushes as they come in handy for all those odd cleaning jobs.

FishFish

Chunkers1980 wrote:

shake then as BigAl does . Then Squirt. But only need to do the full scrub down a couple of times.

Wnkr

celf-fella

thanks for the fee-back all. I guess everyone has their own preferred choices. Though i may give one or two of the suggestions mentioned a try

jon1993

Buy a couple of litres of engine degreaser its about £10 for 5 litres from Halfords its stronger than the spray on stuff and removes everything near enough instantly just run It though the brushes quick wipe and done.

coulddobetter

Hi Barry Scott here !