Chain cleaning device and degreaser

vince133
vince133 Posts: 61
edited March 2017 in Workshop
Hi All

Looking for some advice/opinions on chain cleaning. I am thinking of buying a chain cleaner device maybe Pedro's cleaning chain pig. Has anyone used this device or recommend any others? I was also wondering what degreaser people use? A LBS suggested Jizer. Any advice/views welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Vince.
«1

Comments

  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    I use the Mucoff x3 with their bio degreaser.

    It works pretty well.

    However brake cleaner is by far more effective if the parts are off the bike.
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    Muc off Bio is good, I prefer Morgan Blue mixed 50/50 with water paint on, leave rinse behold the shiney.
    Titanium Px Spitfire
    Easty commuter
    Tripster AT
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Wipe down with rag sprayed with wd40 or gt85 and drop of lube on each roller is just as good for chain wear and running. All you get extra with cleaning machines is a cleaner looking chain but its the bits you cant see that matter.
  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    Step83 wrote:
    Muc off Bio is good, I prefer Morgan Blue mixed 50/50 with water paint on, leave rinse behold the shiney.

    I like Morgan Blue as well. Put it on with a paint brush, leave it for a minute then wash off. I sometimes use a chain cleaner with soapy water in it to wash the Morgan Blue off. Seems to work well this way and doesn't use much degreaser.
  • part time waster
    part time waster Posts: 244
    A toothbrush and diesel , wallop loads on , give it a scrub, an literally rinse in diesel .
    Wipe off and blast on gt85 or similar. The diesel has oil in it so doesn't totally de grease the chain.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Sugarsoap - £3 per litre at Wilkos. No chainbath needed, just spray it on, work in with a brush and then rinse off.
  • godders1
    godders1 Posts: 750
    Cycling specific cleaning products are a complete rip-off in my experience. 10L of viro-sol will set you back about £20 and will last for many years

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clover-Chemic ... 3641.l6368

    Or if you want the exact same stuff from a cycling brand you can buy 1L for £14!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/weld ... lsrc=aw.ds
  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    part time waster wrote:
    A toothbrush and diesel , wallop loads on , give it a scrub, an literally rinse in diesel .
    Wipe off and blast on gt85 or similar. The diesel has oil in it so doesn't totally de grease the chain.

    Careful what you breathe in :shock:
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    Godders1 wrote:
    Cycling specific cleaning products are a complete rip-off in my experience. 10L of viro-sol will set you back about £20 and will last for many years

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clover-Chemic ... 3641.l6368

    Or if you want the exact same stuff from a cycling brand you can buy 1L for £14!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/weld ... lsrc=aw.ds

    That virosol looks good. It says it is safe for a lot of surfaces, but have you any experience of using it on bike stuff?
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    Has anyone melted a bike with the stuff for £9 for 5l from Screwfix?

    http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-h ... 5ltr/88668
  • JayBM
    JayBM Posts: 20
    WD40 Bike Degreaser, not sure what's in it but spray it on, a bit of agitation on the worst bits and then wash of with water. not found anything that gets chainset as clean.
  • godders1
    godders1 Posts: 750
    benws1 wrote:
    Godders1 wrote:
    Cycling specific cleaning products are a complete rip-off in my experience. 10L of viro-sol will set you back about £20 and will last for many years

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clover-Chemic ... 3641.l6368

    Or if you want the exact same stuff from a cycling brand you can buy 1L for £14!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/weld ... lsrc=aw.ds

    That virosol looks good. It says it is safe for a lot of surfaces, but have you any experience of using it on bike stuff?
    I've been using it for 4-5 years on my bikes, good stuff. Like any degreaser you just have to keep it away from BB and hubs.
  • vince133
    vince133 Posts: 61
    Hi All

    Thanks for your replies. Think I will try some of the cheaper degreaser as suggested as I agree bike specific degreasers seems very expensive.

    Any thoughts on devices muc off Pedro etc. I was thinking of purchasing one as my bike stays in a large porch which now doubles as my workshop and I could degrease without needing to brave the elements. A couple of you have suggested muc off x 3 any others to consider? Thanks again.

    Vince
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    I've had success with parafin and white spirit (not at the same time though).
  • part time waster
    part time waster Posts: 244
    Had a go with coating an entire carbon framed bike with oven cleaner. Left in on for an hour, then hosed it off. It was spotless. However it did leave the chain rings looking mottled. They soon polished up .
    Decided I wouldn't do it again as it's too harsh.
    Fairly obvious really.
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    Godders1 wrote:
    benws1 wrote:
    Godders1 wrote:
    Cycling specific cleaning products are a complete rip-off in my experience. 10L of viro-sol will set you back about £20 and will last for many years

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clover-Chemic ... 3641.l6368

    Or if you want the exact same stuff from a cycling brand you can buy 1L for £14!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/weld ... lsrc=aw.ds

    That virosol looks good. It says it is safe for a lot of surfaces, but have you any experience of using it on bike stuff?
    I've been using it for 4-5 years on my bikes, good stuff. Like any degreaser you just have to keep it away from BB and hubs.

    Thanks. I think I'll get some of that ordered. The Muc-off stuff I currently use is quite expensive.
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    Personally, I use Fenwicks. I get the concentrated stuff and use neat on drivetrain, then dilute for the sponge-down wash.

    That said, Bikeradar showed this pic the other day as to what many of the pro tour teams use & supports the above posts sensible logic:

    19-1485230924463-ro217vivtm43-630-80.jpg
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Personally, I use Fenwicks. I get the concentrated stuff and use neat on drivetrain, then dilute for the sponge-down wash.

    I used to use that and always found it good. Loads cheaper (£45 for 5L?) than others.

    I'll let you know how the £9 for 5L Screwfix stuff gets on after the weekend though. It better not melt titanium. On reflection, maybe I'll try it on my commuter first.....
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Personally, I use Fenwicks. I get the concentrated stuff and use neat on drivetrain, then dilute for the sponge-down wash.

    I used to use that and always found it good. Loads cheaper (£45 for 5L?) than others.

    I'll let you know how the £9 for 5L Screwfix stuff gets on after the weekend though. It better not melt titanium. On reflection, maybe I'll try it on my commuter first.....

    I'd draw the line at the heavy duty stuff. The virosol says it's naturally derived citrus stuff. The Screwfix example just says it's heavy duty. :)
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    part time waster wrote:
    Had a go with coating an entire carbon framed bike with oven cleaner. Left in on for an hour, then hosed it off. It was spotless. However it did leave the chain rings looking mottled. They soon polished up .
    Decided I wouldn't do it again as it's too harsh.
    Fairly obvious really.
    Alloy chainrings & sodium hydroxide don't mix well :) Not many metals are dissolved in alkalis but aluminium is one of them.
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    benws1 wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Personally, I use Fenwicks. I get the concentrated stuff and use neat on drivetrain, then dilute for the sponge-down wash.

    I used to use that and always found it good. Loads cheaper (£45 for 5L?) than others.

    I'll let you know how the £9 for 5L Screwfix stuff gets on after the weekend though. It better not melt titanium. On reflection, maybe I'll try it on my commuter first.....

    I'd draw the line at the heavy duty stuff. The virosol says it's naturally derived citrus stuff. The Screwfix example just says it's heavy duty. :)

    Maybe the Virosol isn't quite so gentle as they'd have you believe....

    viewtopic.php?t=12618829
  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Chain cleaning device = Rag
    Degreaser = WD40, or white spirit in a 2 liter bottle and shake

    Bike cleaning products are a rip off +1
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Just used the Park Tool chain cleaning machine and Bike Hut Citrus de-greaser for the first time this morning and it worked brilliantly for me, sort of...

    Anyone know how to get oil stains off a washing up bowl?
    Half man, Half bike
  • vince133
    vince133 Posts: 61
    I think I will place an order for the Park tool chain cleaning device. Appears to get good reviews and will suit me cleaning indoors when the weather is not so favourable.
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    edited July 2017
    pppp
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Vince133 wrote:
    I think I will place an order for the Park tool chain cleaning device. Appears to get good reviews and will suit me cleaning indoors when the weather is not so favourable.
    Halfords, £15.99
    Half man, Half bike
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    londoncommuter wrote:
    benws1 wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Personally, I use Fenwicks. I get the concentrated stuff and use neat on drivetrain, then dilute for the sponge-down wash.

    I used to use that and always found it good. Loads cheaper (£45 for 5L?) than others.

    I'll let you know how the £9 for 5L Screwfix stuff gets on after the weekend though. It better not melt titanium. On reflection, maybe I'll try it on my commuter first.....

    I'd draw the line at the heavy duty stuff. The virosol says it's naturally derived citrus stuff. The Screwfix example just says it's heavy duty. :)

    Maybe the Virosol isn't quite so gentle as they'd have you believe....

    viewtopic.php?t=12618829

    :shock:
  • sebbyp
    sebbyp Posts: 106
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Has anyone melted a bike with the stuff for £9 for 5l from Screwfix?

    http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-h ... 5ltr/88668

    this is the one I use, just put it neat into the park tool chain scrubber, wind the chain backwards for 45 secs, empty dirty as hell contents, do it again. wash bike, dry bike, oil chain. works a dream. 5L lasts a year.
  • Plodder82
    Plodder82 Posts: 31
    Last time I bought a gallon of Paraffin it cost about £1.80 and lasted well over 6 years, a 1 inch paint brush for the nitty gritty and a shallow container to catch the drips.
  • SME
    SME Posts: 348
    part time waster wrote:
    A toothbrush and diesel , wallop loads on , give it a scrub, an literally rinse in diesel .
    Wipe off and blast on gt85 or similar. The diesel has oil in it so doesn't totally de grease the chain.

    I do similar...

    I use those nail brushes with the handles on the top for my fingers to go through, one on top of the chain and one underneath, and then swap to the sides. I use parafin to clean the chain - poor a little in a cut-down 4pt milk carton. I've also got a wheel on a bolt held on with a nyloc, two washers (for either side of the frame) and a wing nut... I think they're called chain keepers, but mines made from a wheel off an old toy.

    The brushes are off eBay, 12 for £5.

Categories