Chain cleaning

[CCrew]

@DSalovesh 12085 wrote:

when a carefully spent $15 and 10 minutes or so of work gets me a brand new chain.

I want to know where you’re buying your chains for $15!!

Keep in mind people that wiping the outside of your chain with a rag to clean it isn’t really making much happy but you. Chain wear (sometimes referred to as stretch) is a result of wear on the pins/inside the rollers of the chain causing the chain to lengthen, which wears out the chain and any associated gearing. Wiping the outside does really nothing to flush out that grit, you’re looking for agitation or submersion to get it out.

Like DSalovesh I replace my chains more often than any wear indicator says they’re worn, I run KMC or Ultegra 10 speed chains though and am looking for the magical $15 one!

[ronwalf]

@CCrew 12093 wrote:

I want to know where you’re buying your chains for $15!!

Such is the advantage of a 9-speed drivetrain.

[justasaintz]

I actually use a small stand similar to this…
https://www.nextag.com/TOPEAK-Flashstand-532573918/prices-html

It works pretty well in a small environment where you can’t use a big stand. It stays away from your cranks so you can freely move your pedals while cleaning.

Most times, the park tool chain cleaner works very well, but if my chain ever gets too dirty, i remove it and let it soak in soap water (non-moisturizing) or the cleaner liquid (if really bad). That usually helps getting rid of the finer grim.

[KLizotte]

My chain was replaced a couple of weeks ago (it had 3K miles on it) and wow, what a difference in terms of shifting and noise reduction. It’s like getting a new bike. So now I’m adamant about keeping my chain clean(er) so I can continue this state of bliss for as long as possible.

Has anyone tried an old fashioned toothbrush to clean their chain? Am wondering if that is a good, low-tech route to try since the Park Tool cleaner is messy and clumsy. I would keep the chain on the bike in this case.

I understand that if I wanted to remove the chain for a soak, that I should get a quick release link installed and purchase some sort of plier like appliance to take it on/off. How easy is it to thread the chain back through the drivetrain when all is said and done? Please note that I live in a high rise apartment so all bike maintenance is done in the parking garage but I have a big mechanics stand and a costco sized box of rags.

Speaking of the parking garage, now that winter is here I am dreading standing around in the cold doing bike maintenance. Do any of the local co-ops let stragglers in to do work on their own bikes (presuming they have heat on the premises)? Otherwise, anyone have any hints on doing bike work in the middle of their living rooms and not splattering everything with muck? Unfortunately I have cream wall-to-wall carpeting.

I should just take the easy way out and start dating bike mechanics….

[justasaintz]

I do all my cleaning inhouse in an apartment. I have a small carpet from Ikea that I use for all cleaning, I also use an old towel for catching all the spill. You need both as the spill is too concentrated at one place that it seeps through.

I prefer the chain tool for cleaning since its quick. The toothbrush takes too much time and more importantly effort!! For the cassette, i use this…
http://revolutioncycles.com/product/finish-line-citrus-degreaser-12-ounce-spray-44587-1.htm

Regarding the quick release link, its called a Master link and its very easy to take it off and put it back on. You can do it with your hands, in rare situations you may have to use a regular needle-nose pliers (when its brand new). And its also easy to re-route the chain through the drivetrain. Just be mindful of the little gaps to route the chain in the rear derailleur, its easy to overlook them.

If you don’t want to mess up your place, there is a community driven bike shop that you can go and do the cleaning yourself. I think its in petworth. Here is the link..
http://thebikehouse.org/

[dbb]

@KLizotte 12122 wrote:

Speaking of the parking garage, now that winter is here I am dreading standing around in the cold doing bike maintenance. Do any of the local co-ops let stragglers in to do work on their own bikes (presuming they have heat on the premises)? Otherwise, anyone have any hints on doing bike work in the middle of their living rooms and not splattering everything with muck? Unfortunately I have cream wall-to-wall carpeting.

Both VeloCity Bike Coop in Old Town Alexandria and Phoenix Bikes in Shirlington have shop hours. ..

http://velocitycoop.org/?page_id=48

http://phoenixbikes.org/community/shopnights

Have fun

[DSalovesh]

My only 10-speed chain is Campy, mounted on a wall queen. It probably has under 1,000 miles on it, all ridden on clear and sunny days. But that’s a special bike.

The other six everyday bikes in my house all take the same SRAM PC-951 / 971 chains. I use club memberships and coupons and Groupons and loss-leader sales to make sure I always have a few on hand, and if the price is good enough to buy one I’ll buy two or three just to keep my private stock full. I don’t think I’ve paid full price for a chain in a decade.

[dasgeh]

We’re in a house in Arlington, but don’t have an indoor place to do bike maintenance. In the winter, we fire up the propane heater on the deck to keep warm. You’re welcome to come by and use it. We’re out of town for the holidays starting this week, but the back yard and heater aren’t locked, so you could just come by. If you don’t want to haul your stuff, we could coordinate a day in the New Year. (PM me and I’ll give you the address)

(I have to confess, my husband does all the bike maintenance, and he’s from Iowa, so doesn’t mind the cold as much as I. Put I think the system would work even for me, as long as I’m close enough to the heater).

[KLizotte]

@dasgeh 12156 wrote:

We’re in a house in Arlington, but don’t have an indoor place to do bike maintenance. In the winter, we fire up the propane heater on the deck to keep warm. You’re welcome to come by and use it. We’re out of town for the holidays starting this week, but the back yard and heater aren’t locked, so you could just come by. If you don’t want to haul your stuff, we could coordinate a day in the New Year. (PM me and I’ll give you the address)

(I have to confess, my husband does all the bike maintenance, and he’s from Iowa, so doesn’t mind the cold as much as I. Put I think the system would work even for me, as long as I’m close enough to the heater).

*Super* thanks for the extra nice offer but I think I’ll utilize the services of either Velo City or Phoenix Bikes since they have weekly “open house” hours where they welcome people to visit and work on their own bikes using the shop tools. The shop workers are also available to answer questions and occasionally offer maintenance classes for a small fee. It will be a good opportunity for someone knowlegeable to tell me what I’m doing right (or wrong).

Thanks to dbb for the head’s up on these services.

[elcee]

@KLizotte 12122 wrote:

Has anyone tried an old fashioned toothbrush to clean their chain? Am wondering if that is a good, low-tech route to try since the Park Tool cleaner is messy and clumsy. I would keep the chain on the bike in this case.

I used to do this and it’s even messier, unless you brush the chain while it’s soaking in solvent.

Quote:

I understand that if I wanted to remove the chain for a soak, that I should get a quick release link installed and purchase some sort of plier like appliance to take it on/off. How easy is it to thread the chain back through the drivetrain when all is said and done? Please note that I live in a high rise apartment so all bike maintenance is done in the parking garage but I have a big mechanics stand and a costco sized box of rags.

SRAM Powerlinks can be removed by hand. Rubber or latex gloves help. I don’t have experience with other quick links.

[GuyContinental]

Oh boy- I’m going to sound like the OCD one in the crowd but I HATE nasty chains. For all my bikes I do some version of the following every 10 or so riding days

1. Use a powerlink- some people sweat the strength of them, I use them even on MTB SS chains and have never broken one but YMMV
2. Measure gap (toss and check cassette if stretched)
3. Dump in sonic cleaner with (choose your poison)- dish soap works surprisingly well but I’ll use Simple Green or once a year a diluted solvent.
4. Run with heat for 15-20 minutes (while putzing with something else)
5. Remove, let dry
6. Place in mason jar of ProLink on top of vibrating appliance for 24 hours +
7. Retrieve excess (expensive) ProLink by hanging over jar
8. Wipe, remount, ride…
9. Wipe and relube every couple of riding days (as others said, clean less more often)

The soaking in ProLink (with agitation) is key- it’s really hard to get the chain bushings re-lubed when you go to the extreme (sonic cleaner…) and you’ll actually wear the chain out faster. However, if done right you’ll have a fantabulously clean chain and keep your drive train alive considerably longer- I get 5k+ out of Ultegra Chains/Cassettes.

[jabberwocky]

I do pretty much what GuyContinental does, except I use homebrew lube for the soaking (2 parts mineral spirits to one part motor oil). Much cheaper than prolink, though I do use prolink for intermediate lubing. I also have a bin of mineral spirits I use as a degreaser for especially nasty chains/cassettes prior to throwing them in the sonic cleaner with some dish soap.

EDIT: Oh, and to agitate the lube into the chain, I just set the jar with the lube/chain in the ultrasonic for 5 minutes or so.

[GuyContinental]

@jabberwocky 12382 wrote:

I do pretty much what GuyContinental does, except I use homebrew lube for the soaking (2 parts mineral spirits to one part motor oil). Much cheaper than prolink, though I do use prolink for intermediate lubing. I also have a bin of mineral spirits I use as a degreaser for especially nasty chains/cassettes prior to throwing them in the sonic cleaner with some dish soap.

EDIT: Oh, and to agitate the lube into the chain, I just set the jar with the lube/chain in the ultrasonic for 5 minutes or so.

I’ve never thought of using a homebrew for the Prolink soak- what weight oil do you use? 10w 30? It pains me to burn up good lube this way- I keep it alive for a round or two by letting it settle and then filtering.

Regardless, the ultrasonic cleaner is my secret weapon, I’ve even been known to dangle a bike from the ceiling to soak a nasty-but-not-nasty-enough-to-remove rear derailleur. You just have to be really serious about re-lubing afterwards. I bought mine (in the link above) for $39 at Harbor Freight.

[jabberwocky]

Yup, Mobil 10w30 Synthetic. Works just fine, although homebrew lube seems to be a hotly contested subject on many bike forums. I figure its more important to keep the chain clean and lubed than it is to worry about exactly what you’re lubing it with. And homebrew lube is really inexpensive.

I have the exact same ultrasonic you do. I use it for other things too (mostly cleaning fountain pens and gun parts). It is nice to be able to get a cassette really clean.

I have to say I don’t do the full ultrasonic on the drivetrain very often. Usually just a wipe down and relube keeps things clean enough. But its nice when things get really gritty and nasty.

[KLizotte]

I’ve heard that you can buy brake degreaser in aerosol form from an auto parts store for a few bucks and that it does a very good getting most of the gunk out of hard to reach places. It supposedly does the same job as this stuff but is far cheaper.

I can vouch for the latter but you will need 1.5 cans to get a clean drivetrain and the $$ begins to add up at an avg of $12.50 a can.

Has anyone tried standard auto brake degreaser?

[Author]

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