Chain cleaning

[jabberwocky]

For on-the-bike chain cleaning, I use one of those park chain-cleaning doohickies. I get citrus-degreaser by the gallon from Advance Auto and use that. Run for a minute with pure degreaser, then do a minimum of two minute long cycles with clean warm water to rinse the chain before drying it with a rag. Not difficult at all, and the degreaser is way cheap (like 6 bucks a gallon).

For more potent degreasing, I use mineral spirits. I keep a small tub full of it and soak parts that need extra cleaning.

[CCrew]

@KLizotte 12407 wrote:

Has anyone tried standard auto brake degreaser?

I’ve used it on the car. Hardly eco-friendly.

[pfunkallstar]

@CCrew 11304 wrote:

I’ll pile in here…

The chain cleaning machines are alright, but you can get a lot better cleaning by putting a SRAM Powerlink (or similar) in the chain, and dropping the chain into a tupperware container of mineral spirits. Use two containers, put it in the first while you’re cleaning the rest of the bike, then agitate and put into the second container. This degunks the worst into the first container and the second remains clean. When the first get’s too ucky, replace it with the second container and clean/refill the first one to be the new second.

Mineral spirits are minimally flammable, and are essentially the carrier in WD-40. All you need is a quart of mineral spirits, a powerlink for each bike, two containers, and to make things easy Park tool makes a special plier for the links.

I can get 10 bikes done in an afternoon this way….

PLUS A BAZILLION on this method. Most of those citrus cleaners aren’t going to get your chain/cogs/cassette clean. I strip down my bike about every three months – stock up on powerlinks on Amazon.

[DaveK]

@CCrew 12411 wrote:

I’ve used it on the car. Hardly eco-friendly.

+1 – Brake cleaner is nasty, nasty stuff. If you can avoid using it I would.

[Dirt]

I noticed that Clean Streak (which is similar in toxicity to Brake Cleaner) added an orange scent to their product to make us think it is somehow using orange oil-based solvents.

Brake Clean also can damage the plastic seals on some cartridge bearings. You need to be careful using it.

One thing that I’ve found when using more environmentally friendly degreasers is that it really helps if you clean more often, so they’re not having to get off the heavy duty gunk. If the chain is generally a little cleaner, there is less need for harsh solvents.

Rock on!

Pete

[jordash]

I’m getting a bit of noise when I degrease and then lube my chain. It sounds like certain parts of the chain have grit built up inside the chain? It’s a relatively new bike so I haven’t taken the chain all the way off to clean it. Would taking the chain off and thoroughly cleaning it in degreaser get rid of some of the gritty grinding noises I hear?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@jordash 22941 wrote:

I’m getting a bit of noise when I degrease and then lube my chain. It sounds like certain parts of the chain have grit built up inside the chain? It’s a relatively new bike so I haven’t taken the chain all the way off to clean it. Would taking the chain off and thoroughly cleaning it in degreaser get rid of some of the gritty grinding noises I hear?

Depends on what you mean by grinding noise, but I think you probably will be okay with your current cleaning regimen, unless you’re doing dusty offroad riding. I think it also depends on the chain and the type of lube you use as well, as some are quieter than others. My chain makes a bit of noise, but it’s also a combination of freehub noise, cassette noise, and pedal noise, so maybe you’re picking up some of that, rather than it just being your chain?

[jordash]

Perhaps, then, I’m being too sensitive when it comes to cleaning in my basement. Once I have a more time, I’m going to take the chain off and really scrub it down and see if I can get at the grit inside. I think I’m hearing some grit, sand, and dirt hit the chainring and rear cog.

[mstone]

it’s possible you’re using too much lube, and dirt is sticking to the chain

[jabberwocky]

Give it a mineral spirits soaking to totally break up all the old oils/greases, then scrub it down.

[jordash]

@mstone 22959 wrote:

it’s possible you’re using too much lube, and dirt is sticking to the chain

My Park Tool BBB tells me about 1 drop per roller, back-pedal, repeat once chain appears dry.

[mstone]

@jordash 22962 wrote:

My Park Tool BBB tells me about 1 drop per roller, back-pedal, repeat once chain appears dry.

…followed by wiping off any lube on the chain?

[jordash]

Yes, I wipe off the excess.

[Author]

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