Cleaning chains.

[Landy Andy]

Been giving the chain somd much needed love today, and to be honest I am once again very dissatisfied by my Mucoff chain cleaner. Really messy, not very good, can’t really get it to work as it should due to not being able to back pedal, all in I’m thinking there must be better out there. But where and what is it?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Shinn]

I'm guessing your using a chain cleaner? Put a stick between the crank and chainring - search you tube and you'll find a few videos I'm sure.

Not certain I explained that very well...

 

[EebStrider]

Just get a cheap £10 bike stand to get the rear wheel off the ground, spray a load of GT85 on a rag, then lightly hold the chain with the soaked rag while turning the pedals. Don’t turn the motor on though!

I use this method after giving the bike a quick wash after each ride, then use the chain cleaner once a week after the big clean.

 

[Landy Andy]

I'm guessing your using a chain cleaner? Put a stick between the crank and chainring - search you tube and you'll find a few videos I'm sure.

Not certain I explained that very well...

So to lock pedal and crank together is what I think you are suggesting, thus enabling back pedalling. Will give that a go.
Thanks

 

[Landy Andy]

Just get a cheap £10 bike stand to get the rear wheel off the ground, spray a load of GT85 on a rag, then lightly hold the chain with the soaked rag while turning the pedals. Don’t turn the motor on though!

I use this method after giving the bike a quick wash after each ride, then use the chain cleaner once a week after the big clean.

Got a bike stand, but think chain needs a bit more of a deep clean as it’s just sooooo bloody muddy currently. The chain becomes almost solid, and certainly would if I left it too long.

 

[Sander23]

Or u can use a ziptie instead of a wood stick. I can use a stick in my front sproket so i ziptie it to my cranks. Or most of the time i hang it in my worstand and pedal forward to clean with the parktool chaincleaner

 

[EebStrider]

Got a bike stand, but think chain needs a bit more of a deep clean as it’s just sooooo bloody muddy currently. The chain becomes almost solid, and certainly would if I left it too long.
View attachment 52563

I just spray on the mucoff chain cleaner and leave it on for about 5 minutes, then most of the crap just hoses off. Anything that doesn’t rinse off, the GT85 gets.

 

[Funkeydunk]

As my ocd kicks in with my drive train is it’s dirty, I tend to take the chain off and soak it soapy warm water for 10 mins to get the big chunks of turd off the chain, then I dry it with a rag. Next I spray it with WD and leave to soak for a while. I’ve even been known to get a small wire brush in the chain in the kitchen sink Using washing up liquid.

but normally I just use a light hose with muc off, I think it’s because the lube I use is ace and doesn’t create a rind of tar that you can’t wash off.

 

[EebStrider]

As my ocd kicks in with my drive train is it’s dirty, I tend to take the chain off and soak it soapy warm water for 10 mins to get the big chunks of turd off the chain, then I dry it with a rag. Next I spray it with WD and leave to soak for a while. I’ve even been known to get a small wire brush in the chain in the kitchen sink Using washing up liquid.

but normally I just use a light hose with muc off, I think it’s because the lube I use is ace and doesn’t create a rind of tar that you can’t wash off.

What lube do you use? I use the Muc-Off e-bike specific ceramic wet lube (dry in the summer), and it's brilliant stuff.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

After 25 years of ballache this is the method I've been using recently...

Spray whole bike in degreaser, leave 5 min, hose off gently and sponge where the real claggy bits are. Remove chain, place in a hot slow cooker full of a roughly 60/40 mix of paraffin wax and gearbox oil. Leave for half an hour to cook and bubble away nicely. Take chain out of slow cooker, wipe off excess, allow to cool, put amazingly shiny chain back on bike.

If it's dry out forget about the chain for the next 200 miles...

There's a fine wire mesh at the bottom of the slow cooker so the chain doesn't cook in all the crap that sinks to the bottom.

I've done this to every bike I own for about a year and its amazingly quick and easy once set up.

 

[pampmyride]

Chain clean - power wash, then air line dry, then boil in Putoline hot wax. Wipe down. Job done. Lasts for 3 winter rides & many more Summer rides. Occasional top up with Renthal chain lube.

 

[R120]

I use this kit, works a treat and dead easy

Fenwicks Bike

Fenwicks Bike Maintenance Products

fenwicksbike.com

 

[Funkeydunk]

What lube do you use? I use the Muc-Off e-bike specific ceramic wet lube (dry in the summer), and it's brilliant stuff.

I use WD40 wet lube all year round.

 

[Konanige]

Make sure you use loads of degreaser and chain cleaner so that it removes all the pressure injected lube inside the rollers, then dry off and lube the outside of the chain with an overpriced 'e'lube thats just the same as any other lube, this way Sram Shimano etc can make a fortune selling you prematurely worn chains.
Alternatively dick about removing your chain all the time and weakening it so you can boil it in the chip fryer with Putoline .
Or better still Hose it off when you wash your bike, dry it lube it with a quality lube dry off the chain and then drink beer. This method will result in a longer lasting drivetrain, more beer getting drunk and most importantly more time ridin than fixin!???

 

[Roger20]

The problem with cleaning a chain with (a lot of) degreaser, especially using a bath chain cleaner like the Park Tool one, is getting so much on that it drips from the front chainring down onto the motor crankshaft. From there it's just a direct route into the motor.

I recently moved away from the chain bath to the Fenwicks foam and sponge method. But now I'm thinking even that risks getting degreaser into the motor as it's washed off. Especially so on the Brose motor which has no water sealing between drive crank and chainring.

Quite like the idea of washing dirt off with a rag wrapped in GT85 and then a proper clean every now and again with the chain removed. Perhaps the price of replacing split links regularly might be worth it. How many times can they be safely reused?

 

[R120]

The problem with cleaning a chain with (a lot of) degreaser, especially using a bath chain cleaner like the Park Tool one, is getting so much on that it drips from the front chainring down onto the motor crankshaft. From there it's just a direct route into the motor.

I recently moved away from the chain bath to the Fenwicks foam and sponge method. But now I'm thinking even that risks getting degreaser into the motor as it's washed off. Especially so on the Brose motor which has no water sealing between drive crank and chainring.

Quite like the idea of washing dirt off with a rag wrapped in GT85 and then a proper clean every now and again with the chain removed. Perhaps the price of replacing split links regularly might be worth it. How many times can they be safely reused?

I run the chin though a wet rag after doing the Fenwicks sponge and before rinsing down, that gets rid of any excess

 

[Fatbap]

S doc100 chain gel spray it on agitate if needed with a brush rinse off with hose. Dry with air compressor if poss. Use engine oil to lube the chain. Wipe chain down an spray putoline tech chain wax. The wax is not needed so much on the mtbs tho. Been doin it for years on all my bikes. My 06 aprilia rsvr is still on the original chain 16k later

 

[>moto<]

Agree with Konanige ^^^ above. I have a firm bristled brush I use to get the crap off the chain with. I run it round the chain, cassette, derailleur and front chain ring dependent on how dirty the various bits are. Then just apply some lube and crack on.

Motorbike chains are typically sealed O-ring or X-ring type and are completely different to an MTB chain.

Also, to whoever said they spray their whole bike with degreaser, I wouldn't be doing that.

 

[cep32]

With Squirt all I do is boil the kettle and pour the hot water over the chain. The wax melts, taking the dirt with it. Relube and done.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

Also, to whoever said they spray their whole bike with degreaser, I wouldn't be doing that.

Honestly I've never had an issue, I swap between degreaser and traffic film remover they both do the same thing when diluted down properly. All my bikes, motorbikes, and cars get the same treatment. Then polished, XCP rust blocker or gt85 to suit.

What makes me cringe is people blasting things with pressure washers. ?

 

[EebStrider]

Honestly I've never had an issue, I swap between degreaser and traffic film remover they both do the same thing when diluted down properly. All my bikes, motorbikes, and cars get the same treatment. Then polished, XCP rust blocker or gt85 to suit.

What makes me cringe is people blasting things with pressure washers. ?

There's nothing wrong with pressure washers, as long as you use the right setting, and don't point them into the vulnerable areas. I've owned over 30 motorbikes, all washed with a Karcher, and haven't had any issues at all. I've never used it on the MTB's though, as a hose is sufficient on those, as you can pretty much get to anywhere easily enough.

 

[>moto<]

Honestly I've never had an issue, I swap between degreaser and traffic film remover they both do the same thing when diluted down properly. All my bikes, motorbikes, and cars get the same treatment. Then polished, XCP rust blocker or gt85 to suit.

What makes me cringe is people blasting things with pressure washers. ?

Pressure washers and degreaser are both fine if used properly. Washing your entire bike in degreaser isn't going to make it blow up, but it will remove grease from areas where there is supposed to be grease, which will wear parts faster. It will also removed any lubricating films on your fork/shoc seals which will eventually increase stiction as they dry out.

If you're a post wash lube monster it'll help but it's hard to get grease back into things like linkage bearings. Well, its not hard, but is much its' much more work than not covering them in degreaser in the first place.

 

[matt_thebeard]

The problem with cleaning a chain with (a lot of) degreaser, especially using a bath chain cleaner like the Park Tool one, is getting so much on that it drips from the front chainring down onto the motor crankshaft. From there it's just a direct route into the motor.

I recently moved away from the chain bath to the Fenwicks foam and sponge method. But now I'm thinking even that risks getting degreaser into the motor as it's washed off. Especially so on the Brose motor which has no water sealing between drive crank and chainring.

Quite like the idea of washing dirt off with a rag wrapped in GT85 and then a proper clean every now and again with the chain removed. Perhaps the price of replacing split links regularly might be worth it. How many times can they be safely reused?

i dont know from personal experience but the videos all say never, for the sake of a pack of replacement ones from ebay is it really worth it? personal preferance to try to find out i guess but i prefer all my maintainace if possible in the warm light and dry ;-)

 

[Slapbassmunky]

Pressure washers and degreaser are both fine if used properly. Washing your entire bike in degreaser isn't going to make it blow up, but it will remove grease from areas where there is supposed to be grease, which will wear parts faster. It will also removed any lubricating films on your fork/shoc seals which will eventually increase stiction as they dry out.

If you're a post wash lube monster it'll help but it's hard to get grease back into things like linkage bearings. Well, its not hard, but is much its' much more work than not covering them in degreaser in the first place.

Like I said, never had a problem. My frame bearings last as long as they should do, and my forks and shocks look just fine when they get stripped down and serviced. If you have a lubricating film on your shock shafts or fork stanchions you have problems elsewhere.

 

[johnscioscia]

So to lock pedal and crank together is t
what I think you are suggesting, thus enabling back pedalling. Will give that a go.
Thanks

Yes nifty little trick. Careful though though I did that with mine and the motor caught on and gave me some problems!
Yes nea

 

[maker]

Fella on here used different cleaners and settled on a cheap bottle of washing up liquid in a bucket of water with a brush, followed by gentle hose down. I'll try that next. I Find Muc-Off good, GT85 to repel water then lube, but cheap detergent next, but not over grass as kills it ( as I found with a weak mixture searching for a leak in a kite tube).

 

[Landy Andy]

That’s what I’ve been doing with the mucoff tool, but didn’t bother with handle. With the Park Tool version do you get the cleaner everywhere? You do with the mucoff one.

 

[cabbynate]

I'm guessing your using a chain cleaner? Put a stick between the crank and chainring - search you tube and you'll find a few videos I'm sure.
Not certain I explained that very well...

You explained it well. It will catch the crank when spinning it backwards and rotate the chain just like an analog bike. The bolt that holds my cranks to my chainring is a T30. I put that socket in the bolt and back peddle. works great. My girlfriends Haibike I use the same thing.

I'm guessing your using a chain cleaner? Put a stick between the crank and chainring - search you tube and you'll find a few videos I'm sure.

 

[geehaw]

I just use a hose and a stiff brush while backpedaling the Chain. I use Rock and Roll cleaner/lube. Mud doesn't seem to stick but you do need to lube every third ride in really muddy and wet conditions.

 

[Mr President]

I use my MOABS 1 see photo so it is easy to pedal forwards for chain post ride chain clean. My back is so knackered I can't do the bending over thing.

then every month I take the chain off and stick it in a cheap ultrasonic cleaner.

I admit it is a Rolls Royce solution, but the ultrasonic cleaner was cheaper than 1 cassette, so has paid for itself several times over.