I very rarely wash my bike, other than a quick hose off to remove the big bits, I then use GT85 and a cloth, leave it for a day or so, then apply fresh motor oil. I've been through the religious clean/dry/lub routine and it made little difference and took more time. What's more my wheel, suspension and freewheel bearings are lasting longer with less washing.
Drivetrain cleaning
- Thread starter RJUK
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #32
Sure, but that assumes you lube all of it. It's easy to miss a spot and you're only supposed to lube the rollers and joints anyway - so the outsides of the chain could still corrode as you don't lube that part.
- Thread starter
- #33
Yeah, I didn't wash the rest of the bike, either. Just knocked the lumpy mud off. I could see crap all over the drivetrain though, so just cleaned that. Logically it should last longer if it doesn't have dust and grit from the trail getting crunched up in the gears, though in fairness as a kid I used to massively over lube my chain with wet lube and remember the jockey wheels being covered in thick black sludge, grass and dirt but I never changed any of my drivetrain and it worked fine for years.
I also cut the chain really short to eliminate chain slap and still had no issues.
Agreed, wire wool works or you could wax your chain, or simply use your split link and take your chain off for a more thorough clean and lube, everyone has their own cleaning process so whatever works for you.
Here's my tried and very simple metod that has worked well for many years
After each ride wipe as much dirt off as I can with a rag then put bike into top
gear and apply a drop of rocknroll blue to each link then spin the cranks through 30 revolutions to get all the lube in. Leave it to soak through until just prior to next ride and then vigorously wipe all excess lube off. Go ride
After each ride wipe as much dirt off as I can with a rag then put bike into top
gear and apply a drop of rocknroll blue to each link then spin the cranks through 30 revolutions to get all the lube in. Leave it to soak through until just prior to next ride and then vigorously wipe all excess lube off. Go ride
Downhillr
Active member
Quite a few of suggestion here (wiping chain) really don't do much for the chain life since the primary wear point is in the pins where chain links spin.
Removing chain and soaking is effective but tedious, you are best using a chain cleaning tool like oark’s or Muc-Off’s which both soak, brush and rinse the gunk from your chain with their drive line cleaning solutions (I prefer Silca’s cleaning solution) air dry and re-lube. BTW, one of the bike mags ran a test on a bunch of chain lubes and Silca’s Secret Lube finished high on the list so I switched to that from White Lightening and find my chain quieter and the lube lasting longer as well
kauaibobby
Member
I use Pedros chain pig. works great, cleans out a lot of dirt. I use just water or hot water or soapy water or degreaser in it. It get a lot of dirt out of chain . easy to use. rinse dry and lube chain
- Thread starter
- #39
Are we still talking about drivetrains?!
Here is a different perspective!!
I use GX chains.....never seen any sign of rust. After most rides I wipe and brush the chain in situ...then lube, the wipe off all excess. Occasionally I slip the chain off the chainwheel and cassette and let it dangle over a pot....use a degreaser then water in a squirt bottle, wipe and leave for a while to dry , then lube. Typically a chain last 600 miles to 0.5. .....c £23 to replace. So measuring wear on the pins/rollers to 0.5 % is easy enough......what is not measured is the amount of sideways flex .......and that affects shifting. An X01 may last twice as long as far a "stretch" wear is concerned but costs more than twice as much ...and probably suffers the same unmeasured linkage wear.
I am more concerned about cassette wear since replacement for that costs over £200 ! .......and what wears the cassette? Dirt on the cassette and of course the chain but also wear on the chain. After most rides I remove the rear wheel and clean the cassette using degreaser and then water from a hosepipe.
I use GX chains.....never seen any sign of rust. After most rides I wipe and brush the chain in situ...then lube, the wipe off all excess. Occasionally I slip the chain off the chainwheel and cassette and let it dangle over a pot....use a degreaser then water in a squirt bottle, wipe and leave for a while to dry , then lube. Typically a chain last 600 miles to 0.5. .....c £23 to replace. So measuring wear on the pins/rollers to 0.5 % is easy enough......what is not measured is the amount of sideways flex .......and that affects shifting. An X01 may last twice as long as far a "stretch" wear is concerned but costs more than twice as much ...and probably suffers the same unmeasured linkage wear.
I am more concerned about cassette wear since replacement for that costs over £200 ! .......and what wears the cassette? Dirt on the cassette and of course the chain but also wear on the chain. After most rides I remove the rear wheel and clean the cassette using degreaser and then water from a hosepipe.
NorthernDust
New Member
Rock n Roll is my go to after trying all sorts over the years
Used to like Squirt in the Summer if it was dry but I just stick to RnR Extreme all year now.
Last edited:
gmoss
New Member
Have you ever cleaned your chain and then moved it up and down, side to side and it still feels crunchy? My concern and method is to get the grit from out of the chain, inside the rollers, and keep the outside from rusting.
From years of riding mtn bikes and racing dirt bikes offroad, the simple solution was wash and WD, let dry. But, those chains have O rings. So, now, I use a chain cleaning tool, Park for me, and a strong degreaser. Then I use a standard nozle on the hose to blast the gunk out of the chain at the cassette as it spins. I have a hot and cold spigot in my garage so I can use hot water for this. Then, I use an air compressor with the little gun style nozzle that is the size of the chain and blow it dry in the same way I spray the hose to rinse. Once dry, drip a drop on each link, and pedal the chain thru a rag with a little WD on it to keep the outside protected.
Bike chains don't get near as gunky as moto, but moto doesn't have to shift efficiently. This has worked for my for 25 years of riding, and takes me about 15 min after a ride. I usually have to clean every 4th or 5th ride.
BTW, WD works fine as a lube in a pinch.
From years of riding mtn bikes and racing dirt bikes offroad, the simple solution was wash and WD, let dry. But, those chains have O rings. So, now, I use a chain cleaning tool, Park for me, and a strong degreaser. Then I use a standard nozle on the hose to blast the gunk out of the chain at the cassette as it spins. I have a hot and cold spigot in my garage so I can use hot water for this. Then, I use an air compressor with the little gun style nozzle that is the size of the chain and blow it dry in the same way I spray the hose to rinse. Once dry, drip a drop on each link, and pedal the chain thru a rag with a little WD on it to keep the outside protected.
Bike chains don't get near as gunky as moto, but moto doesn't have to shift efficiently. This has worked for my for 25 years of riding, and takes me about 15 min after a ride. I usually have to clean every 4th or 5th ride.
BTW, WD works fine as a lube in a pinch.
Last edited:
+3 for RnR Extreme.
tennisbiki
New Member
Bike chain/drivetrain maintenance seems to be a myth to me. Either that or an black art.
Recently I was agonizing over what to do with the chain after putting in about 150 miles on my new-to-me 2019 Haibike AllSeven. I has been a cyclist or wannabe cyclist since 1983, had used from various drip lube to dipped wax. But the whole idea of trying clean the chain and lubing the hidden surfaces is .. kind of uncertain. Like manipulating atoms inside of some molecules. There are plenty of ways to make the situation worse, for me who has been riding mostly dry climate of southern California, now misty morning central Cal.
I ended wiping the chain using kerosene soaked rag/shop towel. I also did what I could using the soaked towel to "floss" the cassette and just one side of the chain ring plus the jockey wheels. Then I dripped a drop of lube on the bottom run one link at a time. I would have preferred to drip a tiny drip along the opening of the roller, two small drips at a time, trying to keep the roller surface dry. Then tried to wipe the chain dry as much as I can. I wiped the sprocket surfaces as much as I can until I ran out of patience. how the hell do you get the chain to be free from oily film after lubing??
Anyway, my wife who commuted by bicycle all over the place for years and years. She had never lube her chain and never change her chain.
Do whatever you like. Don't fuss with it. It would all be alright.
Recently I was agonizing over what to do with the chain after putting in about 150 miles on my new-to-me 2019 Haibike AllSeven. I has been a cyclist or wannabe cyclist since 1983, had used from various drip lube to dipped wax. But the whole idea of trying clean the chain and lubing the hidden surfaces is .. kind of uncertain. Like manipulating atoms inside of some molecules. There are plenty of ways to make the situation worse, for me who has been riding mostly dry climate of southern California, now misty morning central Cal.
I ended wiping the chain using kerosene soaked rag/shop towel. I also did what I could using the soaked towel to "floss" the cassette and just one side of the chain ring plus the jockey wheels. Then I dripped a drop of lube on the bottom run one link at a time. I would have preferred to drip a tiny drip along the opening of the roller, two small drips at a time, trying to keep the roller surface dry. Then tried to wipe the chain dry as much as I can. I wiped the sprocket surfaces as much as I can until I ran out of patience. how the hell do you get the chain to be free from oily film after lubing??
Anyway, my wife who commuted by bicycle all over the place for years and years. She had never lube her chain and never change her chain.
Do whatever you like. Don't fuss with it. It would all be alright.
It's universal advice for almost any situation that doesn't involve your wifes mother.Are we still talking about drivetrains?!
- Thread starter
- #47
I've recently waxed mine and love it, but I understand it's not for everyone. Makes the drivetrain really quiet though and super easy to clean.
What type of wax do you use?
- Thread starter
- #49
I use the Silca hot wax and use their drip wax for top-ups. Independent testing showed that it extended the life of drivetrains by loads. From my experience so far with it, the drivetrain runs much quieter and I was astonished at how clean the drivetrain is after a ride. I was completely cleaning my drivetrain after every ride because in the dry all the dust would stick to the oil and in the wet all the mud would stick.
Since going to wax I just rinse my drivetrain with the rest of my bike and then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth and the cloth tends to come away clean! All the marketing stuff said that would be the case, but I didn't quite believe it until I tried it for myself. I dipped the chains of both of my bikes. Once I wash it I use the drip wax to top it up, but I suspect I don't actually need to do it every ride and I'm probably putting on more than required.
The only downside is if you ride in heavy rain. You can't just carry a bottle of drip wax and re-apply, as the wax needs at least 12 hours to cure. So you need to use a regular oil mid-ride if that happens, which means then removing the chain when you get home and completely stripping and re-waxing it.
I think this is only a concern if you're going to do long rides in heavy rain though.
Also, the initial dipping of the chain is more work than just lobbing some oil on it, which is why I said it's not for everyone.
Most wear on a chain occurs between the pins and rollers, meaning the parts that need to be clean and lubricated are hidden. For that reason a chain lube needs to be low viscosity whilst also able to bind to the metal surfaces. For that reason most decent chain lubes consist a lubricant and carrier mix. The lube needs to be shaken vigorously before use to ensure both elements are well mixed. The carrier ensures the lubricant is able to get inside the rollers..........and then given time will evaporate leaving just the lube. Ideally the chain should be left unused to give the carrier time to evaporate, then any excess lube wiped off with a soft rag.
Some lubes recommend using different versions for dry and wet riding conditions.
I actually use both.......wet lube first, then dry lube.
Some lubes recommend using different versions for dry and wet riding conditions.
I actually use both.......wet lube first, then dry lube.
Good... good... but let me throw this out there to you all.
Don’t wipe off the “excess” lubricant from the chain. While the lubricant is meant to penetrate between the rollers, pins, and plates, it also provides benefits on the chain’s exterior.
For instance, on unsealed plain bearings, such as those found in our chains, grease, or in our case, a wax mixture, prevents contaminants like dirt, dust, or moisture from entering the bearing.
Don’t wipe off the “excess” lubricant from the chain. While the lubricant is meant to penetrate between the rollers, pins, and plates, it also provides benefits on the chain’s exterior.
For instance, on unsealed plain bearings, such as those found in our chains, grease, or in our case, a wax mixture, prevents contaminants like dirt, dust, or moisture from entering the bearing.
I have used Rock'n Roll gold all year round in a couple of years but now since the winter is around the corner I'm trying the Extreme version which is a bit more sticky.
RR is my favorite lube it cleans and lube at the same time and a whipe down after each ride keeps the chain sparkling .
RR is my favorite lube it cleans and lube at the same time and a whipe down after each ride keeps the chain sparkling .
A lube should not be able to merely wiped from exterior chain surfaces with a soft cloth.....it should take a solvent ( IPA etc) to do that. So what you are doing by wiping with a soft cloth ( not immediately after application) is merely removing excess which will only attract dust/dirt etc or be thrown off onto other parts of the bike when riding.
Downhillr
Active member
I too use the Silca wax but I’m not sure why I would need to relube mid-ride in the rain?
Im in NorCal and when it rains it pours… just not so often.
- Thread starter
- #57
Supposedly it doesn't do great when wet, which always struck me as weird because I wax my car to protect it from the rain... You'd think that chain wax would protect the chain in the same way.
Supposedly though, at least for people doing big miles in the rain, it can ultimately wash off and need a re-application mid-ride. In this scenario they recommend one of their oil lubes as the top up.
This is mentioned in a few of Silca's own YouTube videos.
Downhillr
Active member
Yeah, that is confusing. Cardboard food/milk containers are also waxed… just so they don't leak, hiking boots also get a wax-base waterproofing and carnueba wax is used to protect tabletops too.
Thanks
There's a salon down the street that does waxing. I'll have to go over and give them a try.
- Thread starter
- #60
Check out their videos. I guess the combination of the rain and friction might wear it off to some degree?
Similar threads
EMTB Forums
Latest articles
-
The most reliable motor brand (in Norway)
A poll was posted on a big Norwegian emtb facebook group. There are...- Knut Nes
- 3 min read
- Views: 714
- Reaction score: 4
- Comments: 2
-
2025 Canyon Spectral:ONfly CF Ltd review
We were quite surprised to read about the new lightweight Canyon...- Knut Nes
- 7 min read
- Views: 893
- Comments: 1