Chain Cleaning Kits

I have the Park tool chan cleaner. It works well, and all of the brushes
inside are replacable so it'll last pretty much forever. I'm still on my
first set of brushes after about 15-20 uses. I don't use it everytime I
wash my bike though because i find that a brush and a little degreaser works
almost as well.

Kevin

"mary" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things that have
the chain run through it with some cleaner inside. Do they work well, and
how long do they last? Right now I clean my chain once per week at least,
and spray a degreaser on it, but those devices would appear to do a better
job.

Thanks

Tom

mary said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things that have
the chain run through it with some cleaner inside. Do they work well, and
how long do they last? Right now I clean my chain once per week at least,
and spray a degreaser on it, but those devices would appear to do a better
job.

There is more agreement on politics, religion, and Iraq on
rec.bicycles.tech than there is about proper chain cleaning.

--
Tom Sherman - Earth

Tom Sherman said:

mary said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things that have
the chain run through it with some cleaner inside. Do they work well, and
how long do they last? Right now I clean my chain once per week at least,
and spray a degreaser on it, but those devices would appear to do a better
job.

There is more agreement on politics, religion, and Iraq on
rec.bicycles.tech than there is about proper chain cleaning.

I remove the chain and let it sit in a bath of paint thinner or
kerosene over night and then blow dry it before I re-lube. That gets
it squeaky clean...

Tom Sherman said:

mary said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things that have
the chain run through it with some cleaner inside. Do they work well, and
how long do they last? Right now I clean my chain once per week at
least,
and spray a degreaser on it, but those devices would appear to do a
better
job.

There is more agreement on politics, religion, and Iraq on
rec.bicycles.tech than there is about proper chain cleaning.

No there isn't. Well, maybe on religion.

(How's that, two different opinions in one post? 🙂

Quoted message said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things
that have the chain run through it with some cleaner inside.
Do they work well, and how long do they last?

I've tested three or four different models for a couple of years, and
they work okay. The brushes on one of the cheap models wore out quickly,
but the others lasted long enough to be given away in good working
condition after the test. I kept the Park, but I seldom use it.

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

mary said:

I was thinking about buying one of those chain cleaning things that have
the chain run through it with some cleaner inside. Do they work well, and
how long do they last? Right now I clean my chain once per week at least,
and spray a degreaser on it, but those devices would appear to do a better
job.

Thanks

Tom

If you clean your chain weekly, those plastic cleaners made by Park and
such won't last. Get one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48723&item=3871954656&rd=1

It's a small ultrasonic tank by Branson (good one, actually). Put some
Simple Green (or any other organic degreaser or alkali cleaner) and
water in this, plus your chain, and in 15 minutes...spotless. Even if
you get a broken one out of the dumpster, they're repairable for next to
nothing (transistor burns out, just solder in a new one.). It's amazing
what one of these things can do. Gummed injectors in your fuel injected
engine? It'll clean those too.

I'd go for it myself, but I've got a 30 gallon tank at work.

Be careful when it comes to cleaning aluminum and silver or other soft
or precious metals, Make sure you use the correct cleaner. You can
clean steel, brass, and bronze in just about any cleaner, but silver
with the wrong cleaner will pit in 5 seconds. A cow-orker found out the
hard way.

--
BMO

Boyle M. Owl said:

Be careful when it comes to cleaning aluminum and silver or other soft
or precious metals, Make sure you use the correct cleaner. You can
clean steel, brass, and bronze in just about any cleaner, but silver
with the wrong cleaner will pit in 5 seconds. A cow-orker found out
the hard way.

Anyone who orks cows deserves a pit or two.

Bill "slow night" S.

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 06:56:05 GMT, "Bill Sornson" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Boyle M. Owl said:

Be careful when it comes to cleaning aluminum and silver or other soft
or precious metals, Make sure you use the correct cleaner. You can
clean steel, brass, and bronze in just about any cleaner, but silver
with the wrong cleaner will pit in 5 seconds. A cow-orker found out
the hard way.

Anyone who orks cows deserves a pit or two.

Doe snot!

Ron

I thought the reason behind using a chain cleaner unit was to avoid
having to take the cahin off and then reinstalling it. I see folks
posting you should put the chain in some sort of container with a
solution that cleans it which requires removing the chain from the
bike.It is my understanding that when you remove the chain often and
replace the pin or use a quick link, that it will reduce the strength
of the chain. And that wouild make one wonder when that dern chain is
going to snap!

Rick in Tennessee

cycledogg said:

I thought the reason behind using a chain cleaner unit was to avoid
having to take the cahin off and then reinstalling it.

If you buy an SRAM chain, it unhooks. Not easily, but with enough
jiggling with your fingers, it will. You can use pliers if it's too
tough. I believe Sheldon has a web page devoted to this. (maybe we
should ask the question "What has Sheldon _not_ written about?"😉

--
BMO