Cleaning the bike

this is one of my pet topics, coz I reckon chain lubes are a ripoff; too thick, and attract too much gunk. They're only effective if you're prepared to clean the chain twice a week, then relube, but who can be stuffed doing that??!!!

I just spray the [censored] off my chain with WD40 or RP7, wipe it clean, wait a day, wipe again, then splash on a little bit of 'all-purpose' supermarket oil that I get from Safeway for 2 bucks, which is thin enough not attract too much goo. Too much oil, and it will end up spraying all over your bike on the first ride.

The conundrum is that 'proper' lube probably works better if the chain is cleaned VERY regularly, but if the chain is neglected -- which most of us are guilty of -- the thick lube attracts so much gunk that it ends up being worse for the chain.

I've tried teflons, waxes, etc, etc, and none of them live up to expectations.

When it comes down to it, it ain't a crucial issue, coz chains and cogs are a relatively fast-wearing, cheapish part of the bike 🙂

What I tried worked great. Get one of those machanical chain cleaning machines like Pedro's and fill it with an equal mixture of water, degreaser and Dawn dish washing liquid:eek: . Crank for several minutes. rinse off with water and repeat. After the second rinse try wiping with a paper towel to see how much dirt/grease comes off. If it's still dirty crank longer the next time you clean. When you're done use a fan and/or sunlight to dry the chain as quickly as possible. And crank the chain every 10 minutes while drying. Then "regrease" with your perferred method. Also be sure to clean the gears at the same time as the chain or you will only transfer the old dirt/grease back to the chain.

The new "dry"-type lubricants are pretty good at avoiding [censored] build-up (although they are not dry). I've been finding, with sealed surface riding, that I just need to reapply as needed without any chain or cluster cleaning at all. At A$17 a bottle, they are not cheap.

You know those jet-wash places? I go there on the way to work and use the hose (don't press trigger so you only get a gentle spray of water) and hose bike down...then apply Prolink chain lube and head off to work...bike dries off quickly;
it avoids any mess at home in your backyard and gets rid of all the bloody sand and mud...if you clean the chain/cluster by hitting the trigger and giving it short bursts, it seems to loosen a bit of the muck there too. Just don't aim near the hubs or b/b, though.

...you guys clean your bikes?....next you'll be tellin' me you wash your bike clothes :roflmao:

For cleaning the chain, I use kerosene in one of those clip on chain cleaners. For cleaning the frame I use Meguiars Soft Wash Gel, but only because I have a 5 litre container at home for washing the cars. I then rinse everything off with the hose, allow the bike to dry in the sun and then lube with motorcycle chain oil.

You shouldn't be surprised by the amount of rubbish that comes off your chain when you clean it, especially after riding in the rain.

matagi said:

You shouldn't be surprised by the amount of rubbish that comes off your chain when you clean it, especially after riding in the rain.

another option is to use orange cleaner (the household spray cleaner with citrus power)

The main idea of chain cleaning is to get the gunk out like sand and other debris. That way you dont have to apply as much chain lube. Kero gets the chain clean so you can eat off it, but you have to use a lot more lube after cleaning it.

The best option is to get a wipperman chain (or other similar chains with a master link.) so you just disconnect it, dump it in a bottle of keroscene leave it, clean kero off (water, mineral spirits however) and put it back on and lube it.

Aussie Steve said:

You know those jet-wash places? I go there on the way to work and use the hose (don't press trigger so you only get a gentle spray of water) and hose bike down.

be very careful that you dont use too much pressure that water gets into your bearings, or you will have a fun few hours repacking bearings. 🙂

mrkott3r said:

The best option is to get a wipperman chain (or other similar chains with a master link.) so you just disconnect it, dump it in a bottle of keroscene leave it, clean kero off (water, mineral spirits however) and put it back on and lube it.

agree, I've got a SRAM link in mine.....& and an icecream tub full of Diesel....chain, cassette, chain rings...all in together

I just shake the chain in a tall bottle with a bit of mineral turps in it, then relube.

For the frame it's baby wipes, followed by a soft cloth.

Wash'n'wax on the bike, getting into the fiddly bits with a 2" paintbrush. A toothbrush takes care of the rims and braking areas. Hose it off at low pressure and blow dry with compressed air then stand it in the sun. Oil all the moving bits with Triflow and wipe dry.

Then I break the chain and remove the cluster. Put both in petrol and clean with a brush. Shake dry, then into the ultrasonic cleaner with dishwashing detergent and warm water for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes in the oven at 100C to dry out. Looks like new when finished.

Measure chain, check cogs & chainwheels, then back on the bike and oiled. Wait an hour then wipe dry. Good for another week or two, or until the next wet ride.

Chain currently has just over 6000km on it and is 12.005"/24 links.

Works for me!!!

Hitchy said:

...you guys clean your bikes?...

Yeah my bikes filthy as hell but I'm silly enough to ride in all weather conditions. I was up at Emerald bakery on Sunday with this guy that had a 2 year old Bianchi and it was spotless, made me jealous.

Thanks guys I will take on board some of your cleaning tips.

ozbiker2 said:

Wash'n'wax on the bike, getting into the fiddly bits with a 2" paintbrush. A toothbrush takes care of the rims and braking areas. Hose it off at low pressure and blow dry with compressed air then stand it in the sun. Oil all the moving bits with Triflow and wipe dry.

Then I break the chain and remove the cluster. Put both in petrol and clean with a brush. Shake dry, then into the ultrasonic cleaner with dishwashing detergent and warm water for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes in the oven at 100C to dry out. Looks like new when finished.

Measure chain, check cogs & chainwheels, then back on the bike and oiled. Wait an hour then wipe dry. Good for another week or two, or until the next wet ride.

Chain currently has just over 6000km on it and is 12.005"/24 links.

Works for me!!!

My missus would be MOST unhappy if she found me cooking bike chains in the oven. :eek:

Wilchemy said:

My missus would be MOST unhappy if she found me cooking bike chains in the oven. :eek:

Yeah, the likelihood of being available to eat freshly baked cookies and muffins would be severely challenged were I to do that as well :p

Wilchemy said:

My missus would be MOST unhappy if she found me cooking bike chains in the oven. :eek:

My local fire brigade would be pretty unhappy if they caught me baking petrol/kero/turps/thinners soaked chains in the oven 😄

jock.c said:

My local fire brigade would be pretty unhappy if they caught me baking petrol/kero/turps/thinners soaked chains in the oven 😄

Ultrasound cleaning in detergent then rinse in water. The only thing in the oven is a wet chain - no oil, kero, etc. It comes out absolutely dry and oil free.

sorry, was joke. wasn't meant to get a rise. as you were.

Just curious, but why do you have an ultrasonic cleaner? Seems like a big investment for cleaning your chain alone, so I'm assuming you use it for something else?

matagi said:

Just curious, but why do you have an ultrasonic cleaner? Seems like a big investment for cleaning your chain alone, so I'm assuming you use it for something else?

Some mechanics have 'em. I use to have one fer (fuel) injector cleaning.