Howard, thanks for the garden sprayer tip. I think that may improve my options in winter when the garden hose is not available. I am mostly interested on getting my drive train clean every few weeks, and do it with a Frontline chain washer gizmo filled with Simple Green (biodegradable detergent). But, you need to rinse it off, and the hose not such a good option in the winter where I live and commute. Ozelise, I have also heard that pressurized water can bring grit into the bearings. I was advised to use a water "trickle" rather than spray, and this seems to me not much more risk than routine road spray when commuting on a rainy day. Also, don't you think an air compressor might similarly move grit into the bearings?
chero