cleaning the chain (newbie)



Testa wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I need to clean the bike properly. I need to take the back wheel off and
> clean the chain and cogs. However, I am not very confident in doing this
> (taking off the back wheel).
>
> Should I go to a bike specialist? What are the best practices for cleaning
> out the chain?
>
> Answers most appreciated :)
>
>

Best practices ? You'll get several on here ! I remove the chain, soak
it in Diesel and brush the muck off with a tooth brush. Has been OK for
me for the last 20 years or so. Remove the cassette, mine are nearly all
individual sprockets, some can have their rivets/bolts removed to
separate them, this is worth doing, you don't need them in use. Clean
each sprocket and spacer with a rag. A very satisfying hours work.
 
MSeries wrote:
> Testa wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I need to clean the bike properly. I need to take the back wheel off
>> and clean the chain and cogs. However, I am not very confident in
>> doing this (taking off the back wheel).
>>
>> Should I go to a bike specialist? What are the best practices for
>> cleaning out the chain?
>>
>> Answers most appreciated :)
>>

> Best practices ? You'll get several on here ! I remove the chain, soak
> it in Diesel and brush the muck off with a tooth brush. Has been OK for
> me for the last 20 years or so. Remove the cassette, mine are nearly all
> individual sprockets, some can have their rivets/bolts removed to
> separate them, this is worth doing, you don't need them in use. Clean
> each sprocket and spacer with a rag. A very satisfying hours work.


On this note, the camping 'billy can' things available at all Army
Surplus shops are excellent for this sort of cleaning operation. Unless
your wife is very understanding about kitchen utensils of course.
 
davek <[email protected]> wrote:

: To remove the chain from the bike, get a CHAIN TOOL from your local bike
: shop (and ask for a demo how to use it - it would be far easier for them

I don't think suggesting someone who can't get the rear wheel off users
a chain tool to split the chain is good advice myself.

Cleaning chain:

a) Leave wheel in. Get one of those whirly chain cleaners and some
degreaser. Use cleaner. Then spray some degreaser on the rear cogs
(careful here - you only want it on the cogs, don't use too much)
and then clean the cogs with a rag. Wash degreaser/much off with some
water, and dry chain with a rag.

b) Leave wheel in. Spray some degreaser on an old t-shirt or similar.
Wipe chain clean with t-shirt while spinning the chain (backwards so
the wheel doesn't turn). Repeat until clean. Wash all the stuff off
with some water. Wipe dry with a clean t-shirt. Clean cogs as above.
Maybe repeat the whole process if it still looks manky.

After doing the cogs, you'll probably need to clean your rear mech
and the jockey wheels. A thin screwdriver and a rag is the cheats
solution here.

Then after either of these, add some oil. Carefully drip it onto
the inner surface of the chain while spinning the chain backwards.
Do not use too much!

Then comes the important part. Leave the bike alone for a few hours
or overnight. Then take a clean rag and wipe off all the oil from the
chain.

You now have a clean and lubricated chain.

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
 
Tosspot wrote:

> On this note, the camping 'billy can' things available at all Army
> Surplus shops are excellent for this sort of cleaning operation.
> Unless your wife is very understanding about kitchen utensils of
> course.


A while back I mentioned the Tchibo budget ultrasound cleaner. I bought
one and have been using it to clean spectacles, jewellery, combs, nail
scissors etc. This weekend I gave it a try on my chain. First I gave
the chain the normal shake and overnight soak in white spirit, then
rinsed it with water. Although it appeared reasonably clean I then
bunged it in the machine with water and a few drops of washing up
liquid. You would not believe the amount of muck that came out of it
over several cycles and changes of water.

In the past I've run a cleaned chain through the dishwasher (when Sue
has been away of course) and while it looked oil-free it would still
mark my hands slightly if I ran it through them. Not after the
ultra-sound treatment. Also the links were noticeably stiff after
soaking in white spirit and rinsing with water, but after the
ultrasound they were nice and loose again even before lubricating. It
therefore looks as though it has indeed got a lot of the dirty oil and
small particles out from inside the rollers where normally it's hard to
shift.

Next time I might try just using the gadget without soaking in solvent
first. But doing this it's probably best to use an ultrasound specific
solvent in the machine rather than just water and soap. I certainly
wouldn't put anything flammable like white spirit directly into the
machine.

--
Dave...
 
"dkahn400" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Next time I might try just using the gadget without soaking in solvent
> first. But doing this it's probably best to use an ultrasound specific
> solvent in the machine rather than just water and soap. I certainly
> wouldn't put anything flammable like white spirit directly into the
> machine.


What's the pot in the cleaner made of? Mine is stainless steel I think - I'd
have no qualms about putting white spirit in there, I'd just keep an eye on
it. (although I'd say paraffin or diesel would be more sensible - I've user
the former in the past).

cheers,
clive
 
Clive George wrote:

> What's the pot in the cleaner made of? Mine is stainless steel I
> think - I'd have no qualms about putting white spirit in there, I'd
> just keep an eye on it. (although I'd say paraffin or diesel would
> be more sensible - I've user the former in the past).


It looks like stainless steel but that's not the point. I'm more
concerned about having it blow up in my face. See
<http://www.blackstone-ney.com/05.qa.php#Q4>.

--
Dave...
 
dkahn400 wrote:
> Clive George wrote:
>
>> What's the pot in the cleaner made of? Mine is stainless steel I
>> think - I'd have no qualms about putting white spirit in there, I'd
>> just keep an eye on it. (although I'd say paraffin or diesel would
>> be more sensible - I've user the former in the past).

>
> It looks like stainless steel but that's not the point. I'm more
> concerned about having it blow up in my face. See
> <http://www.blackstone-ney.com/05.qa.php#Q4>.


I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't use petrol or something similarly
flammable, but wouldn't worry about other stuff. Ok, I'd probably see if
there was a significant amount of vapour coming off, but if not, no
problems.

However this is for home use, and even if it did go up I wouldn't expect too
much flames. If I was doing this for work, I'd stick to the rules.

I have cleaned chains in paraffin in my cleaner. It only runs for a couple
of minutes at a time, so it's no hardship to keep an eye on it. I don't
think blowing up was at all likely - I think that even if I tried to light
it it wouldn't.

cheers,
clive
 
>> And while you are there, get a POWERLINK
>
> My LBS said these aren't suitable for bikes with derailleur gears. Are
> they right, or are they lying little minxes?


[multiple posts saying little minxes]

Thanks for that chaps.

A bit of googling suggested that my bog standard 7/8 speed SRAM PC-48 came
with a powerlink. A bit more googling, fiddling and pushing in the _sides_
(not the ends, Jon!) of it and it came apart.

What's funny is when they showed me how to put the thing on I asked if I
could take it off without tools and they said no. Then I asked if they had
some other sort of link that could be taken off without tools, they again
said no. I then remembered what it's called and asked for a powerlink by
name, and they said that sort of thing didn't work with deraillieur gears.
All the time they were holding one of the little blighters in their hands
:)

I should probably name and shame but need a new pump so I'll see if they'll
swap knowledge for money..

Mark.