Degreaser question

[Sandy Christmus]

Hi, group. I've been reading your group for a few days and am really impressed with your knowledge
and helpfulness. I hope you extend the same kindnesses to me.

I just bought my first bike in over 20 years. My how times have changed! It's a LeMond Poprad and
I'm really happy with it. I'm mainly a commuter/road rider but some of my commute is on a bike path.
I'm learning how to take care of this machine, but I still need lots of help. I cleaned my chain for
the first time last week. There's a lot of sand on the roads from all the road treatments we had
this winter, so the chain really got dirty in only a week. I bought a citrus degreaser from the LBS
and it worked like a charm. I did use a fair bit of it, though, even diluted 1:1. Here's my question
(finally): Can I use any general citrus degreaser or do I have to get a bike-specific brand? I can
get a whole gallon of a concentrated d-limonene solution at Home Depot for around 5 bucks. Is this
safe? I just bought a chain cleaning kit, so I'll used less in the future, but I'm spending enough
on clothes and gadgets, I've got to start limiting my spending!

Thanks for the help.

Sandy

 

[Gary Mishler]

"Sandy Christmus" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi, group. I've been reading your group for a few days and am really impressed with your knowledge
> and helpfulness. I hope you extend the same kindnesses to me.
>
> I just bought my first bike in over 20 years. My how times have changed! It's a LeMond Poprad and
> I'm really happy with it. I'm mainly a commuter/road rider but some of my commute is on a bike
> path. I'm learning how to take care of this machine, but I still need lots of help. I cleaned my
> chain for the first time last week. There's a lot of sand on the roads from all the road
> treatments we had this winter, so the chain really got dirty in only a week. I bought a citrus
> degreaser from the LBS and it worked like a charm. I did use a fair bit of it, though, even
> diluted 1:1. Here's my question (finally): Can I use any general citrus degreaser or do I have to
> get a bike-specific brand? I can get a whole gallon of a concentrated d-limonene solution at Home
> Depot for around 5 bucks. Is this safe? I just bought a chain cleaning kit, so I'll used less in
> the future, but I'm spending enough on clothes and gadgets, I've got to start limiting my
> spending!
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Sandy

Hi Sandy - Welcome back to biking!

Quite a few of us use the Home Depot by-the-gallon degreaser, it works great. Be sure to rinse off
the residue with clear water and let your chain dry well before you relube it.

Mish

 

[Bob Denton]

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 22:41:58 GMT, Sandy Christmus <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi, group. I've been reading your group for a few days and am really impressed with your knowledge
>and helpfulness. I hope you extend the same kindnesses to me.
>
>I just bought my first bike in over 20 years. My how times have changed! It's a LeMond Poprad and
>I'm really happy with it. I'm mainly a commuter/road rider but some of my commute is on a bike
>path. I'm learning how to take care of this machine, but I still need lots of help. I cleaned my
>chain for the first time last week. There's a lot of sand on the roads from all the road treatments
>we had this winter, so the chain really got dirty in only a week. I bought a citrus degreaser from
>the LBS and it worked like a charm. I did use a fair bit of it, though, even diluted 1:1. Here's my
>question (finally): Can I use any general citrus degreaser or do I have to get a bike-specific
>brand? I can get a whole gallon of a concentrated d-limonene solution at Home Depot for around 5
>bucks. Is this safe? I just bought a chain cleaning kit, so I'll used less in the future, but I'm
>spending enough on clothes and gadgets, I've got to start limiting my spending!
>
>Thanks for the help.
>
>Sandy
Currently pure D'Limonene is over $11 a gallon when bought in multiple drum quantities direct from
the producer in Florida.

The Home Depot Product is most likely 10%-20%, and mostly water. This is not a bad thing since
D'Limoneen is corrosive to aluminum.

cu Bob Denton Gulf Stream International Delray Beach, Florida www.sinkthestink.com Manufacturers of
Sink the Stink

 

[Eddie Flayer]

As a novice I used the purple stuff to clean my chain and some of it splashed onto my crank arm. I
was ****** off when I wiped it off only to find that it clouded the anodizing on my crank. I like my
bikes pretty and this was a quick, hard lesson.

Sandy Christmus <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi, group. I've been reading your group for a few days and am really impressed with your knowledge
> and helpfulness. I hope you extend the same kindnesses to me.
>
> I just bought my first bike in over 20 years. My how times have changed! It's a LeMond Poprad and
> I'm really happy with it. I'm mainly a commuter/road rider but some of my commute is on a bike
> path. I'm learning how to take care of this machine, but I still need lots of help. I cleaned my
> chain for the first time last week. There's a lot of sand on the roads from all the road
> treatments we had this winter, so the chain really got dirty in only a week. I bought a citrus
> degreaser from the LBS and it worked like a charm. I did use a fair bit of it, though, even
> diluted 1:1. Here's my question (finally): Can I use any general citrus degreaser or do I have to
> get a bike-specific brand? I can get a whole gallon of a concentrated d-limonene solution at Home
> Depot for around 5 bucks. Is this safe? I just bought a chain cleaning kit, so I'll used less in
> the future, but I'm spending enough on clothes and gadgets, I've got to start limiting my
> spending!
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Sandy

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Mon, 07 Apr 2003 09:07:51 -0400, Bob Denton <[email protected]> wrote:

>Currently pure D'Limonene is over $11 a gallon when bought in multiple drum quantities direct from
>the producer in Florida.
>
>The Home Depot Product is most likely 10%-20%, and mostly water. This is not a bad thing since
>D'Limoneen is corrosive to aluminum.
>
I believe that if you go and buy Citrus Terpenes, the can costs more than the contents. The stuff
used to be poured into the ground and stink up the place when the rains came. Home Depot doesn't
have to dilute the stuff to make a decent profit selling it.

If indeed you are able to buy pure Limonene for $11/gallon, it is a real bargain.

 

[Bob Denton]

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 01:29:27 GMT, Paul Kopit <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 07 Apr 2003 09:07:51 -0400, Bob Denton <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Currently pure D'Limonene is over $11 a gallon when bought in multiple drum quantities direct from
>>the producer in Florida.
>>
>>The Home Depot Product is most likely 10%-20%, and mostly water. This is not a bad thing since
>>D'Limoneen is corrosive to aluminum.
>>
>I believe that if you go and buy Citrus Terpenes, the can costs more than the contents. The stuff
>used to be poured into the ground and stink up the place when the rains came. Home Depot doesn't
>have to dilute the stuff to make a decent profit selling it.
>
>If indeed you are able to buy pure Limonene for $11/gallon, it is a real bargain.

I think you are a bit confused. D'Limonene is Orange or Lemon-Lime terpenes. This used to be a waste
product (15-20 years ago), of the citrus juice industry and when first incoporated as a slovent,
sold for $.15 a pound. (7 pounds of Citrus Terpenes in a gallon). Today the demand is such that the
price has topped $1.70 and D'limonene has been dropped from most so called orange products, except
as a fragrance.

Check your bottle of Gojo, and you'll see thy use dipentene, a refined turpentine. Bob Denton Gulf
Stream International Delray Beach, Florida www.sinkthestink.com Manufacturers of Sink the Stink