I confess...

I used 3-in-one oil on my chain. I want to degrease it and start over so the big kids won't laugh at
me any more. I've seen more than one way to degrease and more than one to re-lube. Can I get some
advice? ...and please don't laugh....

--
-----------------------------------------------------
Tim Cole [email protected] [email protected] http://www.colescorner.com
-----------------------------------------------------

 

"the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I used 3-in-one oil on my chain. I want to degrease it and start over so the big kids won't laugh
> at me any more. I've seen more than one way to degrease and more than one to re-lube. Can I get
> some advice? ...and please don't laugh....
>

<quiet snigger>

I started getting fed up of cleaning my chain and bought one of the chain cleaning tools (big
plastic thing like this .. http://www.parktool.com/tools/CM_5.shtml) ...

Some people go to the length of taking the chain apart and immersing it. Taking it a bit far IMO.

3in1 probably isn't terrible if for a short time, just picks up more crud? (Waiting to be
corrected here).

 

[email protected] wrote:

> Some people go to the length of taking the chain apart and immersing it. Taking it a bit far IMO.

Huh. I find it's easier to take it off, at least if you have a powerlink. If you keep two chains
it's even more convenient. Taking it off lets you get the rest of your drivetrain clean much more
easily as well.

If you use a decent oil (e.g. motor oil or chainsaw bar oil) you don't have to do this very
often either.

--
Benjamin Lewis

No matter how much you do you never do enough.

 

You guys do a lot of work! I just use a dry teflon lube every 2 or 3 rides and toss my chain every
year or so. The $30 for a new chain once every year or two is well worth it for me. I put on about
5k km a year, mostly off-road with some on. When the hard, dry gunk builds up on my jockey wheels, I
just scrape it off with a screwdriver. Been doing it this way for 15 years...works for me!

Cheers,

Scott..
--
Scott Anderson

"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, "elyob"
> <[email protected]> writes:
>
> That's what I do. And then dunk it in coal oil for awhile. Hang the chain to "drip dry" a bit,
> rinse in clean water, maybe give it a light, little scrub with a narrow grout brush and rinse
> again, warm it up and dry it in my little convection oven, and it's all set for fresh lube.
>
> Then I lay the chain out on a length of 2x4, and oil it with TriFlow while the chain is still warm
> -- trying (hoping, anyway) to get it to flow right down into the pins.
>
> Taking the chain right off makes cleaning chainrings and derailer pulleys a heck of a lot easier
> (I figure, what's the point of putting a clean chain on a dirty drivetrain?) OTOH, I admit taking
> the chain off can be a messy hassle. Especially between rainy-day rides. Then I just clean it in
> situ, as well as I can.
>
> A PowerLink that actually comes apart helps immensely.
>
>
> cheers, Tom
>
> --
> -- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
> [point] bc [point] ca

 

In article <[email protected]>,
"elyob" <[email protected]> writes:

> Some people go to the length of taking the chain apart and immersing it. Taking it a bit far IMO.

That's what I do. And then dunk it in coal oil for awhile. Hang the chain to "drip dry" a bit, rinse
in clean water, maybe give it a light, little scrub with a narrow grout brush and rinse again, warm
it up and dry it in my little convection oven, and it's all set for fresh lube.

Then I lay the chain out on a length of 2x4, and oil it with TriFlow while the chain is still warm
-- trying (hoping, anyway) to get it to flow right down into the pins.

Taking the chain right off makes cleaning chainrings and derailer pulleys a heck of a lot easier (I
figure, what's the point of putting a clean chain on a dirty drivetrain?) OTOH, I admit taking the
chain off can be a messy hassle. Especially between rainy-day rides. Then I just clean it in situ,
as well as I can.

A PowerLink that actually comes apart helps immensely.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

 

In article <[email protected]>, "S. Anderson"
<[email protected]> writes:
> You guys do a lot of work!

My Pauline graciously lets me bring my bike right into her apartment when I visit. She's quite
fastidious. I owe it to her to not let my ride get too grubby. Don't wanna hear her saying, "Get
that filthy thing outa here!" <w>

I've also gotta frequently make sure there aren't any dead evergreen needles stuck under my fenders.
Those things have a nasty tendency to dry up and suddenly fall on the floor all at once. If that
happened on her carpet, I'd have to buy her one heck of an extra special deli platter[*] to get back
in her good books.

cheers, Tom

[*] She won't touch a lot of refined sugar, so chocolates are out. Assorted cheeses, pickles,
olives, antipasto and vegetable thins are okay, though.

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

 

I drop mine in a two-liter Coke bottle, add some gasoline, and shake the snot out of it. Then pull
it out with a clothes hanger, scrub it down, let it dry, and soak it in White Lightnin'. A little
work, but gets it clean.

 

Here's the 'lick and a promise' method of chain cleaning:

Get a can of cheap silicon lube like WD-40, or something similar. Use it as a solvent to hose all
the gunk off the chain, running it backwards and wiping with a cloth. Then leave it alone for 5 or
10 minutes so the solvents can evaporate. Lubricate with TriFlow or a similar product. (I use Amzoil
MPHD.) Again, run the chain backward as you apply the lube, then wipe off the excess.

One word of warning: This will not work with wax-based lubricants like White Lightning.

3in1 oil is a vegetable based lube if I recall right, and the lighter penetrant evoporates quickly,
leaving a thick oil behind. The thick oil is what attracts the dirt. Don't ever use motorcycle chain
lube, unless you don't want to se your chain until spring! Don't ask how I know this.

--

alan

Anyone who believes in a liberal media has never read the "Daily Oklahoman."

"the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I used 3-in-one oil on my chain. I want to degrease it and start over so the big kids won't laugh
> at me any more. I've seen more than one way to degrease and more than one to re-lube. Can I get
> some advice? ...and please don't laugh....
>
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Tim Cole [email protected] [email protected] http://www.colescorner.com
> -----------------------------------------------------

 

On Thu, 27 Feb 2003 18:35:24 GMT, "the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Can I get some advice?

Hey, there is only one True Path to Cleanliness for a chain - the Sheldon Shake! "drop the chain
into a plastic Coke[1] bottle with a couple of ounces of un-diluted citrus degreaser, cap it, and
shake thoroughly. Fish the chain out with a spoke, rinse in water, and you are all set!"

It really works. I use an on-bike cleaner as well, but for a real deep-down Ring of Confidence clean
the Sheldon Shake is the way to go.

The Real Deal is here: <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html>

[1] Pepsi bottles allegedly work as well, but none of us would dream of using them as Sheldon is
clearly a Coke guy and the method is therefore not fully certified in Pepsi bottles.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

I do the same thing, but I use kerosene or paint thinner (whichever is lying around in my basement).
I have 2 mason jars with large openings and screw caps. The second jar has cleaner solvent and is
used for rinsing. I use either Phil Wood Tenacious Oil or Chainsaw bar oil. Both seem very similar,
although one costs $1 for a pint, and the other costs $6 for four ounces. So one is 24 times as
expensive as the other (but not 24 times better). Both tenaciously stick to your chain and are a
good choice for winter commuting. But the drawback is that sand and dirt tenaciously will stick to
your chain as well. And, although I clean my chain periodically (1-2 weeks), I have not noticed any
significant extension of chain life- I still only get 800-1000 miles out of a chain before they
stretch to the replacement point.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote:

> On Thu, 27 Feb 2003 18:35:24 GMT, "the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Can I get some advice?
>
> Hey, there is only one True Path to Cleanliness for a chain - the Sheldon Shake! "drop the chain
> into a plastic Coke[1] bottle with a couple of ounces of un-diluted citrus degreaser, cap it, and
> shake thoroughly. Fish the chain out with a spoke, rinse in water, and you are all set!"
>
> It really works. I use an on-bike cleaner as well, but for a real deep-down Ring of Confidence
> clean the Sheldon Shake is the way to go.
>
> The Real Deal is here: <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html>
>
> [1] Pepsi bottles allegedly work as well, but none of us would dream of using them as Sheldon is
> clearly a Coke guy and the method is therefore not fully certified in Pepsi bottles.
>
> Guy
> ===
> ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
> dynamic DNS permitting)
> NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
> work. Apologies.

 

Just zis Guy wrote:

> On Thu, 27 Feb 2003 18:35:24 GMT, "the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Can I get some advice?
>
> Hey, there is only one True Path to Cleanliness for a chain - the Sheldon Shake! "drop the chain
> into a plastic Coke[1] bottle with a couple of ounces of un-diluted citrus degreaser, cap it, and
> shake thoroughly. Fish the chain out with a spoke, rinse in water, and you are all set!"
>
> It really works. I use an on-bike cleaner as well, but for a real deep-down Ring of Confidence
> clean the Sheldon Shake is the way to go.

Maybe you guys have Coke bottles with wider spouts, or maybe you somehow never get twists (loops) in
your chains, but I found it to be a real PITA to get the chain out when I tried this. I think I'll
stick to yogourt containers.

I use mineral spirits as my solvent of choice, since they not only arguably work better, but are
also reusable. I also omit the "rinse in water" step -- why put water in my chain before oiling it?

--
Benjamin Lewis

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
-- Mark Twain

 

### On Sat, 01 Mar 2003 19:39:04 GMT, Benjamin Lewis <[email protected]> [BL] casually decided to
### expound upon rec.bicycles.misc the following thoughts about Re: I confess...:

BL> Maybe you guys have Coke bottles with wider spouts, or maybe you somehow never get twists
BL> (loops) in your chains, but I found it to be a real PITA to get the chain out when I tried this.
BL> I think I'll stick to yogourt containers.

I use an old tuperware-like container with a snap-close lid. You can get a whole pack (8 I think) of
Glad disposable containers (although I don't dispose of mine) for a couple of bucks at the grocery
store. It sure beats having to fish around with a metal instrument to get the chain back out.

--
/*===================[ Jake Khuon <[email protected]> ]======================+
| Packet Plumber, Network Engineers /| / [~ [~ |) | | --------------- | for Effective Bandwidth
| Utilisation / |/ [_ [_ |) |_| N E T W O R K S |
+=========================================================================*/

 

Benjamin Lewis <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Just zis Guy wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 27 Feb 2003 18:35:24 GMT, "the Jark" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Can I get some advice?
> >
> > Hey, there is only one True Path to Cleanliness for a chain - the Sheldon Shake! "drop the chain
> > into a plastic Coke[1] bottle with a couple of ounces of un-diluted citrus degreaser, cap it,
> > and shake thoroughly. Fish the chain out with a spoke, rinse in water, and you are all set!"
> >
> > It really works. I use an on-bike cleaner as well, but for a real deep-down Ring of Confidence
> > clean the Sheldon Shake is the way to go.
>
> Maybe you guys have Coke bottles with wider spouts, or maybe you somehow never get twists (loops)
> in your chains, but I found it to be a real PITA to get the chain out when I tried this. I think
> I'll stick to yogourt containers.

I am going to try this

http://community.webshots.com/album/61364592XEKnkc

It's a homemade sonic chain cleaner. I'm sure I could get enough stuff from Goodwill to build it for
under $10.

 

In article <[email protected]>, Benjamin Lewis <[email protected]> writes:

> I use mineral spirits as my solvent of choice, since they not only arguably work better, but
> are also reusable. I also omit the "rinse in water" step -- why put water in my chain before
> oiling it?

I sometimes find a little recalictrant, residual grit sticking to the chain, even after its kerosene
bath. Maybe it's a surface tension thing(?) A little flush of water knocks most of it off, though. A
'once over lightly' brushing makes sure of the job -- not so forceful as to drive any particles into
the chain.

A big coffee can works fine for me. One of these days I've gotta rig up a tinplate dunking basket,
with drain holes and a handle, for it. My wire mesh teaball does quite nicely for keeping small
parts like bearing balls together in there (I don't use that particular teaball for tea anymore).

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

 

Tom Keats wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, Benjamin Lewis <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> I use mineral spirits as my solvent of choice, since they not only arguably work better, but
>> are also reusable. I also omit the "rinse in water" step -- why put water in my chain before
>> oiling it?
>
> I sometimes find a little recalictrant, residual grit sticking to the chain, even after its
> kerosene bath. Maybe it's a surface tension thing(?) A little flush of water knocks most of it
> off, though. A 'once over lightly' brushing makes sure of the job -- not so forceful as to drive
> any particles into the chain.

I find the second dunking in mineral spirits works just fine for this, and I don't have to wait as
long for the chain to dry afterwards.

> A big coffee can works fine for me. One of these days I've gotta rig up a tinplate dunking basket,
> with drain holes and a handle, for it.

That might be a good idea.

> My wire mesh teaball does quite nicely for keeping small parts like bearing balls together in
> there (I don't use that particular teaball for tea anymore).

Heh.

I prefer a Danish cotton "tea sock" for steeping tea leaves. It lets them expand more, and fits in
any diameter teapot. They only cost about $2 at Murchies.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Doing gets it done.