Proper chain cleaning

Chain cleaners don't work any better than anything else.

If you've cleaned you chain and it's lubed, I wouldn't worry if it's black or not. After all, it is a chain in use.

gman,

if you want to avoid premature wear on your cogs, chainrings and chain you will want to keep your driveline fairly clean otherwise road debris/sand/etc will get stuck to them and grind down your cogs/chainrings.

I have used the Park cleaner for years and it works great:
performancebike.comProduct 10052 10551 1030484 1Open ↗

The the solvent you use matters. I have found citrus based products work better than anything else out there. Citrus is really amazing stuff it cuts through the grease like nothing else.

I use this guy blast out the gunk:
Finish Line Citrus Degreaser - LUBES

and fill my park tool with this: Spin Doctor Citrus Degreaser - Ready to Ride: Tools, Lubes, & Pumps

A few years ago I started cleaning my chain and chain rings with a dry rag after every ride and then adding a little lube before each ride and now I find I don't need to get out my park tool as often.

Greg, it might be the type of chain lube your using.

I used Triflow w/teflon for many years and while it does a good job, it is a real dirt magnet. And I just thought that was normal.

I didn't realize how quickly it would get dirty looking until I started using Prolink a couple of months ago. I cleaned my chain, chainrings, and cogs thoroughly with Finish Line citrus degreaser like I always do and then put the Prolink on.

It still looks cleans and it's almost time to put some more Prolink on. It doesn't look like it needs cleaning, so I'll probably just lube and wipe off the excess.

I don't know for sure that's what is happening with you, but it could be the kind of lube you're using.

gman0482 said:

I know that the correct way to clean everything is to take the wheel/chain/cassette off and clean everything separately, but I just don't have time/tools for it.

I did a normal cleaning last week, where I washed the whole bike down, scrubbed the chain, cassette and deraileur with a good degreaser, rinsed/dried everything off, and re-lubed it.

One ride later, the lube on the chain is completely black. Doesn't have that thick nasty dirt on it anymore, but it's almost like ink. I figured that it's from the inside of the chain bearings.

What is the most effective way of cleaning, and does that Park Tool chain cleaning tool actually work ?

Thanks,
-Greg

Chain bearings... That reminds me, I need to do some basic car maintenance to top off the blinker fluid.

swampy1970 said:

Chain bearings... That reminds me, I need to do some basic car maintenance to top off the blinker fluid.

Don't forget to check the flux capacitor....

Thanks everyone.

swampy1970 said:

Chain bearings... That reminds me, I need to do some basic car maintenance to top off the blinker fluid.

Well, almost everyone. I wish I could be 1/2 as smart as you.

gman0482 said:

Thanks everyone.

Do you wipe off the chain after you lube it? What have you been using for a lube? How do you lube?

alienator said:

Do you wipe off the chain after you lube it? What have you been using for a lube? How do you lube?

I use Tri-Flow, and I put a small drop into every ring. Then I spin the the pedals around a bunch of times quickly, and then hold a rag to the bottom of the chain while slowly spinning the pedals to get any extra dripping lube off.

Is that ok or bad ?

gman0482 said:

I use Tri-Flow, and I put a small drop into every ring. Then I spin the the pedals around a bunch of times quickly, and then hold a rag to the bottom of the chain while slowly spinning the pedals to get any extra dripping lube off.

Is that ok or bad ?

Sounds alright. You should turn the pedals slowly after applying the lube. Spinning the pedals quickly just makes the lube fly off. Also, after the pedal turning, let the chain sit for about 5-10 minutes before wiping it down. This allows the lube to penetrate to where it's needed. Wipe all the excess off the outside of the chain.

That makes sense, thanks.

I'll do a cleaning tomorrow.

gman0482 said:

What is the most effective way of cleaning, and does that Park Tool chain cleaning tool actually work ?

I'm afraid there's only 1 right way to clean a chain - The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System-April 1, 2007

frenchyge said:

I'm afraid there's only 1 right way to clean a chain - The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System-April 1, 2007

That is awesome. 😄

swampy1970 said:

Chain bearings... That reminds me, I need to do some basic car maintenance to top off the blinker fluid.

I just picked up some muffler bearings for my '94 Camaro. They were right next to the left-handed monkey wrenches. :p

frenchyge said:

I'm afraid there's only 1 right way to clean a chain - The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System-April 1, 2007

RIP, Sheldon.

gman0482 said:

I know that the correct way to clean everything is to take the wheel/chain/cassette off and clean everything separately, but I just don't have time/tools for it.

I did a normal cleaning last week, where I washed the whole bike down, scrubbed the chain, cassette and deraileur with a good degreaser, rinsed/dried everything off, and re-lubed it.

One ride later, the lube on the chain is completely black. Doesn't have that thick nasty dirt on it anymore, but it's almost like ink. I figured that it's from the inside of the chain bearings.

What is the most effective way of cleaning, and does that Park Tool chain cleaning tool actually work ?

Thanks,
-Greg

This is probably dirt still coming out of the chain, flushed out as the lube is worked through.
The fact that the black dirt is coming out of the chain rather than staying under the rollers is a good thing.

Like you I hate the look of this, but I've found no way to completely eliminate it.

I find the only easy way to reduce this is to lube regularly and thoroughly wipe the exterior of the chain down to remove all excess lube and the dirt which is flushed out. Ideally, lube should only be under the rollers and not on the exterior to avoid attracting more dirt.

As far as cleaning goes, occasionally, as part of a whole bike wash, I put the chain in a bottle with some kero and shake it up several times, renewing the degreaser a couple of times until it's running pretty clear. The trick here is to use a Wipperman or other type of quick link which requires no tools to remove. I know that this will never completely remove all dirt but it's good for removing most of the stuff which the lube won't flush out.

i use some CLR GREASE MAGNET .... this thing is awesome for cleaning the chain and sprokets ...

I use the park chain cleaner and it really works great and its convenient. Then i wax the chain with candle wax. The dirt, dust and sand dont stick to a waxed chain. This is good for dry weather riding. If i ride in the rain i have to spray some kind of lube on the chain or it will rust with just the candlewax on.

the wax part is a little laborous, I "cook" my chain in molten wax for 20 minutes. It is the cleanest lube ive ever tried. This is also much cheaper than commercial chain lubes, and definitely stays cleaner longer. Perfect for dry weather rides.

Cooking the chain in wax must go back about a century. I recall it was still done by some old diehards when I worked as a Honda moto mechanic in the 60's. We laughed about it then, so it's surprising to hear the ritual still exists.

Guess we all have our beliefs about chain maintenance. Mine is that the appearance of black oil on the outside of the chain means the chain is properly lubed and will run quietly with minimal friction. When I see a sparkling, shiny chain and cassette, it just doesn't look right to me....I want to apply oil 🙂

dhk2 said:

Cooking the chain in wax must go back about a century. I recall it was still done by some old diehards when I worked as a Honda moto mechanic in the 60's. We laughed about it then, so it's surprising to hear the ritual still exists.

Guess we all have our beliefs about chain maintenance. Mine is that the appearance of black oil on the outside of the chain means the chain is properly lubed and will run quietly with minimal friction. When I see a sparkling, shiny chain and cassette, it just doesn't look right to me....I want to apply oil 🙂

just because its old doesnt mean its not good. Chain cooked in wax runs very quiet, picks up minimal dirt, wont give your calf a 'tatoo'. Downside is that its not for rainy rides.

I agree that its time to lube when you see shiny chain and cassette, especially the rollers.