Cleaning chains, what's best?

[hilljockey]

Fixing the bike on the weekend and found the chain to be fairly putrid.

What do you recommend?

It has a bazillion quick links (didn't know that before Saturday either)  so can be easily removed for cleaning.  Have some Diesel in a container and thought maybe a wash in that.

[Commuter]

HJ


After pics & the apparent bazillion quick links................ clean by replacing


Commuter

[spokey]

Kero is the go for the big clean, then maintain with "King of Lubes, Liquid Gold"

In my opinion!
 

[hilljockey]

After pics & the apparent bazillion quick links................ clean by replacing

But when selling the groupset to me, Robbo told me there was heaps of life in it...

[spokey]

Robbo told me there was heaps of life in it...

Garage life, maybe!

[Robbo]

Garage life, maybe!

Get heaps of good life out if chains that way spokey!

[Boostland]

The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System is the best bar none.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

   It is well-known that proper chain cleaning is the most vital and important aspect of cycling. There are zillions of doo-dads and gimmicks out there intended to make this task easier for spoiled, lazy cyclists.

    Unfortunately, there's no "free lunch" in bicycle maintenance, and all of these existing systems are fundamentally mono-buttocked kluges.

    The only proper way to clean a bicycle chain is to disassemble it, otherwise there is no way to be sure you've thoroughly cleaned and properly lubricated the critical internal parts where chain wear occurs.

    Similarly, there's no way to apply correct lubrication to an assembled chain, since the rollers have different lubrication needs than the link articulation pins do!

spoke
 
Disassembly

    Use your chain tool to drive each chain pin halfway out. It only has to go far enough to clear one of the outer plates.

    If you will be using replacement pins or Powerlinks to reassemble the chain, drive the pins all the way through and discard them.



Cleaning

See the link provided above for complete instructions complete with more pics

[hilljockey]

At least we now know how Robbo cleans chains! 

[drv31t]

Citrus degreaser, wash it out, let it dry, then lube.

[2ndwheel]

I use kero then dry and use white lightning lube.

Robbo you has never worn a chain out , though some things you  have worn out in public are not for this forum.

[Robbo]

2nd wheel - or is that TTK in alter ego such is the quality of your grammar,

there have been many well worn parts including chains on my bikes thank you, just ask Hillbilly regarding the one he has just worked on.

I note my bike has been clocking more miles than any of yours lately. I will let you off though due to some of the circumstances surrounding your absence, but the fact does remain doesnt it.

Hillbilly, any other old bike parts you want to buy from my garage? I could jam some wire in them to make them feel at home on your machine..

[Metro Commuter]

Hill Billy,

Kero then a teflon enhanced light oil.  I do use wax lubricants, like White Lightening, on my MTB but hate using it on my road bike.  Besides, the oil smeels nice.

I am a fan of quick links but only because I do not like the Shimano snap off pin (the margin for error is high, esp with 10 speed, and consequences of error are also high).  I do not use the quick link so I can remove the chain for cleaning, just to provide a dumb proof and reliable method of joining the chain.  Some of the 10 speed "quick links" (I know that is a brand, but you know what I mean) are a one closure system.

I use one of those chain cleaning tools (with the 3 brush wheels) - I do 2 or 3 washes with kero, give the chainrings and cassete a scrib with a brush dipped in kero, then a quick rinse off with the hose.  I then give the whole bike a quick wash, then return to the drivetrain with an old rag to polish up the shiny bits.  

I usually get well over 3000 km out of a chain, and I ride in all weather and put out more power more of the time than most (not a gloat, but if I travel the same speed as Key and he weighs about half of what I weigh then I am necessarily putting out more power to do so).

Remember - chains are cheap but cassettes and chainrings are not.  

Also remember - time spent cleaning your bike could be spent in the coffee shop talking about how good you were or would like people to think you were - do not waste lots of time cleaning your chain but yanking your chain.

MC

[2ndwheel]

Robbo

Lucky for you, your four wheeled transport does not require a new chain. You would have worn that chain out transporting the young tike all round the state.

Metro

Should we now call you Doctor Sprocket instead for that in-depth how to manual?


Regards

Your grammatically challenged friend

[Robbo]

yep, 110,000 k's on the Hilux now so you are on the money there 2nd wheel. The latest treck was to Armidale on the weekend for one of the most enjoyable race meetings you could visit. As it wasnt a junior tour event I even had a race.

FWIW, the young blokes were asked if they wanted to have a crack at the A grade teams race so they had a go. They stuck it to the field for a while and contested all but the first prime. The fastest 4 then attacked the bunch straight after Reece and Ben Young just missed winning the last prime, and thats when the young ones popped. Young Steve Lewis managed to stay in the main pack till the end and placed in the final sprint but was obviously out of the money due to the field bening lapped. It would be great to take a couple of teams up there next year, plus some lower graders and make a big day of it.

[marto1971]

ok by far the best way is kero, then if you have the equipment and time, get some grease, heat in a pan and sit chain in it until grease is runny like hot oil, then romove and let dry, that will give you a factory lube job and when grease is hot it will penetrate into the links