old towels are great. they are thick. they don't tear. you can do more wiping with them. they can be washed & reused. Earth friendly. towels are more useful around the rear derailleur jockey wheels because they don't fall apart & get stuck between the chain & the teeth of the wheels, hehe
paper towels are convenient but can break in your hand, so I use disposable gloves. now I'm polluting the environment in 2 ways. paper "shop towels" are more durable but cost more
I like towels this time of year because I can start with the top of the bike, wiping, drying, etc. & then move downward, toward to dirtier stuff like wheels & tire sidewalls, then finish at the drivetrain
last ride w/ the MTB I just dried the chain w/ paper towels & left the rest of the bike to drip dry. only exception was my routine for the fork stanchions, which I baby after each ride. paper towels, low pressure compressed air & stanchion lube w/ q-tips & more paper towels
also use a little low pressure compressed air around both derailleurs
Last edited by rumrunn6; 01-11-23 at 12:45 PM.