on the path

Is it just me? I'm finding that this thing, the CM-5, isn't particularly easy to use, and isn't particularly effective.

I clamp it on to the chain, and turn the crank 30 revolutions or so, dump the solvent, refill and repeat. Chain is still pretty dirty afterwards. I then follow that with lot's of hands on cleaning with paper towels, etc., and then the chain is fairly clean. Could probably do just as well without the tool.

Am I missing something? Any suggestions, any alternatives? I paid 40 bucks for this thing at my LBS and I'm pretty disappointed. Anyone with better experiences? Anybody that found what I found and want to vent? Thanks...

Bob Ross

Well, I only paid ~$25 at my LBS, but otherwise my experience is pretty similar to yours.

I still use it from time to time, because I figure a Slightly-Cleaned chain is better than a Never-Been-Cleaned chain. But I'm disappointed with how much crud is still left on the chain after it's been through this gizmo a couple times.

Shimagnolo

Master link + ultrasonic cleaner + Simple Green.
Spotless chain and no solvent near the bike.

LowCel 

I have been using mine for years, does an awesome job when using Simple Green.

on the path

Can you recommend one? Seems they could be expensive, not that the Park Tool cleaner was cheap.

on the path

I've used 3 different kinds of solvent/degreaser, including the citrus one supplied with the kit. Results were about the same.

NWS Alpine

I use it one all the other bikes and not my road bike. It's great for really dirty chains that I want to soak in solvent without making a huge mess everywhere.

For my roadbike I just clean and lube with ProLink regularly. When needed I remove the chain and soak it in odorless miniral spirits for an hour+ and then wipe it all down and re-lube. Much cleaner and easier this way.

jmX

It's a chain not a dinner plate. The cleaner seems to work well enough at getting the bulk of the grit off for me.

If you are OCD then you need to clean the chain some other way.

EvenKeel

I use mineral spirits in the tool and find that it works really well.

datlas 

I know it's heresy here in the 41, but I do fine without cleaning my chain.

I just lube it liberally with prolink every few hundred miles, then wipe it down.

Ride more, worry less.

redlude97

It mostly has to do with the limited volume of almost all chain cleaners. The fact that the solution becomes filthy means its doing its job. One trick is to rinse the chain down with low pressure water after the first run-through since most of the crap has been loosened

on the path

No, I'm not ocd, as you would understand if you knew me.

You missed the point. This is about a tool that is pretty ineffective at what it's designed and advertised to do.

Shimagnolo

https://www.harborfreight.com/25-lite...ner-95563.html

They also have a smaller one, but this one is large enough to also clean brakes, FD's, RD's, and smaller chainrings.

on the path

I will try this next time, thx.

on the path

Looks promising, but I can't swing it at this time.

GiantDefyGuy

I think that's how these things are supposed to work.

IMO, the point is not to have the gizmo completely clean your chain, but rather to poke all the gunk from between the plates of each link so you CAN get it with a rag afterwards.

Genaro

Pop masterlink, drop chain in water/soda bottle with degreaser, close top and shake for a about a minute. Pull chain out, wipe down, put back on bike and re-lube. Did this last weekend and it took me about 5 minutes to do

NSpooner

I just do a light spray with WD-40 and let it soak for a couple minutes while I wipe off the frame. Then I use an old rag and spin the chain through it. It gets the chain very clean and only takes a couple minutes. I will say I do this about every other ride or so and follow up with Finish Line dry lube.

on the path

Disagree. Look at how the chain glistens in this photo from the Park Tool page describing the tool's use:

MrTuner1970

I still have a Park chain cleaning tool, but don't use it anymore. For me, it's just as easy to clean it with a rag, WD-40, and a pipe cleaner.

Get a shop rag, lightly dampen a section of it with WD-40. Clean the outside of the chain first to remove that gunk. Then clean the rollers with a different section of rag. (You can either run the chain backwards in a rag or do it section by section.) Then run a doubled-up section of pipe cleaner through each link. Use a clean section of pipe cleaner as needed. Clean the rollers again with the rag and WD-40 to get whatever got brushed up by the pipe cleaner.

Haven't timed either way, but seems like it's quicker to do it this way than with the tool. At least if you follow the tool's directions. You need citrus solvent, Dawn and water, and the tool. Oh...and newspapers to catch all the crap that drips and slings everywhere. By the time I get all that stuff rounded up, it seems like I'm almost finished with the "WD-40 way." And much less mess. Hardly anything drips on the floor this way. And you gotta rinse out the Park tool, etc. Just more steps. I like begin able to sit down once, then get up once and I'm done.

I'm not one who believes a chain must be excessively clean. Heck, the rollers get black after the first post-clean ride anyway. So why obsess over every minute bit of oily residue? Just get the bad junk out, lube, and go ride. Takes ~10 minutes, not including the time I let the WD-40 solvent dry (usually overnight).

pallen

It wont get your chain 100% clean, but you can do it on the bike without having to remove it. If you want it perfectly clean, you will either need to remove the chain or do multiple passes changing out your cleaning solution in between.

Shimagnolo

The small one: https://www.harborfreight.com/ultraso...aner-3305.html

himespau 

I've only used citrus based cleaners with the Finish Line branded cleaner, but have pretty much the same experience. My next chain is going to have a quick link of some sort and I'm going to use an old spaghetti sauce jar full of mineral spirits. The on the bike cleaner just never did it for me.

pallen

how do the ultrasonic cleaners work? do you use solvents in them, or normal jewelry cleaner stuff? Does one 3-minute cycle do it?

rangerdavid

we have a winner!!