c0dyrl

Chain and cassettes are really greasy and Im trying to make my bike look like new. Not for any particular reason except I just want to ride in style. How do i clean all that stuff

sch

Chains are easily cleaned with a chain cleaner such as Parks or numerous similar, about $12-20
depending on sales and brands. I use 50% Simple Green in water for the initial 2 run throughs
and if the chain has been adequately degreased by 2 runs through the cleaner a water rinse
repeated with the chain cleaner til the rinse water is clear gets the chain squeaky clean.

Cassettes can be partly cleaned in situ with wooden sticks about as thick as popsicle sticks to
scrape the crude off the sides of the cogs but it is best to remove the cassette and clean it
with simple green straight after debulking the gross pileups with the stick. A wipe off,
reassembly and install suffices. Ditto CW. Simple Green is $8-10/gallon at the big box stores and
a gallon will last you years. Straight simple green left to dry on paint can act as a paint remover,
so rinse everything thoroughly and let dry. If you are in a hurry for the chain to dry a final rinse in
70% rubbing alcohol will get most of the water out and alcohol dries a lot faster.

Chain cleaners a bit more than above noted: https://www.performancebike.com/webap...https:ClickInfo

Or: https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400005_400140

Other stores sell for less (or occas more)

AEO

I just floss the cassette with a shop towel folded a few times... that's if the crud hasn't built up into a solid mass.

no real need to degrease once you get everything clean, just lube and wipe, lube and wipe occasionally before it starts to get really dirty.

a chain cleaning tool does wonders I hear, but I just lube and wipe it.

MudPie

I like to remove the chain and cassette and clean with Simple Green or other degreaser. Soaking and rinsing seem to be the best way to remove gunk. If you have 9 speeds or less, the SRAM Powerlink makes disassembly and reassembly a snap using only your fingers. Removing a cassette is not difficult, assuming you have the proper cassette tool, chain whip and basic wrenches.

Panthers007

I won't bother with adding to what will amount to 1,000 methods of cleaning your chain and cassette. That's the easy part. Now for the hard part.....

Once both chain/cassette have been cleaned, you have to think of what you will use to lubricate it. And, trust me, no matter what you do - it will get grungy again. But this can be delayed by your choice of lubricant.

I use a dry lubricant on these. Wet lubes, like Pedro's Syn Lube, will attract every bit of dirt and dust from Outer Space to come and perch on your chain and cassette. So I am suggesting that you use a "dry-lube" that does it's job - without being sticky and attractive to micro-meteorites. One that I'm quite fond of is Boeshield T-9. This consists of a very light penetrating oil that gets all the way into your links and cassette. As a very light petroleum-based oil - the oil evaporates very quickly. Leaving behind a base of paraffin. Wax. And this lasts for a good while. Once your chain is dry - add one drop to each link of the chain. Takes a bit of time - so do it right. Once it is done...

And you've waiting at least 30 minutes to penetrate - take a clean shop-rag or towel and hold it around the chain. Now slowly back-pedal the cranks with the rag to remove all the excess. Unless the cassette it really in need - don't worry. The chain will deposit enough. It's the freehub that needs this. This will help get you started for freehub service:

https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=45

You are ready to go - but don't rush. This is a very necessary part of maintaining a bicycle. Your chain will still end up collecting grime, but this will help it take a longer period of time.

There are other good lubes out there, aside from the Boeshield T-9. And I'm sure their fans will drop by soon to extol their virtues.

zacster

Does anybody use Greased Lightning as a cleaner? I've never seen any mention of it, but I have a big jug of it from Lowes. It does a good job with grease and grime. Any reason to not use it on a bike?

Garthr

Yes, it won't clean a chain very well. Petroleum lubes need petroleum based cleaners. Many have tried the citrus based stuff and it just doesn't cut it.

anaheim flash

chain cleaning machine, filled with mineral spirits, run thru, filtered, and run until it is clean. then, a small amount of thinned chainsaw lube, tho the last time i used the synthetic oil/mineral spirits mixed 1:1 and it did work GREAT.
if really grungy (around hurricane season), i use the chain breaker and soak in the spirits. and ditto the above comment on the citrus. easy to dispose, and most are pretty harmless, but the amount of money spent versus the low cleaning power is just not worth it. you can get a gallon of mineral spirits for $2-3 at any craft store, and x-marts. skip wax based "lubes", as wax is not a lube. it doesn;t attract much dirt, but wax scrapes away very easily, and will not re-flow from whence it was scraped. not parafin, not wax in solvents, or wax in reptile oil are in any form a lubricant for any materials.

i have put on my blindfold, light the cigarette, and await the firing squad.....


here is some info:
"Mineral spirits are used for cleaning and degreasing machine tools and parts, and are especially effective in removing oils, greases, carbon, and other material from metal. Mineral spirits may also be used in conjunction with cutting oil as a thread cutting and reaming lubricant."

DaveSSS 

I would never use simple green or citrus degeasers. If you apply a mineral spirits thinned homebrew lube to the chain frequently, and wipe the chain with a paper shop towel after every ride, you could get by without ever cleaning the chain.

If you don't let the cogs go too long between cleanings, mineral spirits or much cheaper diesel fuel can be applied with a small 1 inch paint brush, either with the wheel still on the bike, or it can be removed, so the cassette can be held at angle that keeps any drips off the tire and rim. The key is to use very little solvent and finish up by wiping with a paper shop towel. Placing the wheel over a small drip catching pan, like an old cool whip container, with the cassette centered over the pan will allow any excess to drip off.

If I remove a chain for cleaning, it gets placed in an old water bottle about 2/3 full of mineral spirits and shaken for a minute. A second cleaning with fresh solvent or hot soapy water, plus a final hot water rinse is next. Wipe the exterior of the the chain and apply homebrew lube right after the hot water rinse to displace water and lube the chain.

Used mineral spirits can be returned to a storage container, to allow the dirt to settle to the bottom and resued many times.

Panthers007

Well anaheim, many folks swear by the T-9. It sure does last a long time. And the OP is wishing for something that doesn't attract dirt, grime, and gunk. Petro-based lubes, while they work fine, are a magnet for attracting/creating the muck.

mud

+ T9

MudPie

Uh-oh, this post has the makings of "best chain lube" discussion. Remember, friends don't discuss politics, religion or chain lubes.

Bobsk8

I have been using Boeshield T9 for years. It makes chains last forever, and stay relatively clean. I just replaced a chain a couple of days ago that had about 9,000 miles on it ( recumbent) . I wouldn't use anything else on my chains.

johnknappcc

. . . I like Tri-flow, just to fan the fire.

Panthers007

+1 TriFlow is my second choice for chains. And my first choice for many other component like derailleurs and brakes. Just be very careful not to get that stuff on your rims.