roadraccer

Has anyone used this stuff to clean your chain or to clean parts of your bike. Is the stuff safe on aluminum or would it burn or dull the finish. Anyone tried this? Let me know what the danger effects are of using this on cleaning the bike.

AK404

If I recall correctly, that's an alkali-based cleaner, much like Simple Green. Thus, I wouldn't recommended leaving that stuff on your bike for more than...oh, ten minutes or so?

In any case, this is probably a question that would be better asked at the Bike Mechanics forum.

cmill189

I've left aluminum parts (derailleurs, brakes) and chains in full strength "Purple Power" for days with no problems. I'm pretty sure that's the same stuff.

ddeadserious

Good ol' brake cleaner from Autozone to clean the chain, but I always remove the chain prior to cleaning, so I don't know what effect it might have on paint.

Elvo

Here's an anecdotal FUD story: Buddy soaked his chain in simple green regular. Chain snapped the next day as he pulled out of an intersection. I've been using citrus degreaser on the metal parts for the past 4 or 5 years with no problems though. I use Simple Green Extreme (safe for CF) on the frame.

jolly_ross

Solubilizes? dear god. Try Dissolves.

Bob Ross

I was familiar with the Any Noun Can Be Verbed school of vocabulary manglement, but I guess now that has to be expanded to include Any Adjective.

abstractform20

White Lightning Degreaser is pretty awesome.

abstractform20

for rust, soak something for 1-2 days in white vinegar.

Andy Somnifac 

If Simple Green caused snapped chains, there would be snapped chains everywhere.

milkbaby

Why would I want to degrease my chain? It works better with some lube in it...

mrflip69

How long did your buddy soak the chain in Simple Green? Somebody else on here was doing that for months on ends, and when he'd pull out the chain, it had visible cracks form.

BartJ

+1

koolerb

OK, gonna get nerdy. For bike cleaning I buy aviation cleaners. The most common spec out there is Boeing D6-17487. Basically means the product has been tested, and wont craze acrylic plastics, wont cause hydrogen embrittlement issues, is non-corrosive, and wont soften fully cured paint. I wouldn't use regular Simple Green on a bike, but in an earlier post someone mentioned Simple Green Extreme, that's a D6-17487 spec cleaner.

roadraccer

The chain snapping, what does this have to do with the Simple Green? Are you saying Simple Green dissolves metal?

TakingMyTime

I'd have to agree. I'm no expert on how metals react to different chemicals but I've probably soaked a chain in just about anything from naptha to simple green and I've never snapped a chain.

My next thought would be if you're a cyclist and think/know that much about metalurgy you're probably changing out your chain long before anything could possible fatigue and break.

curiouskid55

How do you guys get grease all over your bikes to start with?

bigbadwullf

Used it extensively on dirt bikes. Cleans like a Mutha! Will etch bare aluminum. I wouldn't get it near my bicycles....well I might clean the chain with it
If you do use it on other things, keep it wet and never, ever, ever let it dry before you rinse it off completely!!

Basically all the 'Purple' cleaners are about the same.

Jed19

Just use Odorless Mineral Spirits. It works well, and no water needed to rinse out the degreaser, which is what you'll have to do with Simple Green.

Reuseable and Recyleable (check)

No water needed to rinse out parts (check)

Effective (big check)

jrobe

That stuff is great for getting rid of the lubricant from all the deep mooks and crannies of your bike where it is needed the most and is difficult to replace. It will make everything look shiney clean though but, of course, you will be replacing parts much sooner.

koolerb

Simple Green doesn't dissolve metal but its caustic, or corrosive, I forget the difference. If it's not completely rinsed it will start working on the chain internally. Jed19 brought up mineral spirits, that's a safe and good option.