Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Degreaser for Squirt Lube

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Degreaser for Squirt Lube

Old 09-10-21, 09:06 AM
  #1  
MarcusT
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
MarcusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: NE Italy
Posts: 1,617
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 759 Post(s)
Liked 600 Times in 340 Posts
Degreaser for Squirt Lube

Does anyone know if one uses a regular chain degreaser for Squirt and other wax based lubes?
Any homemade solutions that work?
Thanks
MarcusT is offline  
Old 09-10-21, 03:48 PM
  #2  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Can you elaborate. Are you trying to get all of the wax-based lube off and out of the chain, or just clean it for the next application of your wax-based lube?
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 01:32 AM
  #3  
tFUnK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 3,652

Bikes: Too many bikes, too little time to ride

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 424 Post(s)
Liked 442 Times in 303 Posts
For a deep clean I use degreaser followed by a small amount of a more runny lube, and then finish with squirt. For a casual clean I use the runny lube first then apply squirt after wiping away the excess. The runny lube serves as a solvent and I just use whatever I have laying around, whether it's another liquidy lube, mineral oil, motor oil, whatever.
tFUnK is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 01:37 AM
  #4  
MarcusT
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
MarcusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: NE Italy
Posts: 1,617
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 759 Post(s)
Liked 600 Times in 340 Posts
Sy-Just a basic cleaning. I did about 100 km on dusty gravel roads. Now, trying to get rid of all the crud.
tfunk- Thanks, the bio degreaser I have, does not seem up to the job
MarcusT is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 07:48 AM
  #5  
scottfsmith
I like bike
 
scottfsmith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Merry Land USA
Posts: 662

Bikes: Roubaix Comp 2020

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 267 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times in 191 Posts
I have the Finish Line citrus degreaser and it works very well on my Smoove (which is similar to Squirt). I assume you have a good brush along with the degreaser. I sprung for one of those Park Tool contraptions you attach to the chain.
scottfsmith is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 08:12 AM
  #6  
base2 
I am potato.
 
base2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 3,073

Bikes: Only precision built, custom high performance elitist machines of the highest caliber. 🍆

Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1764 Post(s)
Liked 1,578 Times in 910 Posts
Squirt does not need removal by chemical means. Any crud that gets into the rollers is caught in the wax & migrates out by way of the chain action. Anything on the outside of the chain can be removed by way of a tooth brush.

It's almost as if the previous posters don't understand how a wax based lube works. It even says on the label on bottle of Squirt itself not to degrease again after the initial cleaning process.

It's wax. Dipping it in a warm bath would melt away any extra as well if you unnecessarily decided to go that route. Some members of this forum have even been known to use parrafin & a crock pot to refresh the chain with new wax. Squirt is just a water/wax emulsion whereby the water evaporates obtaining the same end result minus the hassle & hot cauldron like witchcraft.
__________________
I shouldn't have to "make myself more visible;" Drivers should just stop running people over.

Car dependency is a tax.
base2 is offline  
Likes For base2:
Old 09-11-21, 08:59 AM
  #7  
scottfsmith
I like bike
 
scottfsmith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Merry Land USA
Posts: 662

Bikes: Roubaix Comp 2020

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 267 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times in 191 Posts
Originally Posted by base2
It's almost as if the previous posters don't understand how a wax based lube works. It even says on the label on bottle of Squirt itself not to degrease again after the initial cleaning process.
Zero Friction Cycling, the masters of lube tech these days, disagree with that label - see https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/w.../12/Squirt.pdf. They say some of the dirt does get flushed out but it still retains some and wears the chain. You can clean the chain less frequently but it still needs cleaning.

Also, it is not just paraffin, it has other stuff in it which I have not seen the list of. The wax part is slack wax which itself includes oils and other ingredients (it is an unrefined wax).

My guess is Dawn soap plus hot water would also get the chain clean, I have been meaning to try that.
scottfsmith is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 04:38 PM
  #8  
base2 
I am potato.
 
base2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 3,073

Bikes: Only precision built, custom high performance elitist machines of the highest caliber. 🍆

Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1764 Post(s)
Liked 1,578 Times in 910 Posts
Originally Posted by scottfsmith
Zero Friction Cycling, the masters of lube tech these days, disagree with that label - see https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/w.../12/Squirt.pdf. They say some of the dirt does get flushed out but it still retains some and wears the chain. You can clean the chain less frequently but it still needs cleaning.

Also, it is not just paraffin, it has other stuff in it which I have not seen the list of. The wax part is slack wax which itself includes oils and other ingredients (it is an unrefined wax).

My guess is Dawn soap plus hot water would also get the chain clean, I have been meaning to try that.
That was a very informative .pdf. I read every word.

I liked that he is very upfront about getting the lube to where it needs to go, & in spite of it's limitations in initial first application, it more-or-less performs as advertised.

That pdf could explain my own personal success with Squirt. I have always done an initial application, ran the chain backwards for several minutes to distribute the lube into where ever it needed to go, then repeated a second time & let everything dry 24 or more hours until I was ready to use the bike again. Which does not disagree with what Friction Facts recommends would be advisable practice.

Thanks!
__________________
I shouldn't have to "make myself more visible;" Drivers should just stop running people over.

Car dependency is a tax.
base2 is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 11:44 PM
  #9  
MarcusT
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
MarcusT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: NE Italy
Posts: 1,617
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 759 Post(s)
Liked 600 Times in 340 Posts
Thanks for the info
MarcusT is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 12:20 AM
  #10  
zacster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Brooklyn NY
Posts: 7,702

Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Liked 456 Times in 358 Posts
I found that Squirt washes off easily with soapy water since the chain doesn't get that dirty to begin with. Whether it gets the bits out from inside the chain I couldn't tell. Once I prep a chain for it I don't think I've ever purposely washed it, just when washing the bike in general. When I've put the bike on the trainer the mat always gets covered in road crud that flakes off.

But I'm not one to get crazy about my chain. When it needs to be replaced I just replace it. I don't fret that I'm only getting X miles with it instead of Y. I just want quiet fast shifting and running.
zacster is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 02:11 AM
  #11  
Branko D
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 786
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 338 Post(s)
Liked 408 Times in 252 Posts
When I want to do a deep clean of a chain lubricated by Squirt, I take it off, put it in a jar with dishwasher detergent, let it soak a bit, give it a good shake, wash it out, finish cleaning with a rag. Then for reapplying Squirt I put the chain in a jar, put it in the oven, heat it up, and then liberally squirt with Squirt and let it soak. Otherwise it's hard for the lube to actually penetrate between the rollers. Normally when I do this I also remove the cassette and clean that and clean the chainrings and jockey wheels, too. I do it pretty rarely though, normally the chain gets a wipe to get rid of the crud outside and a quick reapplication of Squirt, a deep clean is something I do every 1000-2000km, often before a race or big event.

Moved to UFO chain lube on one of the bikes to see how well that works.
Branko D is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 07:46 AM
  #12  
DaveSSS 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Loveland, CO
Posts: 7,213

Bikes: Cinelli superstar disc, two Yoeleo R12

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 554 Times in 443 Posts
From what I just read, my homemade liquid paraffin based lube works better than squirt and costs pennies per ounce. The formula is secret: 1 part paraffin with 20-30% automotive gear lube, dissolved in 4-6 parts naphtha or camp stove fuel. It only keeps its water like viscosity above about 80F, so it must be warmed in hot tap water to use. I also use a heat gun to warm the chain if it's cold and causes the lube to lose its low viscosity. I relube about every 150 miles, which is weekly for me. I take the chain off about every 600 miles and use mineral spirits or camp stove fuel for cleaning. The solvent goes back into a storage bottle for many reuses.


I love the squirt instructions that suggest applying a stream of lube while rotating the crank. Do that and each relube will be pricey. Over the life of a chain, the lube might cost more than the chain. I place 1-2 drops of my lube on each roller.
DaveSSS is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 08:53 AM
  #13  
zacster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Brooklyn NY
Posts: 7,702

Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Liked 456 Times in 358 Posts
Originally Posted by DaveSSS

I love the squirt instructions that suggest applying a stream of lube while rotating the crank. Do that and each relube will be pricey. Over the life of a chain, the lube might cost more than the chain. I place 1-2 drops of my lube on each roller.
Do they recommend that each time or just the first time? Or each time it is thoroughly cleaned? I use the 1 or 2 drop method with Squirt and the bottle lasts a long time. If I'm doing a newly prepped chain I may ride it once or twice and then do it again. I never soak the chain with the stuff as you wipe off the excess anyway.

And the thing I like about Squirt is it comes in a squeeze bottle all ready to use. No mixing, no fussing and no fuels and smells. It is enough of a fuss to have to squeeze the bottle.

As I said above, I don't stress about it.
zacster is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 09:01 AM
  #14  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Originally Posted by zacster
Do they recommend that each time or just the first time? Or each time it is thoroughly cleaned? I use the 1 or 2 drop method with Squirt and the bottle lasts a long time. If I'm doing a newly prepped chain I may ride it once or twice and then do it again. I never soak the chain with the stuff as you wipe off the excess anyway.

And the thing I like about Squirt is it comes in a squeeze bottle all ready to use. No mixing, no fussing and no fuels and smells. It is enough of a fuss to have to squeeze the bottle.

As I said above, I don't stress about it.
So, depending on how fast you turn the crank or how many revolutions of the chain, is doing a stream necessarily that much more than 2 drops per roller/link?
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 10:23 AM
  #15  
DaveSSS 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Loveland, CO
Posts: 7,213

Bikes: Cinelli superstar disc, two Yoeleo R12

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 554 Times in 443 Posts
Anything I'd call a stream would waste a lot of lube. It's a stupid way to apply lube. My lube is in a plastic bottle with a hole the size of a straight pin for precise application. It doesn't smell bad either. It also delivers long chain life. Zero friction mentions significant wear after 1000km. I measure elongation over the full length of my chains and I've seen no significant elongation after 1000km on force axs chains. I have 8 chains in a rotation with two bikes.
DaveSSS is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 11:20 AM
  #16  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
maybe the OP just needs to wipe down the chain with a dry cloth & knock out any debris from inside the links? fwiw - I've started using straw brushes to occasionally clean chains. they are nice & thin
rumrunn6 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.