Bike Gremlin

For all I know, high quality (complex) calcium soap based grease.

Made a detailed explanation on bike bearing greases here:
Bicycle bearing greases - explained - Bike Gremlin - Bicycles

Now gathering funds to do a comparative lab test of various commercially available and OEM installed ones.

davidad

Factory lube https://www.fuchs.com/lubritech/?pag...d_produkt=2993

andrei_r

The link takes me to a login page. Could you please specify the exact product name so that we can locate the product? Also, how do you know that the this is the factory lube? Fuchs themselves don't mention anything bicycle related. We're left to guess which of their products would be the best match for a bicycle chain. My guess is Gleitmo 900 spray/dip, but I'm really curious to know what product you linked to. Thanks.

cyccommute 

From my past digging, I gathered that the product that Fuchs sells to chain manufacturers is similar to the Gleitmo or may use the Gleitmo's basic chemistry but it is tailored to their specifications. In other words, you likely can't buy the same product nor apply it in the same manner as they do at the factory.

andrei_r

And that justifies the company name!

davidad

https://www.fuchs.com/lubritech/en/s...g-spray-white/


This one says it's for bikes.

Crankycrank

Factory chain lube application video. Lubing starts at approx. 4:10.

davidad

Damn, your good. But my feet are wet.

mfcity

Thanks for your photo of an actual exploded chain link. It makes it clearer why soaking the chain to get it clean inside is necessary.

mfcity

It’s true... once the degreaser had failed to make much of an impact. I found myself scratching off dry little traces of dirty ex-Green Oil. Don’t worry, I’ve moved on.

mfcity

Sounds promising, although I am probably still going to soak the chain in a mineral spirit bath as suggested and see how that turns out. Does the wire wheel have to be a specific guage to avoid damaging the chain?

JohnDThompson 

No. Be sure to wear eye protection, though.

JohnDThompson 

Here's an example of a chain cleaned with a wire wheel. The chain was initially soaked in solvent and scrubbed with a brush before getting the wire wheel treatment:

cmcanulty

I use a chain cleaner from Nashbar,then brush a mixture of melted parrafin and solvent about 2/3 solvent 1/3 parrafin . It goes on with a toothbrush. As long as the jar of lube and the bike are reasonably warm (like 70 and in the sun) it goes on easily and no black hands when touching chain. I just reapply after riding in real heavy rain or snow. To mix it up just put the ingredients in jar for a few days in a warm place until parrafin dissolves.

Racing Dan

Thats a weak solvent. Have never had any issues cleaning a chain in OMS, petrol, ... ? Once I discovered I could just shake the chain in a jar of OMS, I have not needed wire wheel or any other brushes.

andrei_r

May I ask what solvent you're using? And what's the consistency of the mix obtained? I tried using oz cycle's (from youtube) method consisting of 1/3 melted paraffin + 1/3 liquid paraffin + 1/3 xylene and it didn't work out for me. I guess what they call xylene down here isn't exactly the same formula that he's using.

andrei_r

Motor bikes ans scooters to be more specific. No word of push bikes... The conditions to which those chains are exposed are quite different. Higher RPM, temperatures and forces. Not saying it wouldn't work on a bicycle, just that it's not explicitly recommended.

JohnDThompson 

As it happens, that was soaked in OMS, well, SafetyKleen's version of OMS, anyway.

Racing Dan

Soaking for a few minutes and shaking in a closed jar is key. Like this:

Creaky Crank

After 50 years, my simplest solution is 1) use/add a quick link like a Wipperman that can be easily removed and replaced by hand; 2) remove a dirty chain, immerse in naptha (a few $ a gallon, cheap Coleman fuel) in a small Gatorade bottle, agitate, soak for a few minutes to overnight; 3) Remove, wipe clean with rag or old not too fuzzy cloth, air dry; 4)Return to bike, after separately washing rear cogs and chainrings if required; 5) apply lube sparingly, Squirt being a good waxy product. Wipe off excess.
My best choice is to actually use paraffin, in a shallow pan, melting just enough to liquefy with the dry clean chain immersed. Stir a few times with a hemostat or pliers, pull slowly up as wax runs off, then lay it onto a newspaper and agitate to remove excess- careful, as it is a hot chain! Wipe more as temp drops, then hang to cool. Then, just reinstall with no further oil, and ride for a couple minutes to loosen the wax stiffness. Lasts several times as long as the best oils, much quieter, attracts no dirt or dust, can be wiped clean; extend intervals with a wax compatible lube (Squirt), then repeat. Wax is easier to clean off, and reapply, the heat being the only crux, as hot wax can spill and burn skin badly.

IronM

I clean my chains very frequently, especially on my gravel bike which just attracts abrasive grit. I find it pretty quick and easy, maybe only 7 or 10 minutes, maybe a bit longer depending how deep I get into cleaning the cassette and such. With a hose behind the house; and get a small bucket of warm soap water. 1. Spray off bike & chain 2. A little chain cleaner on a Park Tools cassette brush, I go over the chain and cassette and cog wheels for a minute or to to knock off the worst of the grit; then quick rinse. 2. Park Tools chain cleaner and solution; I clip if over the chain and back pedal it through for maybe a minute. Remove & rinse chain with hose. 3. Now with warm soapy water, I give my bike a quick cleaning, then saturate a sponge and run the chain through that. You need to get off all the degreaser, or else the subsequent lube won't take. 5. Rinse chain one last time with hose to get off the soap. Its really clean now 5. I then wipe off my bike and chain, and let the chain dry well before reapplying lube of your choice. At least that's what I do, anyway

cmcanulty

I usually mix the paraffin with paint thinner but kerosene works too it just has a pinkish color. I have been gradually increasing the amount of solvent to the paraffin. It goes on easier and I think being thinner soaks in better.I don't heat the mixture at all just leave it in sun a few hours to thin it as it warms.

sweeks

Well, maybe not *key*, but this is the way I do mine. I use a peanut butter jar with a tight-fitting lid. The chain goes in and about a half cup of kerosene is added. Lid tightened; shaken vigorously. Depending on how much sediment I see, I may lift the chain out, drain the jar into a "settling" container, wipe out any residual sediment. Once the sediment is gone, I'll use a couple more rinses with fresh (or recycled) kerosene. The chain is then hung up to drain for a while, preferably overnight. The kerosene used is allowed to settle for a few days, then the clear (if colored) supernatant is decanted off for future use. It can be re-used this way many times.

Why kerosene? It's readily available, inexpensive, relatively non-toxic and much less flammable (and therefore safer) than gasoline. Another acceptable choice IMO is WD-40 (I have a gallon can of the stuff!), but I prefer kerosene.

I've never seen residue that requires scrubbing over and above the shaking. When the chain is shaken, there is contact with other chain links which may substitute for scrubbing.

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but I don't like the idea of wire-wheeling the chain. For one thing, that will aerosolize the solvent and debris; a mask should be worn in addition to the recommended safety glasses. It might also be a finger-snagging hazard. For another, it must make a hell of a mess. The wire wheel will only clean the side plates; it can't get between the moving parts or into the spaces for the cogs (note the correct use of "cogs" ). The chain may look better, but the outsides of the side plates are not involved in wear processes of the chain or sprockets.
Steve

Denism28

I use Mean Green in a plastic peanut butter jar to Clean with énergetic shake, let dry then use extra Virgin olive oil to lubricate . Then put back on bike and remove all I can with a rag and use à rag again after à ride. I add olive oil when I « hear » the chaîn after 150 to 200 kms. I repeat everything after 1000 kms. At 12000 kms the wear is 1/16 the of an inch so the chain is still good for another 12000 kms.

cyccommute 

All those attributes apply to mineral spirits as well. On the plus side, it evaporates much faster and more cleanly than kerosene. Kerosene isn't that volatile.

I would caution against WD-40. It's not the solution that's the problem, it's the added mineral oil that you don't really need. WD-40 is just mineral spirits with about 25% mineral oil added to it. Using straight mineral spirits just cuts out the unnecessary bits.