louky

I've asked Santa for a chain cleaner for Christmas. I have had a Chinese clone in the past but it was aggravating to use and didn't last. I have been looking at the Park and the Pedros model. I am leaning to the Pedros because of the hook that holds it in place while you are rotating the chain. If anyone has owned or used both I would appreciate some feedback. Are there any unseen negatives to the Pedros? They both seem to be running about a 4.5 rating on Amazon, but (of course) the Park has 30 times the number of reviews. TIA!

cyccommute 

None. They are all messy and mostly ineffective.

choddo

I’ll offer an alternative view. They’re a bit messy but a big towel solves that, pretty effective, and quick. Better than nothing if you don’t want to do the wax incantations.

Crankycrank

For me it's always been easier and faster than on-bike chain cleaners to just remove the chain using a quick link and just swish the chain around in a jar of odorless mineral spirits. Use about 3 rounds of fresh OMS and save the used solvent and after a couple days, the gunk settles to the bottom of the jar. Then just pour off the clean OMS into another jar and re-use over and over again. Easy, cheap and effective.

smd4

They always seemed a bit gimmicky to me.

SoSmellyAir

I have the Park Tool CM-5.2, used for < 5 times, which I no longer use now that I am a chain waxer.

louky PM me if you want it and are willing to cover shipping.

Bogey Speedwell

Let me just offer up this disclaimer. I’m not a bike tech but I’m a tool junkie, not afraid to try something that could save me time. It’s 30.00 for the park tool version and honestly I feel that cheap if it saves me time. They may be a bit messy and feel gimmicky, but if mine broke I would get a second in a heartbeat.

I mix simple green and water, on a stand with cardboard underneath. It takes 5 minutes ( 30-40 revolutions ) to clean and wipe dry and by looking at the dirt metal and grime stuck to the bottom of the trap, I’m pretty confident it would cost me more time and $ to rid the chain of the same amount of grime.

tooth brushes seem slower and more time consuming to get the crap out of. Use to use rags, toothbrushes and carb cleaner. Then I did a follow up with the park tool cleaner and the fluid was still dark gray.

not saying anyone else is wrong, but hey, I like them.

ScottCommutes

This is one of those times that you just go with the Park version. I use mine once a week on the weekend (every 160 miles), sometimes after a messy rain as well.

The Park can be rebuilt with parts available from Park, or you can just buy another one and use the parts you need and save the other parts for when you need those. Park also offers a shop-quality version of the same tool.

I use a glass mason jar to settle out my solvent for reuse.

TC1

What kind of quick links do you use? Shimano and 10+ speed SRAM links are not reusable, and some are quite pricey ( for as simple as they are ). ~$12 for a new link each time you clean your chain would not be considered "cheap", by most.

There's no way that I would repeatedly reuse a critical part that the maker identifies as non-reusable, when the alternative is as easy as clamping on a cleaner and spinning the pedals a few times, but YMMV.

dedhed

"The PowerLock can only be removed with chain link pliers and must not be re-used. Install a new PowerLock each time a new chain is installed."

My self and many others consider them reusable for the life of the chain. If you're paying $12 you're paying too much.

https://www.amazon.com/Sram-Chain-Sp.../dp/B07QRZ8RMC

TC1

That's not SRAM's position:

Like I said, you do you, but recommending the reuse of critical parts against the makers' position, is a little sketchy.

I'm not, because in my experience SRAM chains are hot garbage, and I do not use them at all, but thanks.

ScottCommutes

Perhaps we should do a thread on how to reuse your quicklinks. I had to reuse one exactly once - I had the chain apart to replace a derailleur and I dropped a piece of the new quicklink "somewhere" on the garage floor. Reusing the old link got me about 8 miles before the chain fell off and was run over by a truck. I had to walk to the bike shop and buy a whole new chain. Now, I carry a new quicklink on every ride.

veganbikes

I have the Mr. Sparkle cleaner from PDW, it is fine but yeah on my quick linked bikes I probably would just rather put it in an old bottle with some degreaser and isopropyl alcohol and some Dr. Bronners or bike cleaner and shake shake shake señora shake your chain around. I think it does a better job personally. I don't mind the chain cleaner and a towel but I never felt it got things as clean as I would like for the effort expelled.

Alan K

For me, an ultrasonic bath cleans chains and most parts quite thoroughly.
Bought one ages ago and it still works.

choddo

It does (especially cassette blocks) but you’re re-using or buying a chain link again there. I’m really careful with mine and have reused a few times without incident (10 and 11 speed) but I wouldn’t risk doing it as regularly as cleaning a chain.

I guess the waxing afficionados must do it all the time though.
edit - oo hadn’t seen those Connex links below before. That’s very clever. And the video I just watched talked about a reusable KMC link too. I guess either of those solves that little problem.

Honestly, I don’t think the second sentence there is intended as a qualifier for the first.

choddo

Just remembered I got one of these and while you need pretty big hands to use it, it works pretty well without having to mess around with separate bottles and jars, and uses a tiny amount of cleaner each time so much less messy. I don’t think it’s quite as effective as the Park Tool one though.
https://muc-off.com/products/bio-chain-doc

nomadmax 

This guy hits it on the head as far as I'm concerned. For me, nothing beats a long pan (think catering pan), mineral spirits and some brushes. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

smd4

Why Connex quick links aren’t an industry standard is beyond me.

easyupbug 

I agree except for the recumbent trike I ride on bad arthritis days which takes three 2 wheel chains to operate. I had a Pedro and now a Park and they are much messier than my 2 wheel chains which I clean in an industrial ultrasonic cleaner but the Park does a decent job as did the Pedro I tried. When the Park wears out I will go back with a Pedro as I think the Park slobbers more fluid/filth on my stand than the Pedro did

hokiefyd 

I know this is sort of off the original topic, but I use KMC quick links on KMC chains on my 8- and 9-speed drivetrains and they're definitely reusable. KMC puts a "-R" at the end of the part number for its reusable quick links. I'm a life-long tinkerer, and I swap drivetrain components around on my bikes all the time. I've had the chains on and off my various bikes far more often than most ever will and I've never had a KMC quick link fail.

I think it's important to specify the type/brand/"speed" spec in any quick link discussion, because their design and intent varies so much across the spectrum. Again, I have no problem reusing KMC quick links on its 8- and 9-speed chains. I understand other manufacturers warn against reuse of their quick links, and KMC themselves have some that are intended to be single-use only (without the "-R" in the part number).

Crankycrank

I have used Shimano 10-11sp, KMC 10sp and Connex 10sp quicklinks and labled "single use". Each of the 10sp versions I have used up to 10k miles on 2 different chains, the 11sp is on a neighbors bike for maybe 3k miles and has been removed replaced at least 2 times while mine were r/r at least every 500 miles so that's around 20 times. I like to actually test these recommendations out for myself sometimes just to see how long they actually last and find that they stay locked tight enough to not worry but when the pins start to show some wear grooves, I toss them. Never had a failure. I see most (but not all) failures are probably from user error where the links were not locked together properly. I have no experience with SRAM or others so can't vouch for them. Most chains these days come with quicklinks so no need to always have to buy one separately. Some people prefer the on-bike cleaners so use what works best for you but some of us prefer the remove and soak method.

icemilkcoffee 

Don't know about other 'waxing afficionados' but I never clean my chain. I just keep lubing it with drip wax lube after the initial hot wax. Granted if I was riding dirt or gravel I probably would have to clean the chain every now and then.

smd4

I have never seen a single use Connex link. Do you have a (quick) link to one?

TC1

That's exactly the point -- if one follows the manufacturer's instructions, in most cases, one needs to buy a new quicklink each time the chain is removed. And those manufacturers, it should be noted, have a lot more data than you do, on the reusability of these parts.

If you're going to recommend going against the maker's instructions, you should probably mention that your opinion contrasts with their position.

Jicafold

Consider putting your specific question in your title in the future, Such as "Which chain cleaner and why?" If everyone with a bike question titled their post "bike question" we wouldn't get very far.