Chain cleaner and degreaser

[Onthedrops]

Just cleaned and lubed the bike.
I use one of those Barberi chain cleaners and usually fill it with Gunk to do the cleaning. Just wondered if the was anything better out there for cleaning. The chain takes 3 or 4 goes with the chain cleaner before it becomes clean. Unbelievable just how much muck is on the chain.

I also Gunk down the rear mech with a bike brush with the Gunk and gets in all the nooks and crannies before hosing everything down, drying and lubing.

Anything better specifically for bike drive trains out there guys?

 

[fossyant]

Old cotton t-shirt, chain oil, and that's about it. Wipe muck off, lube, wipe and wipe again. On the MTB, I'll hose the chain first, then do the lube and wipe. I don't use de-greasers, just not necessary.

 

[fossyant]

The key is not to let the chain get in a mess.

 

[Roadrider48]

I have Park tools chain cleaning device. It does the job well!
Fill it with degreaser, fasten it to the underneath section of the chain and pedal backwards a good few times.
My chain comes out looking like new.

 

[Ajax Bay]

On chain cleaner, may I recommend that anyone who thinks these are worth using and "does the job well" does a CycleChat 'Search' on chain cleaner# for a variety of views, mostly not thinking on those lines. Personally I only used mine the once, and then only because SWMBO very kindly gave it to me as a present. My scepticism was justified - and that was before mining the knowledge in the CycleChat threads.

wondered if the was anything better out there for cleaning

Clean jockey wheels, sprockets and chainrings. Two toothbrushes and some GT85 squirted in. Wipe with rag. Oil (find any number of threads discussing this - @User9609 has done some OCD research (so look for posts by him with 'chain oil' in). Wipe with rag. Ride.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A little mucky wipe with rag and relube, very mucky clean with white spirit and a paint brush then wipe with a rag and relube.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Wot fossyant said. The term he forgot to mention though is 'to mickle'

THIS link will tell you everything you need to know, (although fossys covered it TBH), about the Mickle method.

Alternatively search Mickle method on CC to see just how popular, and simple it is.

Chain cleaning devices are a messy, faffy, totally uneccesary pain the @rse, IMO that is

The only difference for me is I sometimes use some brake and clutch cleaner to clean the chain first. It works brilliantly and evaporates quickly leaving no residue, then I re-lube using chainsaw oil as it too is brilliant IME.

 

[Willam]

Ok not meaning to upset anyone but to me as someone that knows little about these things, I can't see how using a degreaser is worse for the chain than leaving bits of crud stuck in the tiny nooks and crannies, wouldn't a soak in some oil replace any stripped out oil from the inside of the chain?

I'm just about to replace my drivetrain, so wanting to keep it in good condition for as long as possible, the cost has focused my mind!

 

[Profpointy]

Ok not meaning to upset anyone but to me as someone that knows little about these things, I can't see how using a degreaser is worse for the chain than leaving bits of crud stuck in the tiny nooks and crannies, wouldn't a soak in some oil replace any stripped out oil from the inside of the chain?

I'm just about to replace my drivetrain, so wanting to keep it in good condition for as long as possible, the cost has focused my mind!

I think the very name "degreasser" indicates what, at least by my reckoning, is wrong with the idea. Clean grit off the chain by all means but to remove the actual lubricant (degrease) means you now have to replace lubricant inside the rollers and risk getting it diluted and contaminated by the degreaser. Being thin stuff the degreaser, by my reckoning anyway, is somewhat prone to washing dirt further in.

A rather fastidious bike cleaner said to me "your chain's a disgrace but there's no rust on it but mine's rusted since yesterday"

I just clean with an oily rag so the only cleaner I use is clean oil, so you never remove nor dilute the lubricant - surely the main thing.

This may be wrong of course.

That said bear in mind how expensive some of the cleaning compounds are too

 

[Bazzer]

The only time I can think I used a chemical chain cleaner was many many years ago as a kid and my chain was so crapped up I decided white spirit was the only means of removing the accumulated crud.
Normally just run the chain through baby wipes I use for cleaning the bike. The jockey wheels get cleaned at the same time. Then lube each link.
About once a month will also clean between the teeth of the cassette.