cleaning your chain

[Iainj837]

I was told by someone @ work that using bicarb of soda mixed with water to a paste use a toothbrush leave on 4 a few minutes then rinsed off with water then lubricant the chain is a good way to remove the rust. Good for the environment aswell

Regards iain

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I can't imagine how bicarb will remove rust. Best keep the chain lubricated to avoid the stuff in the first place.

 

[CyclingCat]

Probably not very PC, but why bother to clean?

I have friends with motorbikes and when they do an oil change, I just give my chain a soak in the old oil, letting the excess drip off overnight.

 

[02GF74]

why do you need a clean chain?

we keep getting post on this subject time and time again yet I've not seen/read any evidence that cleaning helps prolong the life of a chain.

from what I read - and the option I used since it is less faffing - is to spray on motorcycle chain grease, leave it for a few mins to allow it to work into the links and rollers then wipe off excess. job done.

likewise from what I read and experienced - cleaning chains in petrol, paraffin, rose or orange smelling eco friendly bio degradable cleaner is bad since it strips out the grease from the rollers, and that is where you need it most and is hardest to get back in there (as soon as you start cycling, some of it gets pushed out anyways.

certainly when I was into cleaning chains with paraffin, they felt really slack and gritty and not that much better after greasing.

what I do now is less bother and since my commute can be through mud when it rains, I accept the fact that I will get through a couple chain a year.

wonder what the great and late sheldon says about chain cleaning?

(^^^^ mostly applies to mountain bike chain; road chains don't get that dirty).

 

[02GF74]

..... oops - you ant to remove rust?

why?

fact of life. cheap chains rust more than expensive chains.

spraying on lubricant then wiping off excess is sufficient treatment. they won't be rusty on the parts that are moving against each other and that is all that matters.

the wiping off is to remove excess grease since this attracts grit and that is what wears the chain out.

if rusty appearance offends you, buy a ti-n treated gold coloured KNC chain.

oh, and I'm not convinced the bicarb will work.

 

[Fab Foodie]

C'mon O2GF74 don't sit on the fence on this one!

FWIW, I'm with you, too much anal banality talked about chains, quick mickle method and keep it lubed keeps 'em running long and smooth. Life's too short for all this degreasing crap especially when its value is so limited (and it may be detrimental).

Over 25 years I've done the whole degrease heat in hot oil-bath stuff to the simplicity of the Mickle. Quick baby-wiping, lube, spin, baby-wipe, ride.... It's the mickle all the way for me now. Anything more is self-gratifying IMO.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Oh, and "Fab Foodie" lets not get too sniffy on the self-gratifying front, as they say you can beat an egg but ......

You can't beat cleaning your chain?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I was told by someone @ work that using bicarb of soda mixed with water to a paste use a toothbrush leave on 4 a few minutes then rinsed off with water then lubricant the chain is a good way to remove the rust. Good for the environment aswell

Regards iain

Mostly cos bicarb in a paste is slightly abrasive. Toothpaste would do just as well as would washing powder.

 

[MacB]

The most reliable method is to use cow dung, you need to slather it on and then run through the full gears combinations to spread it everywhere. Next you leave it outside and let the flies get to it. They hoover up everything and get right in to the hard to reach places. A top tip is to combine this with commuting/shopping when bike security is an issue. You may be able to dispense with a lock altogether, but you do need to carry a fresh cow pat with you.

 

[Mista Preston]

The most reliable method is to use cow dung, you need to slather it on and then run through the full gears combinations to spread it everywhere. Next you leave it outside and let the flies get to it. They hoover up everything and get right in to the hard to reach places. A top tip is to combine this with commuting/shopping when bike security is an issue. You may be able to dispense with a lock altogether, but you do need to carry a fresh cow pat with you.

Post of the year contender their MacB

 

[tyred]

I used to boil my chain in lard but I became worried about the effects of saturated fat on the health of my chain. So, I started to use cheap cooking oil from Tescos but now I have become worried about trans-fats being bad for the health of my chain so have switched to the very best virgin olive oil. Now my chain runs so silently, I can hear my watch ticking, which is rather annoying.

I have now decided to boil my watch in olive oil to see if that silences it.

 

[TheDoctor]

*giggles inanely @ Tyred*
Pint of what you're on please!!

 

[potsy]

Have you two been sniffing the oil or putting it on your chains

 

[TheDoctor]

I reckon they've been on the degreaser myself. Or the oil has started to ferment.

 

[Zippy]

I once tried greasing my old clonker's bottom bracket by tipping hot chicken grease down the down tube (I was 14 then and it seemed like a great idea as I was too scared to remove the BB).

It seemed to work but the bike smelled like a dog's dinner in the hot weather!