Road Bike Chain - help

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brokenflipflop

Veteran
Location
Worsley
Hi,

Got a road bike and do 200-300 miles a month - It's only 3 months old.

My question is:

!. How often does the chain need de-greasing/lubing?

2. What is the best de-greaser and lube should I use?

Cheers

Rob
 

Sleeper

New Member
Hot and personal topic!! For me, I hate grubby chains so when it's black, it's being cleaned. Roughly every 150-200 miles or so. At rusk of being flamed(!) I petrol bathe and soak, dry thoroughly in the oven, manipulate and make sure it's spotless. Then use finishline wet lube on each link, let it sink in (one drop only) then wipe over the whole ting with a freshly oiled rag befor refitting. HTH, Ben :smile:
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
As Ben says, a hot topic, everyones got their own method.
Do you want cheap and quick ?
Wipe the excess dirt / oil off the chain with a rag. Drip engine oil on each roller (you don't need to lather it on), work your way round, spin the cranks a few times to let the oil work its way into the pins, then wipe all the excess off, then wipe again.

Pros...cheap and quick.
Cons..you do get fine droplets of oil spraying off onto your wheel and stays. If you like to keep your bike spotless, it makes it harder.


Do you want more expensive and cleaner looking ?
Wipe the excess dirt / oil off the chain with a rag. Drip Finish line lube (ive used Finish Line Dry, but it goes black as well after a while) onto each roller...then wipe off as above.

Pros...the lube is thinner and works into the pins quickly. May be better lube (may be ?). Less spray when riding (maybe not any), cleaner chain (dependant on which lube you use)
Cons..works out a lot more expensive than engine oil.


Do you want to really do the business ?
Remove the chain, clean in petrol, diesel, detergent, dry by baking or evaporation. Then use an expensive (depends on your point of view) lubricant like Finish line or others....then wipe off as above.

Pros...removes all the grit in the rollers, theroretically makes your chain last longer (theroretically?)
Cons...a lot of faffing about for some people.


Ive used all three (or a variety of)...and can't really say any makes that much difference. i just wipe then, then wipe clean. Quck easy, cheap...but slightly messy.
 

al-fresco

Growing older but not up...
Location
Shropshire
I'm a convert to the Mickle method - I do it once a week, chain still looks spotless after 1700 miles. The wear is slightly below .75 on the Park Tools chain gauge so I reckon I'll be changing it in another 300 miles or so.
 

Bobtoo

Über Member
I've taken three chains off and soaked them in solvent. All were ultra-low mileage (two barely into double figures, one maybe just into the hundreds) and they ranged in age from 9-26 years. I was amazed at the amount of grit that came off them.

I don't know if it was the right thing to do but I cooked them all in engine oil before refitting. My thinking was that the hot oil would chase off any remaining moisture and penetrate right into the rollers.
 
OP
OP
B

brokenflipflop

Veteran
Location
Worsley
Thanks for that everyone, I really appreciate the advice.

Some of you have credited me with enough where-with-all to completely remove my chain so thanks for that
biggrin.gif


I have actually just ordered a chain removal thingy off the net so I might give it a go one day (at the risk of being off the road until I take it to a LBS to put right what I've cocked up).

Thanks again for the advice - it will be really useful.

cheers

Rob
 
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