Rusty chain and cassette

[citybabe]

What's the best way to clean up a rusty chain and cassette?

My neighbour's just realised his shed is leaking very badly.
He's only had his bike 2 months and his chain looks like it's been left outside for months.

Can they be cleaned up or is it new chain and cassette time?

 

[HarryTheDog]

In my opinion unless its a expensive chain probably not the worth the hassle of trying to de-rust it, they are a consumable buy another. Most cassettes can be taken apart and individual sprockets quite easily de-rusted with a wire brush etc depends how bad it is and the cost of a new one.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

As Harry said, it is possible. Once my rather shiney Campag Chorus chain and cassette became rather rusty. I used a wire brush on the chain and then smothered the whole lot in oil. I used the stuff in my old fashioned oil can, one of those with the little trigger pump. Probably diff/gearbox oil or something.

I then went for a 25 mile ride changing gear up and down the cassette as often as possible. By the time I got back the chain was a lovely shade of dark ochre. Several changes of solvent in the chain cleaner later and the chain was back to its silver best. I periodically take the cassette off and clean it a sprocket at a time anyway and that restored as well.

Worth a try.

 

[citybabe]

Thanks for the replies. It does seem rather a faff to clean them up

I did suggest a new chain and cassette myself but I'm not sure he wants to spend the money on new bits

 

[heist]

I always use white spirit, and an old brush to clean my chain. Seems to work well.

 

[lpretro1]

Think he needs to fix the shed before he puts any new stuff on!

 

[citybabe]

Think he needs to fix the shed before he puts any new stuff on!

Yeah. Shed is now fixed!

 

[wam68]

Vinegar. Throw it all in a jar, tin and leave for 24 - 48 hrs. Some sort of chemical reaction happens blah blah blah and hey presto nice shiny metal again with no rust