http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Chain Maintenance en Wed, 13 May 2026 01:48:46 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292777 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 14:17:26 +0000 LaidBack 292777@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Quest Velo rear mech with hatch off. </p> <p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66067108@N08/14850883032/in/album-72157633251674559/" title="Velomobiel Quest Carbon work in progress"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5590/14850883032_fd184eeb75.jpg" alt="Velomobiel Quest Carbon work in progress" /></a></p> <p>Agree that chainguards or belt drives should be the ideal for commuting bikes. Full guards need hub gears which raise the cost for entry level cyclists though. If you balance the cost of possibly wrecking ordinary clothing versus extra for a nice bike (eg Gazelle) then it might make sense. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292769 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:20:42 +0000 Arellcat 292769@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I'm sure Arellcat finds it simpler to keep a drivechain clean than most of us.</em></p> <p>It does stay <em>remarkably</em> clean. It does accumulate a bit of dust, because it's going through seven feet of chain tube, but really all I do is I squirt on some lube every thousand miles or so. My last chain lasted about 7000 miles, although the wear was slightly uneven; some sections were less than 0.7% elongation, some were just over 1%. Never got on with KMC chains all that well, to be honest. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292767 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:05:11 +0000 Blueth 292767@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've used diesel for years. Quick release chain link, chain off, swirl round in a sealed jar (can be brushed if really bad) then rinse in a jar of clean diesel. Both can be reused a few times. I then soak the chain in oil (automatic transmission fluid currently as I got a gallon of it cheap). You can just dry the outside then put back on the bike without soaking as while diesel really removes dirt, unlike other cleaners it leaves an oily film rather than stripping everything off.</p> <p>Best idea is to have two chains on the go so you have one ready to put on and also thereby extend sprocket life as the transmission has a "good" chain on for twice as long.</p> <p>Can be done indoors if careful (use a large plastic drain tray?) as diesel does not give off highly flammable vapours.</p> <p>But Harts is right - commuter bikes should be sold with chaincases. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292755 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:51:04 +0000 steveo 292755@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Petroleum is a very strong degreaser. </p> <p>White spirit is a slightly more stable distillation than gasoline and has less additives than modern diesel fuel. Best thing about white spirit is that is very very reusable. Let the crud settle out of suspension filter it and chuck another chain in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292752 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:42:54 +0000 unhurt 292752@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wouldn't a degreaser work better than random fuel or paint-stripping substances? Or have you got some unused diesel just waiting to be decanted inside the flat? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292732 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:35:54 +0000 steveo 292732@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Use white spirit it's less toxic (marginally) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292730 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:32:48 +0000 dessert rat 292730@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>someone advising me to let chain sit in diesel for an hour or so - takes everything off - any thoughts ? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292647 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:00:10 +0000 Harts Cyclery 292647@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And if you still hate all that, then buy a bike with a full chain case. (Hint: my daily bike has a full chain case, only my sport bikes have naked drivetrains...) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292646 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 19:58:47 +0000 Harts Cyclery 292646@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you get our Classic or Grand Tour service they include a full drive train degrease. Won't change a chain unless it needs it.</p> <p>Can do a simple degrease for a tenner or a full bike wash for £15. Swing by some time.</p> <p>And if you fancy doing it yourself, the pro technique is as follows:</p> <p>Cut an old water bottle in 2/3 or half. Fill with degreaser of choice (Morgan Blue Chain Cleaner in my case), place it in your seat tube bottle cage (if you have one) and use an old paint brush (or specific chain brush) to dunk in degreaser and then brush onto chain/cassette/chainrings/derailluers. Leave to work in for a while and the rinse off, dry and relube.</p> <p>Morgan Blue lubes and cleaners avaialable in store :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292640 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 19:10:44 +0000 gembo 292640@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson, yeah but arellcat's drive chain is bigger than our drive chains </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292639 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 17:34:36 +0000 acsimpson 292639@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cars have a weight penalty to keep their drive chain covered up so that any dirt is superficial. </p> <p>I'm sure Arellcat finds it simpler to keep a drivechain clean than most of us. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292638 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 17:23:56 +0000 amir 292638@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cars seem cheaper to clean. (And I am sure my neighbours mutter about me spending all my time cleaning/maintaining my bikes rather than cleaning the car like a good neighbour should) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292636 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:55:50 +0000 wingpig 292636@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The EBC once complained that my bike was lucky when it was in for something. Can't think what it was that I'd have left the bike with them to do, unless it was about twelve years ago when the relatively new crank started making a honking noise under load. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292635 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:45:30 +0000 I were right about that saddle 292635@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just for Ian's friend's sanity I'll note that mechanics by and large <strong>do not like</strong> to be asked to clean things.</p> <p>They see themselves as mechanics, not cleaners. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292634 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:42:39 +0000 Snowy 292634@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cyclone chain cleaner, whatever degreaser I happen to have lying around, and cheap Ikea dish-washing brushes for the cassette and jockeys... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292623 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 14:44:32 +0000 gembo 292623@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Arellcat, uncle Sheldon dons a lab coat and dismantles every single piece of the chain cleans then reassembles, a biting satire to my mind </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292619 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 13:34:57 +0000 Arellcat 292619@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Get some of the 'Toujours' brand from Lidl - not the bumwipes, which are much thinner and easier to rip as they're meant to be flushable.</em></p> <p>"Meant to be".</p> <p>Speaking as someone who picked 150 wet wipes off the beach in three hours at Cramond, two days after another beach clean party had visited, I would urge you not to consider any wet wipes as flushable. Flushed wet wipes go into the foul sewer, the foul sewer overflows into water courses during storms (or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/19/dont-flush-wet-wipes-toilet-conservationists">blockages caused by wet wipes and fat</a>), and water courses drain into the sea.</p> <p>If they contain polyester, they will not biodegrade in any reasonable length of time.</p> <p>I use the Park Tool Cyclone chain cleaner, with Dirt Wash degreaser, rinsing it with plain hot water before lubing the chain. I also do the washing part outside, then bring the bike back inside to blast the water out with my hairdryer.</p> <p>Uncle Sheldon prefers paraffin and a jam jar, if I remember correctly. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157&page=2#post-292616 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 13:02:14 +0000 unhurt 292616@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That is exactly the cleaner I have - but I have never used the sticky out handle, just hold the body of the thing with my left hand and turn crank with my right. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292611 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 12:52:55 +0000 Trixie 292611@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@unhurt - One of these days I may feel up to trying again. It was one of those things I thought would take 20mins and I was there for over an hour all filthy and annoyed... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292608 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 12:35:28 +0000 EdinburghCycleCam 292608@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"My only proper chain cleaning device broke on its first use twelve years ago. I did briefly try using a couple of nail rushes clamped together around the chain but it quickly results in a pair of nailbrushes gummed up with dark brown chaingunk and no appreciable reduction thereof on the chain itself."</p> <p>Are you me? :)</p> <p>I got a chain bath free with a can of muc-off, which broke on the first use. I then also moved to two Tesco nail brushes held together, and liberally covered in muc-off chain cleaner - the brushes don't go black, but if you don't clean them properly the muc off causes the nail brushes to disintegrate.</p> <p>I tend to take my rear wheel off, clean the casette with muc-off and an old toothbrush, then use the nailbrush &amp; muc-off technique for the chain, then muc-off and toothbrush on the jockey wheels. I think I'm single-handedly keeping muc-off in business.</p> <p>People at work swear by this: <a href="http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tool-cyclone-chain-scrubber-cm-52" rel="nofollow">http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tool-cyclone-chain-scrubber-cm-52</a></p> <p>I've yet to try the baby wipe (I've also heard flash wipes work well too) technique, which is probably just as environmentally unfriendly as using half a can of muc-off - I'll give it a whirl this weekend, since my chain is starting to look decidedly gummy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292603 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 12:05:57 +0000 unhurt 292603@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just for the record: my chain bath works fine. Perhaps a niche in the market for remedial lessons in its operation? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292602 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 11:55:36 +0000 chdot 292602@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“This weekend I'm going to Lidl for baby wipes.”</p> <p>Time and place??</p> <p>Could be a new CCE flash mob event! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292597 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 11:11:58 +0000 Trixie 292597@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I bought one of those chain bath attachment thingies. The video made it seem so simple. My attempt involved the chain coming off, oily liquid everywhere and lots of rule 2-ing. I've done little more than wipe with a rag and re-oil since.</p> <p>This weekend I'm going to Lidl for baby wipes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292596 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:52:33 +0000 unhurt 292596@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Iwrats so, as long as you didn't store your sperm in intricate glassware I assume everything would work out ok? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292594 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:37:18 +0000 Edinburgh Cycle Training 292594@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>After reading on here about the babywipes, I've never used anything else (except an old toothbrush on the jockey wheels) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292593 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:25:16 +0000 I were right about that saddle 292593@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Back in the day there was a rumour ultrasonic baths killed your sperm. And I don't mean steveo-style whole-body baths.</p> <p>Great for cleaning intricate glassware though. The awesome power of microcavitation. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292590 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:07:08 +0000 unhurt 292590@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I thought you were just dipping them in white spirits. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292583 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:09:11 +0000 steveo 292583@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah yeah, course it is*. How else do you think I get the kids clean. </p> <p>*We'll I've never heard it working. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292566 Mon, 01 Oct 2018 22:11:52 +0000 I were right about that saddle 292566@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@steveo</p> <p>Is your bathtub 'ultrasonic'? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19157#post-292562 Mon, 01 Oct 2018 21:47:41 +0000 gembo 292562@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I left a chain in car oil all year after buying it, using It once, not realising it had salt on it, it seizing on the hook in the garage, me leaving it all summer(me then putting it in the oil until the next winter) then Matt at just bikes unseized it. Then used it the whole of the next winter. </p>