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Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations?

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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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justinhorne
Sep 7, 18 14:01
Post #51 of 56 (603 views)
Tom_hampton wrote:
Sorry... That was a quote from Jason N just above yours. He said he put on a brand new chain, and referred to the waxy film on the new chain. My bullet #1 was in response to that.

I should have segregated my responses.

Gotcha, no worries.

Overall, I still like dry lubes, and I'm happy with Squirt. I've just stopped chasing the perfectly clean chain ghost. Just low on my list of concerns at this point.
JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.
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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [justinhorne] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir
Sep 7, 18 15:00
Post #52 of 56 (594 views)
justinhorne wrote:
Jason N wrote:
lightning33 wrote:
When you see a GCN video where they touch the chain, nothing comes off on their hands. I thought that was what clean really was, but maybe not.


I've completely cleaned my drive train, wiped down every cassette cog, the jockey wheels, and pulled the crank off to give the chain rings a thorough cleaning and wipe down. Then put on a brand new chain. Touch the chain at that point, and nothing visible in terms of color on your hands. Of course there is the waxy lubricant that comes with the chain.

Take the bike out on a 25 mile ride with no rain or moisture at all...rub your finger the chain...and it leaves a slightly black smear. It was at this point where I knew it was pointless to keep a chain "super clean" and instead just focus on making sure it wasn't wearing out any faster than it should be.


Happy I'm not the only one. You read enough about the virtues of waxing and marketing copy people make it out to sound like waxed chains can be rubbed against a white dress shirt because the 'dirt just flakes off!" Much like you, I've made my system spotless, waxed it nicely, and I'll get a chainring tat the very next ride. I'm perfectly happy with the performance, but I think the expectations of apparent cleanliness don't really match reality.

This definitely wil not happen with a paraffin-waxed chain. Not sure about Squirt, but my paraffin waxed chain leaves zero chain tattoo. I will leave some light dark wax on white clothes if you press it up sure, but that comes off immediately, unlike the tenacious wet lube chain tattoo.
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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [justinhorne] [ In reply to ]
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RichardL
Sep 7, 18 16:39
Post #53 of 56 (583 views)
justinhorne wrote:
I've made my system spotless, waxed it nicely, and I'll get a chainring tat the very next ride.
You are doing something wrong because I never get any tat with paraffin wax or Molten Speed Wax.
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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [RichardL] [ In reply to ]
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justinhorne
Sep 7, 18 17:57
Post #54 of 56 (567 views)
RichardL wrote:
justinhorne wrote:
I've made my system spotless, waxed it nicely, and I'll get a chainring tat the very next ride.

You are doing something wrong because I never get any tat with paraffin wax or Molten Speed Wax.

Was this meant to be pink? Politely, the fact that you don't get any tat doesn't really change the fact that I did. Trust me, it was annoying as hell. Admitedly it was a long ride (like 75 ish. I don't know, this was years ago) and maybe the path I was on contributed a lot to it (N. Idaho/Spokane area), but it happened. Maybe it just picked up a ton of grit and crap, beats me.

I trust the group though. Maybe I'll give it another try in the offseason. For now, I'm content with squirt.
JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.
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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [mickison] [ In reply to ]
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IT
Sep 7, 18 19:52
Post #55 of 56 (558 views)
mickison wrote:
Murphy'sLaw wrote:
david wrote:
I think you all (not you specifically) have too much time on your hands!!! I keep a pile of old rags next to my work stand. I frequently pedal backwards through the rag and re-lube. Take maybe 2 minutes. Runs pretty smooth.


Yeah, pretty much this.

Time to clean & lube the chain?
Grab rag, backpedal the chain thru the rag a few times to get the heavier gunk off.
Lube with R&R Gold
Wipe down with rag again.
Ride fast & happy.

I guess it's my background in MTB, and now also doing a lot of gravel/cx riding, that "clean" is a relative term, not an absolute.

It's also very temporary.
What's the point of getting the chain clean enough to eat off of, when it is going to start getting dirty again literally immediately upon riding it?


post ride I usually just wipe chain with a rag to get gunk off. If I plan on washing my bike, I rinse and use chain cleaner to clean the chain. and then rarely when I really thoroughly clean my bike I will remove the chain and cassette and soak in mineral spirits. But I've done that less and less because one ride and it's all gunked up again.

I'm in this camp of chain cleaning. Just one ride within a mile of the Gulf coast will have sand on the chain, even a waxed chain.

When cleaning, I think in terms of "half lives". Wipe off the outside. Don't use a cleaner. Lube and wipe makes it 50% cleaner. Lube and wipe again is 75% cleaner than when I started. Another lube and wipe gets me to about 87.5% cleaner.

For me doing the easy chain lubing frequently/as needed works better than trying to achieve the 99.9% clean chain that won't last for long where I live.

Where you live and how much you ride outdoors could influence your approach to chain cleaning and wax or lube.
Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.
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Re: Chain cleaning/degreasing expectations? [justinhorne] [ In reply to ]
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lyrrad
Sep 8, 18 4:46
Post #56 of 56 (531 views)
justinhorne wrote:
RichardL wrote:
justinhorne wrote:
I've made my system spotless, waxed it nicely, and I'll get a chainring tat the very next ride.

You are doing something wrong because I never get any tat with paraffin wax or Molten Speed Wax.


Was this meant to be pink? Politely, the fact that you don't get any tat doesn't really change the fact that I did. Trust me, it was annoying as hell. Admitedly it was a long ride (like 75 ish. I don't know, this was years ago) and maybe the path I was on contributed a lot to it (N. Idaho/Spokane area), but it happened. Maybe it just picked up a ton of grit and crap, beats me.

I trust the group though. Maybe I'll give it another try in the offseason. For now, I'm content with squirt.

He is right, if you get marks off of a waxed chain you have done something wrong.
Wipe off as much wax as possible before fitting.
Dirt will not stick at all.
My MTB chain simply gets taken from the bike and dumped in the mini deep fryer I use.
No cleaning required, nor do I need to clean any other part of the drivetrain either.
The wax should last for 2 or 300km minimum, so a 100km ride should not faze it.
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