OK, this is probably a stupid question, but since my weekend long ride outside there’s a lot of dirt and shit on my chain. I rinsed my bike in the shower (dorm living waddup), which is fairly high powered, but the chain is still “crusty” if you know what I mean. It’s got particles still stuck in the nooks or gaps of the chain, I think.
Do I need to buy one of these???
http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-CG-2-Cleaning-System/dp/B000WG6RVS
Ahhh I hate spending money, help!!
Grab an old tooth brush and hold it against the chain while pedaling backwards. Brush the top, bottom, inside, and outside of the chain to get everything out.
A little bit of citrus degreaser will help to clean everything up. Wipe the chain down after, let dry, then add back on some lube. Good to go!
I use a bucket of soapy water and a big automotive sponge. Do this outside, of course. Dry it off with WD40 and a rag and then relube.
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Thank you Slowtwitch, thank you, I don’t know where I’d be without you. Probably on the streets, doing drugs, actually.
Use water with Dawn soap (or similar) and a rag. Rinse off. Let dry. Lube it up. Toothbrush idea is good too.
After 20 years of spannering MTB, Road Cross and Tri… and having tried many “tricks” / “tips”, i have ended up here:-
If the chain is heavily contaminated (every 2-4 weeks of dry riding) or after every wet ride…
Kerosene in a park chain cleaner (toothbrushed do work, just messier and less effective / /more time consuming… )
use until the chain is clearly cleaned of residual oil / build up…
Flush chain rings and cassette to rid the kero from the bike… its pretty agressive stuff to oil… i.e. bearings…
Re use chain cleaner with armourall heavy duty wash, I use a good table spoon worth in the cleaner here… (or similar)… run the chain thoroughly through that, add ing water to the holes in the top of the cleaner until all the green wash in the clenaer has been picked up and run through the chain… this often takes 3-4 top ups with water in the cleaner until…
hose off the transmission a couple of times during this…
By now the chain is stripped of all oil, but covered in water…
So i invert the bike and dry the transmission with an old towel… not too carefully…
Now I apply WD-40 or any other water dispersant, spraying onto the inside face of the chain nearest the jockeys, running the chain backward at least one full revolution…
Then wipe off water and dispersant, with the towell…
Finally i apply Morgan blue race oil again to the inside of the chain whilst back pedalling, running one loop with the tip of the lube bottle at the inner outer plate on one side, and then again on the ither side… (as you look down on the chain)…
Then back pedal it 30 or so rpm and wip off all excss from the out seid of the chain and rings…
After one short dry ride / rollers session for more of the oil to have bled through the chain, si i again wipe off the excess which has migrated to the outside of the chain to reduce the amount of dust and dirt the lube will catch…
This will normally be good for 300-500kms (1week) of dry riding before a reapplication of oil is required, again the new oil witll displace the old dirty oil and is wiped off… every 1500-2000kms i degrease, unless long wet ride etc etc…
This sound all very long winded but its a quick process and has given me the best perfomance to date…
PS i have tried many dry lubes and whilst handy off road, the wet lubes simply run quieter and smooter IME…
All the best.
I use one of those serpentine brush roller thingies every time I clean my chain.
I don’t waste time with citrus or other ethical choice cleaners. I use mineral turpentine (gasoline works in a pinch)
Fill the reservoir with turps. Spin the chain backwards for 20-30 seconds. Remove the tool and dispose of the filthy turps. Repeat until the chain is squeaky clean.
Dry the chain with a clean-ish rag then let air dry overnight. Re-lube in the morning. Use the rag to wipe all the excess lube off the outside of the chain.
Note, when buying one of those brush roller things, look for one that has a magnet on the bottom. It holds the fine metal filings out of the fluid and gets the chain cleaner.
don’t think about how much the chain cleaner costs, think about how many worn out chains you won’t have to replace! And think of all the Watts you will save, riding a clean chain!
Use water with Dawn soap (or similar) and a rag. Rinse off. Let dry. Lube it up. Toothbrush idea is good too.
WTF? Using a toothbrush on your chain makes your teeth go all black! (My wife no longer lets me use her toothbrush to clean my bike. I think I need a new wife!)
Dude,
Your tire is on backwards! (according to the rotation arrow on the sidewall) and besides it looks all manky and perished
And you need to waterblast your house to get the green sh*t off the wall! 
I have a cheap version of that chain cleaner I picked up at Performance bike for maybe $12 and it works like a charm for cleaning and degreasing. I use Super Clean that you can pick up at the auto parts store in gallon jugs. I like this over something more simple like a tooth brush because it has wheels that spin through the chain and keeps all of the crap contained. It also has a little squeegee on the chain exit to help keep too much from coming out with the chain. A few laps through with the chain and a rinse with the hose - almost good as new. Let it dry completely before you lube again.
OK, this is probably a stupid question, but since my weekend long ride outside there’s a lot of dirt and shit on my chain. I rinsed my bike in the shower (dorm living waddup), which is fairly high powered, but the chain is still “crusty” if you know what I mean. It’s got particles still stuck in the nooks or gaps of the chain, I think.
Do I need to buy one of these???
http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-CG-2-Cleaning-System/dp/B000WG6RVS
Ahhh I hate spending money, help!!
I apply and wipe Rock n Roll gold every 2 to 3 days and now it never gets dirty in the first place.
Grab an old tooth brush and hold it against the chain while pedaling backwards. Brush the top, bottom, inside, and outside of the chain to get everything out.
A little bit of citrus degreaser will help to clean everything up. Wipe the chain down after, let dry, then add back on some lube. Good to go!
I do the same thing but use a brush I got from Target instead. Cost about $2 and it’s got more bristles and stiffer. Likely used to clean the grout in your shower tiles.
I use simple green instead of citrus degreaser. Cheaper. I also use a cut off top water bottle (like a dasani water bottle, not a bike bottle) and put it in the seat tube bottle cage for easy access to the simple green. I also use the brush/simple green on my rear derailleur pulleys as that is where a lot of gunk builds up.
I also use this brush for the rest of my bike. It’s freaking awesome. I got the big one.
Time for a new bike I think. :).