How do I clean a bicycle chain and gears?

Question

There are so many different ways out there on the internet and some of them involve taking the whole chain off which I prefer not to do. Whats the simplest way to do this? Do I need to buy some sort of cleaner or degreaser?

Answer 1

This is from the Sheldon Brown (may he rest in peace) website, enjoy!

It is well-known that proper chain cleaning is the most vital and important aspect of cycling. There are zillions of doo-dads and gimmicks out there intended to make this task easier for spoiled, lazy cyclists.

Unfortunately, there's no "free lunch" in bicycle maintenance, and all of these existing systems are fundamentally mono-buttocked kluges.

The only proper way to clean a bicycle chain is to disassemble it, otherwise there is no way to be sure you've thoroughly cleaned and properly lubricated the critical internal parts where chain wear occurs.

Similarly, there's no way to apply correct lubrication to an assembled chain, since the rollers have different lubrication needs than the link articulation pins do!

Disassembly

Use your chain tool to drive each chain pin halfway out. It only has to go far enough to clear one of the outer plates.

If you will be using replacement pins or Powerlinks to reassemble the chain, drive the pins all the way through and discard them.

Cleaning

Ready to go with a supply of:

Pipe cleaners, paper towels, cotton swabs, Deakinol Rinsing Solvent, Shelbrothane Cleaning Solvent, Shelbroconol Pre-soak, Phil Wood green grease and Deakins White RollerGrease



1. Soak entire chain overnight in Shelbroconol Pre-soak

2. Clean each piece thorougly with Shelbrothane Cleaning Solvent

3. Clean each roller using a cotton swab

4. Clean each inner plate hole using a pipe cleaner

5. Rinse each piece thorougly with Deakinol Rinsing Solvent

  

Lubrication

Lazy, careless cyclists lubricate their chains with various sorts or oils or other liquid lubricants, including "dry" lubricants that are delivered by a liquid medium. Serious cyclists, who value performance and are willing to take the time to do a job correctly use grease, but, of course, disassembly is required to access the surfaces that need to be greased. If you're a cheapskate, you can use the same grease for both the pins and the rollers, but if you want to do it right, you will use:

Deakins White RollerGrease for the rollers, so they can roll freely.

Phil Wood green grease for the pins, which are the parts that usually wear first.

6. Lubricate each roller using Deakins White RollerGrease  

7. Lubricate each inner plate hole using Phil Wood green grease

  

This is the step that makes your chain better than new! When chains come from the factory, they're lubricated by dipping, so that the same lubricant is used on all parts of the chain. This is a cost-cutting move on the part of the manufacturers, who choose a lubricant that is a compromise between an optimal roller lube and an optimal pin lube.

Real Cyclists, however, eschew such penny-pinching compromises, and use the correct lubricant for each application, even if it is a bit more trouble.

Re-assembly

Re-assembly is the reverse of disassembly.

Answer 2

Buy yourself a chain cleaning device - You fill it with degreaser, kind of clamp it onto the chain before the jockey wheels and peddle backwards, the (usually) 3 brushes thoroughly clean the chain. You might need to repeat this 2-3 times - It's amazing how much gunk comes off your chain.

I also like to get out a washing up brush (one of the long ones with the big handles) and attack the chain when on the chainrings to really get to the muck. This might seem obsessive...but TBH I like taking care of my bikes :) I then dry of the chain (somewhat) by grabbing the chain (again, before the jockey wheels) with an old cloth or tea towel and peddle backwared. This dries and further cleans the chain.

Remove the cassette lockring and place it in a little bowl of degreaser. Again, go at it with the brush, then rinse. I then get an old cloth or tea towel and get in the spacings. I don't want any moisture in there.

Fit the cassette and chain back up together and apply some lubricant. I like "White Lightning - Epic"

Oh - I also wipe the crud off the jockey wheels and spray a tiny amount of GT85 on the pivot points of the derailleurs and brakes.

There you go - An insight into my boring life, lol

Answer 3

I always clean my parts with simple green.

Chain, I use a power link so removal is fast and easy. Take it off and clean it in hot water and simple green. Blow it dry with an air compressor.

Then re-install and re-lube.

The chain cleaners work well, but can be kinda messy.

Cassette, Same as the chain remove it if you really want to get it clean. They sell brushes for this, but I use a tooth brush.

leaving it on you can spray it with simple green and slide a rag between the cogs to get the crude out.

Answer 4

Engine degreaser at the auto parts store. Follow directions. Apply spray-on chain lube after it is clean, also from the auto parts store.

Answer 5

i think this video will help you

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5uvLCynJx...