Chain cleaning

[Arlingtonrider]

Cleaning my chain, even with the Parktool chain cleaning system, always seems to me to be messier and more difficult than it should be. I’m trying to hold the bike upright without the kickstand, move the pedals backward, and hold the chain cleaning tool in place all at the same time.

I’m also making a big black puddle on the layers of newspaper underneath, somehow getting black gunk on my hands and under my fingernails, and trying to figure out how to get the gunk cleaned out between the gears with the brush. I don’t yet understand how the toothed end of the brush is supposed to be used.

After I do all that, I try to dry the chain as much as possible by running it through a few layers of a t-shirt rag several times, and then I apply a stream of Rock n’ Roll gold lube, and dry again as much as possible.

I’d like to keep my bike in good shape, but I always dread going though all this. Any suggestions for making this process easier and less messy would be appreciated. Gloves would obviously help. Is there any kind of small stand people use? A best way to clean between the rear gears? I read somewhere that any hosing should be done perpendicular to the bike. I don’t want to cause any damage to the cassette.

Topic

[Greenbelt]

I use the bike rack on the back of our car — makes an excellent work stand for cleaning bikes. Can spin the wheels and chain freely.

[Arlingtonrider]

Using a car bike rack is a fantastic idea . . . and I’m sure it will be helpful to others reading this thread. Unfortunately, I don’t have one and they don’t make one that fits my particular model, year and make vehicle (an older station wagon designed with everything in mind except a rear bike rack), so will have to find another solution. Thanks anyway, though.

[consularrider]

There are some inexpensive stands that are ok for working on your chain or some light work. For a fuller workstand you’ll pay over $100. Also, the curved toothed end of the brush is for cleaning between gears on your rear cassette.

[elcee]

The Park Tool site is my go-to place for bike maintenance. Here’s a link that illustrates how to wash your bike:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bike-washing-and-cleaning

I don’t bother with a stand. I just lean the back tire against a wall; the bike is angled out so that the front tire doesn’t touch anything (except the ground, of course). This usually provides enough clearance to spin the cranks backwards.

I just accept the fact that there will be splatter. On the other hand, I usually clean the chain, cogs, and rings before there’s a big build-up of dirt. Sometimes this means immediately after riding, e.g. the C&O on a wet day; I may not use the chain cleaner, but I’ll squirt some Simple Green into a rag, wipe the chain down, then relube. I find it easier to clean a little bit often.

[Arlingtonrider]

Thanks so much for that great info and the link. I should have thought to look at the Parktools website before I posted, but you all are adding great info above and beyond what they have there. Thanks!

[KLizotte]

After a few frustrating (and messy) cleanings I ended up buying one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ROHJ12/ref=oh_o03_s00_i00_details
It works great and the nice thing is you can bring the bike up to a chest high level so no more leaning over!

I still don’t have the greatest of luck with the chain cleaning tool that you have. It still splatters despite my best efforts but I’m getting better at it. Sometimes I just forgo it altogether and only clean the chain with a multitude of rags (I bought a box of them from Home Depot).

If you want to try your bike on my repair stand just send me a private msg.

[KLizotte]

@elcee 11248 wrote:

The Park Tool site is my go-to place for bike maintenance. Here’s a link that illustrates how to wash your bike:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bike-washing-and-cleaning

This was a very useful site though I must confess that my bike will only get that level of cleaning about once every five years (heck, I don’t even wash myself that thoroughly! :p)

[bikesnick]

+1 for using a car rack. i also have used a rope hanging from the basement ceiling under the saddle to hold the back wheel off the ground.
i use an old toothbrush and long strip of cloth (like flossing) for cleaning cogs. another tool i just read about is a pipe-cleaner. there is a bicycle specific cleaning pipe cleaner, but assume any pipe cleaner would work as well.
yes, cleaning a cassette and chain is dirty business. dish cleaning soap works great for cleaning hands afterwards.
/bs

[Riley Casey]

Ya, chain cleaners are a guy thing 😮

@KLizotte 11256 wrote:

This was a very useful site though I must confess that my bike will only get that level of cleaning about once every five years (heck, I don’t even wash myself that thoroughly! :p)

[MCL1981]

Am I the only person that just flips the bike upside down so it is resting on the seat and handlebars, supporting itself with no effort at all?

[mstone]

the efficacy of that plan depends on what’s on your handlebars

[MCL1981]

ah. My mountain bike loves that position.

[Arlingtonrider]

@consularrider 11245 wrote:

There are some inexpensive stands that are ok for working on your chain or some light work.

I bought a used Performance Quickstand today that is similar to the one in the link above, and it’s exactly what I need. The one I found is an older version of what Performance currently sells, and the design looks like it might provide a little more stability than the current ones. It’s definitely stable enough for the type of work I’ll do, and very lightweight and easy to carry around. Thanks for the suggestion!

[PrintError]

BTW: If anyone in the Herndon area ever needs to use my Park stand, just ask. It REALLY makes bike maintenance easy.

[JeffC]

I have the cheapo $15 Nashbar/Performance stand as well. It works reasonably well when you can have something holding the front tire steady. A couple other tips for chain cleaning: 1) do it outside and 2) try out some other chain cleaners. I had the Park one but don’t like it, much prefer the White Lightning one that comes with a bottle of the cleaner. I find that it cleans just as well and requires less force to use. The Park cleaner required a lot of force to use so that sometimes I would tip over my bike, not fun. I make sure that I wipe down my chain with a clean rag every 150 miles or so and relube. Wiping down the chain before relubing keeps things clean and means that I only have to do the dreaded chain cleaning regimen every 500 miles or so.

Here is the product I mean: http://www.rei.com/product/724952/white-lightning-trigger-chain-cleaner?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-gpeLink-_-product-_-724952&mr:trackingCode=6F7A4FFE-FB85-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA&{copy:s_kwcid}=&mr:adType=pla&gclid=CP6GzsG92awCFcfv7Qodwy3yrg#tabs

I would agree with the reviewers that it is hard to use without a stand though. However, this chain cleaner combined with the cheap stand really works. I also use reqular White Lighthning with the long tube to spray clean my rear cogs.

[Author]

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