What do you use to clean your chain?

[Bad JuJu]

I have one of those chain cleaners that attach to your chain and clean it while it's still on the bike, but the bottle of cleaner that came with it is now empty. So what do I use now? Is there something I can just go pick up at the hardware store rather than buying some whiz-bang expensive stuff at the LBS? I know there's such a thing as a degreaser/cleaner--would any old degreaser work? What about Dawn dishwashing detergent diluted with a little water?

[emily_in_nc]

I use citrus degreaser my husband buys at home-improvement stores. Works great and smells nice too!

Emily

[maillotpois]

Ditto on the citrus cleaner. I have friends who use Simple Green.

[KnottedYet]

Simple Green or Trader Joe's Lavender dish soap. (with a Park chain cleaner)

The nice thing about these two "degreasers" is that you don't have to wait hours for the citrus stuff to evaporate before you put your chain wax/grease on.

[Bad JuJu]

Hey, Knot, do you dilute the dish soap, or just use it full strength?

[KnottedYet]

I use a squirt about the same as I'd use for dishes, but since it's going into less water (the Park chain cleaner) it ends up a lot more concentrated.

I'd guess I use maybe 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of soap and then fill the rest of the way with water?

I usually run the chain through 30-40 times, dump the soapy water, refill with clean soapy water, run through again. Rinse.

Probably gets my chain about as clean as the citrus degreaser the Park chain gang came with (though doesn't smell quite as yummy!). It does dry a lot faster, which I like because I'm *totally* into instant gratification! :D

[Kalidurga]

I'm trying an experiment this year. After years of doing the ol' Finish Line chain cleaner filled w/ various LBS degreasers, I started using a self-cleaning lube (Rock'N'Roll Gold). I've read and been told several times that with self-cleaning lubes, you should not degrease the chain. Apparently, the residue from degreasers ends up contributing to the accumulation of gunk.

So, I'm having a brand-spanking new chain installed this year and I'm not gonna touch it with degreaser. It'll only be cleaned by the application of self-cleaning lube. I'll let y'all know in a few months how my chain looks. ;)

Has anyone else here already tried this?

[han-grrl]

I use the "green juice" from mountain equipment co-op here in canada (its kind of like REI).

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442618968&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302693915&bmUID=1169142740215

i then use soapy water to remove the degreaser, then wipe wipe wipe, and relube.

[Blueberry]

I'm trying an experiment this year. After years of doing the ol' Finish Line chain cleaner filled w/ various LBS degreasers, I started using a self-cleaning lube (Rock'N'Roll Gold). I've read and been told several times that with self-cleaning lubes, you should not degrease the chain. Apparently, the residue from degreasers ends up contributing to the accumulation of gunk.

So, I'm having a brand-spanking new chain installed this year and I'm not gonna touch it with degreaser. It'll only be cleaned by the application of self-cleaning lube. I'll let y'all know in a few months how my chain looks. ;)

Has anyone else here already tried this?

I've wanted to try this, but I always have trouble getting the gook that comes on the chain off - and I think you have to do that before you can use the nice self cleaning lube - don't you:confused: :confused:

[Kalidurga]

I've wanted to try this, but I always have trouble getting the gook that comes on the chain off - and I think you have to do that before you can use the nice self cleaning lube - don't you:confused: :confused:

When I first used the self-clean lube, I degreased the chain first with my chain cleaner. Then I finally tried just using the lube. I still pick up a little bit of gunk, but it wipes off pretty easily. That's why I want to try this with a brand-new chain, for the sake of comparison.

[Blueberry]

But my brand new chains always *come* with gook on them:confused: :confused: I'll be interested to see what results you get, though...

[SouthernBelle]

When I cleaned my chain last week, I spent more time running it through a towel than I did in the chain cleaner. I think it's the cleanest I've ever gotten it.

[maillotpois]

But my brand new chains always *come* with gook on them:confused: :confused: I'll be interested to see what results you get, though...

My understanding is that is simply a protective lubricant to prevent rust more than anything else - that's why you always need to lube an "out of the box" new chain.

[maillotpois]

Simple Green or Trader Joe's Lavender dish soap. (with a Park chain cleaner)



Knot, your bike must smell really nice!! :D :D :D

[Aggie_Ama]

My DH. We use Simple Green in the Park Tool Cyclone cleaner.

For the record, I can clean my own bike. I think DH enjoys the one thing I will let him do for me (other than reach the top shelves at the grocery store).

[SnappyPix]

Kali,

I tried exactly the same experiment you describe. After years of gunked up chains, I started using Rock&Roll when I had a new one fitted.
It was the best thing I ever did! Lovely clean chain and no degreasing (and no more sticky black glue wiping itself all over my bike kit).
The stuff I used was Rock N Roll Absolute Dry. You need to make sure you thoroughly wipe the lube off the chain with a dry cloth (and wipe and wipe again) - I would also give it a good scrub with a toothbrush (to get in between the pins) before applying more lube and wiping clean. Always came up a treat.
The downside is that it causes an unhealthy obsession with clean chains! But this is good!

I was living in NZ at the time though (no salt on roads), so to cope with the salt and crap on the roads here in the UK I'm about to try the same technique with Purple Extreme (which was originally used for lubricating oil rigs, so I'm hoping it'll cope with our salty roads!).

[Kalidurga]

Snappy, I'm glad to hear about the results you got. I use the Rock'n'Roll Gold lube, at the recommendation of one of their customer service folks, and I usually wipe it until it leaves no residue when I swipe the chain with a finger (my version of the "white glove" test). I get my bike with it's new chain back from the shop this week, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this works out.

Please let us know what results you get from Purple Extreme. I heard about that brand right after I picked up my bottle of Rock'n'Roll and I've been curious about it ever since.

[VeloChick]

I have one of those chain cleaners that attach to your chain and clean it while it's still on the bike

I used one of those for years - then I found ProLink. This is a cleaner/lube all-in-one. Now I just use a rag, and apply this once - let sit, and reapply/wipe off. Your chain comes out clean and lubricated.

Every month or so, I remove the chain from the bike, and let it soak in a degreaser for a day. Then I reinstall, and lube. :)

[HillSlugger]

What's the proper way to dispose of the degreaser/cleaner solutions?

[Mags...]

I used one of those for years - then I found ProLink. This is a cleaner/lube all-in-one. Now I just use a rag, and apply this once - let sit, and reapply/wipe off. Your chain comes out clean and lubricated.

Every month or so, I remove the chain from the bike, and let it soak in a degreaser for a day. Then I reinstall, and lube. :)

I've been using the Rock'N'Roll Gold since i put on my current chain a couple of months ago. I've heard a few positive reports on ProLink and recently my LBS started stocking it. I was thinking of giving it a go when my current bottle of Rock'N'Roll is finished. Are these 2 products pretty much the same as each other? They both do the clean-and- lube-in-one thing, but is one better than the other?

I've thought about whether I should remove the chain and degease it occasionally, but the guy at the LBS says it shouldn't be necessary. But like some of you ladies, I'm almost obsessive about chain cleanliness.