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I hate getting dirty when cleaning the bike. That grease gets under your fingernails and takes up residence! So, I invested in cheapie, throw away vinyl gloves & use those when I clean the bike.
Next excuse? :p
Alas, my hubby is a very occasional hybrid rider, so I have to do all of my bike cleaning. He did buy me a great bike stand for Christmas though, which is a tremendous help!
Ditto on the cheapie gloves, Dogmama. I don't mind dirty hands, but that grease under the fingernails is SO difficult to get out. The gloves are great. They are so thin that they don't interfere with getting the dirt out of the tiny little bike crevices either.
Bike cleaning, to me, is therapeutic. It's a stress relief. I put some good CD's on and just get into making my bikes beautiful. i truly enjoy taking care of my own equipment. I probably should do it more often, but its a time thing. There's never enough of it! :rolleyes: So when I do it, I do it thoroughly and appreciate the results.
annie
How often do you all clean your chains?
My commuter bike stays grubby most of the year, usually through laziness, I spray with Muc-Off, relube, but not much else.
My road bikes are another matter! I love nothing better than a lovely golden brown chain, but just one ride and I'm back to sludgey black!
What grease do you use? I'm trying to find a happy medium between not too thin (washes off) and not too heavy (attracts crud). I use a proper chain cleaner (reservoir) and degreaser - but still the rust seems to set in.
Anyone got any tips on good chain maintenance?
I also heard a story from the lbs that when you change a chain because of wear/age, you should change the cassettes - which I think is overkill - I realise the sprockets will be worn, but not to that extent, surely?
if you let your chain get worn, yes, you need to replace cassettes and cogs when you replace the chain. However, if you chekc your chain and replace it before it's really worn, you will get much more mileage out of your drivetrain. There is a simple $7 device called a chain checker
that you can use to check your chain. I go about every 400 miles or so.
As for cleaning it... more is better. It most likely depends on your riding conditions. I lube mine regularly, and clean as needed. Dust can be just as bad as mud.
Lubes vary on riding conditions. SOme shed mud and attact dust, - it's best to ask other local riders/shops what they recommend for your area.
irulan
From a lube standpoint, I like to use Boeshield T9. It's one of the best lubricants that I've ever used. However, the directions need to be followed. What I usually do is on cleaning day, when I don't have any other rides planned for that evening, I lube the chain, derailers, cable, etc., then let the lubricant dry overnight. The next day I wipe everything down to remove the excess. I get great results out of this.
Check your LBS. They may carry it. It comes in aerosol and in non-aerosol. For the bike, non-aerosol I think is best. Less waste. :)
Mel