Cleaning chain/cassette

[Melalvai]

I think chain cleaning technique & practices is partly a function of how you use your bike. As a commuter, I clean my chain once a week and wipe it down any day it rains. If it does develop visible rust, such as if I forgot to wipe it down on a rainy day or if there's snow, ice & salt, I take the Simple Green to it and use the chain cleaner tool. Otherwise, I just run it through a rag.

I am not so patient as to wait until it is completely not black. That takes forever, and a few applications of oil. Yeah, I guess the purpose of the lube is to clean the chain more than it is to lube moving parts. It took me a while to figure that out. Leaving oil on the chain just gives the dirt something to stick to.

I replace my chain every 1500 miles. At the bike shop we check it with the tool and it's approaching 1/8 inch at that point. I was so proud of myself because my cassette lasted 5000 miles, and the mechanic said that was due to my diligent chain cleaning!

[Bike Writer]

Reviving the thread to update with my experience using a new kit for chain cleaning...

Santa brought a Parks Tool chain cleaning kit that has the blue gizmo with brushes and wheels and works somewhat like a golf ball cleaner. You fit this over your chain, fill with the cleaner/degreaser that comes with it, snap the top part on and hold it by the handle while you crank your pedals. I did this outside because it was such a sunny day yesterday that even with cool Michigan temps, it was fine to be outside tinkering with a project for a short while. While I will attempt almost anything I can be challenged at times.

The first go-round was not too successful except that it did get a LOT of gunk off the chain, but in the process I managed to have the chain hop off and nearly tipped over the bike. I cleaned up my hands and decided on a different approach. I have way more success working on a bike upside down than I do right side up. (Don't have a bike stand and don't plan on getting one). Made all the difference in the world. On the second go round I managed to get the chain to hop off again but with the bike in this position and the chain now cleaner, it was easy to get back on. So after two applications using the cleaner I decided it was time to go to soap and water. I filled the vessle with hot sudsy water and ran it through with a couple of sudsy water changes. At this point I was becoming much more adept at it and figured out how to make this work easily WITHOUT knocking the chain off. I just didn't have the hang of it at first but once I got it, this is a very easy tool to use and incredibly effictive. I don't think my chain has been this clean since I bought my bike.

Shiny clean and I also used the brush that came with it to clean the cogs and cassette and the little jockey wheels so the whole drive train is clean and grime free.

Bottom line on this new toy is that I love it.

[Catrin]

Santa brought me a set of 3 brushes designed for bike cleaning, and this thick floss looking stuff that is meant for cleaning between the cogs on the rear cassette. Gotta love wish lists at the bike store All I now need is that chain cleaning thing that Bike Writer mentioned - I can't seem to clean it effectively without taking the chain off otherwise, and it can't be good for the chain to take it off every time I clean it.

I wipe the chain after every ride for all of my bikes, clean the chain when it gets to the point that my other methods doesn't seem to be working (or every two weeks when I am able to do lots of riding), and "lube" the chain when it starts talking to me and tells me it is starting to dry out.