chain cleaning gizmos

[drplasma64]

Any brand recommendations?

Is there a difference between the $10 Nashbar brand and the $25 Park tools?

[Trek420]

$15.00? I use the Park but got it on sale paid about 15.

[newfsmith]

I'm on my 4th, I've had Pedros, a mail-order brand, Pedros, and now a Park. Right off, I liked the Park better. It stays inplace better and is easier to use. I can't tell if it will last longer. I haven't seen any difference in the cleaning, just in the ease of use.

[runnergirl]

I love the Park one I have, for $25 it came with a bottle of de-greaser and the cassette cleaning brush. The brush/pic thingy is really usefull on the mt. bike!

[JanT]

I think my chain cleaner is a Finish Line brand, a little less expensive than Park, but has worked fine for me. Now that the degreaser that came with it is gone, I use Simple Green full strength. After I clean the bike and the chain, I show up to my rides so proud of my shiny bike, which lasts for all of 30 seconds on the trail! But I really think it extends the life of the chain and makes shifting better, so it's worth the effort. It's a good investment, especially if you have 5 bikes in your garage to maintain!

[Grog]

The difference between the Park Tool model and the other cheaper ones is incredible. I have a cheapo 6$ one from MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop, Canada's REI equivalent I think) and it worked ok but nowhere like the 30$ Park blue gizmo I tried at the mechanics class.

However, I don't use it that much anymore, or at least it's not my core way to clean the chain. If I really want to make it shiny, I spray degreaser (Ecotech by Finish Line) on all parts and all links of the chain and brush with the Park Tool small brush (the one with the teeth to clean the cogs too) to get the goo out of the inside of the links. Then I spray more degreaser on a rag and wipe the outside of the chain while turning the cranks. THEN I use the chain washer to rinse off with soapy water, and then when the chain REALLY shines I rinse it off with clear water. All this takes less than 30 minutes (including the cleaning of the rest of the bike with warm soapy water, including wheel cleaning and inspection).

The rest of the bike is sprayed with home degreaser (2 cups of water boiled down for half an hour with the peel of one big orange in it than sieved to keep just the water - works fine).

I found the gizmo does a pretty good job of removing the worst part but in seconds it fills out with debris and oil and just keeps spreading it. So I brush first.

My bike is MUCH cleaner than my appartment.

[drplasma64]

Thanks for all the input. I think if I get a gizmo it'll definitely be the Park.

Grog, homemade degreaser- that is SO cool!

[caligurl]

hubby uses a gatorade bottle as a chain cleaner.... we have the chains that have that little linkie thingy... so it comes off the bike easily... he just shakes it in the bottle... rinse... rinse... rinses it and puts it back on!

i think he has a pedro cleaner thingamabob before that... i don't know if he liked it or not... but i know he doesn't like chains without the linkie thingy!

[Grog]

Homemade degreaser - it wouldn't work so well on the chain though. I was dissatisfied with the citrus degreaser thing I bought ready-made in the store so that's why I switched to the Finish Line Eco product. The homemade citrus liquid works fine on the body of the bike (including on the parts slightly splashed by grease in the bike) just like the store thing did, but when there's serious stuff to remove (like on the chain) I use the ... serious degreaser.

Note that my bike is white (and blue), so it gets dirty quite easily.

[Dogmama]

hubby uses a gatorade bottle as a chain cleaner

I KNEW there was a good use for Gatorade!

[MomOnBike]

How'd you guys know that I cleaned both bike's chains yesterday & that my cleaner thingy broke?

Guess I'm going to have to spring for another one.

Yes, the fluid fills up with crud. (Just think how much crud a recumbent chain can collect - when 'bent riders replace chains, we buy 3 and, um, chain them together.) I just replace the fluid a few times, and it works.

Maybe I'm slow, but I finally figured out that it doesn't do an awful lot of good to clean you chain if the rest of the drive train is still filthy. Dirt and grit is something that mechanical parts just love to share. In addition to the front & back "teeth," I cleaned the derallier "teeth" too. You now, the bitsy little cogs? Good heavens, they collect stuff. Makes sense, I suppose, they see a lot of action.

Anyway, now both bikes are much happier and run better. And my hands are a mess.

[Dogmama]

Anyway, now both bikes are much happier and run better. And my hands are a mess.

Get disposable vinyl gloves. The ONLY way to clean a bike!

[Pedal Wench]

Get disposable vinyl gloves. The ONLY way to clean a bike!

Oh, NOW you tell me! I spent Sunday completely cleaning my drivetrain to switch lube types (gonna try White Lightening - anyone have experience?) and installing a new chain on one bike, cleaning another bike, and putting on new tires. Still have the grease under the fingernails...
Then, tonight, I replaced the brake pads on my older bike. Reminder to folks who do their own maintenance - check your pads for wear - when the notches have worn off, it's time for new shoes! Actually, those who don't do their own work, check anyway, and get the bikes into the shop! Once again, I'm filthy!

[JanT]

I use White Lightning on my mountain bike, and it's the best I've found for the dry, dusty conditions in the desert. The other oily types seem to collect dirt, while the WL really does shed it. My bike can be a dirty mess, but the chain is clean as a whistle. Don't know how it would be in a wet climate, though.