Cleaning one's chain

I purchased a hwile back one of those three brush cleaning
mechanisms that attaches to your chain while it's on the bike.
You fill the 'sump' with clening fluid, attach the lid and then
turn the crank until it's clean.

It worked fine, using citrus degreaser, but the brushes were
faily crap and they broke. I've broken the three originals and
two of the spares. Only one brush left, which renders the device
'knackered'

My question is, what is the simplest most effective way to clean
one's chain? Kerosene, citrus based degreaser, other? And is one
of the aforementioned machines (but obviously one of superior
make. That one cost around $25) the way to go, or just submerge
the chain in a bowl of cleaner?

Help me...

Brendo wrote:
I purchased a hwile back one of those three brush cleaning mechanisms
that attaches to your chain while it's on the bike. You fill the 'sump'
with clening fluid, attach the lid and then turn the crank until it's
clean.

It worked fine, using citrus degreaser, but the brushes were faily crap
and they broke. I've broken the three originals and two of the spares.
Only one brush left, which renders the device 'knackered'

My question is, what is the simplest most effective way to clean one's
chain? Kerosene, citrus based degreaser, other? And is one of the
aforementioned machines (but obviously one of superior make. That one
cost around $25) the way to go, or just submerge the chain in a bowl of
cleaner?

Help me...
Don't clean it! Use a lubricant that the crud doesn't stick to; I use
Prolink and just put a bit on when the chain starts to make itself
heard. There are other non-sticky lubricants that are teflon based that
I have not used that may be as good. I like Prolink.
Halcyon

Halcyon wrote:
Brendo wrote:

I purchased a hwile back one of those three brush cleaning mechanisms
that attaches to your chain while it's on the bike. You fill the
'sump' with clening fluid, attach the lid and then turn the crank
until it's clean.

It worked fine, using citrus degreaser, but the brushes were faily
crap and they broke. I've broken the three originals and two of the
spares. Only one brush left, which renders the device 'knackered'

My question is, what is the simplest most effective way to clean one's
chain? Kerosene, citrus based degreaser, other? And is one of the
aforementioned machines (but obviously one of superior make. That one
cost around $25) the way to go, or just submerge the chain in a bowl
of cleaner?

Help me...

Don't clean it! Use a lubricant that the crud doesn't stick to; I use
Prolink and just put a bit on when the chain starts to make itself
heard. There are other non-sticky lubricants that are teflon based that
I have not used that may be as good. I like Prolink.
Halcyon
However, now that it has the crud stuck to it, it needs cleaning
before I can put the non crud sticking lubricant. We're back to
step one...

Brendo wrote:

Don't clean it! Use a lubricant that the crud doesn't stick to; I use
Prolink and just put a bit on when the chain starts to make itself
heard. There are other non-sticky lubricants that are teflon based
that I have not used that may be as good. I like Prolink.
Halcyon
However, now that it has the crud stuck to it, it needs cleaning before
I can put the non crud sticking lubricant. We're back to step one...

Not really.
I put sticky motorbike chain oil on my mountain bike chain and before
long I had plenty of fine sand and other muck stuck on the chain. Two or
three applications of Prolink with the chain run through cloth in
between applications got rid of most of it and the chain fairly clean.
The rest will come off with more use until the chain is as clean as it
need be. Does it need to be sparkling? I doubt it.
Halcyon

"Brendo" wrote in message
u...
I purchased a hwile back one of those three brush cleaning mechanisms that
attaches to your chain while it's on the bike. You fill the 'sump' with
clening fluid, attach the lid and then turn the crank until it's clean.

It worked fine, using citrus degreaser, but the brushes were faily crap
and they broke. I've broken the three originals and two of the spares.
Only one brush left, which renders the device 'knackered'

My question is, what is the simplest most effective way to clean one's
chain? Kerosene, citrus based degreaser, other? And is one of the
aforementioned machines (but obviously one of superior make. That one cost
around $25) the way to go, or just submerge the chain in a bowl of
cleaner?

Help me...

Try the seldon brown method, chain + pepsi bottle + solvent + lid and shaken
not stirred, use a spoke to remove said chain from bottle.

http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html#cleaning

Take the chain off the bike with a chain removal tool and install a
master link.

Now, with the chain off the bike, put it into an empty jam jar and put
a heap of turps into it. Shake, agitate, and get a brush and flush the
grit off the chain.

Pull it out of the jar, and put it on a paper towel to dry and wipe the
rest of the crap off. If you have a spare chain, put the just cleaned
one into a snaplock bag and soak it in prolink.

Before installing it on the bike, brush the crap off the chainrings and
cassette.

Prolink it up and up wipe off the excess.


--
parawolf

Halcyon Wrote:

Not really.
I put sticky motorbike chain oil on my mountain bike chain and before
long I had plenty of fine sand and other muck stuck on the chain. Two
or
three applications of Prolink with the chain run through cloth in
between applications got rid of most of it and the chain fairly clean.
The rest will come off with more use until the chain is as clean as it
need be. Does it need to be sparkling? I doubt it.
Halcyon

actually I will put in a 2nd vote for prolink, you can put some on a
dirty chain, spin for a little bit and then with a cloth wipe the chain
pretty clean, will get off all the major grim and dirt. If I am doing a
full on clean I use the chain scrubber I have, but the pro-link i find
is great for once every week or couple of weeks, for the apply clean
with cloth and away you go.


--
MikeyOz

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 06:03:33 +0000, Halcyon wrote:

I put sticky motorbike chain oil on my mountain bike chain and before
long I had plenty of fine sand and other muck stuck on the chain. Two or
three applications of Prolink with the chain run through cloth in
between applications got rid of most of it and the chain fairly clean.

The problem is the grit inside the rollers in the chain. This doesn't get
dislodged with a brush down, and even the roller brush type cleaners can
leave it behind.

The best way to get a chain clean is to pull it off (chain breaker, or a
quick link) and jiggle it about in a small jar of Kero. Repeat until the
kero runs clear, then hang it up to dry before putting the new lube on.

Dry lubes (aka clean lubes) are OK in dry conditions, but don't last long
when it gets a bit wet. That's not a huge concern right now, but can be
for an all weather commuter or MTB. Wet lubes, even the ones that claim to
clean your chain, attract more dirt but last longer. Swings and
roundabouts, and it's up to you to decide which you like best. I like wet
lubes because I find dry lubes get noisy too quickly.

--
Dave Hughes |
"Hey, watch the 'fro" - Danny Glaze

MikeyOz wrote:
Halcyon Wrote:
Not really.
I put sticky motorbike chain oil on my mountain bike chain and before
long I had plenty of fine sand and other muck stuck on the chain. Two
or
three applications of Prolink with the chain run through cloth in
between applications got rid of most of it and the chain fairly clean.
The rest will come off with more use until the chain is as clean as it
need be. Does it need to be sparkling? I doubt it.
Halcyon

actually I will put in a 2nd vote for prolink, you can put some on a
dirty chain, spin for a little bit and then with a cloth wipe the chain
pretty clean, will get off all the major grim and dirt. If I am doing a
full on clean I use the chain scrubber I have, but the pro-link i find
is great for once every week or couple of weeks, for the apply clean
with cloth and away you go.

AOL Prolink. Every couple of days I wipe down the chain when I get home
and apply Prolink. Next morning I wipe it off and all's good. My chain
and cassette generally go for 8-10,000 kms between changes.

Don't be put off that you've got crap on your chain, Prolink will do the
job. Wipe down, apply, leave for an hour, wipe down. Rinse and repeat
until your rag no longer comes up filthy. Parawolf's method is probably
quicker mind. AOL master link too.
--
Cheers
Euan

I think the regime here is different for a road bike and a mountain
bike.

For my road bike I've followed this regime, which gives about 12 month
life on the chain:

1. Every week wash and spray with water. Oil with RP7 and wipe off the
excess.
2. Every month wash thoroughly with the brush thing, then use the RP7
again.

I don't like taking the chain off, as I tend to destroy too many
chains taking them off repeatedly.

This works for me.


Brendo wrote:
Halcyon wrote:
Brendo wrote:

I purchased a hwile back one of those three brush cleaning mechanisms
that attaches to your chain while it's on the bike. You fill the
'sump' with clening fluid, attach the lid and then turn the crank
until it's clean.

It worked fine, using citrus degreaser, but the brushes were faily
crap and they broke. I've broken the three originals and two of the
spares. Only one brush left, which renders the device 'knackered'

My question is, what is the simplest most effective way to clean one's
chain? Kerosene, citrus based degreaser, other? And is one of the
aforementioned machines (but obviously one of superior make. That one
cost around $25) the way to go, or just submerge the chain in a bowl
of cleaner?

Help me...

Don't clean it! Use a lubricant that the crud doesn't stick to; I use
Prolink and just put a bit on when the chain starts to make itself
heard. There are other non-sticky lubricants that are teflon based that
I have not used that may be as good. I like Prolink.
Halcyon
However, now that it has the crud stuck to it, it needs cleaning
before I can put the non crud sticking lubricant. We're back to
step one...