Really nice to have you back. Looking forward to more if we could be so lucky. I think you do classy, understated, utilitarian work and I'd love to see more completed bikes.
I used to use such chain cleaner tool, but lately I've just used degreaser, old toothbrush and garden pump sprayer. Spray degreaser on the chain, scrub with toothbrush thoroughly and rinse with water. Pump sprayer has adequate pressure to carry gunk away to the ground when spray is applied right above the chain. Easy to repeat as many times as needed. Great to see RJ back making videos for us!
After cleaning, for years I've heard the best lube is wax. There are actually chain waxing systems made for bike chains. Melted wax penetrates the barrels and prevents water from entering, at same time lubes but grime does not stick to the chain.
Great job, nice tutorial. I remove my chains and soak in acetone in a jar and shake by hand. Pour out dirty stuff and refill with acetone again. Do that till acetone comes out clear and then I use air compressor to blow out the links and bearings so their mostly dry. Then I hang on a doorknob for a bit as it totally dries. I reinstall and I use my connection link as a starting point to apply chain wax as you did. A drop per bearing. Since I've used this method, I've actually had chains last up to 4,000 miles. Seems unreal, and a little scary. Butt the chain checker still shows no ware on chain. Gives me more pride in maintaining my bicycles. Wish I knew all this when I was riding bikes as a child lol
I've tried acetone and don't like it, evaporates quickly and stinks, hardly dissolves any old gunk. My best choice is Silicone Remover Degreaser also called Cleaner for Car Paint. Its also safe for paintwork and plastic but removes any grease easy.
RJ, I appreciate your videos. But, yes, its easier to put the chain off and clean it as well as the other components of the drivetrain with brake cleaner. I put the chain in an old pickle jar and spray brake cleaner on it. Close it, shake it, wait a few minutes and voila a superclean chain :) Drip wax is better than drip oil because the chain stays cleaner and one application lasts more than 600 Km. The chain runs quieter and is easier to clean because no more brake cleaner required.
Absolutely the best. I spare the tank of mine the filth and chemicals by putting the chain in a wide-mouth Mason jar, than add enough gasoline (petrol) to cover and help the jar sink in the tank water and keep upright. Cover the jar lightly. Must have very good ventilation and a proper way to dispose of the gas (I recycle mine into the 5 gallon gas can for the lawn mower). Side note: This is still not enough if you're prepping for waxing. Gas will leave a residue that also needs to be removed. A dunk in some acetone or alcohol really strips the metal. Thanks for sharing RJ! Great demonstration.
I used to have one if these scrubbers, but a generic one. Nowadays I just open the chain and drop in some hot degreaser. I still use mineral oil, it's easier for me and good all around.
I apply lubricant I the same manner but I remove the chain at the quick link and soak it in a mason jar of varsol. I also use compressed air and a rag to blow out the excess varsol prior to lubricating.
I really like the FInish Line products (I'm using the dry one on all my bikes except the commuter one)... the lubricant itself is really good, but the bottle is awful, the screw cap needs to be redesigned and the dispenser hole is too large. As it's very liquid, it dispenses way too much product on the chain links as we can see in the video... But once applied and the chain dried, it takes very few particules, last long and maintain the chain silent. And cleaning is easy so all in all : excellent except during the application. For my commuter bike, I prefer the Zefal pro Wet chain lube that lasts extremely long and is not a pain to clean after... (compared to other wet conditions lubricants that can become very thick and difficult to clean after a while). Oh and I forgot : I'm very pleased to see you back online ! Your videos were more than useful for me, especially the "weird" conversions . So thank you, and thanks a lot !
Nice to see RJTBG posting! Oil I've used on countryside bike leaves gunk so I'll use white spirit on a rag to soften up and remove biggest part of mess. Then I'll wash chain in detergent solution, rinse with water, dry, lube and let it be until spring. That chain has like 5 years behind it and wear is about 50% so probably it's OK for another 1-2 years as that's my holiday bike and it doesn't see a lot of riding.
I remove the chain and put it in a tupperware container and spray it with Muc-off drivetrain degreaser then scrub with a toothbrush. That muc-off stuff is amazing. After it's nice and clean i rinse it off with HOT water, dry it with a paper towel then let it hang for a few hrs to completely dry.
I do the same thing with the cleaning part, using the Ebay China version scrubber. Don't like the lube part, either drip or spray, so I would clean out the scrubber and refill with oil, then run the chain through the oily scrubber. Works fantastic with thorough coverage and a surprising small amount of drippage. Just run the chain through a rag after to wipe off excess. I took it a step farther and bought a second scrubber to be exclusively for lubricating. I store the lube scrubber with any left over oil and simply add more the next time. Does a great job and very fast to do. Doesn't take much longer than checking and adding air to tires.
This is exactly what I do, too! I use only one round of degreaser. The Finishline degreaser is rather expensive but much stronger than generic orange stuff from the hardware store. Not even close. Run it through 10-20 cranks and all the goo on the chain is transformed into something that is water-soluble. Getting that off can take a couple of rounds of fresh water. Or, better, a spray hose will get it off in a few seconds when the bike is getting a full cleaning. It’s useful to know that roughly 3 cranks takes you through the entire chain. So, rather than put on the lube one drop at a time to each pin (the best method), I just slowly backpedal 3 revolutions of the crank while squinting on a fine stream of Finishline Dry into the chain under the chainstay. You can’t put on too much of the Dry stuff because the carrier soon enough evaporates and you wipe off the excess on the exterior of the chain anyway. The point is getting it into the pin bearings. The exterior surfaces don’t matter. The downside of Dry is that it’s pretty easy to wash off with just plain water. Riding in heavy rain will definitely wash it off. I am speaking from the experience of rusted chains. It’s essential to dry off a wet chain that was treated with Dry after you get home and to relube right away. A rusty chain will become a stretched chain the next time you check it! The Wet version is much harder to clean off and turns into sticky grime faster. But it’s worth the hassle if rain is forecast. I wish it came in tiny size applicators so I could jam it in my saddle bag for emergencies.
My routine using the chain cleaner tool is first degreaser, then Dawn in water and finally clean water. Heat up chain with a hair dryer. Let cool and then lube. An alternative to the hair dryer is to spray chain with WD-40 to dry out the water prior to lubing.
I've been through all kinds of chain rituals in my decades of maintenance. I don't have any bikes with the fancy new drivetrains so for a long time I'd just replace chains. KMC used to be less than $10. These days for a thorough cleaning I use brake cleaner and re-lube.
hi great video. when I clean my chain I first use hot water and dish soap to get the real grimy stuff off. this is in order to keep the degreaser cleaner longer. ps i use muc off and its a bit pricey and worth going through the soapy water first.
I get master pro 75w-90 and 85w-140 gear oil for my bikes in the bottles with the cone shaped top from O'Reilly's and poke a small hole in the top, when I need to add oil I put the bike upside down in the yard or load it into my park tool PCS-4.2 stand then I pedal the bike with one hand while holding the bottle of oil with the other and drip the oil on the chain the whole time until the chain is completely covered and the oil is starting to fling off then I go through all the gears to make some of the oil on the chain transfer to all the sprockets so they are well lubricated where the chain sits on them then I shift back into first and add more oil, I don't clean my chains unless they are completely covered in road junk or when I'm doing yearly maintenance but when I do I use my park tool chain cleaner that's exactly like yours and the cleaning fluid it came with and when I'm done the fluid goes into an old soda bottle to be reused when it gets too dirty to use I'll make a filter so I can clean it and keep reusing it as much as I can so I don't have to buy as much.
I do pretty much the same method, but I always run the chain in big-big, to give more clearance for the cleaning tool to clamp onto the chain. When applying the "one drop per link" of lube, I apply it on the bottom run of the chain (as opposed to the top run) so the lube gets flung through the chain when rotating. Applying it to the top run of the chain makes me think it's gonna fly off faster when rotating. If it does or not I've no idea :). Good video.
After degreasing, instead of just water I use a detergent in the tool. It really cuts through the degreaser and cleans the chain some more. Then I rinse off the chain with a hose. If you have a QuickLink, that’s your marker for lube start/finish.
Citrus cleaner here is expensive so I use kero or diesel and try to reuse it and cleanse it with coffee filters as much as possible. As for Lube, I use finsih line wet cos I ride in the rain a lot but I find that make a really nasty abrasive paste which chews out the chains so I am tempted to go full wax job like some of the hard cores.
i love your videos. it feels like hanging out with a friend that really cares that i learn well. i try to pass it forward always. when wiping ive always tried to only wipe the side of links and never the rollers. is that alright, or should i give a light pass on them as well? i also make sure to degrease, clean/rinse the chainrings, cassette and derailleurs at the same cleaning
Pretty much exactly where I’ve come to as well, right down to the black marker. I don’t do as many degreaser passes or water, which I will start doing. What do you do with the dirty degreaser? I’ve been using a volatile solvent, which I then pour into an old 1L Sapporo beer can with a screw top. I never screw the top on tight. The dirt all settles to the bottom and I can decant semi-clear solvent for re-use, adding fresh stuff as I need to.
RJ is biznack!!!!! LFG!!! I spray with degreaser/soapy water first then get a microfiber cloth, hold it against the chain firmly and back pedal. Just after a couple of passes it's pretty decent and then a tooth brush or some bristled brush to get the rest then rinse. To oil hold the point of the oil bottle, at about a 60 degree angle, on the rear cog and ever so slightly squeeze the bottle and spin the chain as I do so. After a few spins with the bottle on the cog I then hold the chain again with a microfiber cloth and give it a spin or two to get excess off.
I use a rag, my hand (with a glove) and a bunch of WD40 instead of the machine. It is far from being that clean but I do it before a ride, not for exposing or selling, so it’s good enough. Then for a short ride it’s good enough. If I’m out for several days I’ll add some oil profusely and then rag again to remove excess. Basically the whole thing takes one or two minutes. For full cleanup I remove the chain, bucket, gas, etc, it comes out clean and bone dry. I do that before selling a bike or when overhauling a bike.
I degrease with the same dollar store degreaser and chain cleaner. Wipe down with either old T-shirt relegated to rag duty or blue paper shop towel. For lube, I use a homebrew mix of mineral spirits and bar & chain oil. I once took a break from the homebrew and tried a lubricant from 3-in-1 that was designed specifically for bike chains. Tried it for 2 application cycles, and my chain was constantly making noise. I went back to the homebrew, and the chain went back to being quiet.
Clean! But instead of watery degreaser, I put petroleum/kerosene in my chain cleaning device. I don't want surfactants on any bearings on my bike, not even on the chain link bearings. Because cleaning with the device is time-consuming and dirty (lay out newspaper because of splashes and drops), I have recently been simply rubbing my dark, oily chain clean with a paper towel every month, then using a brush to freshly and sparingly oil it and the little excess oil wipe lightly with a paper towel.
I use the same procedure. I have always wondered if, after rinsing the chain with clean water, rinsing it again with denatured alcohol would speed up drying (alcohol mixes with water and takes away most of it, residual alcohol evaporates quickly). Any experience about that?
Almost the same method but instead of dry lube link by link I use rock'n'roll gold and liberally slather the chain, then wipe up. A few passes of that gets the chain even cleaner. Also I make sore I don't forget to clean the cassette, chain rings and jockey wheels with degreaser and a stiff brush because they can just drag caked on dirt back onto your chain otherwise
Sometimes, I deep clean my bike chain when it is very dirty and a bit rusty. I submerged the chain in gasoline overnight, then submerged it in highly concentrated soapy water, then rinse. After that, submerged in 96% alcohol for an hour then hang dry. It really clean to the deepest part of the chain
Just cleaned mine today in my ultrasonic cleaner. It's hanging dry at the moment. I'm giving up on the Finish Line Dry Lube; I don't like how much clumpy mess it creates.
@@andrewford80 I used water with some Simple Green. First time I've done this so I can't claim this was ideal. I only had one tiny spot of rust after hanging it dry, but I use a good quality chain. I used to put my chain in a mason jar with some kerosene and shake it, which did a pretty good job. Kerosene obviously won't cause rust, but you have to figure out what to do with it after. Particulates settle out of kerosene so you could pour off the clean stuff into another jar. But the ultrasonic cleaner was a new purchase that I wanted to try.
I almost always take chains off the bike and soak them in a plastic tub with degreaser. Usually, my need to clean a chain coincides with other work on the bike which would necessitate chain removal (like deep cleaning or replacing a rear derailleur).
I hot melt wax my chains. Which means that I never ever have to clean a chain. If it's totally covered in mud I give it a quick rinse with the water hose, otherwise the chain gets cleaned when I re-wax it.
I do almost the same to clean my chain, except I use a battery high speed blower (not canned air) to blow water off after a rag wipe. I then spray WD40 on the chain to rid any moisture in the link bearings, rag wipe let dry overnight. The next day I'll lube the chain or before the bike ride with chain lube I like. WD40 is not an actual lube but water displacing (WD) compound. I was an aircraft electrician in the Navy, so Corrosion Control is a religion to me. I live near a body of saltwater.
I use the same park tool cleaner and it is fantastic for cleaning the chain and I also used to use the 1 drop method however this cleaning and oiling process is problematic and reduced chain life, when it comes to bike chains they do not stretch instead the little roller in the link rubs against the link pin and the rollers internal diameter wears down causing slop which allows the chain checker to drop in. This is why using the cleaner is problematic because when the chain is made the link pin and roller have oil in them reducing wear but when you use the cleaner tool and degreaser it removes all the lubrication between the link pin and roller and that one drop of oil never actually properly gets into the chain and really just lubricates the side of the roller and the link plates and most just drips off, and as a result the roller rubs against the link pin with no lubrication and wear is accelerated. I used to use this tool and the one drop method on my daily bike and no mater what chain I got they would all wear out really fast after I cleaned them and so did some research and concluded it was the cleaning that was causing it and to test I used one chain and I did not clean lasted for ages before it broke, So now after using the Park Tool to clean the chain I remove the chain ( got to love split links ) and submerge it in oil I then agitate the chain to make sure any trapped air is replaced by oil I then hang the chain to let the excess oil drip back into the tray then wipe the chain with a clean rag, now when i do it this way the accelerated wear stopped
Great video. Just to close the full circle. How do you wash your rags and towels after such a thorough cleaning? I am always hesitant to use washable rags when I deal with grime and grease because it's so hard to clean them really well
When my old T-shirts become too dirty or too holey to wear, they become rags for bike maintenance. I can get a few chain cleanings and other maintenance jobs out of a shirt before it becomes too dirty for further use. At which time, I throw them out, and it's "next shirt up." Otherwise, I use shop paper towels.
@@runningsig Yep. Agree withe RunningSig. I have plenty of old t-shirts whereby they are expendable - I throw them out once the become black with greese. No! Never try to reuse or clean these. Use them as "rags!" Rags are meant to be thrown out once it's like has run its course.
It's probably worth mentioning to be careful not to drip any oil on the rim, or clean it right off if you do. That is for bikes that have rim brakes anyway!
Lol...here in southern California at our Dollar store ...not one single item is a dollar anymore and hasn't been in a long while. Can I get a witness? 😂❤
For me, I take off the chain, throw it in a bucket of hot water and liquid dawn, agitate it, and scrub it with a toothbrush. Dump the soapy water (catch the master links!!), rinse it, pat it dry, and then give a spray with wd40.
People wax their chain these days. i do. I like to heat up the chain and crankset and cassette with a hair dryer (to soften the wax) and wipe everything thoroughly . A lot easier and less messy and dirty than oil. That's an idea for a new video, perhaps ?? RJthebikeguy meets Squirt LOL
On my commuter bike I installed a motorcycle chain oiler that drips wet lube on the chain while I'm riding. It feels like I just lubed it every time I ride and the gear oil I use is like $10 for a years supply. Only issue is it gets messy and drips everywhere. That bike lives outside.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
For more bike repair videos hit the subscribe button and click the notification bell ► bit.ly/SubRJTheBikeGuy
I usually use an old water bottle with 3 inches of 70% rubbing alcohol and it does the trick😊 , I've always wondered if it damages the chain??
Really nice to have you back. Looking forward to more if we could be so lucky. I think you do classy, understated, utilitarian work and I'd love to see more completed bikes.
I used to use such chain cleaner tool, but lately I've just used degreaser, old toothbrush and garden pump sprayer. Spray degreaser on the chain, scrub with toothbrush thoroughly and rinse with water. Pump sprayer has adequate pressure to carry gunk away to the ground when spray is applied right above the chain. Easy to repeat as many times as needed. Great to see RJ back making videos for us!
I lubricate my chain under the chainstay so it doesn't drip onto the frame. Great video!
It's good to see you posting new videos. Thank you for great content!
Thank you!!
After cleaning, for years I've heard the best lube is wax. There are actually chain waxing systems made for bike chains. Melted wax penetrates the barrels and prevents water from entering, at same time lubes but grime does not stick to the chain.
Great job, nice tutorial.
I remove my chains and soak in acetone in a jar and shake by hand. Pour out dirty stuff and refill with acetone again. Do that till acetone comes out clear and then I use air compressor to blow out the links and bearings so their mostly dry. Then I hang on a doorknob for a bit as it totally dries. I reinstall and I use my connection link as a starting point to apply chain wax as you did. A drop per bearing. Since I've used this method, I've actually had chains last up to 4,000 miles. Seems unreal, and a little scary. Butt the chain checker still shows no ware on chain. Gives me more pride in maintaining my bicycles. Wish I knew all this when I was riding bikes as a child lol
Thats the way to go✌
I shook a chain in a pasta sauce jar once...bottom blew out and made a HUGE mess!
I've tried acetone and don't like it, evaporates quickly and stinks, hardly dissolves any old gunk. My best choice is Silicone Remover Degreaser also called Cleaner for Car Paint. Its also safe for paintwork and plastic but removes any grease easy.
Finally you're back ❤️
Every little improvement and repair I've ever done on my bike was done following your videos, keep it up!
RJ, I appreciate your videos. But, yes, its easier to put the chain off and clean it as well as the other components of the drivetrain with brake cleaner. I put the chain in an old pickle jar and spray brake cleaner on it. Close it, shake it, wait a few minutes and voila a superclean chain :) Drip wax is better than drip oil because the chain stays cleaner and one application lasts more than 600 Km. The chain runs quieter and is easier to clean because no more brake cleaner required.
An ultrasonic cleaner is awesome for chains, comes up brilliantly clean
Will try this for the future
You can't reuse quicklinks many times
Absolutely the best.
I spare the tank of mine the filth and chemicals by putting the chain in a wide-mouth Mason jar, than add enough gasoline (petrol) to cover and help the jar sink in the tank water and keep upright. Cover the jar lightly.
Must have very good ventilation and a proper way to dispose of the gas (I recycle mine into the 5 gallon gas can for the lawn mower).
Side note: This is still not enough if you're prepping for waxing. Gas will leave a residue that also needs to be removed. A dunk in some acetone or alcohol really strips the metal.
Thanks for sharing RJ! Great demonstration.
@@romanmentor9238yes you can
I used to have one if these scrubbers, but a generic one. Nowadays I just open the chain and drop in some hot degreaser. I still use mineral oil, it's easier for me and good all around.
I apply lubricant I the same manner but I remove the chain at the quick link and soak it in a mason jar of varsol. I also use compressed air and a rag to blow out the excess varsol prior to lubricating.
I really like the FInish Line products (I'm using the dry one on all my bikes except the commuter one)...
the lubricant itself is really good, but the bottle is awful, the screw cap needs to be redesigned and the dispenser hole is too large.
As it's very liquid, it dispenses way too much product on the chain links as we can see in the video...
But once applied and the chain dried, it takes very few particules, last long and maintain the chain silent.
And cleaning is easy so all in all : excellent except during the application.
For my commuter bike, I prefer the Zefal pro Wet chain lube that lasts extremely long and is not a pain to clean after... (compared to other wet conditions lubricants that can become very thick and difficult to clean after a while).
Oh and I forgot : I'm very pleased to see you back online ! Your videos were more than useful for me, especially the "weird" conversions . So thank you, and thanks a lot !
Nice to see RJTBG posting!
Oil I've used on countryside bike leaves gunk so I'll use white spirit on a rag to soften up and remove biggest part of mess. Then I'll wash chain in detergent solution, rinse with water, dry, lube and let it be until spring. That chain has like 5 years behind it and wear is about 50% so probably it's OK for another 1-2 years as that's my holiday bike and it doesn't see a lot of riding.
Great to see you back RJ. Keep um coming!!
Hey RJ, I'm glad you're back. I know you did Ironman, and I'm getting ready for my third in a few weeks.
Good luck and have fun!
I remove the chain and put it in a tupperware container and spray it with Muc-off drivetrain degreaser then scrub with a toothbrush. That muc-off stuff is amazing. After it's nice and clean i rinse it off with HOT water, dry it with a paper towel then let it hang for a few hrs to completely dry.
I do the same thing with the cleaning part, using the Ebay China version scrubber. Don't like the lube part, either drip or spray, so I would clean out the scrubber and refill with oil, then run the chain through the oily scrubber. Works fantastic with thorough coverage and a surprising small amount of drippage. Just run the chain through a rag after to wipe off excess.
I took it a step farther and bought a second scrubber to be exclusively for lubricating. I store the lube scrubber with any left over oil and simply add more the next time.
Does a great job and very fast to do. Doesn't take much longer than checking and adding air to tires.
I'm gonna gtry this. Thanks
This is exactly what I do, too!
I use only one round of degreaser. The Finishline degreaser is rather expensive but much stronger than generic orange stuff from the hardware store. Not even close. Run it through 10-20 cranks and all the goo on the chain is transformed into something that is water-soluble. Getting that off can take a couple of rounds of fresh water. Or, better, a spray hose will get it off in a few seconds when the bike is getting a full cleaning.
It’s useful to know that roughly 3 cranks takes you through the entire chain. So, rather than put on the lube one drop at a time to each pin (the best method), I just slowly backpedal 3 revolutions of the crank while squinting on a fine stream of Finishline Dry into the chain under the chainstay. You can’t put on too much of the Dry stuff because the carrier soon enough evaporates and you wipe off the excess on the exterior of the chain anyway. The point is getting it into the pin bearings. The exterior surfaces don’t matter.
The downside of Dry is that it’s pretty easy to wash off with just plain water. Riding in heavy rain will definitely wash it off. I am speaking from the experience of rusted chains. It’s essential to dry off a wet chain that was treated with Dry after you get home and to relube right away. A rusty chain will become a stretched chain the next time you check it!
The Wet version is much harder to clean off and turns into sticky grime faster. But it’s worth the hassle if rain is forecast. I wish it came in tiny size applicators so I could jam it in my saddle bag for emergencies.
So good to hear your voice again and on a subject that I need to address on both my road bikes
I follow your procedure with the exception of a final detergent rinse. Those chain cleaners are a really useful tool I find.👍
Glad to have you back, great as always
So happy youre back again
Good to have you back RJ
My routine using the chain cleaner tool is first degreaser, then Dawn in water and finally clean water. Heat up chain with a hair dryer. Let cool and then lube. An alternative to the hair dryer is to spray chain with WD-40 to dry out the water prior to lubing.
I've been through all kinds of chain rituals in my decades of maintenance. I don't have any bikes with the fancy new drivetrains so for a long time I'd just replace chains. KMC used to be less than $10. These days for a thorough cleaning I use brake cleaner and re-lube.
Always happy to see an RJ video!
Doubly so when it's a technique I was teaching friends just a couple weeks ago!
Thanks RJ. I just ordered the Park tool cleaner.
hi great video. when I clean my chain I first use hot water and dish soap to get the real grimy stuff off. this is in order to keep the degreaser cleaner longer. ps i use muc off and its a bit pricey and worth going through the soapy water first.
So good to see you again RJ I haven't been doing bike stuff in a while but I'm still enjoying your new videos
I get master pro 75w-90 and 85w-140 gear oil for my bikes in the bottles with the cone shaped top from O'Reilly's and poke a small hole in the top, when I need to add oil I put the bike upside down in the yard or load it into my park tool PCS-4.2 stand then I pedal the bike with one hand while holding the bottle of oil with the other and drip the oil on the chain the whole time until the chain is completely covered and the oil is starting to fling off then I go through all the gears to make some of the oil on the chain transfer to all the sprockets so they are well lubricated where the chain sits on them then I shift back into first and add more oil, I don't clean my chains unless they are completely covered in road junk or when I'm doing yearly maintenance but when I do I use my park tool chain cleaner that's exactly like yours and the cleaning fluid it came with and when I'm done the fluid goes into an old soda bottle to be reused when it gets too dirty to use I'll make a filter so I can clean it and keep reusing it as much as I can so I don't have to buy as much.
I do pretty much the same method, but I always run the chain in big-big, to give more clearance for the cleaning tool to clamp onto the chain. When applying the "one drop per link" of lube, I apply it on the bottom run of the chain (as opposed to the top run) so the lube gets flung through the chain when rotating. Applying it to the top run of the chain makes me think it's gonna fly off faster when rotating. If it does or not I've no idea :). Good video.
After degreasing, instead of just water I use a detergent in the tool. It really cuts through the degreaser and cleans the chain some more. Then I rinse off the chain with a hose.
If you have a QuickLink, that’s your marker for lube start/finish.
Nice to see you back here, RJ. Looking forward for more videos.
Paraffin in an old metal coffee can. Cleans and lubes. If extra gunky, do it twice!😊 Nice to see you back at it!
Welcome back!!!
Citrus cleaner here is expensive so I use kero or diesel and try to reuse it and cleanse it with coffee filters as much as possible.
As for Lube, I use finsih line wet cos I ride in the rain a lot but I find that make a really nasty abrasive paste which chews out the chains so I am tempted to go full wax job like some of the hard cores.
That looks like a nice Italian frame! Good to know the # of passes!
Long live the KING RJ😊
Really really thanks!!! For me is incredible and simple!
i love your videos. it feels like hanging out with a friend that really cares that i learn well. i try to pass it forward always.
when wiping ive always tried to only wipe the side of links and never the rollers. is that alright, or should i give a light pass on them as well? i also make sure to degrease, clean/rinse the chainrings, cassette and derailleurs at the same cleaning
Good to see you back 😊
Pretty much exactly where I’ve come to as well, right down to the black marker. I don’t do as many degreaser passes or water, which I will start doing. What do you do with the dirty degreaser? I’ve been using a volatile solvent, which I then pour into an old 1L Sapporo beer can with a screw top. I never screw the top on tight. The dirt all settles to the bottom and I can decant semi-clear solvent for re-use, adding fresh stuff as I need to.
RJ is biznack!!!!! LFG!!!
I spray with degreaser/soapy water first then get a microfiber cloth, hold it against the chain firmly and back pedal. Just after a couple of passes it's pretty decent and then a tooth brush or some bristled brush to get the rest then rinse.
To oil hold the point of the oil bottle, at about a 60 degree angle, on the rear cog and ever so slightly squeeze the bottle and spin the chain as I do so. After a few spins with the bottle on the cog I then hold the chain again with a microfiber cloth and give it a spin or two to get excess off.
Hey RJ would you consider doing a full waxing tutorial? I’ve seen some kits online but they are crazy expensive.
I use a rag, my hand (with a glove) and a bunch of WD40 instead of the machine.
It is far from being that clean but I do it before a ride, not for exposing or selling, so it’s good enough. Then for a short ride it’s good enough. If I’m out for several days I’ll add some oil profusely and then rag again to remove excess. Basically the whole thing takes one or two minutes.
For full cleanup I remove the chain, bucket, gas, etc, it comes out clean and bone dry. I do that before selling a bike or when overhauling a bike.
I degrease with the same dollar store degreaser and chain cleaner. Wipe down with either old T-shirt relegated to rag duty or blue paper shop towel. For lube, I use a homebrew mix of mineral spirits and bar & chain oil. I once took a break from the homebrew and tried a lubricant from 3-in-1 that was designed specifically for bike chains. Tried it for 2 application cycles, and my chain was constantly making noise. I went back to the homebrew, and the chain went back to being quiet.
Thanks for your excellent videos sir :)
I like waxing my chains.
Great video.
Clean! But instead of watery degreaser, I put petroleum/kerosene in my chain cleaning device. I don't want surfactants on any bearings on my bike, not even on the chain link bearings. Because cleaning with the device is time-consuming and dirty (lay out newspaper because of splashes and drops), I have recently been simply rubbing my dark, oily chain clean with a paper towel every month, then using a brush to freshly and sparingly oil it and the little excess oil wipe lightly with a paper towel.
That Legnano looks in great shape for it's age! Are you going to polish it up?
I use the same procedure. I have always wondered if, after rinsing the chain with clean water, rinsing it again with denatured alcohol would speed up drying (alcohol mixes with water and takes away most of it, residual alcohol evaporates quickly). Any experience about that?
thats exactly how i do it, alcohol absorbs water so the metal wont rust
Me too. Anytime I degrease a bike part and use water to rinse it of, I use 90% isopropyl alcohol for the final step.
Almost the same method but instead of dry lube link by link I use rock'n'roll gold and liberally slather the chain, then wipe up. A few passes of that gets the chain even cleaner.
Also I make sore I don't forget to clean the cassette, chain rings and jockey wheels with degreaser and a stiff brush because they can just drag caked on dirt back onto your chain otherwise
Thanks RJ:)
Sometimes, I deep clean my bike chain when it is very dirty and a bit rusty. I submerged the chain in gasoline overnight, then submerged it in highly concentrated soapy water, then rinse. After that, submerged in 96% alcohol for an hour then hang dry. It really clean to the deepest part of the chain
Just cleaned mine today in my ultrasonic cleaner. It's hanging dry at the moment. I'm giving up on the Finish Line Dry Lube; I don't like how much clumpy mess it creates.
WHat kind of liquid do you use in the ultrasonic cleaner?
@@andrewford80 I used water with some Simple Green. First time I've done this so I can't claim this was ideal. I only had one tiny spot of rust after hanging it dry, but I use a good quality chain. I used to put my chain in a mason jar with some kerosene and shake it, which did a pretty good job. Kerosene obviously won't cause rust, but you have to figure out what to do with it after. Particulates settle out of kerosene so you could pour off the clean stuff into another jar. But the ultrasonic cleaner was a new purchase that I wanted to try.
I almost always take chains off the bike and soak them in a plastic tub with degreaser. Usually, my need to clean a chain coincides with other work on the bike which would necessitate chain removal (like deep cleaning or replacing a rear derailleur).
I hot melt wax my chains. Which means that I never ever have to clean a chain. If it's totally covered in mud I give it a quick rinse with the water hose, otherwise the chain gets cleaned when I re-wax it.
I do almost the same to clean my chain, except I use a battery high speed blower (not canned air) to blow water off after a rag wipe. I then spray WD40 on the chain to rid any moisture in the link bearings, rag wipe let dry overnight. The next day I'll lube the chain or before the bike ride with chain lube I like. WD40 is not an actual lube but water displacing (WD) compound. I was an aircraft electrician in the Navy, so Corrosion Control is a religion to me. I live near a body of saltwater.
Hey RJ.. What do you think about waxing chain. I think you should give a chance.
I use the same park tool cleaner and it is fantastic for cleaning the chain and I also used to use the 1 drop method however this cleaning and oiling process is problematic and reduced chain life, when it comes to bike chains they do not stretch instead the little roller in the link rubs against the link pin and the rollers internal diameter wears down causing slop which allows the chain checker to drop in. This is why using the cleaner is problematic because when the chain is made the link pin and roller have oil in them reducing wear but when you use the cleaner tool and degreaser it removes all the lubrication between the link pin and roller and that one drop of oil never actually properly gets into the chain and really just lubricates the side of the roller and the link plates and most just drips off, and as a result the roller rubs against the link pin with no lubrication and wear is accelerated.
I used to use this tool and the one drop method on my daily bike and no mater what chain I got they would all wear out really fast after I cleaned them and so did some research and concluded it was the cleaning that was causing it and to test I used one chain and I did not clean lasted for ages before it broke, So now after using the Park Tool to clean the chain I remove the chain ( got to love split links ) and submerge it in oil I then agitate the chain to make sure any trapped air is replaced by oil I then hang the chain to let the excess oil drip back into the tray then wipe the chain with a clean rag, now when i do it this way the accelerated wear stopped
ruclips.net/video/QWemvEfYoBY/видео.html
Great video. Just to close the full circle. How do you wash your rags and towels after such a thorough cleaning? I am always hesitant to use washable rags when I deal with grime and grease because it's so hard to clean them really well
When my old T-shirts become too dirty or too holey to wear, they become rags for bike maintenance. I can get a few chain cleanings and other maintenance jobs out of a shirt before it becomes too dirty for further use. At which time, I throw them out, and it's "next shirt up." Otherwise, I use shop paper towels.
@@runningsig Yep. Agree withe RunningSig. I have plenty of old t-shirts whereby they are expendable - I throw them out once the become black with greese.
No! Never try to reuse or clean these. Use them as "rags!" Rags are meant to be thrown out once it's like has run its course.
When I lube the chain on my motorcycle, I mark a link using a twister tie from a bread container (so I know when I'm back where I started).
I mostly clean like you did here, but sometimes I remove a very dirty chain to soak and brush clean in a tray with kerosene.
It's probably worth mentioning to be careful not to drip any oil on the rim, or clean it right off if you do. That is for bikes that have rim brakes anyway!
Why did you put the lube on the upper part of the chain instead of the lower part?
Lol...here in southern California at our Dollar store ...not one single item is a dollar anymore and hasn't been in a long while.
Can I get a witness? 😂❤
For me, I take off the chain, throw it in a bucket of hot water and liquid dawn, agitate it, and scrub it with a toothbrush. Dump the soapy water (catch the master links!!), rinse it, pat it dry, and then give a spray with wd40.
I feel like i'm back in 2018, and it feels like home.
Never a bad idea to clean your gears and derailure cogs to
My chains are so dirty, that they can fool chain wear checking tool 😊
I prefer to lube the chain on the inside so it works its way through when spinning
obviously the best option is to have a quick link, then i feed the chain into a plastic bottle, add some detergent, and shake it.
I always lube the chain by dripping onto the inside of the links to "wash" contaminants to the outside. Otherwise, same!
👌👌👌👌
❤❤
dip in tanks at radiator shop, then aussie guys channel, waxed in old rice cooker.
❤
My chains on regularly used bikes are much dirtier than that.
👌👌❤️👍
hey viewers
Drying out the chain? WD40? Water displacement 40.
Great method! When people just squeeze the lube bottle while spinning I cringe.
I have a fake tool like this. Lol. It works but not as smooth as the ParkTool one.
Those chain cleaners work and do a good job, but if the chain has a joining link it won't go past it.
I find an ultrasonic cleaner much less labour intensive
🚲🚿🧼🪣🌊🏊
Wax The Chain ⛓️
Here we go…. the back and forth about what’s the best lube.
I just slather on some wd 40 and call it a day. I guess I'd probably follow this tutorial if I was working on a nice bike though 😂
WD40 will disolve old grease. But it's a terrible lubricant.
People wax their chain these days. i do. I like to heat up the chain and crankset and cassette with a hair dryer (to soften the wax) and wipe everything thoroughly . A lot easier and less messy and dirty than oil. That's an idea for a new video, perhaps ?? RJthebikeguy meets Squirt LOL
you just gotta remove the chain for proper cleaning. these toys are novelty
i just lube the inside part of chain.
how about paraffin, like squirt
On my commuter bike I installed a motorcycle chain oiler that drips wet lube on the chain while I'm riding. It feels like I just lubed it every time I ride and the gear oil I use is like $10 for a years supply. Only issue is it gets messy and drips everywhere. That bike lives outside.
Some gasoline and old paintbrush will do the job just as well and a lot cheaper you don't need gadgets
Clean?? I just get a new one every 2000 miles
A pair of toothbrushes is enough for me, for now.
Lol a comment
I removed my jeans and I just drop them in diesel. Let them soak.