How would you go about cleaning the chain if you live in a part of the world where you can’t buy degreaser? Can someone ask Ollie which washing up liquid is best as a substitute?
@@mathewrose2951 I use keosene but wonder if it's too strong. It's way cheaper than degreaser and rather than spray it on, I dip a toothbrush into a small container of it and work it into the chain.
Watch what surface you do this all-important cleaning on! Grease and oil will leave unsightly stains on stone, brick, concrete and wood. Place bike on plastic sheet with a layer of newspaper. Alternatively, perform cleaning on grass or dirt surface.
Thanks for this useful video for normal people that does not involve 19 nasty chemicals and expensive equipment. Bonus tips: Sneak over to GMBN and nick a Peaty‘s cassette brush, it‘s the best you can get. After the wash blast the chain through with brake cleaner, it displaces the water and evaporates without residue.
We certainly can do! It's a fairly simple process of using hot water to melt out the wax, although you look a bit nuts pouring water from the kettle on your chain haha
I feel a chain cleaner (the box with the spinning bristles in it) is easier, I get better results and is more economic on the degreaser. What I do is first a pass with regular dish soap in water (~30 revolutions of the cranks), then rinse the chain cleaner out, rinse the drivetrain with water, and do a chain cleaner pass with degreaser. Remove the chain cleaner, let it work in a bit, while I clean the rest of the bike/drive train. Rinse with plain water from a bidon (no hose needed). Another pass with soapy water. If the soapy water or its foam is still grey after than, another degreaser pass. Then a good final rinse of the drivetrain with plain water. Backpedal furiously to fling droplets, then a microfibre cloth to dry and then the lube as described.
I ride road, mostly in fair weather and rarely, if ever, use chain cleaner or degreaser. I just wipe the chain with rag after each ride, reapply Squirt, wipe again. The lubricant itself cleans and lubricates. Wiping the chain after each ride or 100 km is much easier than degreasing and replying lubricant. You can also just wipe the front chainrings and the cassette will stay pretty clean too.
1 If you have an air compressor you can blow the de-greaser with dirt right out, it helps to remove sand from difficult to cleans spaces Putting some very thin oil with hydrophobic properties on the exterior of your chain and sprockets gives you a bit more time to next cleaning.
@@RH-nk7eo no, i wax(cleaning and lubrication) my chain every 20-70km(what is every 1 or 2 days) on mtb in 2 passes, what takes 15 minutes with inductive heater on lipo battery, so my chain is always clean(i drive on dirt but not in mud)
From personal experience, I’d be careful spraying degreaser and water around the rear hub. If you manage to degrease the bearings you can easily destroy them.
Last time I did a bigger wash of my bike, I removed the rear sprocket from the wheel and put them in chaincleaner solution, then under water and let them dry. Way faster and more ergonomic than when I used todo it like in the video :) I usually only use a normal chaincleaner tool for my chain, from parktools. Cant say my bike gets that dirty, but I use babywipes after a ride to clean the bike (no the drivetrain :)
Retired pro team mechanic here. There is pretty much zero chance of 'degreasing' bearings by spraying degreaser or water (at low pressure like this) around the cassette and/or hub. Find something else to worry about.
@@cxwrench1 It happened to me. Not after 1 wash, but over time degreaser eroded the grease, leaving knackered bearings. Sounded like a bag of nails. Never again.
I can't recall seeing GCN use or test chain cleaning tools (Park, Much-Off, Pedro's, etc), that keep the cleaning process enclosed. They are virtually mess-free, and I have used the cleaning tool in my hotel room without issue (newspapers or an old towel beneath the chain just in case).
I have both the Muc-Off, and Park Tool enclosed chain cleaner tools. (I'm an unfortunate sucker for gadgets,lol.) I've had good results with both, nd a minimal mess made with either. Both companies could do a better job of designing in seals in some areas of them to help with leaks/drips/ ext., but would then price them at a point no one would buy them, I beleive.
@@clickbait4820 if you're gentle with how you use these things Park Tool chain cleaner tool with Muc off chain cleaner provide amazing results and can be done indoors (unlike what they showed here).
I would suggest two adds for making the cleaning easier and more effective: 1: Using chain cleaner (those with internal brushes, Just put the degreaser and spin the cranks, easy peasy) 2: Use a plastic bag or neoprene protector for the discs, zero risk of contaminated Disc pads. I've compared a few times cleaning my chains with the cheap chain cleaners and degreaser, and with ultrasound bath, and both get the same results. But Using the chain cleaner doesn't demands removing chain, and imo are a bit easier and faster...
Solid advice! I bought the Park chain cleaning kit and it did pretty well for lighter surface gunk. I needed to spend a little more time to get rid of the rest of the grime and it just took time, a couple types of brushes and a couple microfiber towels. More time for me gave me better results that lasted longer.
@@simonlynch4204 I’ve noticed that too! My chain got really dirty over a couple weeks of riding and my Park chain cleaning tool and chems were pretty good but left about 3/4 of the grime (based on my unscientific method of how much dirt was left in the microfiber when I wiped off the chain after first run). That’s why I switched off to the simple green for cars and it was better with some agitation from the brushes I used, after rinsed with water and then the microfiber towel was a lot less dirty. But again, that’s my experience.
Do not use degreaser on your cassette while it is still on your rear wheel. When you rinse it off there is a chance that water and degreaser will seep into your rear wheel hub as some are less than water tight. Take the cassette off then use degreaser on it. You can however use degreaser on the chain while it is still on the bike, just rinse it off away fron the cassette. Then spray the rear cassette with a bit of GT85 and wipe it down as it removes some of the more noticable grease from it. .
@@bladesman7701 yeah, maybe, I didn't have this issue in any of my (usually cheap) bikes, and I imagine if it's not waterproof, water is going to get in there sooner or later.
2 reasons why keeping my bike chain clean is important to me. First is that I don't want the chain breaking while I'm riding at top speed causing me to crash and injure myself. The second is I don't like this idea of "throwing away" a perfectly good chain. Reuse is better for the environment every time. So I use biodegradable cleaners and plant based lube.
I barely clean my bike for a month, but i use my old toothbrush and degrease sprYer, for cleaning it. And its very handy tbh and appky some lubricants afterwards
i use kerosene to clean the chain and components. It seems to be more effective and much cheaper than degreaser, but i wonder if it's too powerful. I would also recommend covering the wheel and tyre so not so much degreaser/kerosene gets on it when spraying or working it into the chain.
Super good technique. I use a combination of Simple Green or Sta-Bil degreaser and a detailer brush on the drivetrain after the first pass. Always use a clean microfiber or clean section of the same towel to wipe off remaining grease, and a clean towel to dry and another clean one after re-lubing the chain. Detailer brushes are softer but you can get a few cheaply and clean off any gunk that got onto the frame with some soft detergent like an auto wash followed up with a microfiber and a light spray on car paint wax. I tend to use high quality auto finish products for bike frame and paint because they are just as low impact on the CF or cars and 1/2 the price of specialty bicycle chemicals. Just my technique though.
@@MrEpsilonZero yes I do us an old toothbrush in some cases, and need a stiffer bristle brush (depending on the gunk level for chain chainrings and cassette). I use a microfiber cleaning solution from Chemical Guys that clears out nearly all the oil and junk. I will prewash them (soak in the bucket) rub them together in a utility sink and then machine wash them (separated from clothes). It is about 10 min more but the microfiber towels are as clean as new with this process.
@@richardelliott8352 are you saying simple green is corrosive on AL? Not certain about the USAF advisory but I’m not using the industrial version of simple green in the desert heat or leaving it on any surface for longer than a minute. Simple Green compared to other degreaser chems is pretty tame but should be used within their instructions. Even the other chemicals can cause harm if abused (like, would I use brake cleaner on my CF framed bike even though it’s non-corrosive? No. But I’d use it on dirty or wet drivetrain parts off the bike)
Brake cleaner is the only product you will ever need to clean the mechanisms on the bike. Cheap, effective, evaporates quickly and does not damage metal, though i would be careful around bio based brake pads. Dont let it rest on the paint for too long either. For the rest of the bike use dishsoap well diluted in warm water, a spray bottle, brushes and sponges, and microfiber/low lint fabric. Dont power wash the bike. Use paper towels to dry off and detail. Use a light sealant on the painted frame if thats your thing. Buy a quality lubricant of your choice. Thats it. The whole setup will cost you like 20e if you have none of it and lasts for years.
They used to make a specific product for aircraft. Bikes aren't much different and there have been horror stories about cracked chain plates and other damage from the original formula. I've used alloy wheel cleaner spray from the auto parts store. Smells awful, but made not to cause problems with expensive alloy car wheels so...@@SteveWeltman
Do not use degreaser. All you should need is to wipe the chain down with a rag. You will basically never get the chain really clean with drip on wax unless you spend a lot of time meticulously rubbing off each ling with a rag. It's not a problem though as waxed chains inherently clean themselves as the older wax drops off.
Stupid question number one… If after degreasing the chain, leaving it without lubrication will make it rust quickly, how does just lubing the rollers stop the chain plates rusting? Should we give the chain a spray with a water disperser, like GT85, then dry it with a cloth before lubing, or does that cause other problems?😊
You showed the Silca Ultimate Brake And Drivetrain Cleaner bottle (aka Detox) but never used it in this video. It’s absolutely incredible stuff. Costs a lot, but for on the bike drivetrain cleaning there is NOTHING close to it on the market at the moment and it can be used on discs too with zero issues. I bit the bullet after reading reviews and I’m stunned by how amazing it is. It smells like eggs and goes red when it’s fighting the grime - but don’t let that put you off.
Sorry guys I am a newbie in the sector, are those drops of grease at the end enough to grease your chain? Don't we need to greas it with thik black grease, the shop where I go but it quite a lot, my mtb is very cheap and I use it to just commute or little trips. Thank you in advance for who wants to answer me.
"... and before you know, this will be part of your bike cleaning routine." Ahah, yes... the bike cleaning routine... that I do... every time... I clean my bike...
I spray some WD-40 or equivalent onto a rag and then run the chain through it, then do the same with an old toothbrush to clean the inner surfaces. After that it's ready for some fresh lubricant. I think it's easier to do the simple procedure more often. Also chains are relatively cheap and only take a few minutes to change, so it's not worth a great deal of effort squeezing a little bit more life out of it.
The trouble with this method is, the inside of the chain links are still full of water. What I do is, back pedal while spraying GT85 or WD40, to clear the water out. Wipe off the excess, then apply the lube. You (or your chain) will thank me.
@@badcompany1313 , I don’t say that at all. I’ll try again. Back pedal while spraying WD40 or GT85, wipe off the excess, then apply the chain lube. WARNING: DON’T APPLY WD40 OR GT85 AFTER APPLYING CHAIN LUBE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY SILLY BECAUSE IT WOULD WASH THE LUBE OUT.
After degreasing and rinsing the chain with water, i use compressed air and a pointy jet nozzle up close on the chain while spinning the chain backwards. I see clouds of water droplets flying from the chain, even after wiping the chain with a cloth after rinsing.
I would use some old cardboard as a rim/spoke guard, during cleaning of the chain. However I would avoid removing all of the excess oil from the outer links as they can rust in wet weather.
Thanks for that. I have never really cleaned my chains before but then I have never spent multiple thousands on a bike before so I want to keep it like as new and my cars are always spotless so why not my bike.
I remove and soak my chain in gasoline. I think it's actually better, since no water is invoved. Chain lube will readily replace the leftover gasoline. Whereas water based degreasers will need to be rinsed off with water, and residual water will prevent lube from making its way into the chain. As long as you are responsible about it, and be sure to dispose of the dirty gasoline legally/properly, I don't see a reason to use anything else.
Nice video. Only concern is the petroleum products used to clean and lube the chain. The highly rated ones (not by you) that I use to put it mildly have a most unpleasant and highly toxic odor. You did mention an alternative that’s a non petroleum based product. Would definitely promote those products over the fossil fuel variety. Do you have any recommendations? Why take good care of our bikes and sicken ourselves inhaling wretched gasoline cleaners and lubricants? Makes no sense! They smell bad even though used outside and difficult to get the smells off hands and clothes.
wow amazing, cleaning a clean chain and the result is perfect, now clean a dirty chain with brushes which are used 20 times already and see wether the result is still perfect.
No more deep cleaning since I used wax besed lub. The only time I did it was when the chain was new. After first coating all I need to do is, wipe the chain with cloth afte every ride and apply new coat about 200 km later.
After years using fancy and expensive bike products, by chance I used the degreaser that I usually have in my kitchen. Name is “elbow grease” all purpose degreaser. 1’50£. Never I have a chain as now.
I use NEW engine oil and wipe the chain few times with old clean cloth after every ride until the chain is "clean" . Then wipe it dry and put chain wax and wipe off the excess. Definitely the chain will not be as shiny as the one in the video. I did it this because i am afraid the degreaser and the water may affect the chain.
My bike frame is white. If I do it this way, the I have black greasy spots (from spraying the old grease off and from the dirty brush) all over my white frame which is a pain in the butt to remove afterwards…
I'm increasingly starting to wonder... a majority of us riders are wannabes. How much difference does this really make? I love riding with a clean chain and cassette and religiously clean every week based on my riding. But all this cleaning, lubing, waxing... and often to just save a chain and double it's life or whatever... (I'm definitely not doing it for the extra watt or two, because honest to the sweet lord, my weight variation compensates for anything I can remotely save on my bike's weight loss and marginal power gains). I did a quick back of napkin calculation and it seems like we end up spending a lot more time and money in this hoopla and it may just be cheaper to replace the chain more often. I wonder how others are thinking about this....?
100% this. The obsession with chain and drivetrain cleaning is ridiculous, as you say it will make virtually no difference to your performance, and only marginal differences to longevity of parts. Jeez, when I was young ('70s and '80s) I cycled 1000s of miles and I never cleaned any part of the drivetrain ever, just regularly applied more 3-in-1 oil to the chain and other moving parts, and I can't recall ever replacing a chain or cassette or anything else.
i most spray the frame whit water and other bike cleaner also disk brakes wheels not hubs or bearings and seatpost and the drivetrain whit degreaser and let it´s for about a hour
there are some decent chinese plastic boxes where you put your chain into and degreaser, spin couple of times and chain is clean as new, then all you have to do is brush of the cassete and chainrings
I really enjoy your videos. I'm new to biking and a bit obsessive about my bike. I live in an apartment in NYC so I don't have a hose or an outdoor space to clean. What do you recommend for apartment dwellers who would like to clean their chains?
I use an ultrasonic cleaner together with normal dish soap for quite a while now. The effort is not too crazy and the chain + cassette last almost forever
You made some good points and I like the conical brush. BUT: You should read the Rock N Roll Extreme Gold instructions as it will change your life. Since I read those instructions my chain maintenance has become a breeze. Here in the desert I would NEVER use any oil which attracts dust.
take chain off, put it in an old coffee jar half full of turps , shake it, take it out, dry and reconnect, then oil 10minute job chain is super clean, Been doing it for years
I have some difficulties not having a black chain after riding. Everytime I apply my oil to my chain (and wipe the excess off) it keeps getting black, even the casette. Any tips on how to avoid have a black chain and casette?
Two of the biggest mistakes when lubing a chain are the frequency and the timing . Only lube when needed which could be every couple of hundred milles not every ride . Also do not lube just before the ride . It's best to lube the night before and allow the oil to dry . The best solution is to go full hot wax .
Clean your bicycle chain with dishwashing soap and water by brushing the chain using used tooth brush throughly to remove all dirt, oil, etc… then wash with clean water using “garden hose” until soap agent are removed…include your sprocket, drueller and pedal… let it totally dry… then apply/brushing with a spoonful of crude oil, brush thorougly the chain w little crude oil,include sprocket, drueller and pedal.. you rotate the pedal until attaining smooth sailing.. that means it penetrates the innermost past of your chain… it does not attack mud, dirt and water when riding.. best for tropical and cold climate… been using this for more than 20 yrs by now, its practical and cheapest in terms of maintenance… try it..
I use Prolink Pro Gold, chain never gets manky, and I run the chain through a rag after every 150km then re-lube...maybe at 5-600km I'll do a proper clean in a jar of muc-off (or even petrol) then wash it and hang to drip dry then top to bottom use WD40 to clean out the degreaser.... (I have a cheap "Barbieri" chain cleaner but it's crap on 11spd think it's better on 9spd keeps getting jammed on 11 as the chain goes down the side of the brushes.... and the plastic is brittle if you drop the thing it'll crack easy...)
I got bored with degreasing my chains a ling time ago and now just add a heavyish amount of oil and wipe the chain aggressively, while also wiping the derailleur sprocket teeth and chainrings. Then another dose of oil and wipedown. I repeat if the rag isn't showing that the oil coming off is relatively clean. Have gotten thousands of miles no problem, including some offroading, so I'd need serious convincing that a degreasing step helps much. It's faster, much less messy and can't possibly degrease any bearings. But to be fair, my chain isn't as beautiful and shiny....
There's this older man on youtube showing you how to clean your chain using a 3 litre plastic milk bottle (cut into it to fit the chain into) to trap the degreaser (or keroscene or petrol) and two old opposing toothbrushes to use on the chain; and some kind of old spray which the milk bottle will trap and avoid splashing/spraying onto you/other parts of the bike.
My mountain bike chain and gears are quite dirty. I’ll give your tips a try today (it’s a nice weather Saturday). I’ll use old toothbrushes and an old toilet brush as those are the only brushes I have handy. Hmm, while I’m cleaning the mountain bike I may as well do the winter fat bike. It should be clean but won’t hurt to clean it properly.
I’ve done it several times now and it works well. Last month I put on crappy lubricant as it was all I had. What a mess. Bike shop guy who replaced bearings commented on it. I picked up more degreaser and wax from them and gave the chain several cleanings and then waxed it. Rides silently and smoothly now and looks a lot better. Probably will do another cleaning in a day or two because I’ve been on dirt trails quite a bit past two weeks. Maybe do it today actually as I’m feeling a bit too lazy to bike so if I get out and clean it I’ll be more motivated to take it for a ride.
@@sniper_mike8739 That I do not know. I'm not well-versed in this. I do try and get most lubricant off before waxing. If the bike runs smoothly with little chain noise, I figure whatever I've done is working. No doubt there are folks who have it down to an exact science, but I'm not one of them.
@@chrisconnors7418I cleaned using muc off and degreaser and applied dry lube, will take it out today and see cos when I was back pedalling to put the degreaser on it kept making a weird noise
What other maintenance advice would you like Alex to share? 🚲
How would you go about cleaning the chain if you live in a part of the world where you can’t buy degreaser? Can someone ask Ollie which washing up liquid is best as a substitute?
How would the process change when using a wax? Same without the degreaser?
@@mathewrose2951 I use keosene but wonder if it's too strong. It's way cheaper than degreaser and rather than spray it on, I dip a toothbrush into a small container of it and work it into the chain.
@@kronjp there are bio degreasers. Not toxic and environnement friendly...
How he's showering himself. 😂
Clean a clean chain. Works every time!
I tried it with muddy water from the creek and my nice clean chain was made to be in need of a clean.
Ha Ha Ha. :-)
🤣it’s true!
😂
Squirt is more than just a chain lube ;)
I use a toothbruch to clean my chain and get into all those hard to reach places. Trouble is, it tastes horrible when i clean my teeth.
good advice. I use a lawn leaf blower to dry the chain, derailleur and gears. Works in seconds!
I can use a vacuum that can blow
@@BRENDANATOR6I’ve got something that can suck it quciker
@@BRENDANATOR6that’s a paradox ain’t it
@@zureaiNot unless the vacuum is an air compressor.
I just lube it and go for a bike ride. Wind and sun will dry it out.
Nice work again Axel, I'm jealous of the state of your knees squatting like that for ages.
Axel? LOL It's Alex.
@@vashon100 and that would be the joke.
Check out the kneesovertoesguy he's help mine knees massively
Watch what surface you do this all-important cleaning on! Grease and oil will leave unsightly stains on stone, brick, concrete and wood. Place bike on plastic sheet with a layer of newspaper. Alternatively, perform cleaning on grass or dirt surface.
I use the Muc-Off chain cleaning tool (bath) … works well and it collects the contaminated degreaser for disposal. Great video … ta very much.
Thanks for this useful video for normal people that does not involve 19 nasty chemicals and expensive equipment. Bonus tips: Sneak over to GMBN and nick a Peaty‘s cassette brush, it‘s the best you can get. After the wash blast the chain through with brake cleaner, it displaces the water and evaporates without residue.
For that stiff brush you can use your old toothbrush works well and is also very cheap and good for the environment
Thats very useful at narrow dirts on the chains and ona low clearance areas
Tesco do cheap new ones for .50p Bargain
Wife: oh honey, have you seen my toothbrush?!?
yes, I save few of my toothbrushes for cleaning such as chain or other small bits.
Even better - brush sandwich with two cheap nailbrushes
Nice Maintenance,Mike. Thanks,Ride safe. From the Philippines
Thank you Albert , and crew. Will you be doing one of these for waxed chains ? Please.....??
Yes please!
I’d watch this
We certainly can do! It's a fairly simple process of using hot water to melt out the wax, although you look a bit nuts pouring water from the kettle on your chain haha
@@GCNalex Thank you. It’s ok , the neighbors already know I blame contact sports
@@GCNalex that’s how I do it! But inside so no one can see 😆
I feel a chain cleaner (the box with the spinning bristles in it) is easier, I get better results and is more economic on the degreaser. What I do is first a pass with regular dish soap in water (~30 revolutions of the cranks), then rinse the chain cleaner out, rinse the drivetrain with water, and do a chain cleaner pass with degreaser. Remove the chain cleaner, let it work in a bit, while I clean the rest of the bike/drive train. Rinse with plain water from a bidon (no hose needed). Another pass with soapy water. If the soapy water or its foam is still grey after than, another degreaser pass. Then a good final rinse of the drivetrain with plain water. Backpedal furiously to fling droplets, then a microfibre cloth to dry and then the lube as described.
Sounds like a great method! Finding what works for you is super important 🙌
Never thought to use my chain cleaner with anything other than degreaser. Thanks for the tip!
WTF IS A BIDON???!! USE NORMAL WORDS MOST PEOPLE USE. YOU MUST BE 80 YEARS OLD
I ride road, mostly in fair weather and rarely, if ever, use chain cleaner or degreaser. I just wipe the chain with rag after each ride, reapply Squirt, wipe again. The lubricant itself cleans and lubricates. Wiping the chain after each ride or 100 km is much easier than degreasing and replying lubricant. You can also just wipe the front chainrings and the cassette will stay pretty clean too.
Nothing like a clean fresh drivetrain.
In general, you provide complete explanations for bicycle repairs, which are useful for those interested.
Best to cover the Discs as it will splatter on the discs and you will have contaminated pads😊
Hi James, good point. In my experience the pads can get wet with water and even degreaser without any negative issues, just not the oil or waxes.
Great point James! That can turn into a nuisance to fix 👀
One less issue with my rim bikes.
How would you cover the discs effectively?
1 If you have an air compressor you can blow the de-greaser with dirt right out, it helps to remove sand from difficult to cleans spaces
Putting some very thin oil with hydrophobic properties on the exterior of your chain and sprockets gives you a bit more time to next cleaning.
if you are on vacation in hotel and you do not have workshop with you, what then?
@@makantahi3731You ride dirty of course
@@RH-nk7eo no, i wax(cleaning and lubrication) my chain every 20-70km(what is every 1 or 2 days) on mtb in 2 passes, what takes 15 minutes with inductive heater on lipo battery, so my chain is always clean(i drive on dirt but not in mud)
Pipe Cleaners work great to clean between the cassette.
From personal experience, I’d be careful spraying degreaser and water around the rear hub. If you manage to degrease the bearings you can easily destroy them.
Yep happened to my Raleigh after my first real cleaning (and letting the neighbor kids rinse the bike off). Lesson learned
Last time I did a bigger wash of my bike, I removed the rear sprocket from the wheel and put them in chaincleaner solution, then under water and let them dry. Way faster and more ergonomic than when I used todo it like in the video :) I usually only use a normal chaincleaner tool for my chain, from parktools. Cant say my bike gets that dirty, but I use babywipes after a ride to clean the bike (no the drivetrain :)
Retired pro team mechanic here. There is pretty much zero chance of 'degreasing' bearings by spraying degreaser or water (at low pressure like this) around the cassette and/or hub. Find something else to worry about.
@@cxwrench1 It happened to me. Not after 1 wash, but over time degreaser eroded the grease, leaving knackered bearings. Sounded like a bag of nails. Never again.
@@stevegeek You're doing it wrong. I've washed hundreds and hundreds of team bikes and never had any issues.
I can't recall seeing GCN use or test chain cleaning tools (Park, Much-Off, Pedro's, etc), that keep the cleaning process enclosed. They are virtually mess-free, and I have used the cleaning tool in my hotel room without issue (newspapers or an old towel beneath the chain just in case).
I have both the Muc-Off, and Park Tool enclosed chain cleaner tools. (I'm an unfortunate sucker for gadgets,lol.)
I've had good results with both, nd a minimal mess made with either.
Both companies could do a better job of designing in seals in some areas of them to help with leaks/drips/ ext., but would then price them at a point no one would buy them, I beleive.
@@clickbait4820 if you're gentle with how you use these things Park Tool chain cleaner tool with Muc off chain cleaner provide amazing results and can be done indoors (unlike what they showed here).
Rumor has it no dirty chains exist at GCN because Ollie waxed them all
No dirty chains allowed 🙅
I would suggest two adds for making the cleaning easier and more effective:
1: Using chain cleaner (those with internal brushes, Just put the degreaser and spin the cranks, easy peasy)
2: Use a plastic bag or neoprene protector for the discs, zero risk of contaminated Disc pads.
I've compared a few times cleaning my chains with the cheap chain cleaners and degreaser, and with ultrasound bath, and both get the same results. But Using the chain cleaner doesn't demands removing chain, and imo are a bit easier and faster...
Solid advice! I bought the Park chain cleaning kit and it did pretty well for lighter surface gunk. I needed to spend a little more time to get rid of the rest of the grime and it just took time, a couple types of brushes and a couple microfiber towels. More time for me gave me better results that lasted longer.
I was going to say I could and have used the Park chain cleaning kit after every few light dry rides, but I think you get my meaning.
@@SteveWeltman I run my Park Cyclone through about 4-5 degreaser changes and the chain is like new. Doesn't take long.
Chain cleaner only work on relatively clean chains. A grimey chain will jam them in my experience.It's good if you do it regularly.
@@simonlynch4204 I’ve noticed that too! My chain got really dirty over a couple weeks of riding and my Park chain cleaning tool and chems were pretty good but left about 3/4 of the grime (based on my unscientific method of how much dirt was left in the microfiber when I wiped off the chain after first run). That’s why I switched off to the simple green for cars and it was better with some agitation from the brushes I used, after rinsed with water and then the microfiber towel was a lot less dirty. But again, that’s my experience.
shout out to Miguel's socks.
I think this is the first time that I have ever seen a GCN presenter bike without top spec Di2 Dura Ace.
Do not use degreaser on your cassette while it is still on your rear wheel. When you rinse it off there is a chance that water and degreaser will seep into your rear wheel hub as some are less than water tight. Take the cassette off then use degreaser on it. You can however use degreaser on the chain while it is still on the bike, just rinse it off away fron the cassette. Then spray the rear cassette with a bit of GT85 and wipe it down as it removes some of the more noticable grease from it. .
If your hub is not water resistant, you have a problem.
@@jankoodziej877 you may, or may not, be surprised how many rear hubs allow water ingress.
@@bladesman7701 yeah, maybe, I didn't have this issue in any of my (usually cheap) bikes, and I imagine if it's not waterproof, water is going to get in there sooner or later.
Best chain cleaning advice. Works well
2 reasons why keeping my bike chain clean is important to me. First is that I don't want the chain breaking while I'm riding at top speed causing me to crash and injure myself. The second is I don't like this idea of "throwing away" a perfectly good chain. Reuse is better for the environment every time. So I use biodegradable cleaners and plant based lube.
I get an automotive wheel brush. Love y try he park stuff but mine is half the cost
Uploaded this refresher video just in time!! I'm going to clean the drivetrain on my Canyon tomorrow 😊
I barely clean my bike for a month, but i use my old toothbrush and degrease sprYer, for cleaning it. And its very handy tbh and appky some lubricants afterwards
I barely clean my bike for 4 years. I need to get better at it.
Do you do this after every ride? If not, how do you know when it is time?
Very helpful indeed. I'm glad to know that I've been lubing the chain correctly all these years.
i use kerosene to clean the chain and components. It seems to be more effective and much cheaper than degreaser, but i wonder if it's too powerful. I would also recommend covering the wheel and tyre so not so much degreaser/kerosene gets on it when spraying or working it into the chain.
Only problem is that kerosene is harmful to the environment, most degreasers are environmentally friendly 👍🏻
awesome tutorial how to clean a clean drivetrain
Why didn't you start with a dirty drive train. That one was cleaner than mine after I cleaned it.
I know everyone and their mums is giving advice. My tip is to clean your jockey wheels first. Usually builds up there first!
Super good technique. I use a combination of Simple Green or Sta-Bil degreaser and a detailer brush on the drivetrain after the first pass. Always use a clean microfiber or clean section of the same towel to wipe off remaining grease, and a clean towel to dry and another clean one after re-lubing the chain. Detailer brushes are softer but you can get a few cheaply and clean off any gunk that got onto the frame with some soft detergent like an auto wash followed up with a microfiber and a light spray on car paint wax. I tend to use high quality auto finish products for bike frame and paint because they are just as low impact on the CF or cars and 1/2 the price of specialty bicycle chemicals. Just my technique though.
@@MrEpsilonZero yes I do us an old toothbrush in some cases, and need a stiffer bristle brush (depending on the gunk level for chain chainrings and cassette). I use a microfiber cleaning solution from Chemical Guys that clears out nearly all the oil and junk. I will prewash them (soak in the bucket) rub them together in a utility sink and then machine wash them (separated from clothes). It is about 10 min more but the microfiber towels are as clean as new with this process.
be carful with simple green around aluminum, it becomes reactive, the US airforce has service advisories saying not to use it .
@@richardelliott8352 are you saying simple green is corrosive on AL? Not certain about the USAF advisory but I’m not using the industrial version of simple green in the desert heat or leaving it on any surface for longer than a minute. Simple Green compared to other degreaser chems is pretty tame but should be used within their instructions. Even the other chemicals can cause harm if abused (like, would I use brake cleaner on my CF framed bike even though it’s non-corrosive? No. But I’d use it on dirty or wet drivetrain parts off the bike)
Brake cleaner is the only product you will ever need to clean the mechanisms on the bike. Cheap, effective, evaporates quickly and does not damage metal, though i would be careful around bio based brake pads. Dont let it rest on the paint for too long either.
For the rest of the bike use dishsoap well diluted in warm water, a spray bottle, brushes and sponges, and microfiber/low lint fabric.
Dont power wash the bike. Use paper towels to dry off and detail.
Use a light sealant on the painted frame if thats your thing. Buy a quality lubricant of your choice.
Thats it. The whole setup will cost you like 20e if you have none of it and lasts for years.
They used to make a specific product for aircraft. Bikes aren't much different and there have been horror stories about cracked chain plates and other damage from the original formula. I've used alloy wheel cleaner spray from the auto parts store. Smells awful, but made not to cause problems with expensive alloy car wheels so...@@SteveWeltman
Nice practical vid Felix!!!!
I love these videos! But i have a question, is the cleaning process any different if you use a drip on wax?
Do not use degreaser. All you should need is to wipe the chain down with a rag. You will basically never get the chain really clean with drip on wax unless you spend a lot of time meticulously rubbing off each ling with a rag. It's not a problem though as waxed chains inherently clean themselves as the older wax drops off.
Use a chain cleaner. No brushes needed and no risk spraying degreaser all over the place. Works amazing every time.
Stupid question number one… If after degreasing the chain, leaving it without lubrication will make it rust quickly, how does just lubing the rollers stop the chain plates rusting? Should we give the chain a spray with a water disperser, like GT85, then dry it with a cloth before lubing, or does that cause other problems?😊
Thanks for showing the lube, useful to see, I'm always leaving the excess on the sides.
Cleaning my cassette, it helps to use cotton mop head. I cut off the strands and floss in between each cassette, works like a charm
You showed the Silca Ultimate Brake And Drivetrain Cleaner bottle (aka Detox) but never used it in this video. It’s absolutely incredible stuff. Costs a lot, but for on the bike drivetrain cleaning there is NOTHING close to it on the market at the moment and it can be used on discs too with zero issues. I bit the bullet after reading reviews and I’m stunned by how amazing it is. It smells like eggs and goes red when it’s fighting the grime - but don’t let that put you off.
Sorry guys I am a newbie in the sector, are those drops of grease at the end enough to grease your chain? Don't we need to greas it with thik black grease, the shop where I go but it quite a lot, my mtb is very cheap and I use it to just commute or little trips. Thank you in advance for who wants to answer me.
That was really helpful! Thank you!
I swapped to warm wax. Never going back to chain oil. No gunk, no noise, no degreasing needed. just dip the chain in the warm wax and done.
"... and before you know, this will be part of your bike cleaning routine."
Ahah, yes... the bike cleaning routine... that I do... every time... I clean my bike...
I spray some WD-40 or equivalent onto a rag and then run the chain through it, then do the same with an old toothbrush to clean the inner surfaces. After that it's ready for some fresh lubricant. I think it's easier to do the simple procedure more often. Also chains are relatively cheap and only take a few minutes to change, so it's not worth a great deal of effort squeezing a little bit more life out of it.
Spray it directly on the chain to get the dirty old oil out of the inside.
The trouble with this method is, the inside of the chain links are still full of water. What I do is, back pedal while spraying GT85 or WD40, to clear the water out. Wipe off the excess, then apply the lube.
You (or your chain) will thank me.
So you’re saying to use the wd40 at the end of this same routine?
@@badcompany1313 , I don’t say that at all. I’ll try again.
Back pedal while spraying WD40 or GT85, wipe off the excess, then apply the chain lube.
WARNING: DON’T APPLY WD40 OR GT85 AFTER APPLYING CHAIN LUBE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY SILLY BECAUSE IT WOULD WASH THE LUBE OUT.
Thank you!
After degreasing and rinsing the chain with water, i use compressed air and a pointy jet nozzle up close on the chain while spinning the chain backwards. I see clouds of water droplets flying from the chain, even after wiping the chain with a cloth after rinsing.
I would use some old cardboard as a rim/spoke guard, during cleaning of the chain. However I would avoid removing all of the excess oil from the outer links as they can rust in wet weather.
I use Dry & Wet Lubes No more Marketing promotions :) that Dish shop in your kitchen especially Dawn's Platinum does Perfect clean up :) That's it~~~~
Thanks for that. I have never really cleaned my chains before but then I have never spent multiple thousands on a bike before so I want to keep it like as new and my cars are always spotless so why not my bike.
Is it okay if I use gasoline instead of degreaser? Gasoline comes budget-friendly and it is easy to find in my area. What do you guys think?
I remove and soak my chain in gasoline. I think it's actually better, since no water is invoved. Chain lube will readily replace the leftover gasoline. Whereas water based degreasers will need to be rinsed off with water, and residual water will prevent lube from making its way into the chain. As long as you are responsible about it, and be sure to dispose of the dirty gasoline legally/properly, I don't see a reason to use anything else.
Nice video. Only concern is the petroleum products used to clean and lube the chain. The highly rated ones (not by you) that I use to put it mildly have a most unpleasant and highly toxic odor. You did mention an alternative that’s a non petroleum based product. Would definitely promote those products over the fossil fuel variety. Do you have any recommendations? Why take good care of our bikes and sicken ourselves inhaling wretched gasoline cleaners and lubricants? Makes no sense! They smell bad even though used outside and difficult to get the smells off hands and clothes.
wow amazing, cleaning a clean chain and the result is perfect, now clean a dirty chain with brushes which are used 20 times already and see wether the result is still perfect.
No more deep cleaning since I used wax besed lub. The only time I did it was when the chain was new. After first coating all I need to do is, wipe the chain with cloth afte every ride and apply new coat about 200 km later.
Great video! Thanks for creating and sharing!
After years using fancy and expensive bike products, by chance I used the degreaser that I usually have in my kitchen. Name is “elbow grease” all purpose degreaser. 1’50£. Never I have a chain as now.
Could this method be enough before applying drip wax?
I use NEW engine oil and wipe the chain few times with old clean cloth after every ride until the chain is "clean" . Then wipe it dry and put chain wax and wipe off the excess. Definitely the chain will not be as shiny as the one in the video. I did it this because i am afraid the degreaser and the water may affect the chain.
My bike frame is white. If I do it this way, the I have black greasy spots (from spraying the old grease off and from the dirty brush) all over my white frame which is a pain in the butt to remove afterwards…
Waxed chain is especially good for white frames.
😂na kazetu a řetěz na kole je nejlepší štětka na záchod 😁je to vyskoušeno můj patent 😁😂👍
I'm increasingly starting to wonder... a majority of us riders are wannabes. How much difference does this really make? I love riding with a clean chain and cassette and religiously clean every week based on my riding. But all this cleaning, lubing, waxing... and often to just save a chain and double it's life or whatever... (I'm definitely not doing it for the extra watt or two, because honest to the sweet lord, my weight variation compensates for anything I can remotely save on my bike's weight loss and marginal power gains). I did a quick back of napkin calculation and it seems like we end up spending a lot more time and money in this hoopla and it may just be cheaper to replace the chain more often. I wonder how others are thinking about this....?
100% this. The obsession with chain and drivetrain cleaning is ridiculous, as you say it will make virtually no difference to your performance, and only marginal differences to longevity of parts. Jeez, when I was young ('70s and '80s) I cycled 1000s of miles and I never cleaned any part of the drivetrain ever, just regularly applied more 3-in-1 oil to the chain and other moving parts, and I can't recall ever replacing a chain or cassette or anything else.
A clean chain is much nicer cause it doesn't mess up your clothes house car office hands etc.
i most spray the frame whit water and other bike cleaner also disk brakes wheels not hubs or bearings and seatpost and the drivetrain whit degreaser and let it´s for about a hour
Insightful!
Should I do It? My dad said If I do It all black stuff It will rust over time😢
there are some decent chinese plastic boxes where you put your chain into and degreaser, spin couple of times and chain is clean as new, then all you have to do
is brush of the cassete and chainrings
I really enjoy your videos. I'm new to biking and a bit obsessive about my bike. I live in an apartment in NYC so I don't have a hose or an outdoor space to clean. What do you recommend for apartment dwellers who would like to clean their chains?
I use an ultrasonic cleaner together with normal dish soap for quite a while now. The effort is not too crazy and the chain + cassette last almost forever
That will be me shortly, seems to be best option
You made some good points and I like the conical brush. BUT: You should read the Rock N Roll Extreme Gold instructions as it will change your life. Since I read those instructions my chain maintenance has become a breeze. Here in the desert I would NEVER use any oil which attracts dust.
Spray some Solvent on everything and use a high pressure compressor works for me👍
Succinct and cordial: thank you!
I am always amazed at the $5,000+ bikes I see with dirty/ trashed drivetrains.
Buying an expensive bike costs money, and maintaining it cost time 🤷♂️
@@金安迪-g5q Solid point.
If I'm using an electrical groupset then do I have have remove it?
Nope, the grouset on this bike used is electronic
Alex link for your Silicone Chainstay Protection please
Which degreaser and lube are safe for marine animals and the environment, and are sold in glass or metal containers?
take chain off, put it in an old coffee jar half full of turps , shake it, take it out, dry and reconnect, then oil 10minute job chain is super clean, Been doing it for years
I have some difficulties not having a black chain after riding. Everytime I apply my oil to my chain (and wipe the excess off) it keeps getting black, even the casette. Any tips on how to avoid have a black chain and casette?
Two of the biggest mistakes when lubing a chain are the frequency and the timing . Only lube when needed which could be every couple of hundred milles not every ride . Also do not lube just before the ride . It's best to lube the night before and allow the oil to dry . The best solution is to go full hot wax .
@@johnleonard5936 well I only lube every 500km's +/-, i always lube the evening before a ride.
Clean your bicycle chain with dishwashing soap and water by brushing the chain using used tooth brush throughly to remove all dirt, oil, etc… then wash with clean water using “garden hose” until soap agent are removed…include your sprocket, drueller and pedal… let it totally dry… then apply/brushing with a spoonful of crude oil, brush thorougly the chain w little crude oil,include sprocket, drueller and pedal.. you rotate the pedal until attaining smooth sailing.. that means it penetrates the innermost past of your chain… it does not attack mud, dirt and water when riding.. best for tropical and cold climate… been using this for more than 20 yrs by now, its practical and cheapest in terms of maintenance… try it..
Are the chain cleaner machines any good? They seem kinda useless if you can just get a more thorough clean using a basic brush and sponge.
The rear brake disc and pads are likely to get contaminated scrubbing the cassette like that so try and cover the disc and brake calliper.
Is it just me that uses a paint brush to apply the degreaser to the chain and two nail brushes with the chain sandwiched in between to clean it?
You could always come and demonstrate on my chain 😉
I use Prolink Pro Gold, chain never gets manky, and I run the chain through a rag after every 150km then re-lube...maybe at 5-600km I'll do a proper clean in a jar of muc-off (or even petrol) then wash it and hang to drip dry then top to bottom use WD40 to clean out the degreaser.... (I have a cheap "Barbieri" chain cleaner but it's crap on 11spd think it's better on 9spd keeps getting jammed on 11 as the chain goes down the side of the brushes.... and the plastic is brittle if you drop the thing it'll crack easy...)
I find it very helpful but I still dont know how to do it :(
Thanks
Cheers mate 👋😊,
Good one, the gravel bike you used for this showcase, what deepht is the carbon rims?... Cheers from Denmark and stay safe 👍🚲👋..
Holding the front brakes on with a strap around the brake lever can make the bike less prone to moving as you turn the crank.
I prefer Finish Line ceramic wet chain lube applied then wiped completely off, ride once and wipe off again.
I got bored with degreasing my chains a ling time ago and now just add a heavyish amount of oil and wipe the chain aggressively, while also wiping the derailleur sprocket teeth and chainrings. Then another dose of oil and wipedown.
I repeat if the rag isn't showing that the oil coming off is relatively clean.
Have gotten thousands of miles no problem, including some offroading, so I'd need serious convincing that a degreasing step helps much. It's faster, much less messy and can't possibly degrease any bearings.
But to be fair, my chain isn't as beautiful and shiny....
Great job
Is the cleaning process the same when you clean a dirty chain instead of cleaning a clean chain? 🤔
There's this older man on youtube showing you how to clean your chain using a 3 litre plastic milk bottle (cut into it to fit the chain into) to trap the degreaser (or keroscene or petrol) and two old opposing toothbrushes to use on the chain; and some kind of old spray which the milk bottle will trap and avoid splashing/spraying onto you/other parts of the bike.
how do you clean up your cloths of grit and grease?
Literally did this last night as I was too lazy for a full clean lol
Did it do the job? A full clean can be hard to fit in somtimes, we feel you on that one!
Your cahain is clean woow nice😊
Another level: Makes sure the degreaser is bio-degradable since it will run all over the ground into the environment.
Won't make the grease biodegradable
@@ZwergDesign Correct, that's why I use a bunch of paper towels to catch the grease.
My mountain bike chain and gears are quite dirty. I’ll give your tips a try today (it’s a nice weather Saturday). I’ll use old toothbrushes and an old toilet brush as those are the only brushes I have handy. Hmm, while I’m cleaning the mountain bike I may as well do the winter fat bike. It should be clean but won’t hurt to clean it properly.
How did it go? I have a mountain bike as well so should I follow this exactly?
I’ve done it several times now and it works well. Last month I put on crappy lubricant as it was all I had. What a mess. Bike shop guy who replaced bearings commented on it.
I picked up more degreaser and wax from them and gave the chain several cleanings and then waxed it. Rides silently and smoothly now and looks a lot better. Probably will do another cleaning in a day or two because I’ve been on dirt trails quite a bit past two weeks. Maybe do it today actually as I’m feeling a bit too lazy to bike so if I get out and clean it I’ll be more motivated to take it for a ride.
@@chrisconnors7418would you say wax over lubricant? I have a muc off one and was going to use that
@@sniper_mike8739 That I do not know. I'm not well-versed in this. I do try and get most lubricant off before waxing. If the bike runs smoothly with little chain noise, I figure whatever I've done is working. No doubt there are folks who have it down to an exact science, but I'm not one of them.
@@chrisconnors7418I cleaned using muc off and degreaser and applied dry lube, will take it out today and see cos when I was back pedalling to put the degreaser on it kept making a weird noise