I clean my chains when I pressure wash the bike but I use plain water in a low pressure electric pressure washer. David Fiedler. The amount of degreaser needed to fill the device should be written or displayed alongside the gadget. While it’s one thing to know how to clean bike chain, regular maintenance for your bike is important, regardless of how dirty it looks. My typical environment is through an industrial zone leading into some docks … When it comes about cleaning gears and bike chain, you must need a good quality of the grease-remover solution, nailbrushes, cloths, and chain-lube in the beginning. At the most basic level, you’ll need: A bucket; Bike cleaner I quickly clean, wipe, wet lube and dry 2 -3 a week. On the other hand, chain holes get clogged with oil, dust, and stain after a certain period of time. If you’ve been riding in deep mud or clay, and the chain is literally caked with mud, there’s no way you’re going to be able properly clean it on the bike, you’ll have to remove it. I ride 20miles round trip to work and back. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to clean your bike (including how to clean the bike chain), which tools you need, and how to set it all up. I don't over lube either, one drop per link and I wipe off the excess with a rag. This chain will require the most maintenance because it doesn’t have any way of keeping itself internally lubricated like an O-ring chain does. Regular cyclists will likely perform a chain cleaning every week or two, or at least once every 200 miles or so, depending on how much riding is … Now take chain and use a Qtip to clean between the pins/plates. Rotate one of the pedals backwards so the chain runs through the rag. How often should you clean your bike? Either with the chain on the bike or by removing the chain from the bike. Keeping these two things in mind, you must proceed for the overall cleaning process.. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. If you think your bike chain looks worn at any time, it’s important to simply throw it away and grab yourself a new chain, to avoid any risk of injuries. If it is just dusty, I'll just clean the chain and forgo a deep cleaning. 5 Steps on How to Clean a Bike Chain Step One – Prepping the Cleaning Device. Ah ok, I do 8 miles a day, so just a quick wet rag rub down and relube will do it? Check out the video below to see how easy it is to properly maintain your chain. I feel like once a month is too little cleaning, should I make it once a week or fortnight instead? Repeat til Friday. Press J to jump to the feed. Wash the rest of the bike. Just remember to keep your chain lubed and clean so you have a healthy drivetrain. I mean like a full degrease, wash and relube. Worn chains shift poorly, wear sprockets quickly, and sometimes break. If latter, once per season is often enough. Amateurs don’t have pro mechanics cleaning and prepping their bikes for the next day. Every few months or so (more often for mountain bikes), completely remove your chain using a chain-removal tool. Alternatively, the chain keeper can be used with a clip-on type chain cleaner device, such as the Park Tool CM-25 I reviewed recently. Buy WD40 Bike degreaser and lube. I wash my bike when it looks dirty but type of dirt matters too. A regular schedule of maintenance (monthly, weekly or more often depending on your type of riding) is important. Just a few drops of lube should be enough, unless you ride on very dirty roads. Separately, I use an ultrasonic cleaner and Molten Speed Wax on my mountain bike chains - combo works fantastic. If your bike has one of these chains, you’ll need to keep a closer eye on it for wear and attend to it more often. As the saying goes, a clean bike is a fast bike. Apply a dedicated chain lube that’s designed to avoid attracting dirt to the chain before each ride or race. Press J to jump to the feed. Do this for about 45 seconds or until the chain feels dry to the touch. I've been told once a month, I've been told it depends on how long I ride for and what environment I ride through. Riding on a Tacx Neo the chain noise is the main sound you hear to its really easy to monitor it. You can also take a 5-minute spin around the block to help it dry faster. I'm not a pro at any of this lol it's just what I've been doing after alot of research. When it gets noisy I spray down with White Lightening chain cleaner and using a microfiber until its clean, and then reapply. If it's been thru mud it's best to clean before it dries. How often you clean your drivetrain, and to what extent, will vary depending on your lube selection, riding conditions, and mileage. By "clean" do you mean "wipe chain with a cloth and re-lube" or "de-grease chain in a bottle of solvent and re-lube"? Definitely lube the bike after cleaning the drivetrain, or after riding in the rain. A clean chain is needed to use the wax-based White Lightning’s Clean Ride lube. Let the chain soak until most of the … Keeping your bike chain clean and lubed is the best way to extend the life of your drivetrain, keep your bike shifting smoothly, and save money in the long run. We welcome bicyclists of all skill levels including those who don't yet own a bike. If it's winter and you're roads are salty wash it often and oil it appropriately. It’s fun on all levels—that is, until you get home and have to clean up. After each ride, but it can be only a splash of water to remove dust or a 10min wash with bicycling shampoo when it's covered of mud. Do you clean it after every ride? Non-Sealed Chains. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It doesn't take long (a minute or 2) and I've never had a problem. No not everytime. You do this by slowly turning the pedals backward to move the chain a section at a time so you can clean it by either spraying on the solvent as you wipe down the chain with an old rag or by wiping down the chain with a rag that is saturated with the solvent. Video: How to adjust a rear derailleur and index your gears. Don't forget that a clean bike is a fast bike (specifically when we talk about transmission). Blast the chain and cassette with a hose/water, I then spray a bike cleaner on it it you dont have to. Follow up question: is ceramic lube any good? I let the bike tell me. A tip - centralise your chain on the cassette before back-pedalling to run the chain through the rag. You can start by taking your chain cleaning device and filling it with a degreaser. Because i do 100miles a week, once a month I'll get in with a degreaser. After riding in certain weather conditions? You just need to take a commonsense approach when it comes to cleaning your bicycle chain. Ask us your questions or meetup with other redditors in your area for local rides. Just run the chain backward several spins. Before you get started, make sure you’ve got all the right tools, you will need: What you’ll need. You can also use the bike chain cleaner or brush. There are different opinions out there. So, to avoid a serious mess, a broken bike, or even stained clothes, take a look at these rainy day bike maintenance rules. All on Birmingham canals, my mtb get caked in mud. I then apply a Dupont dry film lube (approved for O rings) to lube the rings. Of all the parts that make up a bicycle, the drive chain is among those that receive the most wear. And the best part is, you can do it all at home with the right supplies and some basic knowledge. Lucky for me, I love silence, and bike wrenching. I have an expensive bike so I give it clean after every messy ride, the canal paths will get your bike dirty coming into autumn. Spin in a rag(s) til nothing comes off of the chain. Brush it well and completely immerse it in a chain solvent to get rid of built-up grime that brushing can't remove. How to clean your bike chain and drivetrain in just five minutes. If it's been thru mud it's best to clean before it dries. My routine was to run it through my chain bath cleaner once every other week depending on how filthy the conditions were, sometimes it was once a week. The most simple type of chain is a standard, non-sealed chain. Once a year before getting it out for the new year? With your bike in position, apply solvent (something like WD-40 or isopropyl alcohol) to the chain. I do this twice a week. Follow the manufacturer’s application instructions. Best Bike Chain Degreaser FAQ: Q: How often should I clean my bike chain? My typical environment is through an industrial zone leading into some docks before I make it back onto a main road. If you notice your bike chain is excessively dirty and grimy, with a crust of dirt and environmental sludge, it’s probably time to clean your chain. A forum for folks with questions about bicycle repair. The cleaning process ranges from a simple wipe with a clean rag right through to a full degrease. Chain wear. There can be alot of dust on dry days and alot of mud on rainy days not to mention the wind as it's right by a huge river plus potholes from lorries. Two wheels, or three, sometimes one, but never more than twenty. I've been told once a month, I've been told it depends on how long I ride for and what environment I ride through. You'll like the ring chains, very little stretch and I get about a year between chain adjustments. The rest of the bike - almost every ride as it’s Ti and it cleans very easily. Some riders will make sure to clean the chain right after a ride in the rain, to get moisture off before rust can start forming. Dry with a rag then you will want to lightly use a wet oil then dry off again with a rag. Now if it's dry lube in a rain storm I skip all the parts, dry and relube. The majority of the time you’ll get away with the first option. Once a year before putting it away for the winter (if you put it away for the winter!)? From what I've read, it sounds like it's a good year-round lube so you don't have to change between using dry lube in summer and wet lube in winter, and it requires less maintenance in general. Interested in riding a bicycle? Let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes after so you know it’s fully dry before you lube it. If it's a dry ride and the bike doesn't look dusty then it can go a few rides between cleans but keep the chain oiled. Chainset - after every ride particularly if it’s been in any way wet. A buyer's guide to bike chains. If it's winter and you're roads are salty wash it often and oil it appropriately. Post your problems, and we will try to get your bike rolling again. Bike Chain Maintenance. As soon as I hear some noise, I give it some love as soon as I have time. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. scrub with a brush. So when should you change your chain? Check your manual to see how often you should clean and lubricate the chain on your motorcycle. In terms of adding lube in between cleanings, every week or two should be fine, more often if the drivetrain is getting noisy. I was under the impression that every time I cleaned I had to degrease. If you spend a lot of time riding in wet, muddy conditions, or if you ride hard, fast and often, plan to clean your bike more frequently. Takes 10 minutes and can be done after your last commute of the week. Like others said, it depends on the type of grime. I use cloth. I usually keep it to once a month but even after a week of riding I can run my finger along the chain and it's black with grimey oil. The chain is at the heart of the bike, says Rob McCreedie of Juice Lubes, and it's vital to keep it clean and well lubed through winter Clean and lube your chain as often as possible (Pic: Media24) This translates into a need to clean and lubricate the chain more often. The chain is almost always in motion and under constant tension, bearing against other parts in the drive train. Let it sit on the chain for 5 mins (hint: go off and fill a bucket with soapy water for washing the bike). Wipe down braking surface with a wet paper towel. A super clean drivetrain rapidly reduces the rate of wear on your bike components. It’s something mentioned all too often in bicycle maintenance guides, but rarely correctly understood. There are many schools of thought about how to properly clean a chain - ask 10 bike mechanics and you’ll probably get 8 different opinions. Friday, spray down bike chain with water. Go home after work. The chain is also open and exposed to any elements that can damage it, including water and dirt. It really helps if you can provide pictures and/or video. I think they say you should do it basically every 30-50 miles... but probably do it closer to every 100 or if I get really gunked up. Wow, that's quite a cleaning routine and you don't degrease what so ever or does "deep clean" count as degrease? A: Professionals clean their bike chains after every serious ride but were aware that this isn’t feasible for most people! How often should I clean my chain whilst taking my ride route into consideration. If former, after every longer/rainy/dusty ride or when the chain starts to squeak, whichever comes first. “For chain replacement we do not state 'every x kms' as this is not possible,” says SRAM. Clean it whenever it looks like it needs it? If you cycle regularly or routinely ride in wet conditions or on dirty roads, you should clean and lube your bicycle chain every week or at least fortnightly. Of course, it's not a bad idea to do it more often if you're riding in wet or dirty conditions. A bucket of warm water and a soap isn’t going to cut through the grease and grime here, what you need is specialist bike cleaning products. Again emphasis on having the components oiled properly. Happy cycling! And even if you don’t ride that often, performing a monthly chain cleaning is highly recommended. Use dirt bike chain lube before each ride and after every wash. Cleaning and Lubricating Your Bike. Spray, sit for a few minutes, wipe, spray again, wait a min, wipe any excess. 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