[g_5706]

Is there an easy way to do this? I've been doing ok with my chain, just cant get the cassette clean, quickly.
Thanks

 

[cxwrench]

never let it get dirty.

simple green/citrus degreaser/OMS...a good stiff bristle brush. spray your cleaner of choice on the cogs, scrub w/ brush, rinse. hot water helps if it's not coming clean. but really, if you never let it get very dirty, you won't have much cleaning to do. sounds like you put too much lube on your chain if it's really tough to clean the cassette.

 

[Softrider]

The best way is to pull the cassette off and clean the individual components. I use mineral spirits and a brush.

 

[Mike T.]

Is there an easy way to do this? I've been doing ok with my chain, just cant get the cassette clean, quickly.
Thanks

The best way is the fastest way then we are more likely to do it more often.
Two minute cassette cleaning - remove wheel and trap it, cassette up, between gut and workbench. Using hem ripped from old t-shirt, shoe-shine the between each cog using the ratcheting action of the cassette. Replace wheel. While you're at it, clean the chain by back-pedalling through a WD-40 soaked rag. Two minutes - done.

 

[looigi]

Use a stiff bristled brush with long bristles and OMS, WD40 or similar solvent to cut through caked on crud. Then detergent, simple green, or similar to remove residue leaving it sparkling clean.

 

[Russtopher]

If I don't remove the cassette I'll take a clean rag and just pull it through between the cogs. If it is filthy I'll remove the cassette and clean it up with just a clean rag wiping it till it shines. I had been using Rock n Roll gold on my chain and saw quite a bit of waxy stuff in the holes of the cassette cogs. I imagine the left over wax helped with the clean up.

 

[vagabondcyclist]

The best way is the fastest way then we are more likely to do it more often.
Two minute cassette cleaning - remove wheel and trap it, cassette up, between gut and workbench. Using hem ripped from old t-shirt, shoe-shine the between each cog using the ratcheting action of the cassette. Replace wheel. While you're at it, clean the chain by back-pedalling through a WD-40 soaked rag. Two minutes - done.

This.

 

[jays35]

I use large pipe cleaners you get from a hobby shop and Simple Green for a quick clean. For a thorough clean, remove cassette and put in ultrasonic cleaner with degreaser. Sparkling clean! I do this every couple months.

 

[danl1]

For whatever it's worth, or for the folks that read the instructions that come from the manufacturers, be careful with the spraying of degreasers and / or solvents down there. Easy to get excess into the hub and freewheel bearings and pawls.

Rag cleaning as Mike recommends (an OMS-dampened rag works great) does great if done reasonably often. If they are gunkier, using a cassette grunge brush first might be helpful. If it's picture day, maybe you want to disassemble and clean individual components with a dampened rag.

 

[RJP Diver]

Get a cassette lockring and a chain whip, take the cassette off, soak it in mineral spirits over night, brush it off, put it back on...

(In addition to keeping it from getting too dirty in the first place.)