I don't like using water based chain cleaners. Even if it does a great job of cleaning, it inevitably leaves water behind. You can dry off the outside, but it's tough to get the inner surfaces dry

So I use diesel fuel (like kerosene), but lots of other oil based degreasers are available.

 

Happy New Year friends!

This is the first time I have done this. Suggestions on efficient chain cleaning is welcomed.

I have a question regarding cleaning chains and the cassette. I bought a chain scrubber which came with a small bottle of citrus solvent. I am wondering if I can use Simple Green citrus solvent in its place?

Use the citrus degreaser, but be forewarned that this stuff is not as benign as it sounds. Don't get it on painted surfaces or it will "gel up" the paint . You have a bit of time to rinse it off it you get some overspill. The chain scrubber will usually catch any drips. There is usually a sponge wiper that will squeegee off the excess cleaner.

Now, once your chain is soaked with citrus degreaser, now what? Well, you need to rinse it off.

I usually rinse out the used cleaner from the chain scrubber and then fill up with Simple Green to remove the excess grease and citrus cleaner. After that, I spray down the cassette and chain with water, then blow out all the parts with compressed air. The wait for everything to dry off good (like a few hours or overnight) and then lube up the chain and drive train parts

When I clean my chain, I usually go the extra step and take off the cassette and clean that up with cirtrus degreaser and rinse good with water and dry off good before putting it back onto the wheel. I also clean out the jockey wheels - I don't take them off, but put some degreaser on a rag and wipe them down good and clean out the derailleur hanger. After this, I usually go and clean up the whole bike.

I don't use the chain scrubber all the time for every cleaning. For in-between cleanings I take a blue paper shop towel (you can get them at auto parts stores, WalMart, or Home Depot), soak in down in some T9, or whatever lubricant you use, clamp the towel around the chain, and just run the chain backwards to clean of the major chain gunk. When done, just toss the paper towel in the trash.

When I am riding a lot (like during the summer, three or four times a week 80 to 150 miles total) I usually clean the chain about every three weeks with the light cleanings in between.

Note that everyone seems to have a system, method, or Black Art they use to clean and lube their drive trains You'll find the right method that works for you once you do it a few times.

See also the Park Tool website for chain maintenance.

Later!

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, CO

 

Happy New Year friends!

This is the first time I have done this. Suggestions on efficient chain cleaning is welcomed.

I have a question regarding cleaning chains and the cassette. I bought a chain scrubber which came with a small bottle of citrus solvent. I am wondering if I can use Simple Green citrus solvent in its place?

PS: On more thing -- I don't think Simple Green has the grease cutting capabilities that you want to make your chain nice and clean!

 

Super Clean works a lot better.

 

......... I am wondering if I can use Simple Green citrus solvent in its place?

The best place for Simple Green is the store shelf. Leave it there.

There have been several tech discussions over on VeloNews a year or so ago that warn about Simple Green. It eats alloys. I've had it ruin one chain that I was going to soak before washing and lubing. Really bad idea.

There is a lot of thought now that you should lube you chain with something like ProLink Gold, and use the same thing to wipe off (aka clean) the outside when it gets a little gunky.

You really can't clean the roller pins inside the links so why try? You'll wash more grit in than you'll ever wash out.

 

I like Simple Green for general cleaning, but not particularly for chains.
I try to wipe down my chain after each ride so gunk doesn't build up.
That way, you can clean and lube your chain with whatever Lube you like.
When chain does get dirty, I dribble on Mineral Spirits. I keep an old Lube Bottle filled with just Mineral Spirits, and dribble it on like a lube, and wipe clean. Then I dribble on my Lube preference, which for me is Rock"N"Roll GOLD.
Wipe down and your set to go.

 

Simple Green has been shown to eat some of the metal if you soak the chain in it for six months. But if you just wash your chain and rinse it off, it's not going to hurt anything.

I have a chain cleaning machine, but I never bother to get it out any more. Simple Green and an old toothbrush is easier and faster and doesn't require me to clean and put away the machine afterwards. It also allows me to clean the gear teeth and jockey wheels at the same time.

Note that some people (e.g., Bicycling Magazine) have suggested that cleaning a chain too thoroughly is bad. I only clean my chain every few months at most, and I never soak it in anything. If you regularly lube, the chain stays "clean enough."

 

In addition to the prior comments re:Simple Green.

Do yourself a BIG favor.


For days where you want to be more thorough than just a quick wipe down of gunk-Get a master link on your chain. Makes life FAR easier. No brush contraptions which make a mess everywhere and collect gunk. Simply remove your chain and soak in degreaser, wipe clean with paper towels. Same with the cassette-or you can floss it on the bike. Wipe cranks clean. Remount chain. Much more tidy and thorough, and less hassle IMHO.

 

Keep it Simple, and keep it Green.

 

I've used Simple Green in my Park chain cleaner for years. I'm aware of the intense debate raging about the corrosive properties of Simple Green, but I haven't had any problems using it and rinsing it off the components after a few minutes.

My general method is to run the chain cleaner with Simple Green about 60 crank rotations, clean out the machine and fill with clean water, repeat the 60 crank rotations, clean and refill the chain cleaner a second time with water and do a "final rinse". Afterwards I wipe the chain down thoroughly with a clean rag, let it dry a bit, and relube. I have 9 bikes in my stable and all the chains are clean, lubed and quiet.

 

Just keep it away from your old mavics with the screend on graphics.

 

I've used Simple Green in my Park chain cleaner for years. I'm aware of the intense debate raging about the corrosive properties of Simple Green, but I haven't had any problems using it and rinsing it off the components after a few minutes.

My general method is to run the chain cleaner with Simple Green about 60 crank rotations, clean out the machine and fill with clean water, repeat the 60 crank rotations, clean and refill the chain cleaner a second time with water and do a "final rinse". Afterwards I wipe the chain down thoroughly with a clean rag, let it dry a bit, and relube. I have 9 bikes in my stable and all the chains are clean, lubed and quiet.

9 BIKES!
That's a lot of Simple Green, and a lot of Cleaning - Cranking - Rinsing - Wiping - Lubing.
Probably cuts into your riding time, but hey it's winter and the Holidays are over.
Think I'll go Lube a chain. LOL!

 

mineral spirits..

I would never use one of those clamp-on chain cleaner devices. For one thing the cleaner has to get all over the RD pulleys and into the bearings or bushings. Bushings can simply be flushed with spray lube, but not ball bearings. Unless the chain is cleaned twice, it will be swimming in dirty solvent at the end of the cleaning process.

Get an appropriate master link and take the chain off. I drop mine in an old water bottle, partially filled with mineral spirits (paint thinner) and shake for aminute or so. Pour the solvent into another water bottle for storage and reuse. Fill the chain cleaning bottle with hot water and liquid dish soap and shake for another minute or so. Pour out the soapy water and refill the container with clean hot water to rinse the chain. Dry the exterior of the chain and then use an appropriate solvent/lubricant to displace the water and lube the chain. WD-40 will work and so will the common home brew lube mixture of 3-6 parts mineral spirits to one part oil.

I clean my cassettes without removing them, most of the time. Brushing on mineral spirits will get the sprockets fairly clean with little effort. It works best to remove the wheel and point the cassette down, so the solvent drips off toward the smallest cog. Use a small amount of solvent and let the brush do the work of scrubbing off the dirt. A small 1" paint brush works great. I finish up with a little wiping with a rag to dry the sprockets.

 

I use a chain cleaner filled with Pro Link Gold. Fill it up, run it through, wipe it down, done. Cleans and lubes in one shot. Works great. It's amazing how clean it gets the chain.

 

Happy New Year friends!

This is the first time I have done this. Suggestions on efficient chain cleaning is welcomed.

I have a question regarding cleaning chains and the cassette. I bought a chain scrubber which came with a small bottle of citrus solvent. I am wondering if I can use Simple Green citrus solvent in its place?

I've used it for years just mix it with water and rinse thoroughly before lubing. If it is eating your chain you'll never notice as your chain wi9ll wear out long before simple green can damage it. I also use it on car engines the garage floor etc.never had a problem with it.

 

I've used it for years just mix it with water and rinse thoroughly before lubing. If it is eating your chain you'll never notice as your chain wi9ll wear out long before simple green can damage it.

I think you have touched on something there.

What sort of damage are you expecting to witness other than shortened chain/drive train life?

Simple green is fine, if you follow all of the precautions noted in this thread, and are not bothered by rust on/in your chain, and the hasty wear that comes with the corrosion.

 

I've used it for years just mix it with water and rinse thoroughly before lubing. If it is eating your chain you'll never notice as your chain wi9ll wear out long before simple green can damage it. I also use it on car engines the garage floor etc.never had a problem with it.

I don't have a bike repair stand yet so I hung my bike with some rope from the floors joists in the basement (where I ride during the Michigan winters). It wasn't very stable to work on but did the trick until I get a stand (my X-ams present was a Tacx trainer). Anyway, I spilled some of the grease from the park chain cleaning tool on the floor and was perturbed. The Simple Green cleaned it right up. It's good stuff.

In any case, what I did was sprayed the Simple Green on the cassette and later sprayed H2O on the cassette and chain to dilute the cleaners. I wiped it down as thoroughly as I could and then let it site a few hours before I lubed it all up. It worked pretty well, I think for the first timer.

I understand the debate, and it's nice to see the differing opinions.

 

I use Simple Green for general clean up of my bikes, I don't use it for cleaning my chains. It's not necessary to pull your chain off anyway. Just wipe it down after each ride and put a drop of home brew in each link, run your chain backwards through the rollers a couple of times and wipe off the chain. It takes but about 30 seconds. If I were to pull off my chain I'd dunk it in mineral spirits as C40 mentioned. I've tried Simple Green and it left a messy goup on the chain, didn't do a good job at all. Of course riding conditons play a big roll.

 

i've used simple green for years. i used to use diesel fuel when i worked for the first pro team i was with, but since then, most races have outlawed it's use when all the teams are staying at race hotels. simple green works fine, just rinse it of thoroughly (like you wouldn't do this anyway?) and dry it off, then lube. i've never had a problem w/ it doing anything to paint, either. i never see rust on any of my chains...drying them off is not that hard.
bicycling mag said it's bad to get your chain 'too clean'? really? well, i guess it's believable when you consider the source. i will give my road bike a quick cleaning every couple of rides in the dry, and every time it's ridden in bad weather. only takes a few minutes, and i think the drivetrain lasts longer when it's always clean and lubricated. and...my bike always looks and rides like it's new. i can't believe it when people say they never clean their bikes 'cuz they don't have time. gimme a break, ride 5mins less...

 

Simple green is great. I use it on automobile stuff where it's even greasier. As for the corrosion, yes it is acidic but not acidic enough to create damage for the length of time you use it. Water is just as damaging over time. Go for it and have fun....

 

yes it is acidic but not acidic enough to create damage for the length of time you use it.

It's not acidic. It's basic (pH 9.5).

 

My apologies. Dr. John is right. 2-butoxyethanol has a high pKa for -OH which makes it basic...ooopppss. I make mistakes like everyone else. I also just read the basicity from the simple green site. I didn't even see it until I looked again.

 

My apologies. Dr. John is right. 2-butoxyethanol has a high pKa for -OH which makes it basic...ooopppss. I make mistakes like everyone else. I also just read the basicity from the simple green site. I didn't even see it until I looked again.

Yep, and bases can attack aluminum alloys, they are remarkably resilient against acidic attack, however. SInce your chain does not contain any aluminum, you will most likely, be fine using SG to clean your chain.

That said... I use the Park Chain Scrubber (CG-2) filled with mineral spirits. Works quite well, and its not as important to let it dry completely before applying your wax lube of choice (since they contain naphtha and other volatile solvents which will evaporate along with the mineral spirits)

Happy riding..

 

I use Simple Green when I want to restore my chain to "like new" condition. I soak in SG for a while and then scrub til it looks like new...and then repeat to make sure I didn't miss any crud. Afterwards I rinse VERY VERY well with scalding hot water and hang to let it dry THOROUGHLY before I reinstall on the bike/apply lube/ride.

I've heard people say that SG will "pit" the chains plates/pins surfaces and I say -whatever-...this is a consumable/temporary part and we're not talking rocket science or brain surgery here. It's one of the simplest methods of transmitting power that there is. It's a CHAIN, not jewlery.

 

In case you didn't look it up, just some interesting reading.

http://velonews.com/article/9216