Chain Cleaner Kit

davej

Has anyone used a Chain Cleaner Kit before?

I have to admit I am a little lazy when it comes to giving my transmission a good proper clean. But if a gadget can fool me into thinking I'm saving time and energy, then bring it on :pac::pac::pac:

A few reviews seem to suggest that the plastic casing on these cleaners can be a little brittle, so if anyone has a recommendation for one that's durable please share !

davej

Morgan

I have the Park Tool one
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8207

If anything ever happened to it I'd buy another without hesitation. It's a real labour-saver. I like the fact that you can buy a replacement set of brushes for it too (also on CRC).

I suspect that some of the people reporting cracking plastic are using harmful solvents in the cleaners (white spirit etc.). Stick with citrus degreaser and you'll be fine.

Chris Peak

Those kits are great.

As Morgan pointed out, make sure to use the proper cleaners. I’d also ad, some people really abuse their equipment and then wonder why it breaks in no time at all…

[FONT=&quot]** Morgan ** What do you think of using white spirits and a toothbrush to clean the chain? [/FONT]

Morgan

Chris Peak wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]** Morgan ** What do you think of using white spirits and a toothbrush to clean the chain? [/FONT]

It's highly effective if you take the chain off, soak it for a bit, give it a good scrub on all sides and then rinse it off with clean spirts. Takes ages and isn't good for your hands or the environment. Or your toothbrush. Does get the chain really clean though.

Bambaata

id say it gets your teeth good and clean after also!

Gavin

I got a chain cleaner, worked ok. I used boiling water to wash it. A rather idiotic maneuver which warped the plastic.

To clean the chain now, I just take it off and use the white spirits. With a quick link it's no hassle.

Gav

davej

Chris Peak wrote: »

I’d also ad, some people really abuse their equipment and then wonder why it breaks in no time at all…

Verb wrote: »

I used boiling water to wash it. A rather idiotic maneuver which warped the plastic.

Aha !

Thanks for the recommendation Morgan, I might try the Park Tools one out so.

davej

AndyP

Once again, Sheldon has all the answers

http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

Diarmuid

I found the details on the Park Tools website very good. Don't skip the soap + water step.

Even with the tool it's a messy job so put down some papers under the chain when you are doing it.

Hermy

I know I'm repeating myself here but who's counting!
Firstly, I would never use white spirits to clean any part of my bike as it is a corrosive substance and repeated application to alloy parts is going to do some damage.
Secondly, my own preferred method of cleaning the drive train and indeed any part that needs to be cleaned of oil or grease is GUNK.
It is non-corrosive and simple to use. Apply with a paint brush and then wash away with plain water. If need be the chain can be left to soak in GUNK without the risk of corrosion. After rinsing with water, use WD40 to remove any lingering moisture.
I oil the chain with motorbike chain lube from an aerosol but there are many different opinions on what's best, from WD40 to 3-in-1 Oil to regular engine oil or even grease.
I think Sheldon may be taking the pi$$ with that rather elaborate chain cleaning procedure. I would certainly never have cause to dismantle an entire chain!

TinyExplosions

Hermy wrote: »

... use WD40 to remove any lingering moisture.... but there are many different opinions on what's best, from WD40 to 3-in-1 Oil to regular engine oil or even grease.

can is now open, sit back and wait for Kona to weigh in on those comments!

penexpers

Hermy wrote: »

I think Sheldon may be taking the pi$$ with that rather elaborate chain cleaning procedure. I would certainly never have cause to dismantle an entire chain!

It was one of his (in)famous April Fools jokes.

Bambaata

AndyP wrote: »

Once again, Sheldon has all the answers

http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

damn i have my chain apart and am about to develop lung cancer so im now doubtful for the W200!

Scrivo

I thought he was serious for a moment... then I scrolled down. Note! This page is a joke! Note the date above!

ShelBroCo does not actually recommend taking your chain completely apart! Deakinol Rinsing Solvent, Shelbrothane Cleaning Solvent, Shelbroconol Pre-soak, and Deakins White RollerGrease are all imaginary products.

If you are looking for serious advice on Chain Maintence, click here!

Hermy

TinyExplosions wrote: »

can is now open, sit back and wait for Kona to weigh in on those comments!

Have I mentioned the unmentionable or something...:o

penexpers wrote: »

It was one of his (in)famous April Fools jokes.

Thought as much.:D

Hermy

Scrivo wrote: »

If you are looking for serious advice on Chain Maintence, click here!

I did and nothing happened.

daymobrew

Verb wrote: »

I got a chain cleaner, worked ok. I used boiling water to wash it.

I have the BBB cleaner and some dilute-to-use degreasing stuff. Works great.
I use warm water with the degreaser and when rinsing it.

It's great to find that your chain isn't actually black in colour and that there is text on the side of the chain links. I cleaned my chain and bike last weekend in prep for the W200.

AndyP

TinyExplosions wrote: »

can is now open, sit back and wait for Kona to weigh in on those comments!

Dont know how he gets time for bikes, what with all the time he spends threthening to knock the bollix out of every driver and rasher in Dublin. Its a busy life.

AndyP

As a sort of apology for my earlier joke, here is the proper chain maintenance linky...

http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

Hermy

I use warm water with the degreaser and when rinsing it.

Most degreasers I have used work best if water is applied after the degreaser has dissolved the grease.

Bambaata

where do ye get this degreaser?

Hermy

Halfords or any decent motorfactors.
And if they don't have GUNK try Trafsol or whatever 'shops own brand' is available.

Bambaata

is this stuff usable with the cleaning kits? I got a cleaning kit but it only came with enough liquid for one use I'd say.

Hermy

Never used one of those cleaning kits meself but it'd probably work fine.

oobydooby

I like the cleaning kit, much better than a toothbrush. However last weekend I filled it with white lightening to get some sparkling chains. Success I have shiny chains but I also have a black machine. HAve no idea how to clean it. Left it steeping in a bucket with fairy liquid - no effect. Any ideas how to get oily residue off the windows of the cleaner? Of course if the crap is unmovable I can use the thing again no problems:)

Hermy

No use toothbrush!

Hermy

white lightening

What's this?

blorg

Hermy wrote: »

What's this?

It's a chain-specific lube. www.whitelightningco.com

oobydooby

this is what I meant: whitelightning
http://www.whitelightningco.com/products/clean-streak.htm

had used citrus degreasers before and found them better. But this stuff is magic on the cassettes.

<edit>
As Blorg wrote, but I'd meant the degreaser.

blorg

I got a cheap Barberi Chain Cleaner from PBK (no longer in stock, but it was around £4) and it works great. The one thing that I do notice on it, that is covered by the more expensive cleaners like the Finish Line, is the exit angle/padding - my one lacks this and the cleaning fluid can leak out. For cleaning, I use Park Tool ChainBrite Citrus Degreaser - this stuff really does the job in the chain cleaner. I had tried Muc-Off (not strong enough) and white spirit but the citrus degreaser is a lot better. The white spirit would probably work great in the chain off the bike shake around in a jamjar method, but it's a messy smelly dangerous nuisance in a chain cleaning device.

blorg

oobydooby wrote: »

I like the cleaning kit, much better than a toothbrush. However last weekend I filled it with white lightening to get some sparkling chains. Success I have shiny chains but I also have a black machine. HAve no idea how to clean it. Left it steeping in a bucket with fairy liquid - no effect. Any ideas how to get oily residue off the windows of the cleaner? Of course if the crap is unmovable I can use the thing again no problems:)

Mine is filthy but still works fine, if it's any help.

Gavin

Hermy wrote: »

I know I'm repeating myself here but who's counting!
Firstly, I would never use white spirits to clean any part of my bike as it is a corrosive substance and repeated application to alloy parts is going to do some damage.

Search as I may, I can find no documentation stating that White Spirits is corrosive to metal. It even appears to be of use in anti-corrosion materials for metal components.
http://www.fuchs-oil.com/814.html

It does appear to be corrosive to certain plastics/rubber, but it comes in a plastic bottle so it can't be that bad..

In fact, according to the WHO, it's not particularly bad for the environment !
http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsg103.htm

5. HAZARDS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR PREVENTION

Only as a result of spillage are substantial amounts of white
spirit likely to be found in the environment. However, most of the
constituent compounds evaporate fairly rapidly. The less volatile
constituents partition to soil and sediment; this lowers the
bioavailability and reduces the uptake by organisms.

White spirit is moderately toxic to aquatic organisms. There is
moderate potential for bioaccumulation but the tendency for bio-
concentration is probably low.

Bambaata

hwo is one supposed to disregard of the waste liquid?

DirkVoodoo

I gotta say, after it was recommended to me here i bought GUNK, worked a charm!

Downside was my bathroom stank of the stuff for days afterwards. Suggest you scrub your hands outside extremely well afterwards.

blorg

Bambaata wrote: »

hwo is one supposed to disregard of the waste liquid?

Down the sink- one of the reasons I went to citrus degreaser. Admittedly I don't know how good for the fishies all the oil that comes off with it is though. The citrus degreaser itself they love, if the packaging is to be believed.

Seaswimmer

Petrol. Your only man for chain cleaning. Cheap and very effective. However leaves chain very dry so you will need to lubricate after. Also diesel nearly as good and leaves the chain with a slightly oily coating. Have been using both for years on a variety of bikes with no problems. A rag soaked lightly in petrol is also great for cleaning derailleurs, cranks, chainrings ect..and the smell evaporates off after a while. Place your used petrol/diesel in a can and drop it into your nearest recycling centre when it is full. You will probably find that nearly all the chain cleaning products are petroleum based anyway...

Hermy

The problem with petrol is that it is not soluble in water and that it may evaporate before you've finished the job.

Diarmuid

Bambaata wrote: »

hwo is one supposed to disregard of the waste liquid?

If you use a Citrus Degreaser you can just throw it down the toilet. It's biodegradable and non toxic. I would see no point in using other degreasers.

Hermy

Verb wrote: »

Search as I may, I can find no documentation stating that White Spirits is corrosive to metal.

It does appear to be corrosive to certain plastics/rubber,

I stand corrected.
You're right, it's certain plastics that it eats into.
I just seem to recall that having used white spirits for cleaning, that it left the chain feeling rough, as if the white spirits were corroding it.
I probably imagined the whole thing.
Matter of fact there was no chain.:p

davej

Well I got me a Park Tools CM5 Cyclone, and it worked a treat:)

As other posters mentioned, it is still a reasonably messy affair. Newspaper on the floor is a definite requirement !

Anyway it's great to have a clean chain again !

davej

blorg

davej wrote: »

As other posters mentioned, it is still a reasonably messy affair. Newspaper on the floor is a definite requirement !

Not doing it indoors is an even better idea ;-)

Bambaata

haha jesus id never clean my bike indoors!!! i use lots of hot water and liek to throw it all over it so that and indoors just wouldnt work!