Cleaning stuff

AstraMonti

Hello :-)

I need help to choose the cleaning stuff i need. Since now i just have a degreaser spray and a shimano spray for oiling the chain. But because the prices at lbs are a bit mad i ll order them online as well.. but i am confused.

Crc has so many different lubricants, degreasers, etc etc that i dont know what to get. I search the previous threads, but couldnt find recommendation for a product.

Long story short, do you recommend any specific products? And do i need anything more than a degreaser and a lubricant?

Thanks!

Ryder

A lot me people recommend MucOFF but personally have found it useless. Use washing up liquid and a brush to clean the bike once a weak including the chain. Have never needed degreser

Explosive_Cornflake

Winter Oil, and a summer oil, degreaser and cleaner.
I take everything off the bike and clean it individually when I have time every few months, so a toolset I would also throw into the equation. I find alchol wipes to be the business, so if you know any nurses, they might get you a pack tub a hospital.

Gavin

I use white spirits and finish line wet and dry lube and wd40.

Take the chain off and dunk it into a bowl o white spirits and wash around.
Wet a cloth with white spirits and wipe down the frame/deraillers/cogs. I would remove most stuff if I'm doing a proper clean. Lube up with finish line wet or dry depending on weather. Usually just use the wet.

Wd40 to oil brake/gear cables.

TinyExplosions

I use MucOff and find it to be grand for everything. I have some in an old bidon that I use to clean the chain (just dump it in and shake it about), and use it with a brush to clean my bike (in the bath -only good if you don't have an other half that'd shout!)

In terms of lube, I have a Finish Line (I think) wet lube, and some light oil for oiling parts, and it's good to go!

Diesel also works great for cleaning chains btw

CheGuedara

I find the Muc Off mproducts good also. I use the cleaner to get the gunk off the frame, wheels etc and their chain cleaner for the chain (best thing I've found without having to syphon anything out of a Jeep anyhow...).

re oils it's hard to go wrong with either finish line xc/wet or pro road - the second one is a bit light, the first one is better if you're going to spend a lot of time cycling in the rain though.

Also pick up a set of brushes, there's some pretty good ones going on CRC for less than a tenner right now - makes the job quick and painless

AstraMonti

Thanks all!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=317

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=520

So with these two, some white spirit (where do i buy that from? hardware shops?) and some soap i am grand for a thoroughly clean?

(I already have brushes and a chain cleaning thingy)

short circuit

AstraMonti wrote: »

Hello :-)

I need help to choose the cleaning stuff i need. Since now i just have a degreaser spray and a shimano spray for oiling the chain.

I would recommend against using any sprays ... apart from WD40

For a degreaser .. its just too much wasted away
For lubing .. it just gets too much in the wrong places

And sprays are invariably expensive and come in lesser quantities

zzzzzzzz

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I use MucOff and find it to be grand for everything. I have some in an old bidon that I use to clean the chain (just dump it in and shake it about), and use it with a brush to clean my bike (in the bath -only good if you don't have an other half that'd shout!)

In terms of lube, I have a Finish Line (I think) wet lube, and some light oil for oiling parts, and it's good to go!

Diesel also works great for cleaning chains btw

+ 1 on the diesel

Gavin

I picks up me white spirit from Tesco! Avoid rubber bits with the white spirit.

NeilMcEoigheann

i know this sounds obvious but maybe not, when your cleaning your bike the moving parts are the bits your need to clean, cos i know alot of people who just wash the bike to make it look nice not necessarily work nice

AstraMonti

So far i am just washing the moving parts and not the frame.. thats preety dirty As i live in an appartment its difficult for me to wash the whole bike on the balkony.

flickerx

Wot, no lube jokez yet?

DirkVoodoo

I use Muc-Off and fairy liquid (its mild on my hands, like a summer breeze). I also use Gunk for degreasing, but it stinks and tends to linger so I wouldn't recommend it for an apartment/balcony workspace. I think next time I will go for a citrus degreaser that might be more eco-friendly.

I haven't used many lubricants but the best I have used so far is Finish Line Dry Lube. Aside from the actual lubricant, the applicator method is important. I have my first lube still hanging around, halfords own brand. It looks like a hair spray bottle with similar nozzle, spraying lube onto the chain is almost comical as it can be hard to aim.

Get a good set of brushes, cloths and even a chamois. Latex gloves are also useful to avoid leaving incriminating prints around the house and on the good towels.

EDIT: Super important - avoid getting degreaser near the bottom bracket or headset, for obvious reasons. If you can, remvoe parts before degreasing. I also read somewhere that diesel and kerosene should be avoided as degreasers (this might have been in my Lance book, so its questionable advice ). Also, use isopropyl alcohol for cleaning brake blocks. Sand with a piece of rough emry paper if needed.

Civilian_Target

Dunno if I'm thick or something, but I get a valeting cloth, rub it around the chain for 5 mins to get the dirt off, clean up the cogs a bit too, then oil the whole lot (I have a bottle of White Lightening at the moment, not the cider!), and that's it. Done in 10 mins.

Then about once every 6 months, I actually give the chain a proper clean, first white spirits and then re-oil, and also check the motion of the wheels, replace brake pads, etc....

trek climber

Ryder wrote: »

A lot me people recommend MucOFF but personally have found it useless. Use washing up liquid and a brush to clean the bike once a weak including the chain. Have never needed degreser

+1 on the MucOff, washing up liquid does a much better job

DirkVoodoo

Also, don't spray Muc-off on the bike then go in for a cup of tea and leave it settle, not good for the paint job!

AstraMonti

So.. i have soap (:D) and i bought white spirit as well and I have a set of brushes too. Where can i buy WD40 from? Hardware stores? As for lube, is that good enough? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24079

Last question (:)), can you suggest a *cheap* workstand for cleaning and general maintenance? I don't need any mad stuff just to be able to turn the rear wheel freely.

Thanks again guys

StudentC

Thanks for this thread AstraMonti, I had been planning to com on to the board and ask exactly the same questions myself :P

Chris Peak

Depending on time, I usually clean the chain with white spirits using an old tooth brush. It's a pretty messy job, so make sure to wear rubber gloves.
I then use Muck Off to clean the splatters of chain gunk off the frame. Then oil the chain with White Lightning.
If I'm lazy, I use Citrus De-greaser spray. It's not very good value for money, but it really strips the sh1te off the chain in no time.

I found the best thing to clean the rims is window spray (like Windowleen (?)) Tesco does one for about €1.20, which is just as good.

WD-40 seems to attract a lot of gunk when used on the cables. So I just use the White Lightning on those too. If they are very sticky, I sand them down with fine sand paper first.

Chips Lovell

One of the best investments I ever made was in a great big box of surgical gloves. They are thin enough to allow you to work on your bike and mean you aren't scrubbing black gunk from your hands when you're done.

TinyExplosions

el tonto wrote: »

One of the best investments I ever made was in a great big box of surgical gloves. They are thin enough to allow you to work on your bike and mean you aren't scrubbing black gunk from your hands when you're done.

+1 -make sure to get unpowdered ones though, and the powder is unnecessary and can just be annoying!

bcmf

Usually when I am warming down I stop in at the local petrol sation who has a hand jet wash.throw 2 euro coin and power hose off the mud while its still wet then some finish line pro on the chain to keep it working.But today I threw a 1euro coin in me pocket instead of a 2euro one and the machine wouldnt take it.Hence I have a very muddy bike.Will prob have to strip it teh weekend to clean it now.

Chips Lovell

bcmf wrote: »

Usually when I am warming down I stop in at the local petrol sation who has a hand jet wash.

Jet wash is a bad idea for bikes. The pressure is too high and water can get in behind bearing seals.

bcmf

I dont use the high pressure end just a quick once over with the foamy bit then from a distance the high power bit to wash off the crud with a quick hoseing off my o/shoes.

AstraMonti

Cheers guys, thanks again.

Is this going to be any good for my needs?

TinyExplosions

AstraMonti wrote: »

Cheers guys, thanks again.

Is this going to be any good for my needs?

Could be , but won't fit on every bike (I have one and it won't fit my focus -actually, you're welcome to have it if it fits onto yours!

AstraMonti

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Could be , but won't fit on every bike (I have one and it won't fit my focus -actually, you're welcome to have it if it fits onto yours!

Good! You ll sell me a lot of your unneeded stuff then

TinyExplosions

AstraMonti wrote: »

Good! You ll sell me a lot of your unneeded stuff then

Absolutely, when I'm back from the states, come over and take what you want that I don't need

blorg

@AstraMonti- you may want to consider Finish Line's wet lube given the weather conditions here. I have never used Pro Road specifically but I have used their dry lube and while it's fine in the summer unless you are going to be relubing your chain daily you are better off with the wet one. Pro Road is claimed to work well in the wet though so may be OK. Make sure to wipe off the excess with a cloth when you are done lubricating.

AstraMonti

Ok i found today some time to clean the bike.. and as i tried to follow all the advices, i removed the rear wheel and tried to remove the chain after. And i felt like a total noob (which i am, no objections about that).. "i was like erm.. whats wrong here?"

So i left it, got inside, opened the computer and found various articles about how to remove the chain, i am not sure though how to remove mine. It says "dx10sc" on the chain and it appears to be a KMC one. I was reading somewhere that it has a quick release but i went thoroughly by each connector and couldnt find it. Can you please show me what i need to buy so i can open it?

Cheers!

IM0

WD40 - tried everything else, was finally converted by a dutch euro friend...it works and best bit is it degreases AND lubes and is V clean and can stand ALOT of rain...in MY experience!

blorg

@AstraMoniti- KMC missing link looks like this:



It is possible you have a KMC chain without a missing link though. Personally I would not bother removing the chain to clean it.

blorg

me@ucd wrote: »

WD40 - tried everything else, was finally converted by a dutch euro friend...it works and best bit is it degreases AND lubes and is V clean and can stand ALOT of rain...in MY experience!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo

(Yes for cleaning, noooooooooooooo for lubrication )

Gavin

me@ucd wrote: »

WD40 - tried everything else, was finally converted by a dutch euro friend...it works and best bit is it degreases AND lubes and is V clean and can stand ALOT of rain...in MY experience!

I'm guessing this is a piss take, or you don't cycle in the rain.


You'll need a chain breaker to take the chain off, if there's no quick link Astra. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1625 But yeah, I agree with Blorg, don't take the chain off if there is no quick link, or if it's a 10spd chain

WD40 is good for getting water and gunk off a chain, but don't use it to lubricate the chain.

IM0

Gavin wrote: »

I'm guessing this is a piss take, or you don't cycle in the rain.


You'll need a chain breaker to take the chain off, if there's no quick link Astra. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1625 But yeah, I agree with Blorg, don't take the chain off if there is no quick link, or if it's a 10spd chain

WD40 is good for getting water and gunk off a chain, but don't use it to lubricate the chain.

like I say I tried everything else (finishline dry/wet, motorex, waxes)
WD40 is all about the application, its a great lube (again in mine and many peoples opinion) It leaves film on the chain, which when dries out is a smooth lubricant - obviously it needs cleaning more often, but I try and clean after most rides, and especially after a rainy/snow grit ride - was using it this week!

Hermy

Haven't posted this for a while.

+

+

My recommendation for cleaning chain, cassette etc.

paddy's hill

Diesel and a paint brush followed by a bucket of warm water, washing up liquid and a sponge.

DirkVoodoo

Gunk is excellent but it stinks to high heaven.

Don't use WD40 as a lubricant. It contains at most 15% lubricating agent, A teflon based dry lube is much better for the longevity of parts. Furthermore, 50% of WD 40 is solvent (mostly hexane, similar to kerosene) which means you are spraying a lightly lubricating, mostly degreasing compound onto your chain. Not good.

From Bicycletutor.com:

Bicycle chains, on the other hand, are far too heavy and fast-moving for the lubricating power of WD-40 to have any effect at all. As a matter of fact, WD-40 will actually strip away any existing lubricant and leave your drivetrain dry - metal on metal. Basically, spraying this stuff on your chain is worse than using no lubricant at all!

Its a bit like 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners, nothing that strips oils from your hair can simultaneously replenish it! There, my odd analogy for the day.

Húrin

do folks here think that petrol is an OK degreaser for a chain? Or are white spirits better? These are just what I have, before getting a proper degreaser.

Hermy

Aside from the fact that petrol is highly flammable and thus dangerous, I don't find it a good degreaser because it evaporates too quickly leaving the dirt behind. A proper degreaser will break down the old grease and then it should wash away with plain water.

zzzzzzzz

Húrin wrote: »

do folks here think that petrol is an OK degreaser for a chain? Or are white spirits better? These are just what I have, before getting a proper degreaser.

Not petrol - diesel is great.

jebidiah

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Its a bit like 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners, nothing that strips oils from your hair can simultaneously replenish it! There, my odd analogy for the day.

genius! thats brilliant.

i use soap and water on the frame but ive noticed that sometimes theres still a grease/oil like film on the frame near the drive chain, i used to use a wax lube so i think its that kind of settled into the frame. would white spirits clean it? im afraid to put that on my bike!:eek:

Planet X

Same here. Use diesel to clean chains etc. Petrol strips everything, apparently, diesel is an oil?

Lumen

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Not petrol - diesel is great.

How do you dispose of the used diesel?

BostonB

What did people use years ago when all these things weren't around.

Hermy

Lemon juice?

DirkVoodoo

BostonB wrote: »

What did people use years ago when all these things weren't around.

Turpentine, spirits, mineral oil, other petroleum distillates, etc.?

I guess that takes you back as far as petroleum refineries have been around (mid 19th Century according to wikipedia), dunno about before then, but I'm guessing before machines were as widespread then like Hermy says citrus degreasers were probably used in "one-off" applications. Maybe oil processed from animal fats?

blorg

I tend to use citrus degreaser, works well and can go down the drain. If you can capture and re-use I can see how white spirits etc. would be economical though.

Ciaran500

No one else use this stuff on their chain? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2608

I was very skeptical at first but I've been using it for a year now and have got great results. Throw this stuff on the chain whenever it needs a lube & light clean then stick the chain cleaner on when it needs a good scrub every few months.

DeepBlue

Slightly off topic but along the same lines - what do people use to clean the cloths used for cleaning a bike?

They're far too manky to go into a washing machine and I tend to throw them away. Is there something that they can be dunked into to make them clean enough to re-use?