Cleaning Cassette Correctly (C)Query.

Planet X

OK.....best practice, out with the whip, lockring and off with the lot.
However.....with the amount of slag knocking about on the roads this winter, I'm leaning towards, long bristled paintbrush to apply your cleanser of choice. Soak and wash off with water.
But.....I'm worried, not too much though, that this slack practice will lead to, cleanser of choice, ingress to hub, thus leading to bearing damage?
Should this be a major concern?

07Lapierre

I use Fenwicks Foaming Degreaser and a brush to scrub the cassette and chain. No worries about ingress into the freehub as its a foam and not a liquid.

crosstownk

I prefer to remove the cassette to clean it as I'd be concerned about degreaser getting into the hub/freehub. Sometimes I'm pushed for time so I clean the cassette in situ but I go easy on the degreaser.

Koobcam

Take off the cassette, stick it in a ziploc bag, pour in some white spirit, leave it while you clean the rest of your bike, then take it out of the bag and wipe away all the sh*te. I wouldn't be doing this all the time. Normally, I have a few cassettes on the go, so if one gets really filthy, I just stick it in a ziploc bag and leave it. When they are all filthy, I'll clean them all in one go.

Planet X

But......it's "On Wheel Cleaning" I'm on about lads. And girls.
I'm a diesel man and sometimes fret, but not alot, about it running into or under the freehub/hub.

Maybe foam is the answer alright. Localised.
I don't believe this, but I have a big can of 3 in 1 Heavy Duty Degreaser/cleaner foam, but actually remember using it and not being too impressed with it as opposed to diesel.

Maybe it's what I want to use more as a "temp" on wheel cleaner.

07Lapierre

I think taking the cassette off every time you want to clean it is O.T.T.

Spray on degreaser if its foam. It you use a liquid, i'd dip the brush into the degreaser and scrub the cassette and chain. Once you wash off the degreaser, very little, if any will get into the freehub anyway.

Craig06

Your free hub is sealed. Just spray on a degreaser. Use a brush and rinse it off. Taking off the cassette is complete overkill. Try not use diesel or white spirit etc as they are a little harsh as chemicals go.

lennymc

Put the wheel in the dishwasher

Planet X

With diesel or Fenwicks foam?

Wishbone Ash

Planet X wrote: »

...I'm a diesel man and sometimes fret, but not alot, about it running into or under the freehub/hub....

Does the diesel not get on the wheel/tyres when cleaning the cassette on the bike?

Craig06 wrote: »

...Taking off the cassette is complete overkill....

Hardly overkill. The wheels will be coming off anyway so it's another few seconds to take off the cassette and you'll clean it more quickly and effectively when its off.

JBokeh

Diesel wouldn't be as bad as a chemical degreaser, as while if it does go into the free hub it will break down the grease, it will still lubricate.

Lay the wheel flat and use diesel sparingly, and rinse it off with hot water out of a cup

JBokeh

Diesel wouldn't be as bad as a chemical degreaser, as while if it does go into the free hub it will break down the grease, it will still lubricate.

Lay the wheel flat and use diesel sparingly, and rinse it off with hot water out of a cup

Puggy

Modern degreaser, as in water soluble, is better than pouring diesel onto your cassette, I used diesel once and my freewheel ball bearings fell out about an hour later.

When I clean the cassette, I'd always want to know it's clean, inside and out, so I always take the cassette off and take it apart. I also pop the quick link and do the chain as well. I also clean the jockey wheels and chain rings. Usually while watching Graham Norton on Friday evenings.

Then on Saturday morning, my bike looks and feels good.

Durning the week, if there was a lot of rain, I'd clean the cassette and chain with a rag as soon as I get off the bike.

Wishbone Ash

Puggy wrote: »

...I also pop the quick link and do the chain as well...

I used to always take off the chain to clean it until I realised recently that the quick links are only supposed to be opened a few times before requiring replacement.

Statler

I use Jizer poured into a spray bottle. Spray on the chain , use a small paintbrush to work it in, then spray liberally into the paintbrush and use that to clean the cassette rather than spraying directly onto the cassette, and then do the same with the chainrings. Leave it to soak for a minute and rinse off. I also worry the odd time about the Jizer getting into the hub, but I've been cleaning my bikes for a few years with it now as above at least twice a week and (touch wood) haven't had any issues yet.

bazermc

Am I the only person unsettled by constant referral to using Jizer????

Puggy

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I used to always take off the chain to clean it until I realised recently that the quick links are only supposed to be opened a few times before requiring replacement.

Depends on how you open them. I used to use a pliers, and it wrecks them. Just clean it first and follow this video

http://youtu.be/aeTmy6N_VQA

Wishbone Ash

Puggy wrote: »

Depends on how you open them. I used to use a pliers, and it wrecks them. Just clean it first and follow this video

http://youtu.be/aeTmy6N_VQA

I use the KMC quick links and have the specific tool for opening and closing them.

I can't seem to find the web link now but KMC recommended replacing the quick link after it had been opened three times.

Puggy

Is it this tool free one

http://youtu.be/-CnoKjUU0vg