Forum menu
What are the best chain cleaners, any recommendations?
I want to upgrade from the old teeth brush...
New tooth brush?
Don't think you can beat the Park one or similar shaped jobby.
Oversized toothbrush at one end for the chain, plastic hook at the other end for the cassette.
Just wet the chain with your usual bike cleaner (Muc-Off, Fenwicks etc) give it all a good scrub and rinse.
HTH.
I ride in sandy conditions so the chain gets pretty manky. The park cleaner isnt that great , no better than a shake with white spirt in a jar .
I've just discovered Fenwick's foaming degreaser, it is brilliant. No need for a chain cleaning device, just a gentle scrubbing brush and old toothbrush. You also don't waste it as you can see exactly where you have and haven't put it. My father-in-law who keeps his motorbikes fastidiously clean commented on how new my drivetrain was looking. He's never done that before.
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/fenwicks-fs-foaming-item168971.html
Just bought the Finish Line one - worked better than an old toothbrush.
no better than a shake with white spirt in a jar .
This doesn't work so well with 10 speed chains unfortunately. 🙁
I think I'll be investing in a chain cleaner soon for a clean and hassle free way to clean chains.
2 nail brushes held bristle to bristle
This doesn't work so well with 10 speed chains unfortunately
Why?
I'm doing it to a ten speed chain. Can't see why nine or ten speed would be different.
I always use kmc sl chains and these come up spotless every time. For me the park cleaner is a big fat fail.
What is 'best practice' for chain cleaning - do people degrease their chains after every ride. Clean on or off the bike?
Also, white spirit is not great on the environmental front. Toxic to aquatic organisms etc. I believe it is an offense to public drains.
I've tried various chain cleaners and none of them really wark that well. I've found the best method is to take the chain off and stick it in a jar of paint thinners. Comes up clean and shiny every time. And the thinners can be used over and over. KMC 9SL with quick link so easy to remove.
Why would this not work with a 10 speed chain?
Also, white spirit is not great on the environmental front. Toxic to aquatic organisms etc. I believe it is an offense to public drains.
That's true, but you can re-use it several times, and the council will take it at your local tip.
Either of these two do the job just fine and HighOnBikes seem to do them cheaper than anyone else. I tend to buy a new one every year for the sake of £7 and they have been fine. I treat them as disposable but have plenty of old ones knocking around incase i ever need a spare bit off one.
I'm doing it to a ten speed chain. Can't see why nine or ten speed would be different.
What split link are you using in your chain? I thought most of them weren't reusable, and I can't be bothered using a chain tool every week to clean the chain.
What split link are you using in your chain?
[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5159 ]http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5159[/url]
Interesting. CRC says they are 10 spd Campag. Are they usable with 10spd SRAM, Shimano and KMC chains (the KMC and SRAM links I have are not re-usable).
why degrease a chain so deeply? surely a wash of the muck off the outside is all thats needed?
Might be all that's needed but a full clean is actually quicker and easier. Chain off, into jamjar, shake shake, hang up to dry, lube while hung up, back on. Both cleaner and easier than any other method. I use paraffin but white spirit is fine too. Probably diesel as well, haven't used that.
As for environmental impact- what you do is, leave it to settle then pour the clear liquid off into another jar. You can reuse it almost indefinately if you're careful about it (I'm really anal tbh, I pour the dirty paraffin into a third jar- once it's had 4 or 5 loads of dirty slops in you can pour off the top again.)