Bicycle Mechanics - Best practice for cleaning rear cassette cogs?...

Just trued my back wheel and have some time because we are getting ridiculous weather in the mid-west and want to ask what you guys think is the best way to clean the rear cogs with the cogwheel mounted on the wheel hub? I want to minimize ingress of any degreaser into the hub or cogwheel ratchet. The thing isn't that dirty but my thought is spray Simple Green onto the cogs...toothbrush and then blow out with compressed air...I have a compressor. If I do it this way...should the wheel be laying down with cogwheel up?...or best to spray, brush and blow off the cogs with the wheel in typical riding position to keep from degreaser getting into the hub or cog wheel ratchet/bearing?
Thanks for any lessons learned,
George

Use a towel and run it between the rings

Thanks

That's the standard, and probably the best. Park makes that nice little "gear brush" with the curved, toothed thingy that fits between the cogs, but rags work just as well.

Just trued my back wheel and have some time because we are getting ridiculous weather in the mid-west and want to ask what you guys think is the best way to clean the rear cogs with the cogwheel mounted on the wheel hub? I want to minimize ingress of any degreaser into the hub or cogwheel ratchet. The thing isn't that dirty but my thought is spray Simple Green onto the cogs...toothbrush and then blow out with compressed air...I have a compressor. If I do it this way...should the wheel be laying down with cogwheel up?...or best to spray, brush and blow off the cogs with the wheel in typical riding position to keep from degreaser getting into the hub or cog wheel ratchet/bearing?
Thanks for any lessons learned,
GeorgeDoesn't Campy put seals in the hubs and hub bodies or are they designed to only be ridden by girls on sunny afternoons? FWIW, if I was gonna clean it with anything but a rag or pipe cleaner,I'd remove it assuming one knows how.

That's the standard, and probably the best. Park makes that nice little "gear brush" with the curved, toothed thingy that fits between the cogs, but rags work just as well.

Of course, Park has a product for everything. :lol: $$$

That's the standard, and probably the best. Park makes that nice little "gear brush" with the curved, toothed thingy that fits between the cogs, but rags work just as well.

I actually think rags work better.

Tear an old t-shirt into strips and "floss" between the cogs . . . especially after eating ;)

Spray your favorite degreaser (even WD-40) on the cassette first if you want (being careful to avoid the hubs/axles -- you don't want to degrease anything that uses grease for lubrication.

Thanks guys...the rag method it is. Wanted to get the collective board's opinion.
Appreciate it.
George

I've found that the collar of an old t-shirt holds up the best for flossing between the cogs.

I generally scrape the derailleur pulleys with a small screwdriver.
Usually, that prevents any serious dirt from accumulating on the cogs and chainrings.

I generally scrape the derailleur pulleys with a small screwdriver.
Usually, that prevents any serious dirt from accumulating on the cogs and chainrings.

I'm an old toothbrush guy, m'self.

I'm an old toothbrush guy, m'self.



Old toothbrushes are the most underrated piece of junk in modern life~~~! :D

I just pop the lock ring, separate all the plates, and sit down with a bucket of soapy water, a brush, and pop in a dvd.

Yup, take off the cassette and soak it in degreaser. You'll never get it as clean with it on the wheel.

Thanks guys...just ordered the tools to remove the cassette. Wish someone could tell me if the axle in my G3 Campy rear hub can even be adjusted for bearing looseness/tightness. There is no locknut on either rear axle stub...only fixed 17mm hexs which appeared to be forged into each axle stub. The front hub by contrast has locknuts on each side of the axle for cone adjustability.
George

I just pop the lock ring, separate all the plates, and sit down with a bucket of soapy water, a brush, and pop in a dvd.

Alright, which is it?

- Media setup in the garage

- Plastic-sheeting-to-protect-the-carpet + really-understanding-wife/girlfriend

- Single and renting

my favorite is still old socks for between the cogs.. they give about the right thickness to do a good job between em and I always have new ones hittin the rag pile....

Alright, which is it?

- Media setup in the garage

- Plastic-sheeting-to-protect-the-carpet + really-understanding-wife/girlfriend

- Single and renting

A little from column B, a little from column C.
It's theraputic, you lay down half a garbage bag (hey i'm cheap), one of those little portable plastic wash basins, a little degreaser and warm water, and just sit there for about 30 minutes scrubbing away all the little pieces of dirt and grit. Toss the water in the toilet, rinse twice, then scrub the gunk off the toilet (unless you want to get yelled at), then use 2-3 sheets of bounty to dry each cog and reassemble.

Tear an old t-shirt into strips and "floss" between the cogs . . . especially after eating ;).

Cog-floss, now there's an invention. I like it.

CHEERS.

Mark

Flossing with a rag is THE way to go. Don't even need to remove the rear wheel. If there's lots of extra grit stuck to the sides of the cogs, a little flat-blade screwdriver will scrape the sides clean.
Sure, the occasional removal and degreasing is appropriate. But I find if you keep the cogs relatively clean with the simple rag flossing method AND you don't soak your drivetrain & cogs with lube, the cassette stays pretty darn neat!
(Spraying with degreaser and then blowing clean w/ compressed air is an invitation to getting degreaser all over the rear wheel, frame etc. And citrus attacks plastic & powdercoat. So I avoid it.)

Take the cassette off the wheel, place it in a plastic container with a degreaser or the solution that you use in those chain cleaning machines, put the cover on the container and shake. Let it sit, shake again, and then take each cog out and wipe/dry and put back on the freewheel. The cassette now looks like new, and works efficiently. And it doesn't take that long to do.

question re reassembling the cassette. the loose rings are oriented on the hub by the wider cog. but there are still 2 ways to reassemble them. how do you tell which side faces out since some of them are not the same on the 2 sides?