Road Cycling - What do you use as a degreaser?

Just wondering what everyone uses as a chain degreaser? After applying the degreaser do you rinse with water?

Cheers!

Leyton

Simple Green full strength. Rinse with water and dry then lube.

Cheep carb cleaner from Wally world, 77 cents a can, but I have used simple green and find it to work great.

diesel

gasoline and paint thinner both work well, but neither should be thrown down the sink.

You can usually find citrus based degreasers at bike shops or in hardware stores.

You think Coca-Cola would work?

Seriously.

Originally posted by Spire
gasoline and paint thinner both work well, but neither should be thrown down the sink.

Gasoline is very dangerous to work with and should not be used as a cleaner. Too easy to light it off and if so becomes a major problem. There are better choices. Paint thinner (mineral spirits) is much safer.

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
You think Coca-Cola would work?

Seriously.

no. I think it would be unbelievably sticky! Maybe diet coke...no sugar :)

Grab a aluminum can of Pepsi or Coke, use a can
opener to remove the top entirely, place some
paint thinner inside, and then sections of the
bike chain itself (in turn) and swirl the can ...
possibly using an old tooth-brush to scrape off the
dirtier parts.

When done, throw out the brush, can, thinner, etc.

Dawn dishwashing soap.

Be careful with solvents. Causes skin problems and can burn.

Any dishwashing soap/gel/fluid.

Simple Green. It works great.

I use paint thinner / white spirit (whatever you want to call it) in combination with a cleaning machine. I have found that this is better than using a detergent cleaner because it dissolves the old oil and dries quickly in 1 or 2 steps. With a water based cleaning product one must rinse with water and then ensure that the chain is really dry before re-lubricating, because as every schoolkid knows, oil and water don't mix! I try and keep the used solvent and recycle it for the dirtiest part of the next cleaning session.
There was a thread on chain cleaning a little while ago that got a bit heated about weather to use soap or solvents..... I say use whatever works for you :)

Cheers,

Ed

sometimes paint thinner (in a pinch) but mostly pedro's citrus orange cleaner... works well for chains. After I use the cleaner I take a coffee filter and save as much as possible in a glass jar. ;)

Castrol engine degreaser. It comes in a gallon jug and is very similar to simple green (except it is blue!).

Works great and is bio degradable. Just need to buy a squirty bottle for easy use.

I think most of these products like Simple Green and various engine degreasers are all the same. So I buy what is on sale.

Originally posted by supcom
Gasoline is very dangerous to work with and should not be used as a cleaner. Too easy to light it off and if so becomes a major problem. There are better choices. Paint thinner (mineral spirits) is much safer.

Well, as Darwin would say, if you're playing with matches and cleaning your chain at the same time: perhaps you're getting what nature intended.

It is not THAT easy to light of gasoline if you're using normal stuff, I mean do you use a wire brush to clean your chain and gears?