Road Cycling - How are you keeping your chain ~ cogs so darn clean?

Should I stay away from the wet lubes?

I can't keep it clean... I'm only able to clean it enough to make it look really nice when I take pictures. ;) You need to use the right lube for your environment and be careful not to overlube. You don't need lube everywhere on the chain. You only need to make sure the link pivots are lubed. Drop a dollop of lube in each link while pedalling backwards and then wipe off the excess with a rag. The chain should actually look dry. Being able to thoroughly clean the drivetrain also helps. I like the SRAM PowerLink because it allows me to easily remove the chain to make cleaning everything easier.

Should I stay away from the wet lubes?

Chain cleaning (http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2004/reviews/park_tool_chain_scrubber)
fastest, easiest, and cleanest way to do it without taking the chain off.

cogs...tag a rag and wipe down the areas between the gear cogs, then wipe off the outside.

Unless you want to tear it all down.

clean it fairly regularly. for lube, i use pro-link. great stuff. lubes beautifully and stays quite clean.

Park chain cleaner. Pro link lube.
I use Simple Green in the chain cleaner.

I use Rock and Roll chain cleaner and lube. It keeps the chains and sprockets looking good.

Once a week I also use a cleaner on the cassette.]

I find that by using Rock and Roll instead of light oil, which I have used, the the whole drive line stays cleaner.

Clean chains!
Riding a tandem we have 2 chains to keep clean.
Here is the 'old way' of doing it: Wipe chain clean with a rag regularly.
Lubrication: Again the 'old way': Remove chain; drop chain into large can/container of kerosene/diesel; slosh around a bit. Then remove and clean with brush (old tootbrush works or something larger) laid out on on piece of cardboard/newspapers. Wipe chain, let it air-dry.
Next step: Using a small electric one-burner stove (outside) + old coffee can; drop in a couple blocks of canning wax (available in some drug/hdwe/canning supply places), let it melt and carefully drop chain(s) in the melted wax. After about 5 minutes haul out chain with long handled pliers and let drip dry on either a piece of cardboard or suspend it from an old coathanger somewhere outside/garage. Careful not to burn yourself with the hot wax!
Re-install cooled off chain. You will notice some waxy dark flakes for a couple days on chainstay when done riding, just brush 'em off.
Result: you got lube (wax) into/around pins on chain; no dirty hands when you get flat on rear wheel when removing wheel and being a dry chain, it will not attract road dust.
Enjoy a s-m-o-o-t-h ride!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy & Kay/Zona tandem

I use a high pressure washer and then lube the sprocket and chain afterwards

This should go without saying, but if you use a high pressure sprayer, spray down on the chain, avoid the bottom bracket area and the hubs (and anywhere that has grease in it, for that matter). You'll blast grease right out of almost anything that water gets near.

I still use white lightning and it keeps things pretty clean most of the time.

I use Rock and Roll chain cleaner and lube. It keeps the chains and sprockets looking good.

Once a week I also use a cleaner on the cassette.]

I find that by using Rock and Roll instead of light oil, which I have used, the the whole drive line stays cleaner.

I use Rock'N'Roll lubes too... especially if I'm short on time since you just squirt on and go. This is one of the few lubes where you don't just drop a drop in each link... you need to douse the entire chain. I use the Extreme for my MTB and Absolute Dry for my RB. I have yet to try their Gold. Though if I have the time, I'll remove the chain and do a total cleaning job. When doing this, I'll use DuMonde lube.

My chain stays shiny clean, no rust, limber and quiet by regularly spraying it with a can of silcone lubricant. I mean hosing it down with a rag benenath it, wiping it down and then lightly spraying again. Rings and cogs stay very clean. A can lasts for a couple months easily. I've asked several lbs if this is ok to do and they say silicone is fine. Anyone see any problems with this?

I have my chain cleaned at my LBS every week..
They use a parktool chain cleaning kit.

They use Pedro's Road rage on my bike now, they used to use the Extra dry lube in w/c they ran out of... :D

get yourself a chain cleaner.. works great..
http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/40_1487.jpg

it is $9.99 at Performance (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=16004)

get yourself a chain cleaner.. works great..
http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/40_1487.jpg

it is $9.99 at Performance (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=16004)

I got one of those and tried it, but it didn't clean the inside of the links as well as my Finish Line cleaner. I look for chain cleaners that put the chain in between brushes, top and bottom. I'm going to try the Performance Spin Doctor chain cleaner again with the Simple Green, that stuff cleans well. I use Pedro's Ice Wax to lube.

The cogs and chain do not need to be clean that often, unless you followed some crazy mtb's on your ride home :-) or rode in heavy rain or dust, whichever will upset your drivetrain, but once in a while, and I mean at leat begin/end of season, take the cassette or freewheel (choice between the two will tell a lot about your age) off the hub and sink it into a cleaner, then oil it with a chain lube. Do the same with the chain, they will both love you for eternity. In between, a simple wipe with a cloth will do and apply chain lube if you think it's dry. Don't forget the crankset, and the brakes, and the derailleurs, it never ends.. :eek:

I used to use Finish Line Dry lube. Now I use Pro Link. With Pro Link things never get as dirty and are easier to just wipe clean when getting dirty.

Start with a clean chain and gears....alittle white lightning before every ride.

All I do is clean/lube with Prolink. My chain is clean enough to eat off of...but I wouldn't go that far. The main thing is when you get a new chain before you put it on your bike get your LBS to put it in their partswash and get all the stuff "grease?" off that it comes packaged with. Dura-Ace chains anyways.

For many years I used a chain cleaner (device that snaps over the chain while on the bike) with good results. However, now I only run SRAM chains (with powerlink) on my machines. This allows me to remove the chain with no tools, and clean it to perfection. It also gives me more access to the rest of the drivetrain.

The chain cleaning tool is good, but nothing beats removing the chain and getting right @ the ugly stuff!

Park chain cleaner. Pro link lube.
I use Simple Green in the chain cleaner.

Same here. I also brush the chain rings, rear cogs and pullys with a tooth brush and hose off everything (not high pressure). Of course, the chain gets a little dirty awfully quickly (about 50 miles) but looks OK for about 200-300 miles. Keeping the chain clean also extends its life.

I got one of those and tried it, but it didn't clean the inside of the links as well as my Finish Line cleaner. I look for chain cleaners that put the chain in between brushes, top and bottom. I'm going to try the Performance Spin Doctor chain cleaner again with the Simple Green, that stuff cleans well. I use Pedro's Ice Wax to lube.

That's why it's $9.99... :D

I'm using Finish Line too, and it doesn't seem to work very well. I can get it very clean, but I have to clean it often too. Using the Dry Lube, my chain often gets noisy very soon, any solutions or should I change the lube I am using?

Clean chains!
Riding a tandem we have 2 chains to keep clean.
Here is the 'old way' of doing it: Wipe chain clean with a rag regularly.
Lubrication: Again the 'old way': Remove chain; drop chain into large can/container of kerosene/diesel; slosh around a bit. Then remove and clean with brush (old tootbrush works or something larger) laid out on on piece of cardboard/newspapers. Wipe chain, let it air-dry.
Next step: Using a small electric one-burner stove (outside) + old coffee can; drop in a couple blocks of canning wax (available in some drug/hdwe/canning supply places), let it melt and carefully drop chain(s) in the melted wax. After about 5 minutes haul out chain with long handled pliers and let drip dry on either a piece of cardboard or suspend it from an old coathanger somewhere outside/garage. Careful not to burn yourself with the hot wax!
Re-install cooled off chain. You will notice some waxy dark flakes for a couple days on chainstay when done riding, just brush 'em off.
Result: you got lube (wax) into/around pins on chain; no dirty hands when you get flat on rear wheel when removing wheel and being a dry chain, it will not attract road dust.
Enjoy a s-m-o-o-t-h ride!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy & Kay/Zona tandem

I've used the same technique but included a tube of powdered graphite in with the wax. It also helps if you have two chains. You can just swap them and clean when you feel like it.

-mark

Another vote for Pro-Link Chain Lube, and SRAM Chains with the Powerlink. I've tried different stuff from Pedro's, Finish Line Dry and Wet, KRC Teflon, and others, and nothing keeps the chain cleaner than Pro-Link. Then every so often, pop the SRAM off with the Powerlink, slosh it around in a jar of kerosene, and it's just like new again.

Any motorcycle riders out there? How about using Maxim Chain Wax? Aerosol can that sprays a waxy lube. Great on my motorcycle with little throw-off. Would it be suitable for a road bike?

Also for cleaning my motorcycle chain, I use WD-40 and a rag. Cool for my road bike, too?

I bet a search would find a thread on the subject,oh maybe 1000000000000000000000 of them.

wd-40 is bad. very bad. it leaves a residue that is very difficult to wash off, and which can prevent lubricants from adhering to the chain. use something that is wter soluble and biodegradable. as for lube... wax lubes are appealing because they keep the chain looking very clean, same with most teflon dry lobes. the problem with wax lubes is that tey wear off rather quickly. I think you'll find that your chain becomes very noisy and squeaky after about 100 km with a wax lube. if you don't normally do 100 km + distances, this isn't a huge problem, but if you do, you're probably better off going with something like pro link and road rage. if you use a dry lube like finish line teflon, then be sure to bring along a small bottle in your saddle bag. i find that teflon lubes are very sensitive to weather variables. they seem to last reasonably well in dry conditions, but when the humidity rises -- even if there's no rain or surface damp -- they wear off at about the same rate as wax lubes.

traditional wet lubes are probably the best all-around lubricants. they last the longest. but they also tend to attract dirt, and need to be completely cleaned rather frequently. I use the finish line cross country lube on my cyclo-cross bike, but i tend to clean that bike quite frequently.

avoid heavy wet lubes like phil's tenacious oil, chainsaw lube and machine oil. they will attract dirt like there's no tomorrow, and they don't seem to provide the same level of lubrication as bike=specific lubricants. it's probably because of the viscosity of the lubricant and the tolerances of the chain.

I use a high pressure washer and then lube the sprocket and chain afterwards


But give it time for the water INSIDE the chain to evaporate before oiling or it can´t penetrate to the interior , moving , parts .