Bicycle Mechanics - Chain cleaning tool

Do the chain baths really work that well such as the Park

http://www.parktool.com/tools/CG_2.shtml

Any feed back would be appreciated.

Cheers

Works for me.. I use it only when the chiane gets really bad cause it is a mess to use. But the only other way I know to do a good job is to take the chain off...

i use the park one. i think its works great. i didnt really find it messy. depending on what degreaser you use in it the result will vary.

I use the park as well with Simple Green degreaser. After cleaning I wipe it down and let it dry at least 4 hours. Then I lube it. I don't have a set schedule - just when the chain looks particularly dirty like after a couple of rides that may include wet grit from recent rains. I do wipe the chain down after every ride.

I also use the Park cleaning system about every 100 miles or so. Fujibike is right - Simple Green is the best thing I've found to use in it. Cleans the chain really well and they also give you a brush for cleaning the cogs and cassettess. I would also recommend using ProLink lube after cleaning the chain. Works wonders.

I use the park as well with Simple Green degreaser. After cleaning I wipe it down and let it dry at least 4 hours. Then I lube it.

Simple green work well. After cleaning, always use WD-40 to oil chain.

Simple green work well. After cleaning, always use WD-40 to oil chain.
MagnaMan-Это место заполнилось людьми, которые не знают ничто о велосипедах-is not really a very nice thing to say is it.ПОЧЕМУ ВЫ НЕ ВОЗВРАЩАЕТЕ ЭТО ОСКОРБЛЕНИЕ В АНГЛИЙСКОЙ ЯЗЫК

http://www.worldlingo.com/wl/translate

No Wd-40

[QUOTE=condor63]MagnaMan-Это место заполнилось людьми, которые не знают ничто о велосипедах-is not really a very nice thing to say is it.ПОЧЕМУ ВЫ НЕ ВОЗВРАЩАЕТЕ ЭТО ОСКОРБЛЕНИЕ В АНГЛИЙСКОЙ ЯЗЫК

this place was filled by people which do not know anything about bicycles. WHY YOU DO NOT RETURN THIS INSULT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

I agree that WD40 is not a good thing to use on chains, but why not express your concerns in the english language? WD40 was never intended to be used as a lubricant and it's viscosity is 0 weight, meaning it's too thin to be of any use thus there is no protection there.

Back to the original question; I use the Finish Line machine and cleaner, it seems to work very well for me. I first clean it, then let it dry over night, then apply Finish Line Teflon dry and let that stand overnight. Most lubes are good except for the wax based crap; the wax crap only last about 60 miles before the chain starts to make comments, then you have to reapply it; in other words your chain will wear out faster using wax crap. Finish Line, and TriFlow are very good low price lubes.

.ПОЧЕМУ ВЫ НЕ ВОЗВРАЩАЕТЕ ЭТО ОСКОРБЛЕНИЕ В АНГЛИЙСКОЙ ЯЗЫК

http://www.worldlingo.com/wl/translate
Because he knows it will get him bounced

Thanks for all the feed back folks.
I will check out all the above ........except WD-40 ;)

I use their chain cleaners exclusively. I will always give them a thumbs up.

ПОЧЕМУ ВЫ НЕ ВОЗВРАЩАЕТЕ ЭТО ОСКОРБЛЕНИЕ В АНГЛИЙСКОЙ ЯЗЫК?


потому что американцы не понимают сатиру.

Why the animosity against WD-40? "The Haynes Bicycle Book" (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563924285/102-9617413-9888954?%5Fencoding=UTF8) uses WD-40 extensively throughout. On chains, it recommends using WD-40 first, as it will penetrate and displace water etc, then applying regular chain lube afterwards.

Sverre

потому что американцы не понимают сатиру.Нет, но мы знаем когда мы будем оскорбленной наглой собакой.

потому что американцы не понимают сатиру.

OK you since joining here offer nothing to any users. You apparently have no answers other than Russian repsonses or WD 40 cracks to say. Lots of people here are insulted by your sig line and have said so. So why not go away?

OK you since joining here offer nothing to any users. You apparently have no answers other than Russian repsonses or WD 40 cracks to say. Lots of people here are insulted by your sig line and have said so. So why not go away?
Nice to see we again have something to agree upon. It was my intent to call him out with my crylic responses

If LA wont use it then by god i wont. Them are fight'n words,WD-40.

Very interesting. I took my bike into a lbs for a tune up and the first thing done was to spray the chain with wd-40, then wipe off the excess. I have since degreased and did not use wd-40 but used the pedro's ice wax. I am interested in the negatives of the wax type products

Why the animosity against WD-40? "The Haynes Bicycle Book" (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563924285/102-9617413-9888954?%5Fencoding=UTF8) uses WD-40 extensively throughout. On chains, it recommends using WD-40 first, as it will penetrate and displace water etc, then applying regular chain lube afterwards.

Sverre

WD40: I know I shouldn't, but I also use it. I always intend to follow up with the fancy teflon stuff but I never get 'round to it. WD40 is cheap, easy to use, seems to clean the chain well, and, best of all, I can buy it from any supermarket at 3 a.m. :D

How long are you supposed to wait after using a cleaner such as WD40, to apply some teflon stuff?
Or can you just wipe off the WD40 and apply the teflon straight away?

I've got it!!!! Magna Man is a funny man, therefore I'm sure this is his true identity:
http://www.yakov.com/default.html

Nice to see we again have something to agree upon. It was my intent to call him out with my crylic responses

:beer:

I've got it!!!! Magna Man is a funny man, therefore I'm sure this is his true identity:
http://www.yakov.com/default.html

You could be on to something however I haven't noted any "EXPLOSIVE LAUGHTER" :D

WD40: I know I shouldn't, but I also use it. I always intend to follow up with the fancy teflon stuff but I never get 'round to it. WD40 is cheap, easy to use, seems to clean the chain well, and, best of all, I can buy it from any supermarket at 3 a.m. :D

How long are you supposed to wait after using a cleaner such as WD40, to apply some teflon stuff?
Or can you just wipe off the WD40 and apply the teflon straight away?

The book doesn't say how long you should wait. Here is the direct quote (page 115):

"Lubrication
The chain can be lubricated with a penetrating oil such as WD40 (or equivalent), which also displaces water after washing your bike (and can be found in almost any garage). If you use WD40, however, a special bike chain lubricant should be applied afterwards."

Another quote (page 112):

"A lightweight penetrating oil, like WD40, is good for displacing water from a wet chain and for occasional lubrication."

Page 108 shows pictures where WD40 is used to lubricate derailleur pivot points, guide and tension wheels.

Sverre

:beer:You cantankerous varmint:D We may have to tip a couple back one of these days. I'll get the first round. :D :beer:

Hmm to me using WD-40 as a lubricant jsut seems backwards.

After all the name stands for : Water Displacement- 40th attempt. It was merely the lab name for the product, the board liked it, and the name stuck. on that note...it also drys rather clean.

I do use WD-40 to clean my chain, however I give it a few hours to dry off right and then give it a nice oiling with some tri-flow. There might be some more optimal way to do this, but these are both materials I can get within 1 mile of my house...so to me they are jsut what's convenient andd more importantly, what works.

The book doesn't say how long you should wait. Here is the direct quote (page 115):

"Lubrication
The chain can be lubricated with a penetrating oil such as WD40 (or equivalent), which also displaces water after washing your bike (and can be found in almost any garage). If you use WD40, however, a special bike chain lubricant should be applied afterwards."

Another quote (page 112):

"A lightweight penetrating oil, like WD40, is good for displacing water from a wet chain and for occasional lubrication."

Page 108 shows pictures where WD40 is used to lubricate derailleur pivot points, guide and tension wheels.

Sverre

I would never think WD-40 as an oil.

Hmm to me using WD-40 as a lubricant jsut seems backwards.

After all the name stands for : Water Displacement- 40th attempt. It was merely the lab name for the product, the board liked it, and the name stuck. on that note...it also drys rather clean.

I do use WD-40 to clean my chain, however I give it a few hours to dry off right and then give it a nice oiling with some tri-flow. There might be some more optimal way to do this, but these are both materials I can get within 1 mile of my house...so to me they are jsut what's convenient andd more importantly, what works.

Well, the WD40 web site (http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40.cfm) is using the word "lubricate" repeatedly.

The FAQ at http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_faqs.html also mention lubrication as one of the uses. Especially this section of the FAQ:

"What about using WD-40 on my sports equipment?
WD-40 is safe and effective to use on all types of sporting goods. Use WD-40 on your bike to clean, degrease and lubricate your chain, derailleur, gears, cogs, and moving parts. It will help remove stickers. Use WD-40 to clean and protect your gun. It will prevent corrosion and it won't damage bluing. Spray it on dirt bikes to protect parts and prevent mud from sticking. Use it on watercraft to protect metal surfaces from corrosion and to drive out moisture. WD-40 is also great for cleaning golf clubs and preventing rust on hockey skate blades."


Sverre

Well, the WD40 web site (http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40.cfm) is using the word "lubricate" repeatedly.

The FAQ at http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_faqs.html also mention lubrication as one of the uses. Especially this section of the FAQ:

"What about using WD-40 on my sports equipment?
WD-40 is safe and effective to use on all types of sporting goods. Use WD-40 on your bike to clean, degrease and lubricate your chain, derailleur, gears, cogs, and moving parts. It will help remove stickers. Use WD-40 to clean and protect your gun. It will prevent corrosion and it won't damage bluing. Spray it on dirt bikes to protect parts and prevent mud from sticking. Use it on watercraft to protect metal surfaces from corrosion and to drive out moisture. WD-40 is also great for cleaning golf clubs and preventing rust on hockey skate blades."


Sverre
I've got a chain that I pulled off a BMX bike that came into the shop for repairs. The chain is rusted soild, why you ask did this happen? The owner (who kept the bike in the garage) routinely lubricated his kid's chain with WD40 whenever it started squeeking. The chain eventually corroded to the point that the kid didn't want to ride it as the sprayings were becoming more and more frequent after a month or two of sitting in the garage the bike was brought in to the shop and the stroy relayed. Only one example. WD40 is not chain lube no matter what the (biased) WD40 website claims.

I've got a chain that I pulled off a BMX bike that came into the shop for repairs. The chain is rusted soild, why you ask did this happen? The owner (who kept the bike in the garage) routinely lubricated his kid's chain with WD40 whenever it started squeeking. The chain eventually corroded to the point that the kid didn't want to ride it as the sprayings were becoming more and more frequent after a month or two of sitting in the garage the bike was brought in to the shop and the stroy relayed. Only one example. WD40 is not chain lube no matter what the (biased) WD40 website claims.

Just for the record, I don't actually use WD40 as a chain lube myself. I use chain lube bought at my local LBS. However, I can see using it the way the Haynes book recommend.

Sverre

[QUOTE=condor63]MagnaMan-Это место заполнилось людьми, которые не знают ничто о велосипедах-is not really a very nice thing to say is it.ПОЧЕМУ ВЫ НЕ ВОЗВРАЩАЕТЕ ЭТО ОСКОРБЛЕНИЕ В АНГЛИЙСКОЙ ЯЗЫК

this place was filled by people which do not know anything about bicycles. WHY YOU DO NOT RETURN THIS INSULT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

I agree that WD40 is not a good thing to use on chains, but why not express your concerns in the english language? WD40 was never intended to be used as a lubricant and it's viscosity is 0 weight, meaning it's too thin to be of any use thus there is no protection there.

Back to the original question; I use the Finish Line machine and cleaner, it seems to work very well for me. I first clean it, then let it dry over night, then apply Finish Line Teflon dry and let that stand overnight. Most lubes are good except for the wax based crap; the wax crap only last about 60 miles before the chain starts to make comments, then you have to reapply it; in other words your chain will wear out faster using wax crap. Finish Line, and TriFlow are very good low price lubes.

You are correct in that WD-40 wasn't originally formulated to be a lubricant. And, there are better choices for chain lubrication. But, you are mistaken regards viscosity. All fluids have a measureable viscosity. A "Zero" SAE rating doesn't refer to the actual viscosity, it is a measure of Kinematic viscosity. And the kinematic viscosity is then transformed into a "viscosity index". It's the index number that you and I are used to seeing on the labels of motor oils and other lubicants. It was devised in 1911 for comparing automotive oils. As I'm sure you are aware, many of the newer cars with the high revving small engines are being shipped from the manufacturer with engine oil rated at 0W-20. Here's a piece of one of the many web articles on lubricants and their properties.
"An arbitrary scale used to show the magnitude of viscosity changes in lubricating oils with changes in temperature. Oils with low VI number such as VI=0 ("zero") have high dependence of viscosity change on temperature. They thicken quickly with decreasing temperature, and thin out quickly with increasing temperature. Oils with high VI number such as VI=200, will still thicken with decreasing temperature but not as rapidly, and also will thin out with increasing temperature, but again not as much as low VI oil."

The entire article can be seen at: http://www.synlube.com/viscosit.htm#kinematic%20viscosity

As I'm sure you are aware, many of the newer cars with the high revving small engines are being shipped from the manufacturer with engine oil rated at 0W-20. Here's a piece of one of the many web articles on lubricants and their properties.


Yeah, my OTHER vehicle (my bike being the primary...) is a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid, which is using 0W-20 oil. It CAN use 5W-30 IF 0W-20 is not available, but manual recommend 0W-20. Usually have to go to the Honda dealer to get that.....

Sverre

I use WD-40 to CLEAN my chain. It eats away gunk, grease, and anything else that was on the chain. Would a "lubricant" do that? No way. WD-40 is fantastic if used correctly, but I honestly would never, ever use it as a lubricant. The account of Raiyn about the guy who brought in the rusted-to-hell BMX chain should be enough to show you what this stuff can do.

The cleaning tool from park works well for a deep cleaning.

I use WD-40 to CLEAN my chain. It eats away gunk, grease, and anything else that was on the chain. Would a "lubricant" do that? No way. WD-40 is fantastic if used correctly, but I honestly would never, ever use it as a lubricant. The account of Raiyn about the guy who brought in the rusted-to-hell BMX chain should be enough to show you what this stuff can do.

Are the Teflon lubricants, or any other fancy lubes, as effective at repelling gunk as WD40?

all the WD-40 naysayers need to, quite frankly, shut their traps. for god's sake, water is a good lubricant. any damn liquid lubricates. WD-40 does just fine. the only problem with WD-40 is it won't last long, whereas a "real" lube/grease will. water also won't last long since it'll evaporate; water also will rust your chain. but wd-40 won't evaporate that fast and won't rust your chain. you'd have to spray your chain fairly often if you're using wd-40, as opposed to a greasy lube. but a "real" lube/grease will attract a ton of dirt. pro-link is somewhere between wd-40 and the greasy lubes. so there are compromises for each option, because you want a lube that lasts long, won't attract dirt, and won't rust. you can't have all of these. wd-40 is a decent compromise, as is pro-link.

another thing: for those of you who say "keep your chain well lubed", you better have your chain CLEAN before you lube, or all you're doing is attracting more gunk. that jobst guy has it right, do a google for his name and the bicycling FAQ. i see a lot more dirty chains than i do chains that aren't lubed. the mantra should be "keep your chain clean", not "keep your chain lubed".

in sum: wd-40 is fine if your trips are <100km per trip.

sd

Its fine if you keep it away from your bike. I cant recall the last time i saw a can of it at the lbs,can you?

Its fine if you keep it away from your bike. I cant recall the last time i saw a can of it at the lbs,can you?Actually we used it to clean stuff at the shop but we NEVER used the stuff as a lubricant.

Cleaner,thats fine but not a lube.

There is one simple reason why not to use it on a bike chain. WD-40 attracts dirt. It leave a sticky film.

It's lubricating characteristics are well known for being lousy and short term. It's best quality is for cleaning and displacing water, but there are many other products that are better for cleaning.

Once again the bicycle knowledge world has failed us. Notice what most are saying about WD-40. They use it to CLEAN the chain first then they lube it with something else. The Haynes book was probably edited by the same person that edits the ShledonBrownhasalotofmisinformation website.

I have a Park and have been slighty satisfied with its performance.

shaq-...your right....ANYTHING can be used as a lubricant. Heck, even spit works at the right moments. The question is, how well does it lubricate and protect against wear? Would you fill your cars engine with WD-40?

sam...its good to see were on the opposite ends of the car spectrum. Out of curiosity, whats your real world mixed use gas mileage been?

My god....guys...go to a car garage, ask them what THEY use wd-40 for.

Then repeat at a motorcycle garage, then a marina, then think.

The only time you see them use it as a lubricant is for TEMPORARY lubrication...such as stuck bolts, or for installation of a part that just isn't budging in there properly. If you go to a metal shop, they usually use it as a cleaning agent...the film it leaves behind is suitable as a oil base for powdercoating. It is not as good a lubricant as proper oil, becasue it's a *penetrating* oil...not a *lubricating* oil....yes penetrating oils lubricate, but that is not their intended job. Their intended job is to flow into spaces other oils can't to provide temporary lubrication....such as that stuck bolt.

And all oi is not alike...there are different weights and viscosities. There are natural and synthetic oils...synthetic being the better due to how it breaks down over time...this is why most bike lubes are synthetic.

And yes a clean chain is as important as an oiled chain...that shouldnt have to be mentioned..dirt = grit, grit = friction, friction = wear, wear = unhappy parts, unhappy parts = part failure, part failure = unhappy cyclist....basically take care of your stuff, and it will take care of you.

There is one simple reason why not to use it on a bike chain. WD-40 attracts dirt. It leave a sticky film.
.

I don't care either way, and I haven't exactly studied material science, but I would disagree that WD-40 attracts dirt.

And Catatonic, the requirements of a measly bike chain CANNOT be compared to those of any engine

All I know is that I cleaned my chain with GoofOff2 then oiled with T9 today.
Then went for a ride, and my cassette skipped on the largest cog! I need to make some adjustments, but I wonder if my nasty dirty chain just wasn't used to proper lubrication, and is slipping...

I've got a chain that I pulled off a BMX bike that came into the shop for repairs. The chain is rusted soild, why you ask did this happen? The owner (who kept the bike in the garage) routinely lubricated his kid's chain with WD40 whenever it started squeeking. The chain eventually corroded to the point that the kid didn't want to ride it as the sprayings were becoming more and more frequent after a month or two of sitting in the garage the bike was brought in to the shop and the stroy relayed. Only one example. WD40 is not chain lube no matter what the (biased) WD40 website claims.


If the chain was sprayed often enough with WD40 it would not have rusted. Preventing rust is one thing that WD40 will do if it is applied often enough. We use it at work to prevent rust on steel parts in our wire EDM tank which will over wise rust parts in only a few hours. WD40 is also a lubricant but not as good as a good chain lube. If I had to choose between WD40 and motor oil I would use WD40.

I don't care either way, and I haven't exactly studied material science, but I would disagree that WD-40 attracts dirt.

And Catatonic, the requirements of a measly bike chain CANNOT be compared to those of any engine


I wasnt comparing an engine. Assumption is bad, mmkay (bolts can be found outside of an engine ;) ). What I was saying is go to anyplace other than a bike shop and ask what they use the stuff for. I bet you 9/10ths of them will not use it as a regular lubricant.

i've never gone on a long enough ride that the lubricant on my chain disappeared. that includes WD40. i also challenge any of you to lubricate with wd-40 on a ride until your chain starts squeaking dirty messages. it ain't gonna happen if u lube it right.

sd

I don't care either way, and I haven't exactly studied material science, but I would disagree that WD-40 attracts dirt.

And Catatonic, the requirements of a measly bike chain CANNOT be compared to those of any engine

You obviously have never pulled a chain off a bike that had been "lubricated" with WD40 for the past 5 years. The derailleur pullies will be packed 1" thick with black sludge, the chain will be a black greasy mess (that despite being greasy still will squeak) and the bottom bracket and stays will have permanent blobs of greasy mess all over them. Its not like this isn't something I see on almost a daily basis... everytime when I tell customers how to properly lube the drivetrain they are like "and all these years I was just putting WD40 on it".

You obviously have never pulled a chain off a bike that had been "lubricated" with WD40 for the past 5 years. The derailleur pullies will be packed 1" thick with black sludge, the chain will be a black greasy mess (that despite being greasy still will squeak) and the bottom bracket and stays will have permanent blobs of greasy mess all over them. Its not like this isn't something I see on almost a daily basis... everytime when I tell customers how to properly lube the drivetrain they are like "and all these years I was just putting WD40 on it".

I have seen my share of this mess as well. The worst ne was a guy who had used it on most every moving part of his bike for 20+ years and brought it to me to clean it. Needless to say and I do not do this often but it went to the car wash.