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Is it worth it to clean a MTB drivetrain ?

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Is it worth it to clean a MTB drivetrain ?

Old 02-17-10, 10:53 PM
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Is it worth it to clean a MTB drivetrain ?

I've been trying to clean mine, and it's not easy at all. And I've been thinking, I mean, it's gonna get dirty the next ride 'cause it's a MTB. Is it worth it to clean it, or should I leave it filthy ?
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Old 02-18-10, 02:49 AM
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Define clean, and define filthy.

I generally give my chain a good wipe-down and re-lube it every 3 rides or so. When I do a thorough service, probably around every 6-7 rides, I'll wipe the chain down, remove and clean the derailleur pulleys, pull my chainrings off and clean them, and clean the derailleurs. If you keep things relatively clean, and maintain them regularly, expect to get more life out of them.

Filty to me would be when there's a lot of black gunk built up around certain areas.
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Old 02-18-10, 07:54 AM
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Originally Posted by zeo_max
I've been trying to clean mine, and it's not easy at all. And I've been thinking, I mean, it's gonna get dirty the next ride 'cause it's a MTB. Is it worth it to clean it, or should I leave it filthy ?
no one seems to agree with me, but I pressure wash my bikes and they look spotless. my drive train is nearly spotless. so nice. mmmmm
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Old 02-18-10, 11:36 AM
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Not worth it to clean it. I just put a new drivetrain on after each muddy ride.
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Old 02-18-10, 11:42 AM
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Depends on how dirty it is and how much you appreciate how much better a bike performs with a clean drive train.

A little Simple Green and a hose down won't hurt your bike... hitting it with a high pressure hose will make it shiny but will also drive water and dirt into your bearing and chain.
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Old 02-18-10, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
hitting it with a high pressure hose will make it shiny but will also drive water and dirt into your bearing and chain.
I do not use a pressure washer myself but I feel compelled to defend MX here and contest that "truism."

Dirt and water get into standard, non-o-ringed roller chains just by normal use, and remains there until flushed. Pressure washing cannot really 'drive' in what is already there. The most important part of cleaning a chain seems to me to be what you do afterward to displace the water.

And standard industrial sealed cartridge bearings are not that fragile. I could see a concern with marginally-sealed pedal bearings or non-cartridge headset bearings; but most any sealed bearing can take a lot more than cyclists generally give them credit for.
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Old 02-18-10, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
Depends on how dirty it is and how much you appreciate how much better a bike performs with a clean drive train.

A little Simple Green and a hose down won't hurt your bike... hitting it with a high pressure hose will make it shiny but will also drive water and dirt into your bearing and chain.
Unless you have nice sealed bearings. You're gonna get water in the chain rollers anyhoo no matter if you pressure wash or use a brush. It's not that tight.

OP:
Get a good chain cleaner. Finish Line chain machine is bomber. Lifetime warranty. I've gotten a free one to replace one that fell off my car and cracked. Throw some Simple Green in it (can be bough by the gallon) and freewheel for 30 seconds. Hold a rag on the chain and freewheel/dry it. Lube it up and go. Takes a minute or so and it gets some of that "grit" out that will eat away at the rollers and pins which can cause premature growth.

Cleaning MTB chains is smart. Will save you money.
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Old 02-18-10, 12:02 PM
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pressure washing is a skill. if one is not willing to learn than they should probably stick with taking apart their bike and cleaning their chain in a sock in the washing machine.

it's all in the angle of attack as well as the distance. I could either lacerate your skin or give gentle, but deluge of pressured water at your face by pulling wand back 18"

...but hey, I can't give all my secrets away! (guess who always has a brand new looking motocross/ mtn bike...mx does!!)

YMMV

hahahhah
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Old 02-18-10, 12:10 PM
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My chain is the ONLY part I pressure wash. The frame gets dish soap and water from a hose with a shutoff valve, but no nozzle. I use old hand towels to administer the soapy water.

Simple green sprayed on rims scrubbed with one brush

Simple green sprayed on drivetrain scrubbed with a separate brush.

I try to rinse pretty well in case that rumour that Simple green wrecks aluminum is true.

Clean bikes work better, IMO.
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Old 02-18-10, 12:19 PM
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okay fine, I'll give one example:

forks.

OMG watch out for those seals!!!

calm down, relax with the wand in hand...deep breath.

you can spray right around the seal as long as the water is coming at a direct angle to aiming slightly up.

don't forget to get behind that brake arch while you're at it...

okay, one more.

the cassette.

how will I ruin anything if I spray 1200psi directly at my cogs while spinning the wheel?? hmmm, while I am at it I will let that tire spin and get the rim and tire and hub.

in fact, once you get good, you simply use the pressured water to get the wheel spinning and get the hub (from each side of attack...remember it's in the angle of approach), cassette, RD, chain...get that wheel spinnin' again...and the chain rings and cranks

hope that helps!
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Old 02-18-10, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Luke52
Define clean, and define filthy.

I generally give my chain a good wipe-down and re-lube it every 3 rides or so. When I do a thorough service, probably around every 6-7 rides, I'll wipe the chain down, remove and clean the derailleur pulleys, pull my chainrings off and clean them, and clean the derailleurs. If you keep things relatively clean, and maintain them regularly, expect to get more life out of them.

Filty to me would be when there's a lot of black gunk built up around certain areas.
Clean - Scrub down the components with some sort of grease neutralizer and give it back it's shine

Filthy - Hose down the bike after each ride, thus removing the big mud, but still leaves the components looking black and muddy, due to accumulated grit.
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Old 02-18-10, 01:39 PM
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I have found that a clean drive train is essential to quick quiet pedaling. The advice on cleaning you chain is solid. My system is to remove the chain, drop it in a plastic bottle with simple green, shake it and let is soak for an hour. I reshake every 15-20 minutes. Then I put the chain in another bottle with 90 weight rear end oil, shake and let it sit for a couple hours. Then i take it out and let it drain back into the oil bottle for about and hour, then towel dry. Last step is to treat each link to a drop of Pedro's or TriFlow Gold, then towel off the excess. I am surprised how smooth and quiet it keeps the whole power train. I do this every 4-6 rides. I do it when I putting around the garage on some project and can spend 5 minutes here and there on bike maintenance.

I've also seen the scorn my LBS heaps on people with filthy drive trains. My tender heart could never take that.
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Old 02-18-10, 02:15 PM
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Carb cleaner.
Silicon.
Spray.
Rinse.
Dry.
Lube.
Keeps the squeaking down if you keep it clean, I hate bikes with loud parts. All you should hear on a good MTB is the knobs of the tires hitting the gound.
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Old 02-18-10, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Daspydyr
I have found that a clean drive train is essential to quick quiet pedaling. The advice on cleaning you chain is solid. My system is to remove the chain, drop it in a plastic bottle with simple green, shake it and let is soak for an hour. I reshake every 15-20 minutes. Then I put the chain in another bottle with 90 weight rear end oil, shake and let it sit for a couple hours. Then i take it out and let it drain back into the oil bottle for about and hour, then towel dry. Last step is to treat each link to a drop of Pedro's or TriFlow Gold, then towel off the excess. I am surprised how smooth and quiet it keeps the whole power train. I do this every 4-6 rides. I do it when I putting around the garage on some project and can spend 5 minutes here and there on bike maintenance.

I've also seen the scorn my LBS heaps on people with filthy drive trains. My tender heart could never take that.
Sounds good for wet weather...but also sounds like a dust magnet.
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Old 02-18-10, 02:34 PM
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I have a few Windshield washer fluid jugs that I use for chain/cassette cleaning. Simple green and soaking, and then finish line chain cleaner machine thing. then rinse in water.

then some Synthetic XC lube.
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Old 02-19-10, 09:18 AM
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Be careful with the water on your bike. i used to hose mine down after every ride with a spray nozzle, but I started having problems with the brake cables. Either I drove dirt into it or it rusted. A few shots of WD-40 got it working again, but I'll probably have to replace it soon.
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Old 02-19-10, 11:53 AM
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A little wet lube then ice wax then wipe dry then wait at least 15 mins but preferably a day. Stays pretty clean and quiet. If I had to clean or even lube after every time my drive train gets a little dirty I would've hung up the bikes a long time ago.

I do enjoy taking apart and giving a thorough cleaning to a bike once or twice a year (involves a few beers for max enjoyment) though.
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Old 02-19-10, 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by chelboed
Sounds good for wet weather...but also sounds like a dust magnet.
I make sure to use my wife's favorite bathroom hand towels to really dry them links. Our dust is so fine its like flour around the cranks. Too dry and its squeaks after two rides, too wet and I get pay dough on the links.
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