Safe degreaser for Sram Red cassette
12-01-15, 08:22 AM
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Safe degreaser for Sram Red cassette
With the colder weather here, I decided to switch from the road bike to the MTB. I gave the road bike a complete cleaning and in the process I removed the cassette. The Sram Red cassette is one piece so getting to the backside it pretty difficult. I'd submerge it in a cleaner but am concerned about the elastic bands between the cogs being damaged.
Any suggestions for a safe degreaser?
Any suggestions for a safe degreaser?
12-01-15, 08:39 AM
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12-01-15, 08:58 AM
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12-01-15, 09:16 AM
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12-01-15, 09:18 AM
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I'm with warm soapy water and a flossing rag. When I find myself trying to blow out trapped grit, I know I'm done.
12-01-15, 09:21 AM
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Trouble is, even with an excellent degreaser like mineral spirits, you need some agitation to get everything off. Without the ability to get inside there, it will be hard. I recommend degreaser of your choice in an ultrasonic bath. That should do the trick.
12-01-15, 09:33 AM
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12-01-15, 09:35 AM
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I would see if you can get a hold of the "aerospace" simple green which is just simple green without the stuff that can corrode metals. I just use the regular stuff and properly rinse my parts, but for an extended clean, it would be fine and certainly wouldn't harm any plastics or rubber.
For regular on the bike cassette cleaning, I prefer White Lightning Clean Streak, but I honestly don't know what it may or may not do to plastics and rubber. I know it is safe on paint, so it could be fine, but the simple green would probably be a safer bet if your're worried about it.
For regular on the bike cassette cleaning, I prefer White Lightning Clean Streak, but I honestly don't know what it may or may not do to plastics and rubber. I know it is safe on paint, so it could be fine, but the simple green would probably be a safer bet if your're worried about it.
12-01-15, 09:43 AM
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I'm more concerned about the rubber isolator (bands) between the cogs.
Dawn and warm water sounds the safest.
An ultrasonic cleaner would do the trick, but not sure i want to send the $$$ to have one.
Dawn and warm water sounds the safest.
An ultrasonic cleaner would do the trick, but not sure i want to send the $$$ to have one.
12-01-15, 10:20 AM
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Oh a SRAM Red? You're in trouble. They're made of a new high Thallium alloy. You can only use water on those things, everything else will make it melt. 
12-01-15, 10:28 AM
#14
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How dirty does a RED cassette have to get to weigh as much as Shimano?
12-01-15, 10:45 AM
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Using Simple Green in an ultrasonic bath is the way to go.
$78 at Harbor Freight.
Ultrasonic Cleaner - 2.5 Liter
$78 at Harbor Freight.
Ultrasonic Cleaner - 2.5 Liter
Last edited by TimothyH; 12-01-15 at 10:49 AM.
12-01-15, 10:51 AM
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Using Simple Green in an ultrasonic bath is the way to go.
$78 at Harbor Freight.
Ultrasonic Cleaner - 2.5 Liter
$78 at Harbor Freight.
Ultrasonic Cleaner - 2.5 Liter
I do vintage Volkswagen restoration and I can use if cleaning small/medium parts.
12-01-15, 11:04 AM
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12-01-15, 11:16 AM
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12-01-15, 11:43 AM
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My work place has the Harbour Freight ultrasonic cleaner. I am not impressed by the cleaning results. Could be the lack of wattages...just can't shake out the tough grease.
12-01-15, 03:18 PM
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Depends on the flash point I guess. But I had no idea there was really rubber in that cassette until just now. What is the world coming to? I don't guess I would use an organic solvent with rubber bands like that. Of course I would probably just remove them and throw them away as soon as I got the cassette. I have never had a problem with Red cassette noise since switching to KMC chains.
12-01-15, 03:40 PM
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True irony is that there are probably lots of these ultra quiet SRAM Red cassettes on Chris King freehubs.
12-01-15, 03:53 PM
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12-01-15, 04:03 PM
#24
Vain, But Lacking Talent
You know, I never thought about that. Not sure if it's possible, though. I can't remember the last time I had one of those cassettes in front of me. But presumably, they had to be stretched onto the cassette, I don't see why they couldn't come off.
But to be honest, we're all massively overthinking this. @TheRef was right with the first reply. Warm water and Blue Dawn. Add in a stiff brush for scrubbing. Done.
But to be honest, we're all massively overthinking this. @TheRef was right with the first reply. Warm water and Blue Dawn. Add in a stiff brush for scrubbing. Done.
12-01-15, 04:10 PM
#25
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You know, I never thought about that. Not sure if it's possible, though. I can't remember the last time I had one of those cassettes in front of me. But presumably, they had to be stretched onto the cassette, I don't see why they couldn't come off.
But to be honest, we're all massively overthinking this. @TheRef was right with the first reply. Warm water and Blue Dawn. Add in a stiff brush for scrubbing. Done.
But to be honest, we're all massively overthinking this. @TheRef was right with the first reply. Warm water and Blue Dawn. Add in a stiff brush for scrubbing. Done.
