Carbon Unit

I have always removed my chain and cleaned it in Kerosene but it is dirty and stinky. I would prefer to clean the chain, cassette and chain rings without taking anything off the bike.

What to you use to clean your chain and cassette?

LowCel 

I use simple green and a Park chain scrubber. Takes about 30 seconds for the chain. Then some simple green and a brush takes care of the cassette.

AEO

chain lube -> chain scrubber -> wipe -> repeat


PS.
why is your chain stinky?

fstshrk

He cyclocrosses in the swamp with the alligators

Carbon Unit

It is the Kerosene that is stinky. Every time I clean my chain, even if I do it outside my wife complains that the house smells like Kerosene but I like the alligator analogy better.

Zmony

+1 I do the exact same routine.

Carbon Unit

Thanks, Simple Green is probably cheaper than the cleaner that Park sells and probably doesn't smell like Kerosene.

AEO

you don't even need to clean out the chain with simple green. You can just wash it with lube.

caloso

Old t-shirt and more lube.

Carbon Unit

There is a Simple Green for bike cleaning. Is this the one you use?

Carbon Unit

the only reason I wouldn't want to do this is that Pro Gold cost more than Simple Green.

ahsposo 

60% mineral spirits 40% 30 weight motor oil in a Park (or the like) chain scrubber.

An old T-shirt or underwear to clean the cassette, jockey wheels and rings.

LowCel 

Nope, I buy a gallon of Simple Green at Wally World and call it a day.

Jed19

OP, why not substitute Kerosene with Odorless Mineral Spirits from Home Depot or Lowe's? I have had the same gallon of ODM for almost three years now. I do use KMC missing links on my chains. I disconnect chain, toss in an old Pepsi wide mouth with a little bit of ODM, agitate, fish chain out, let ODM evaporate off, then lube.

Thank you Sheldon Brown.

I like Simple Green and use it on my chainrings and cassette when washing my bike, but I'll have to also wash it off with water, then wait for chain to dry before lubing. I hate water on my chains, hence the ODM use on chains.

The ODM also gets decantered with Dollar Store coffee filters for next time usage.

I also hate the little chain washing contraptions.

carpediemracing 

I use Simple Green too. Just rinse completely with water.

Cleaning your chain - it's much easier with the Grunge Brush
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...our-chain.html

The whole bike
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...lustrated.html

If you keep your bike relatively clean then cleaning the whole bike, chain included, can be a 5 minute deal. If your bike is filthy it may take 30-40 minutes to clean your bike properly.

mattkime

its just faster to remove the components and do it properly, even if you have to learn how to do it.

LowCel 

Personally I think that leaving them on your bike is the proper way to do it. To each their own though.

Lonewolf48

I learned from the master- Lon Haldeman of RAAM Tour/PAC Tour fame. Dove dish detergent in warm water. Wash the bike, chain and cassette with a large bristled brush. You don't have to rinse the bike. Lube the chain lightly. Wipe chain with clean dry rag. Done in less than 5 minutes.

GDA

Bought a $30 ultrasonic cleaner at HF tools... 4 to 5 min of clean time each with 10:1 hot water and citrus degreaser concentrate from Home Depot works like a charm. Both chain and cassette will be super clean and look just like new.

Bianchi Ben

There's lots of good ideas on here!

I use rock n' roll lube for the chain and cassette, lots! Twice even. I have used Simple Green, but only to get the real nasty stuff off the rear derailleur. I can't imagine its the best thing for paint, so I try and be careful with it.

I go with old boxer briefs. ha.

Carbon Unit

I will look into mineral spirits. I don't wash my bike with water and if I need to clean the Simple Green off with water then I probably wouldn't use it. I clean my frame with a chemical called 303 Aerospace Protectant. My frame is nude carbon and the 303 protects it from the sun.

AndyK 

I do the park cleaner filled with OMS. Problem is, the chain is still giving off black on the rag even after two passes with the chain cleaning machine. Do those that use this method just lube and forget about the chain being totally free of old black stuff?

NWS Alpine

Usually once you relube the gunk inside the pins will come out and you will have to wipe it off. The lube acts as a semi cleaner. I lube the chain and wipe it dry and run it for a few mins and then relube and wipe clean again.

JamieElenbaas

Perfectly shiny silver side plates on chains are required only if you drive to your ride and want to look pretty as you take the bike off of your car. Otherwise, a little black coming off the chain onto the rag after cleaning and lubing is not going to do any harm as that is going to be the level of grunge after the first mile anyway.

YMMV ;-)

JamieElenbaas

Of course, I'm as OCD as the next road cyclist, so I tend to get mine shiny clean even though it doesn't matter.