Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
IME, whatever you use, the important thing is not to remove the lube from the inside of the sleeves. Just a little simple green or the like painted on the outside with a brush and quickly hosed off is all you need, if you even need that. What makes a chain last is lube. Removing the lube and/or driving grit into the sleeves is not good. And don't kid yourself that your relube will refill the sleeves. Maybe if you drop the chain into heated lube. Maybe. I've been doing this for a long time and my chains last longer if I'm chary with the cleaner and don't use strong stuff like mineral spirits. Soap and water applied with a sponge OTOH seems not to bother a chain.
This is how you do it:
http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...ash-yours.html
It's worth it to get the set of brushes and the little chain holder gizmo:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IZEH1K/
Agree about a topical versus more invasive approach to chain cleaning. Too deep a clean strips the internal lubrication of the chain...rollers and o rings which can contribute to faster wear. My experience over many years is to wipe the outside of the chain off with odorless mineral spirits and then reapply a Teflon based chain lube. But I don't even do this often. Instead I wipe the chain by rotating the crank with a towel or paper towel and simply reapply lube and go...or put some White Lightening on a towel which helps get the gunk off the chain and then relube. High frequency removable of a chain and immersion into a bath of cleaner, cleans the interior of the chain stripping lubrication which is harder to restore...which promotes greater wear...perhaps the opposite of what many think.