Originally Posted by
Number400
I use the chain cleaning tool that came with a can of white lightning de-greaser. I removed the de-greaser can and clamped it to a can of Tri-Flo. I spray and spin for 4-5 seconds with it clamped around the chain and then run the chain another 10 seconds or so with no spray and then grab the chain with a towel and spin until the dirt is gone. This leaves the chain clean, with plenty of lube to set up in the rollers. It does not make a mess while doing it if you are careful but you will get some splatter on the floor if you are on a trainer for the first ride. Of course a little spatter will hit the bike on the first ride as well but a few second swipe with the de-greaser takes care of that. I can ride 500+ miles and still see a nice wetness seeping out of all the rollers.
It's a simple process and one can of Tri-Flo has lasted a few years with multiple bikes and two tandems and makes for a very quiet drive train.
Cleaning the chain on the bike is not very effective. The crud on the outside is meaningless unless you wash it into the chain where wear occurs making grinding compound. I started using an ultrasonic cleaner years ago and have gotten 16k and 19k plus miles on chains on my two bikes.