Old 05-23-20, 06:24 PM
  #20  
sweeks
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicago area
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Bikes: Airborne "Carpe Diem", Motobecane "Mirage", Trek 6000, Strida 2, Dahon "Helios XL", Dahon "Mu XL", Tern "Verge S11i"

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Originally Posted by SethAZ
...put it in an old spaghetti sauce bottle about 3/4 full of mineral spirits. Shake vigorously for a minute or so. Come back 10 or 15 minutes later if you really want to and shake it again. Remove chain from bottle, hang up to dry for a short time. Reinstall on bike. Re-lube. Done. It's so much easier, and more thorough, than any wiping down with a rag can possibly be. I personally take the extra step of rinsing the chain off in a second bottle of cleaner mineral spirits.
This protocol has worked well for me for many years. I use a one-pint plastic ice cream container ("Talenti" jars are perfect). I don't see the need to re-attach the quick-link, but YMMV... I *do* include the quick link. I use kerosene, but mineral spirits are at least as good. I shake the heck out of the jar, then drain out the solvent into a larger (half-gallon OJ bottle) container, then repeat two or three more times until the solvent is fairly clear (not turbid). I leave the used solvent to settle for a week or so, then decant off the supernatant for use next time. I have been re-using the same solvent for years, I think. Once it gets too dark in color (still "clear", though), I recycle it. I may use fresh solvent for the final rinse. Hang the chain up overnight, then re-install and lube... good to go.
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