fishymamba

Hello guys! I just have a small question.
If I clean my bike's chain with mineral spirits should I rinse the chain with water to remove the mineral spirits? Or is it OK if I just directly apply lube to the chain after cleaning. Thanks!

HillRider

Let the mineral spirits evaporate or wipe off the excess and lube directly over it. Mineral spirits are compatible with any type of chain lube while water is not.

3alarmer 

And in fact the reason you use mineral spirits in the first
place is to avoid water and water based degreasers
that tend to stay in the small crevices and spaces
around the pins.......

dddd

I have mineral spirits in my chain lube. This way I apply and wipe off, but never remove the chain until replacement is due and never a dedicated chain cleaning. The solvent seems to evaporate fully overnight, and the chain always stays fairly clean.

Al1943

If you mix one part synthetic motor oil with 4 parts mineral spirits you will have an excellent chain lube that can be used directly over the chain cleaned with mineral spirits. Wipe off the excess and ride. Add a drop of the oil/mineral spirits "homebrew" to each link after each 100 miles or so and wipe off the excess.

Jed19

It takes about 15minutes of hanging your chain up for mineral spirits to completely evaporate. Then lube.

musick

Another echo in the cave...

I have allowed the mineral spirits to evaporate O/N and have lubed immediately afterwards. I could tell no difference.

I would never rinse my chain. H20 is an enemy to chains. Avoid it as much as possible.

fishymamba

Thanks guys! I used to rinse the chain in water then put it in the oven to let the water evaporate. Happy that I don't have to do that anymore!

davidad

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/chain-care.html

digger

Err....not to be a curmudgeon;

I soak my chain in 2 separate baths of paint thinner to remove the lube and gunk. Then remove most of the remaining residue with a rag.

I then fold-up the chain, dribble dish detergent on it and run it under a steady stream of hot water, rinsing all the dish detergent off.

I wipe then hang to dry overnight, lube the next day.

The paint thinner would evaporate, for sure, but I worry that some will remain and..."thin out" the lube too much.

I haven't had any rust issues.

This is easy because must of my bikes have Sram chains with a powerlink. My Cervelo has an Ultegra chain with a KMC link.

HillRider

Since the paint thinner will indeed evaporate, it won't thin out the lube at all. You are more likely to leave water inside the chain where it will cause damage even if you can't see any surface rust.

Looigi

Water is bad for all the reasons already mentioned. Solvents including OMS will evaporate and many "wet" chain lubes have such solvents in them assist penetration.

3alarmer 

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

fishymamba

I would rather spend $20 and get a new chain!

DaveSSS 

Some of you are highly optimistic about the time it takes for mineral spirits to evaporate. If you apply a 4/1 mix of mineral spirits and oil, it will be a lot thicker after a week or more, than it is the next day or even a couple of days later. Once mixed with oil, it does not evaporate quickly at all, but that does not seem to have an adverse effect on chain life.

I use a 4/1 mix of mineral spirits and oil for lube, so it doesn't matter if the solvent evaporates or not. I've also used a mix of hot soapy water as a final cleaner, after mineral spirits, and it works fine. You can apply the 4/1 home brew onto a chain that's had a soapy water cleaning and hot water rinse. All I do is wipe the water off the exteriior of the chain and then apply the lube. It will displace the water.

fishymamba

What type of oil do you use?