FatBottomedGirl

Hi there,*

The other day I left my rear wheel at my LBS to have it trued.

The guy did a wonderful job and he also cleaned the cassette for me.
He told me I was putting too much lubrication and that it had picked up all the crap...

So I guess I should clean the chain and crankset so that the cassette cleaning does not remain pointless.*

How do I clean the crank set? Should I remove it completely ? Remove the pedals?

And what should I use to clean it all? I read several options : WD40, soapy hot water, petrol, ...?

Thanks

cny-bikeman

I would not use anything with water unless you protect the BB from intrusion or remove the chainwheels or crankset from the bike.

Absolutely do not use petrol/gas. Bad for your lungs and hair.....

WD=40 will work but I find it a bit greasy for cleaning if you have a lot to do - as apparently is the case here. I would recommend mineral spirits, kerosene, "oleum" other petrochemicals with reasonable flashpoint to be acceptable.

fietsbob

Once the chain lube penetrates into the chain, wipe off the excess ,

it's the moving surfaces inside the chain that need the lubrication, not the outside ..

Andrew R Stewart 

WD-40 sprayed onto the rings then rag wiped off is the common way to clean the rings. Using an old toothbrush to work the WD-40 and the grime before wiping off helps. Doing this again makes for a cleaner result. Using solvents like Clean Streak works too.

Doing the same on the open sections of the chain can work without much fan fair. But removing the chain lets you use more solvent and agitation. Many people put the chain in a plastic soda bottle with some solvent then shake. Repeat until it's clean.

Don't forget to wipe off the pulleys and cages too. Andy.

Jed19

I clean my chain, chainrings and bike all at the same time. Chain goes in a jar of mineral spirits (I use KMC links on both my bikes), some agitation, then set aside to dry. Spray some Simple Green on my drivetrain (wheels removed, as I clean my cassette separately), wait about two minutes while I mix a little Costco-bought car wash soap in some warm water, quickly wash wheels if needed, then scrub the chainrings with a stiff brush, wash the bike, wipe dry, install chain and cassette, lube the chain, ride the next day. All the while sipping some wine/Guinness Extra Stout and listening to music on a ghetto blaster. This is my next favorite thing to do apart from actually riding.

tahoeeddie

when you say "crankset" do you mean chainrings? or are you actually asking about the crank arms and BB as well?
for me, since i don't have the tools to remove the chainrings, I normally just wipe them down with a rag.
As for the chain, i use a degreaser first, and lube the chain.
I will on occasion spray degreaser on the cassette, and spin with a brush. Doing the wipe down of the chainrings and degrease clean of the cassette before cleaning and lubing the chain helps.