cyccommute 

Disposal: I'll tell you when I have to.

Method of cleaning: Snake the chain into an old Gatorade bottle (the wide mouth kind), cap and shake for about 30 seconds. That could be as long as 20 seconds too long. Do it once and never do it again

Drying: hang it over the edge of a trash can in the sun.

Cleaning cogs: Cogs are never dirty. No cleaning necessary. This is what my drivetrain typically looks like. The bike hadn't been cleaned in ages




Chain lube: A product that isn't dirty nor attracts dirt.

Philosophy: Life is too short to obsessively worry about chain cleaning.

bulldog1935

I began using wax-based lubes after they were recommended by Wippermann in the paper with my new stainless chain.
Pedro's Ice Wax, White Lightning Epic.

This is a stainless chain thing, but you can hose it down to clean it. Let it dry and apply new Ice Wax.
(I also have SKF bb which can be hosed down)

mapeiboy

+1 . I spread the chain with WD40 and let it soak for about 10 minutes and then clean it off with toothbrush . Wipe it dry with paper towel .

Doctor Morbius

I remove the chain (SRAM or KMC) via the pop off link, place all into a plastic bottle with LOMS and shake profusely until clean, remove chain and hook it over the fence in my driveway in the sun to dry. Done. No spatter on the bike frame or wheels.

RonH

Pedro's Pig Pen kit.

TimothyH

I see guys on $6000 bikes caked with dirt and mud from last winter, drivetrain black with grease... It's just disgusting. They clearly don't maintain their machines.

When I see a clean bike and clean drivetrain it is a sign that the owner cares about and values what they own.

Taking the drivetrain apart once in a while and cleaning it doesn't seem like too much work to me. Its a normal part of owning a bike IMO.

Hokiedad4

Simple Green waste can be disposed with your used oil. It's got enough surfactants, as does motor oil, to make it miscible. When it's used to clean greasy or oily things, it should not go down the drain.

CrankyNeck

Dawn and a toothbrush when it's really cruddy. Rinse it off with water, then wipe it dry with a thin, dry sponge. Apply WD40 Dry Lube PTFE. In between these cleanings I just wipe it off with a rag and some regular WD40.

simplybao

Yep. My method. A chain doesn't cost that much. I ride about 1200 - 1500 miles a year and then I just replace the chain. Too much hassle to do all that other stuff. I ride on the road. My cassette holds up just fine. I have 2000 miles on the chain and cassette on one of my bikes and it still works fine. When it wears out, I'll just replace all of it. Chain -- $25, Cassette -- $50.

ltxi

Well...OP specifically said he didn't care/want to know which cleaning solutions/solvents anyone used. But, since everyone else ignored that, I'll chime in also...Simple Green

Cychologist

I've discovered SQUIRT. Been using it about a year and a half and I am impressed. Has great reviews.

I wipe down my chain after a ride, apply as directed (and don't wipe off), ride the next day.

Once this year I did the Park chain cleaner tool thing with a biodegradable solvent. But I am not sure it was necessary.

Drew Eckhardt 

I wipe it off with a paper towel when I lubricate it.

After 4500-5000 miles my C10 chains haven't stretched more than 1/32" in 11", although front shifting is getting sluggish due to increased flexibility from side wear so I replace them.

Every few years I think they're too dirty, remove them, and wipe them off with a paper towel doused in mineral spirits.

That's easy because I still run loose cog cassettes apart from the two largest because that's the least expensive nickel-chrome plated configuration for Campagnolo cassettes, and galvanizing has a yellow tint that would clash with my titanium.

southpier

a couple of passing thoughts

wd40 is a solvent, so i don't understand why someone would use it on a chain, especially when there are so many better lubricants.

simple green is one of the nastiest household chemicals around. it may be biodegradable, but that doesn't necessarily make it safe.

i spent my 60th birthday in the walk-in clinic with a respiratory infection after using simple green. i was fooled by the label, too.

EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning | Simple Green Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner Cleaner Rating

rekmeyata

I would be cleaning the chain more than once a year, even though the chain looks clean and the solvent in the tank of the cleaning machine is barely tan when you do clean it, you still will find metal particles stuck to the magnet at the bottom of the tank, and you need to get that metal off the chain so it doesn't grind away at your gears and chains.

Scarbo

I apply a light coating of White Lightening before each ride and, honestly, my drivetrain stays pretty clean. If I do feel the need to spruce things up a bit, I don't use any of those "safe," eco-friendly cleaners like Simple Green. I use, instead, a much safer cleaning solution and the same thing I use on my motorcycle chain: kerosene! The chain and cassette, scrubbed up lightly with a small paintbrush, afterwards looks pretty nice! I find that kerosene is far superior than WD40 for the cleaning of bike parts.

ArmChairRider

I recently done an intermediate cleaning of my chain.
I just popped the bike on my bike stand with the rear tire about 6 inches from the floor and put my IGH in first gear. Got 3 pet training pads and spread them under the bike. Took a can of WD-40 and squirted some onto a rag and wiped down my sprockets. Then I started cranking the pedal like a madman. Once I got it up to speed I sprayed WD-40 on the inside of the chain right where it entered the rear sprocket. Slinging the WD-40 mostly at the 7 O'clock position away from the rear sprocket. Then I stopped spraying but kept pedaling as fast as I could, slinging all the WD-40 off. After I stopped pedaling I wiped the excess WD-40 off the chain, rim and tire and sprockets. Then I wiped down the chain with thin turbine oil and powdered the chain. Surprisingly clean operation, I have a chain guard though.

Juan Foote

For the quick inbetween cleanings, I take a shop rag and spray the heck out of a part of it with WD-40 and freewheel the chain through the rag. Gets all the junk off really well. I typically use the Park cleaner with that orange goo when it gets really bad.

Jiggle

It's noisy.

Jiggle

This is why I like 11 speed Shimano. Chain - $17. Cassette - $35. They need a quick link though. Been using KMC.

Cychologist

Have not noticed that. The time I cleaned it with the Park cleaner and solvent, there was no residue in the tank. I have almost 4,000 miles on my current chain with no "chain stretch", which for my 35 years of cycling is pretty good.

Cychologist

I haven't noticed that.

2 Piece

Twice a year through clean.
Remove chain, put chain in a heated ultra sonic cleaner filled with kerosene, keep it in there 30-45 minutes. I also add the cassette in with the chain. Take chain out hang it on a rack and spray it liberally with aerosol brake cleaner. Chain and cassette will be sparkling clean. Install on bicycle and lube chain. I almost always use a light oil chain lube, but sometimes go retro with a small crock pot filled with melted wax.
In between through cleaning I just apply lube and wipe off excess with rag.

Jiggle

I do this too (in fact I may have stolen your idea). Though I do blow out the solvent with an air compressor. And I have other clean chains in a baggie, pre-lubed. I put them on the bike before I get around to cleaning the dirty one, which could be just whenever....because life is too short to be spent cleaning chains ricky tic.

Jiggle

I came from Dumonde Tech and there is certainly a difference. You want my 90% full bottle of Squirt?