cleaning?
 

i just bought some wheelset and cassette, what should i use and how should i clean them before putting on the bike?

if it's new, don't worry about cleaning them...just try to keep it clean if you can. If it's used, try paint thinner or another solvent to get the oil buildup off the cassette. As for the wheels, just wipe em off w/ a cloth.

i got some engine degreaser and simple green ( i work on cars for fun)... would that work? i also sprayed some valvoline lube (similar to wd 40) all over my cassette and crankset and chain and derailer... should i not have done such?

wd40 is a solvent not a lube. it has to be changed way too often to work efficiently. try finish line lube or that white lightening crap or something

Be really careful about using solvent based stuff around moving parts. Solvents can creep inside the wheel bearings, freehub seals and bottom bracket cartridge seals, and dissolve the grease.
Most of the dirt can be removed with a dry cloth, or water and detergent and a brush.
A clean chain is important, but clean cogs are purely cosmetic. Dont wreck your bearing to make you bike look pretty.
Dont forget that the rear mech pully wheels need to be greased or lubes.

do those on-the-chain cleaning devices work? I can never seem to keep my chain as clean as I'd like and was wondering...

I've got one that I'm very happy with. It's the most used 'tool' in the kit.

dammit i feel so stupid now... ok i tried to degrease and clean the crankset and cassette with some 409 and then i sprayed it with water then i dried it with a towel. i am worried about rust... are there rust preventers i can spray on? and also are there rust removers i can spray on some old cassette and chain to try to restore?

If your chain has rusted it needs replacement.

you can dump it in a bucket of CLR i suppose altho its safer to just buy a new chain

I took my Vision R40 to Cycle South Carolina carrying it on a bike carrier on the
trunk of my car. It rained the entire way. I camped overnight. It rained all night.
The next day the chain was rusted. I had cleaned and lubed it just a week
prior. I reoiled it with Dumonde chain oil just before the ride. 350 miles with
no problems of any kind (from the chain anyway). No trace of rust now.