View Full Version : Chain cleaners
beungood
09-11-2005, 01:43 AM
Having cleaned my chain by hand and finding it a pain in the A$$, I looked at two in REI, one was by Finishline and one was a PARK tools CG-2. Ive heard the first generation park chain cleaners stink so I am wondering if the newwer version is any better.
CNY rider
09-11-2005, 06:51 AM
Why was cleaning it by hand so painful?
I just put some latex gloves on, pop it off with a chain tool and drop it into an old tupperware with mineral spirits. Soak for 5 minutes, do the same with the cassette, wipe the derailleurs down, and put it all back together. Re-lube and good to go!
I'm not a total chain cleaning fanatic though, so I probably only do that four or five times a year. If you wanted to do it more often maybe you should try one of those mechanical cleaners.
PS Enjoy your new Spectrum!
:banana:
BarryG
09-11-2005, 07:49 AM
I prefer the Parks to the Finish Line. All the brush bodies in my Finish Line cleaner disintegrated after a couple of seasons of light use due to poor choice of materials by the designer.
toaster
09-11-2005, 08:38 AM
Do the math, for the price of a chain cleaner device you could buy an extra chain.
With chain cleaner device you'll now be cleaning it as well.
The device/machine will need replacement brushes or will develop some sort of problem of it's own.
You'll either stop using the chain cleaner after it wears out or breaks or you'll find it's not worth the extra effort to maintain both your chain and the cleaning device.
Elbow grease is cheap.
Why was cleaning it by hand so painful?
I just put some latex gloves on, pop it off with a chain tool and drop it into an old tupperware with mineral spirits. Soak for 5 minutes, do the same with the cassette, wipe the derailleurs down, and put it all back together. Re-lube and good to go!
I'm not a total chain cleaning fanatic though, so I probably only do that four or five times a year. If you wanted to do it more often maybe you should try one of those mechanical cleaners.
PS Enjoy your new Spectrum!
:banana:
mineral spirits is the silver bullet for anything that has wax and oil on it. wax is for surfboards, imo
Chief
09-11-2005, 10:50 AM
If you use Dumonde Tech, you can clean your chain with detergent and water after the initial cleaning to remove the factory lube. I clean my chain on my bike. I remove the wheel and replace it with a chain keeper, go at it with soapy water and a brush, rinse, let dry and relube. Doesn't get much easier.
William
09-11-2005, 01:21 PM
Dude!
You must of forgotten what I said to you about cleaning your chain. :crap:
You better hit the road if you want to make thr training session bro. Extra Heidens for you for forgetting.....and more if your late. :bike:
MOOWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
William ;)
wasfast
09-11-2005, 02:30 PM
Having cleaned my chain by hand and finding it a pain in the A$$, I looked at two in REI, one was by Finishline and one was a PARK tools CG-2. Ive heard the first generation park chain cleaners stink so I am wondering if the newwer version is any better.
I find that what you use for chain lube makes a huge difference in what will clean it back off again. I used to use stuff like TriFlow which turns in to some really stubborn, thick greasy like stuff.
I switched to homebrew (4:1) with 10-30 synethic and mineral spirits. I use naptha to clean parts and it FALLS off the chain in seconds. Plus, it never leaves a buildup of any consequence on the chain. A slightly thicker mixture is recommended for rain riding, something we do plenty of here in the PNW.
shaq-d
09-11-2005, 03:34 PM
i now use kerosene and motor oil mixed together for a lube. never clean my chain and everything is just fine..
sd
beungood
09-11-2005, 04:44 PM
"William wrote
Dude!
You must of forgotten what I said to you about cleaning your chain.
You better hit the road if you want to make thr training session bro. Extra Heidens for you for forgetting.....and more if your late. "
I did ,but, I was too tired from the Heidens and other insane drills you made us do and also from repeatedly being struck about my hands and wrists by you and Neil's Rattan! I can now only open my hand into a mis-shapen rat claw.......
Plus , I didn't want to get dirty.... :banana:
Peter
09-11-2005, 09:48 PM
I currently use the Finish Line model, and have used it for at least 10 years.
It works well and uses the least amount of cleaning fluid (0.5 oz.). My only complaint is the plastic is brittle and I have broken a couple. I have NOT experienced the disintegrating brushes that the other posters have experienced. Perhaps it's the type of cleaning fluid they use. I use a citrus based cleaner, or the Finish Line cleaning fluid.
Many years ago I tried the Park Tool chain cleaner. It's similar to the current model except the plastic was opaque, so I never knew when the cleaning reservoir was emptied. It was a minor annoyance. The Park Tool uses quite a bit of cleaning fluid (2 oz.) and I'm a tightwad, so that turns me off. Maybe the fluid can be diluted with no loss in cleaning efficiency.
Too Tall
09-12-2005, 06:21 AM
Beungood, once that chain is clean and whatever you use for lube...get in the habit of wiping it down after rides. Go to Homeless Despots and buy the "Box-O-Rags" from the paint department. The rags are all cotton and do an excellent job. Wrap one around your index finger and use the remainder of your rat claw to wipe'r down by running the chain backwards and working between the r.der. and rings. Chief and I both use different uber-lubes and both put a synthetic layer on the metal so the chains do stay pretty clean. I'm hooked on the Rock n' Roll "Gold Lube". http://www.rocklube.com/ which is basically a high amt. of teflon in suspension...works. The Forum exhausted the topic of chain lube last winter and *I think we concluded that it all works and chain lube is a regional thing eg. NW'rs and SW's have real diff. needs.
So you are saying Big Willy walks tall and carries a big stick? THAT man could be president if he didn't go around hitting people all the time;)
William
09-12-2005, 01:02 PM
So you are saying Big Willy walks tall and carries a big stick? THAT man could be president if he didn't go around hitting people all the time;)
EL-KABONG!!!
http://members.aol.com/PaulEC2/kabong.jpg
William ;)
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