RD pulley wheels - cleaning?

[AngryScientist]

damn these things get gunked/caked up riding off road.

any lazy-man tips to clean them up? seems like an otherwise tedious process that i dont have any good tricks for other than the hard way?

whatcha got?

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/black-jockey-wheel-old-dirty-600w-677095060.jpg

[John H.]

Keep chain on-
Back pedal bike in stand with a small screwdriver to scrape it off.

[robt57]

Keep chain on-
Back pedal bike in stand with a XXXXXXXX to scrape it off.

Where XXXXX is the edge of pieces of one layer cardboard, then same after some lube to soften, then the same with some thin rag on the edge of cardboard until muck is all gone...

[rccardr]

Clean every time chain is lubed and wiped. Voila!

[YesNdeed]

Keep chain on-
Back pedal bike in stand with a small screwdriver to scrape it off.

Flat head screwdriver, or the end of this (https://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Building-Products-Tile-and-Grout-Brush-49146/205329342). Then, I spray a little Purple Power degreaser on them, scrub with said small grout brush, rinse with hose water or a spray bottle, repeat if necessary. Works great.

[R3awak3n]

and you know which ones get the dirtiest? campy... the design gets so gunky SO quick. Sram they stay cleaner a bit longer/never get as dirty.

about to book my sram tattoo now.


but really, they are a pain in the ass to clean and always get gunk all over my floor.

[kppolich]

Since the OP already pulled the chain, whats the big deal about taking 5 minutes to remove the pulley wheels (keep track of upper and lower as well as direction) and clean properly? Pop the bearing covers off as well and see what damage you've done from neglecting them. It's a 5-10 minute job to clean out and dry/regrease and you are back on the road.

[Blue Jays]

I use dental scraping tools that I obtain through a friend who is a dentist.
They have a couple of different shapes good for reaching into tough spots.

[Tony]

I use dental scraping tools that I obtain through a friend who is a dentist.
They have a couple of different shapes good for reaching into tough spots.

I use spokes, set of three modified different shapes.

[false_Aest]

finger nail and back pedal.

or I'm happy to mill you a custom scraper for the low-low price of $200. Each pulley will require a unique scraper. +$150 for campy. +$500 for ceramic speed - $50 for SRAM.

[vqdriver]

It's not really that hard.
One pulley at a time. Single bolt. Just disassemble and scrape and brush clean.
I wear gloves tho cuz that grease stays around


other than the hard way?

whatcha got?

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/black-jockey-wheel-old-dirty-600w-677095060.jpg

[choke]

Small diameter jute twine.

[Jaq]

This kid.

[amerikaner]

An old vibrating toothbrush and simple green works for me, the pulsing bristles help break up the crud.

[m_sasso]

Wax your chain instead of liquid lube to begin with and you will see a large reduction of that build up over ride time.

[DeBike]

An old vibrating toothbrush and simple green works for me, the pulsing bristles help break up the crud.

I also use an old rechargeable toothbrush, and for many cleaning chores on a bike. The rotating bristles do a great job. I save the used heads for this purpose as I change them.

You can also buy generic brand heads at a much lower cost.

[Kyle h]

Wax your chain instead of liquid lube to begin with and you will see a large reduction of that build up over ride time.

Agree. The extra time spent waxing is easily offset by frustration and cleaning issues with regular lube.

[oldpotatoe]

damn these things get gunked/caked up riding off road.

any lazy-man tips to clean them up? seems like an otherwise tedious process that i dont have any good tricks for other than the hard way?

whatcha got?


Sorry, no 'lazy man' tips..Once a month or so I take off chain, chainrings, pulleys outta rear der, cogset..clean, clean, lube(pulleys-grease)and re-assemble..Quickie clean? wee screw driver, pedal backwards, scrap it off some BUT......

If yer getting that much gunk on your pulleys, I think you are over lubing your chain. After above(lube chain night before the ride), I ride until sounds like a I have a bird in my back pocket-chirp-chirp of chain..then lube AFTER the ride, never just before the ride. I use WD-40 'dry' lube..
and you know which ones get the dirtiest? campy... the design gets so gunky SO quick. Sram they stay cleaner a bit longer/never get as dirty.
about to book my sram tattoo now.

tee-hee:)

[AngryScientist]

yea, kind of what i thought, no easy trick i'm missing.

that photo wasnt mine by the way, just a google photo.

i dont think it's a chain lube issue either, in my case, this is pure road gunk from wet gritty roads.

oh well, no big deal, off to scrape away :)

[Clancy]

I also use an old rechargeable toothbrush, and for many cleaning chores on a bike. The rotating bristles do a great job. I save the used heads for this purpose as I change them.

You can also buy generic brand heads at a much lower cost.

What a smart solution

[old_fat_and_slow]

Lazy man's solution:

1.) Never ride on rainy or wet days
2.) Never ride in gravel, dirt, muddy roads
3.) Always use dry lube on chain
4.) Wipe pulleys every time you re-apply dry lube to chain

EaZy Peasy

[NHAero]

Definitely +1 on the right lube and clean after each ride.
I have been using Squirt for a bit over a year. Much cleaner chain, cassettes, and pulleys. Seems also there is less measurable chain wear. Wipe the chain down backpedaling after a ride. Even the MTB pulleys don't get that old crud build-up.

I hate to pull all the drivetrain bit as OP proposes (too many bikes in the rotation and I'm lazier than he is), so I have focused on what keeps it clean and in place on the bike.

[rst72]

Clean every time chain is lubed and wiped. Voila!

This. Wipe and lube once a week.

[vqdriver]

i'll add that it's worth doing just to see how simple those pulleys are. really nothing to em. you'll also get an idea of how much sand and grit can get under those bushing/bearing covers as well as how well the plastic teeth are holding up. i once discovered a crack radiating outward on a (very) old xt rd.

[AngryScientist]

i'll add that it's worth doing just to see how simple those pulleys are. really nothing to em. you'll also get an idea of how much sand and grit can get under those bushing/bearing covers as well as how well the plastic teeth are holding up. i once discovered a crack radiating outward on a (very) old xt rd.

yea.

i think i'm replacing mine.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBY0IumuNmA/XlVBc6iXN8I/AAAAAAAADhc/QI7rNn16_AEnJZQ3Zg8K-qRtqz2YDGh0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_2607.jpg

[amerikaner]

That's pretty gunked up, but still looks ok and just needs cleaning.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

[rccardr]

yea.

i think i'm replacing mine.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBY0IumuNmA/XlVBc6iXN8I/AAAAAAAADhc/QI7rNn16_AEnJZQ3Zg8K-qRtqz2YDGh0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_2607.jpg

That's disgusting.
How are you supposed to eat off of those things? :rolleyes:

[Lewis Moon]

Keep chain on-
Back pedal bike in stand with a small screwdriver to scrape it off.

Yep.

[jmoore]

That will buff right out.


Also, you are supposed to clean those things? :)

yea.

i think i'm replacing mine.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBY0IumuNmA/XlVBc6iXN8I/AAAAAAAADhc/QI7rNn16_AEnJZQ3Zg8K-qRtqz2YDGh0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_2607.jpg