Chain maintenance

[Dallant]

Just adding to the chain cleaning confusion. I use Simple Green cleaner in a spray bottle and just spraying the solution on the chain cleans it pretty well. I also use a small brush for any pieces of debris that become lodged in the sproket. Then, I just lube with 3 in 1 brand oil for the lube and works well. Vado SL is my first eBike but I do get about 3k miles out of road bike chain using this system and that works for me.

I use SG in my Finish Line chain cleaner once a month, wipe dry with a clean cloth and use Finish Line Dry Lube. It’s worked very well for me. I just bought a new Park Tool cleaning kit CG 2.4 so I can hopefully get the cassette cleaner.

 

[kahn]

I tried a couple of different ways. On a new chain I followed absoluteBLACK’s recommendations and cleaned the chain in mineral spirits, let it dry for 24 hours, then soaked it in GRAPHENLube. Worked like a charm. Rode 300 miles of mostly gravel in dry conditions and it didn’t need any lube, but I got bored and dropped more on the links – so I’m not sure how long it would have gone.

On a kind-of-new chain that needed re-lubing every 160 miles or so, I just dropped GRAPHENLube onto the dirty links. It needed lube again in about 160 miles. Relubed with GRAPHENLube a second time. It went about 220 miles. Third time it went about 300 miles. I’m on the fourth lube at this point and I’ve totally lost track of the miles. Must be at least 600 miles. Maybe 800 or more. This is my Zwift bike. I ride it 4-5 times a week. My wife rides it too. The chain is still quiet like it was just lubed.

GRAPHENLube works. Tadej Pogačar just won the Tour de France with it for the second year running. I like it for the opposite reason: I’m lazy. I don’t have to oil my chain as often. That part of it works.

I‘m now using it on three bikes. Two chains got the full mineral spirit cleanse and deep GRAPHENLube soak. After the soak you pour the lube back into the bottle. All told I still have about 1/2 of the bottle left. I expect it will last into 2022. Not terrible economics.

Thanks for the personal experience point of view.

As someone who has occasionally used a flat head screwdriver to remove sediment from the jockey rollers and used it to fill potholes in the nearby street you can see my interest!

 

[Handlebars]

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The most important activity is measuring the chain stretch. It is the best to do it with a caliper (the best: digital one). Stretch the chain and measure the distance between centres of pin for consecutive 10 chain links. New chain: 127 mm. Chain to be replaced soon: 128 mm. Too late, small cassette cogs might got worn already: 129 mm.

Here's another way: use a steel ruler made to exactly 12 inches in length, no extra ruler on the ends. Put one end in the center of a rivet or even on one edge of a rivet and look where the other end of the ruler is, compared to that rivet - where there too, the ruler end should be at the rivet's center or edge as the case may be .
You can see on the ruler approx what length that is by such a close comparison made available. I used the center of rivet. To to my eyesight it looks like less than 1/8" stretch.
Then I used the edge of rivet...even easier to tell. Closer to 1/16"

I've been looking to buy a couple of KMC chains...they have doubled in price since the last one I bought less than 1 year ago.

 

[GuruUno]

I used to uses all that liquid stuff, I tried several different ones. My experience is that it was not a good as what I use now. I replace the chain every 1500-1900 miles and I put a new one in a Crock-Pot with hot SpeedWax. In between the replacement times, I run the chain on the bike backwards to clean with Greased Lightning on a rag, blow-dry with an air hose and spray on Chain Wax (Maxima 74920 Chain Wax - 13.5 oz. Aerosol). My components are sparkly clean, never gooey or wet and messy, shift like a Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK and I've never before experienced perfect shifting, smoothness, performance, etc., before. I can say that if I go off-pavement to gravel trails the cleaning is more frequent, but the point is no messy having to wear rubber gloves, etc. I'm sold on the hot wax and spray wax.

 

[Handlebars]

I used to uses all that liquid stuff, I tried several different ones. My experience is that it was not a good as what I use now. I replace the chain every 1500-1900 miles and I put a new one in a Crock-Pot with hot SpeedWax. In between the replacement times, I run the chain on the bike backwards to clean with Greased Lightning on a rag, blow-dry with an air hose and spray on Chain Wax (Maxima 74920 Chain Wax - 13.5 oz. Aerosol). My components are sparkly clean, never gooey or wet and messy, shift like a Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK and I've never before experienced perfect shifting, smoothness, performance, etc., before. I can say that if I go off-pavement to gravel trails the cleaning is more frequent, but the point is no messy having to wear rubber gloves, etc. I'm sold on the hot wax and spray wax.

At least once a week I need a dozen paper towels to get most of the black stuff off the chain. Gloves or lots of washing up.
I've tried several DIY wax applications, oils, greases, silicone, anti-rust and waterproofing sprays, and so on. The only difference I can discern is in how much they drip or get pant cuffs dirty.

 

[RunForTheHills]

I like that attitude. I recall being suckered in by a friend to come over her house and clean my chain - what a pain-in-the-ass mess. But I also realize that I probably won't take it in as often as I should. And with the local bike shop in such demand, it might be more downtime than I would appreciate.

I just wipe my chain off with a rag or paper towel and apply 3-n-1 oil every 100 miles or so. Once in a very long while I will remove the chain and clean everything with paint thinner if I think it is getting cruddy looking. I just dunk the chain in a small bucket (coffee can) with paint thinner and clean the cogs and chain with an old toothbrush and paint thinner. That is a bit messy, but I do it over plastic tarp and wear disposable latex gloves. You can save and reuse the paint thinner. It doesn't have to be a big ordeal. I don't have a mid-drive, but my chains last a few thousand miles.

 

[Prairie Dog]

This might sound a bit bizarre but I actually find maintaining drive trains somewhat relaxing. It’s becomes such a routine that it doesn’t take up too much of my time and I usually just do it outside. Having all of the cleaning supplies/tools loaded onto a service cart avoids the hassle of searching for items around the house or garage and I can wheel it in or out as I please. I empty all used de-greaser in an empty jug and take it to the local hazmat depot for processing which might occur once a year. I’m fairly diligent about keeping the components clean and having everything that I need close at hand makes for more efficient use of time. Since I don’t have any space on the garage walls for tools, I also employ a wheeled cabinet which contains bike tools and consumables.

 

[m@Robertson]

Worth mentioning: I use this on my Cyc-powered emtb in addition to the Rock and Roll and rag treatment. A Cyc uses 2 chains and its drive chain is a 216 kart chain. Pumping 3kw thru that chain with grit on it can wreck a chainring quick if its not cleaned after a ride.

I saw someone mentioning toothbrushes. These are way better for bike cleaning and dirt cheap at just over a dollar each. You definitely don't want to try using one as a toothbrush as your gums will be removed along with tooth enamel.

https://amzn.to/3i3trAs

 

[sdbikegirl]

Not a question about maintenance but a friend just bout a Creo SL comp EVO and she's not able to keep the chain on the chainring when pedaling more than 2 rotations. It drops. She's made sure it's lined up, no gaps but it drops. Anyone else with this issue? Could anyone recommend anything to try?
Thanks in advance.

 

[m@Robertson]

Not a question about maintenance but a friend just bout a Creo SL comp EVO and she's not able to keep the chain on the chainring when pedaling more than 2 rotations. It drops. She's made sure it's lined up, no gaps but it drops. Anyone else with this issue? Could anyone recommend anything to try?
Thanks in advance.

Since she sprang for the name brand only sold thru dealers, she gets the name brand service to go with it? Take it in. It literally should not do that and the mfr needs to deal with it. This is part of the buying decision when you spend so much money on one of those.

 

[kahn]

I tend to agree with the poster just above me. She should take it to a Specialized shop where they should be able to tune it right. Also, she can chat with a Specialized rep on their site if she has issues with the local shop.

 

[Seeya]

I tend to agree with the poster just above me. She should take it to a Specialized shop where they should be able to tune it right. Also, she can chat with a Specialized rep on their site if she has issues with the local shop.

Has she checked the position of the clutch on the derailleur?