How To Get A Perfectly Clean Chain

A super clean drivetrain rapidly reduces the rate of wear on your bike components. There are a multitude of products that will shift dirt from your bike, from everyday household chemicals to bike specific formulas. In this instance, we'd certainly recommend a bike-specific degreaser that's kind to your components and preferably to the environment as well.

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[Dmulqueen]

I've used a pair of old tooth brushes taped together. Works just as well as a proper chain cleaning tool.

[AussieInJapan]

These old GCN how to videos are still the best.

[kentwydell]

Excellent video. Factual and to the point without larking about with lame jokes and trying to become a YouTube 'personality'

[spanishjapan]

That intro... With that beanie and the music it looks like a video of

"How to steal a road bike"

[robphippen]

I find that a chain that’s really dirty, especially with wet lube applied does NOT come clean with bike-specific degreasers. In that case I use either paraffin or white spirit. I minimise the environmental and cost impact by pouring the dirty liquid back in the can: the dirt settles to the bottom and the liquid can be reused again and again. I used the same can of paraffin for about 20 years!
With dry lube, normal degreaser seems to work just fine.

[redjumping]

I forgive the occasional commercial for muc-off, everyone needs to make a living : ) Its a small price to pay for all the great vids GCN post.

[Maxmaxz]

Pro Tip: If using a concealed motor in the seat tube, be extra cautious when cleaning around the bottom bracket. White spirit and similar products can play havoc with the electronics.

[really]

I repeated everything that he illustrated from gloving up, muc'n off and suds'n down and my chain and Cannondale went from a black coal color to shiny and clean!
Thank you very much for such an educational video.!!
5 STARS!
Best 4:46

[randallschulz]

My weekly routine:

• Remove wheels
• Remove chain
• Clean chain for 15 minutes with Simple Green (non-toxic solvent and detergent) diluted 1:15 in an ultrasonic cleaner. Repeat twice more with fresh cleaning solution. This is by far the most tidy and low-labor way to get a chain really, really clean.

Cleaning the rest of the drive train (and the rear cassette) with the chain out of the way is much easier. (The time it takes me to clean the rest of the bike and drive train–at a rather leisurely pace–is usually about the same as the 45 minutes of ultrasonic cleaning.) Put it all back together, lube and go!

[runningfun]

I love getting my chain really clean and spent a lot of time cleaning. Thanks for this tips. Love it.

[kylieminou]

"a gleaming drive train does wonders for your morale" LOL, it sure does! and the sound is priceless

[Brandon-xpob]

I use the nail brushes and they're wonderful. I usually blow off excess water from my chain with compressed air and let it sit overnight before lubing again to make sure it's bone dry. Cheers!

[haych]

1.5 hours later I've actually cleaned my bike in winter! Thanks for the great content guys, with your segments, my excellent lbs and getting punctures I've learnt heaps about bike maintenance I'd otherwise be too lazy to do. :)

[DJAngiePangie]

Thank you so much for this video! I'm gradually learning bike maintenance as I go and my chain is lovely and shiny now! :)

[danial_s]

GCN uses SRAM and Shimano, nobody bats an eye. Then comes like 5 pixels of muc-off, *everyone loses their minds*

[clayguy]

Thanks! & btw... rubbing a teaspoon of any cooking oil, such a canola, is very good at removing oil and such from hands. Followed by soap and very warm water.

[mattwilliams]

Using an empty squash bottle to clean chain:

1. Drop chain into squash bottle and pour in a cup of White Spirits.
2. Secure Lid and shake for 1 minute.
3. Poor out liquid and repeat with another cup of white spirits.
4. Once you have done step 1 and 2 twice, cut open the bottle with a knife and remove the chain.
5. Now roll the chain up and hold in 1 hand.
6. Smother the rolled up chain in Fairy liquid and rub in hands until chain is shiny.
7. Wash with water to make sure all the fairy liquid is removed.
8. Leave chain to dry on a peice of dry kitchen roll.

Really good tip and is a quick, cheap and effective way if cleaning your chain.

[razcohen]

Wow! Amazing! Where were the days before GCN were sponsored by muc-off when Si told us to use wd40?

[mrcodhead]

I used shower gel, eg Lynx, that Mint one, etc, that I received as unwanted presents as my degreaser. It worked very well, and smelt a little nicer than most!

[MarioGoatse]

My chain came from the shop with the worst quality black grease. I bought some good chain degreaser and washed it a few times to get it all off, then gave it a good lube with some Muc-Off Dry Lube, and now it’s so much better.