How To Get A Perfectly Clean Chain + Drivetrain | Mountain Bike Maintenance
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- čas přidán 1. 01. 2017
- With a clean chain and drivetrain, your shifting will be smoother and your bike will work better. Here's how to do it.
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A black, gritty, dirty chain looks bad, will wear out more quickly and doesn't work as well. Depending how often you ride, cleaning the chain on your mountain bike might be a weekly job - or even more regular. It's worth doing this job thoroughly - using good degreaser, chain brushes, rinsing your bike chain thoroughly and then drying it with a rag.
Once your drivetrain is clean and dry, apply the right chain lube. Depending on the weather, this might be wet lube or dry chain lube. The clue with chain lube is in the name - wet, grimy winter weather = wet lube, dry, dusty weather = dry lube.
Leave your questions down in the comments and don't forget to SHARE this vide with a mate whop has a filthy bike!
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Leave us a comment below! - Sport
1) wait until mum/wife/girlfriend goes out.
2) strip drivetrain off bike.
3) put drivetrain in dishwasher.
😂
Calum Spencer | dishwashers cleans dishes by using hot water and degreaser, so can it do the same for the drive terrain? I wonder what the drawbacks are when you do this.
+Woof Woof lots of time removing and adding drivetrain?
James Fortune | well, that's not a problem since I do take mine apart once in awhile to clean it thoroughly, I'm just thinking if it'll affect it in anyway
Comment of the week???
I don't get why 11 people have given this video a 'thumbs down'.
It's free, it's good advice. What more do people want? Scotty to come round and clean their chains for them?
Stu Houchin those are the type of people who has no friends and no one likes them
welcome to youtube, there are dislikes on pretty much every video
Because it's an opinion maybe they didn't like how they cleaned it idk
Its not really free, you pay by watching ads.
You're absolutely right
Got a fancy chain cleaning device for Xmas, (plastic 'bath' type with 3 brush wheels in it) Gave it a go & found it is more faffing about than it is worth & did not properly clean the chain. Went back to manual chain cleaning with brushes & had much better results with less fuss :-)
Less faff you mean? :D
It is ill-advised to use degreaser every single time on your chain. In fact, degreaser should be a measure of last resort for chain cleaning, as it washes out the precious high viscosity lubricant that can only be put into the chain during manufacturing. Of course, during muddy winter, it becomes necessary very soon.
Best way to clean the cassette is to remove the rear wheel from your bike, spray the cassette with degreaser (yes, yes, while not contaminating the brakes), wait two minutes and then rinse it off with healthy amount of water. Usually you won't even need to use a brush or anything. Cleaning the chainring(s) is best done when the chain is off. Especially if you have a 1x setup, there's no excuse for not taking the chain off.
In order to properly clean rear mech wheels, it's best to take them out of the derailleur. It's difficult and sometimes impossible to clean them properly and when they get really gritty, they'll put up lot of resistance because the dirt will get packed in there really tight. Taking the jockey wheels out is pretty easy, it's just one screw and I'd argue it's the most efficient way of cleaning them, as you're guaranteed to get out absolutely all of the dirt and it'll take you five minutes at the very most. Do it with the bike upside down and the rear wheel unmounted. Also be aware that the tension wheel may be one sided.
best way I've found to clean the chain is to slit a sponge straight down the middle and run it through where Scott did with the brush and treat it like a chain cleaner. Best of luck!!
*Uses 100 litres of water*..."looking pretty good!"
Imagine some poor Nigerian watching this clip. The horror!
@@mwong987 Why a different continent dude every continent faces a water situation
The fact that we burn calories for fun ridning bikes? And you are concerned about water... I just came back from a ride and ate an avocado... 😂
@Haters Hate water recycle itself by help of whale's fishes and other under water life's and wich you and most of humans kill for their selfish needless needs
@@idontknowwhoiam8018 You are so dense. How does a whale or fish recycle water? Like did you ever learn about the water cycle?
well done! I watched other videos, went to do the job and made a ton of errors. And your video really covers it all.
can you do a vid on how to do a service like the ones at shops.
Nice job. Simple, basic, no complicated tools.
That slow motion shower turned me on!!
Brings new meaning to the phrase "bike porn"!
In really enjoying these GMBN videos.
Thanks lads.
That "dirty" chain is already 100 times cleaner than my chain.
True, i would like to clean it but even when we have garden, we dont have the hoses to clean the cassete and chain
Ahahah sure
Love the hub noise
looks good! It would be fun if you could test how clean the chain really is after a normal thorough wash.
The last time I cleaned my chain it looked really clean. Then I twisted a few links slightly and you could hear a crackle from the dirt still stuck in the chain...
Great Vid as always, Just one point to note though probably better to lube the INSIDE of the chain not the OUTSIDE as this is the side contacts more of the moving parts within the drivetrain.
Nice to see Scotty rocking flat pedals for the winter! :)
Looks like LOT of fun at the start of the video
Love the de-greezer.
Those hubs sound sooo nice
nice vid, I just got a new moutainbike and i love these maintain vids so i can keep my bike fresh
Gotta love that little GMBN background music I think it might have slowly seeped its way into my subconscious over the years haha
Cracking video as always!
Great video! However, using water only works just as well - just be sure to use a good brush to remove the dirt. If done correctly, the chain will spin very smoothly after cleaning with only water!
what I would like to see - in at least one of the "clean your drivechain" video's of which there are so many - is how to responsibly deal with the pollution that it produces. Like the dirty water and rags. The only thing I have seen is presenters advising to use bio-degradable degreaser. There must be more we can do to keep oil and grease from ending up in the environment.
Thanks for this video i really needed it.👍
nice room!! more videos Mountain Bike Maintenance!!
Dope bike bro!!!
I use industrial strength purple degreaser works amazing
The thing it doesn't show which I have trouble with is cleaning the back side of the derailleur/jockey wheels and chain ring, always really difficult to try and get brushes in from the other side. To clean the chain I use a chain cleaning tool, much less mess and does a great job.
It's probably the best CZcams video I have seen so far. My question do we get the chain bath or do we get the brushes that you guys use? Cheers.
Thanks for the tips 👍
Hi, how about a video on how to clean your discs and pads.
Nice video suggest to start the clean by the "galets" ( little wheels on the shifter, don't know English word) because they collect a lot of dirt
Thank you!
I do a complete strip down and degrease / clean of all the drive train, my bike is 3 years old and looks brand new.
and i got a 1 year old bike and it looks old :D
Waiting for the next vid
With any kind of cleaning it is often a case of merely finding the right kind of brush. How stiff the bristles are, how thick they are, how dense they are. Try the techniques in the video with a number of different brushes and pick the most effective one.
I like the flat pedals
DAMN that free hub is LOUD!!
You should do a how to jump step-ups video
Please do a episode on bike lights #AskGMBN
that's why I use missing link, I always remove the chain to clean, easier to clean the chain, cassete and chainrings...
Great video. Can you be sure you didn't get water in the bearings? (I can see that is tricky issue for off road bike). Also how did you clean the yard afterwards, is degreaser down the drains acceptable these days ?
Hi, great video...somebody please tell me where to start the cleaning from the chain for from the body.
I use Aluminum Specific Simple Green, it is tough, but safe to use on most metals and finishes. Find it to work extremely well for my needs. I have to order it online by the gallon. It isnt available in most stores.
SHWELL11 I will have to try that. Thanks for the advice
NO problem. It is an Aircraft specific Simple Green. It is formulated to not leave a residue, and to not cause oxidation on soft metals. I use it in conjunction with my Ultrasonic cleaner to clean Bike chains, as well as firearm parts that do not respond well to traditional degreasers. I can usually find it for $15 a gallon online.. 1 Gallon last about 2 years.
Could ik if u have to clean after every ride or is it okay every month
Perfect cleaning job guys. Nice video.
we have a desame drive train set on my trek superfly carbon fiber
I ran out of degreaser.After washing overall used WD-40, brushed/wiped off, rinsed well, lubed-up. That's a rap/wrap.
Can you do a video to show us how to service break cables and shifter cables? Not everyone has hydraulic set ups, it would be nice to see this vid. (y)
Looking pretty gud!!
How does your bike not have any scratches? I use the muc-off dry lube because I'm in California, and it didn't rain very often. I love the stuff. I do need a degreaser and cleaner though. This is the 2nd video I've seen with the muc-off cleaner, so maybe I'll pick some up tomorrow. Any idea where to get all those brushes you were using? Great video. Any other maintenance that need a to be done, nd how often?
Fully awesome. Do you know if I can buy a degreaser kit with brushes. What do you recommend?
Is a Nice clean video, helps really good!!! Try
First, lock wheel in place and wrap plastic around disc brake. Just go right to using the Park tool chain cleaner. Much more thorough cleaning and not as messy. Don't need their fluid either. Just buy a gallon of Simple Green and use it full strength. Follow with a round of dawn dishwashing detergent diluted by 75% (to remove all degreaser fluid) then rinse with hose. Dry with compressed air or allow to sit overnight to dry before applying lube.
For my chain I use a chain cleaner and brush for the drivetrain. Tried brush for the chain before but a chain cleaner definitely cleans it better and more efficient plus it's cheap so why not right? I just use a dishwashing liquid soap by the way. 😃
+Global Mountain Bike Network - what do you recommend soaking your brushes in after to get rid of the grease / oil? Looks like you need a nice bike wash area and get a head on that hose to go with that fancy new workshop!
only lube the chain the jockeys are ballbearings with greas inside you only get dirt stick between there and increase the wear off it
nice video!!!!!!
what is your music that you guys use. Its really good!
I use baby wipes and blue roll for a quick clean and dry. Is there a disadvantage in using such products rather than "rag" cloths?
What about using wd40 or similar as a degreaser or water displacer?
I always place oil on the inside of the chain, you were putting it on the outside. Does it matter?
What do you do between putting on lube and removing excess?
I am never sure about removing excess, how much do you want on the exposed surfaces of the chain at the end?
1:50 how aren't you destroying the disc brake surface, I'm always afraid to get solvents and shit on the discbrakes so that's why I always remove the casette when I clean it.
when washing your bike, should you be concerned about water getting into the frame via the internal cable routing holes?
scott, you should've done the washing scene with a mankini on. good video by the way.
After a clean like that my brushes end up filthy. How do you clean the brushes so they're ready for the next time?
We need a video on how to do a waterless bike cleaning. In cold winter areas the water hoses are not able to use. They will freeze
Bucket and sponge method!
Where i ride there are mud next to dust .
Thank you for such professionalism in covering the full scope of the bike industry. And to you sir,.. thank you for sharing w/ such detail care.. an excellent presentation. Note: When drying w/ dry cloth, ensure dryness in it's entirety prior of lubrication: For we know that water and oil does 'not' mix. Any type of degreaser used, of course, 'must' be water soluble. Question: Some cyclist opt to use WD-40 as a solvent / degreaser w/ lubricant qualities; what are your thoughts in the use of WD-40 as a degreaser? Thanks
We use a range of WD40 products now! Classic WD40 (the water disperser) will degrease a little bit but they have an actual dedicated degreasing product which we prefer to use! If you're going to do it do it properly, right? After degreasing and drying we use a dedicated lubricant
I only mentioned WD-40 because I had read others used it as a degreaser Yes, it's simply a water "disperser" because water and oil does not mix.. same characteristics as all WD-40 products. I'll use it for a cleansing / flushing agent, but not as a degreaser when a significant amount of water is to be used as a rinse. Thanks
Thanks for the vidio
Can you please tell me what model and size of Crankbrother pedals those are? Thanks again 😊
Cleaning clean bike.
Great job, you made that look so easy. Has any of you made your own De-Greaser, If so, how?
dish soap works as degreaser, it is just not bike specific
@@samlarson6437 Dish soap?
Does anyone know where I can find a table with the psi for each weight for the 2016 Fox Float EVOL Dampers (Performance)? I find just the table for the Fox forks? Thanks for your help
a real durty mtb on gmbn !
New to biking here but I’ve had a few people already tell me not to hose your bike down??
Is suppost to this everytime I'm done with a ride? Or a small clean will make it and then do the full clean at weekends?
I've a question about chain gear ratio is it true no matter what you try you can get ratios like using the top cog on back and top cog on front will always cause chain rub on the front derailleur ? I just need to find a more matching gear ratio? If that makes sense
No water displacement spray after wash down?? I use GT85 before lubing. Overkill?
Whats about the rear derallieur? Only need some oil on the spring?
Did this, my cassette was a bit rusty after an hour. Should I spray some lube on the cassette?
I'm a professional mechanic with over 40yrs of experience... Whatever you do, never ever put any type of degreaser or cleaning solvent directly on your bike! If you want to clean your chain, cassette, or chainrings, you need to remove them off your bike and then clean them to your heart's content. Placing any type of solvent on your bike will immediately enter your rear hub bearings, your free-wheel cassette bearings, and your bottom bracket bearings and ruin them. Any type of solvent or degreaser has very high capillary action and will easily go past any sealed bearing. I get to see this all the time where someone purchases a new Hi-End bike and wants to keep it spotless and in less than two months they come to my shop asking "why is my rear hub making so much noise?" I ask them "what type of chain cleaner are they using?". They proudly answer "why I use the best Park Tool model C-bla bla bla, chain cleaner they have!" My Heart Just Sinks... Yet another beautiful new high-end bike ruined because of these stupid Park Chain tool cleaners, costing the consumer hundreds of dollars to replace all those bearings on the rear hubs and bottom bracket.
SO PLEASE DO NOT CLEAN ANY DRIVE TRAIN PART DIRECTLY ON YOUR BIKE, YOU NEED TO REMOVE THEM.
I just got a new high end bike, muc-off soap is okay on the drivetrain right? very informative points you made there some time ago lol
Best option is to bring to the shop and let experts clean?
#askgmbn what Hub/free Hub you running? Sounds ever so lovely.
It's from Reynolds they use the Industry Nine hubs built to their rims!
I know i cant get lube on my brake pads, but what happens if i get foaming chain cleaner on my brake pads?
Do you do this after every bike ride....or is it once every so often.
i am relubing my chain in about once a month (just little degrease and lube), when should i do this clean (really clean the chain)?
I didn’t know you were supposed to wipe off any excess lube at the end I always thought you wanted as much on there.
noob
I actually prefer getting the drivetrain clean first b4 working on the bike itself.
Cleaning the bike last, ensures that any drivetrain degreaser is also washed off the body when you clean the body later.
🧠👍
Nice
toilet brush is best to use
À xc racer told me to Nevers Nevers but a lot of water on your rear mech and the chain . however it Will do some rust
what?
You should hit the chain with a heat gun or a hair dryer on high heat. You will have water still inside all the pins and rollers that will prevent lube from getting all the way inside the chain parts. Chain lube on the outside of a chain does absolutely nothing. As far as altering the chains strength, that cant happen to steel until the heat is at 420f.
I used all purpose degreeser and my hub bearings are useless now and the paint on the rim fell off...
Hey gmbn what about my carbon race frame? Clean and lube all the same as an aluminum frame?
Hey new workshop
Do u have to clean ur hydronic disc brakes and if so plz make a vid about it because me breaks keep squeaking
You shpouldn't need to clean too often, but if you do, use some specific disc brake cleaner. muc-off.com/products/disc-brake-cleaner
It's easier to remove chain and cassete .
I do this for 15 years and there is no problem
And the chain is cleaner 😎
Is that an alloy MTB .will it rust if I wash it with my normal bike?
#askgmbn silly question, why lube the top/outside of the chain, instead of the bottom/inside of the chain? Is it expected that gravity will help lube the rollers and plates or is it just convenience and it doesn't matter? Thanks and keep up the excellent videos!
tbh you can lube either way it doesn't matter, you need gravity to help over all but you can lube the section of the chain which leaves the pulleys or lube the section that Scott lubed it will get into the chain either way
hey, my local bike shop is pretty small and doesn't carry these cleaning supplies. where could I order them.
you can get them on amazon. you can also look foe biking website and they should be there.
That's one sexy bag mate!
That shock needs some air (1:39)