In our Tech Q&A series, we tackle cycling queries – big or small, complex or simple – with insights from the BikeRadar team and trusted industry experts. Next up, a loyal reader wants to know the best way for a non-mechanically inclined rider to clean his bike's chain and cassette.
“What is the best way for a cyclist like me, who rides 75 to 120 miles a week, to clean the cassette and chain? I’ve heard a ton of advice. I use the Park Tool chain cleaner but some mechanics say they dislike this. Some say use degreaser, others say use natural cleaners like citrus. I don’t want to take my chain or cassette apart – this sounds like too much trouble and I’m not mechanically inclined. I don’t know what to believe. What is your opinion for a rider like me?
Gregory E Johnson
To answer this, let’s assume you’ve got a chain with the original factory grease and a standard oil-based chain lube. In these circumstances, a degreaser of some kind is going to be best, in order to cut through the grease and lube.
If you’re cleaning your chain regularly, and the grease and dirt isn’t too baked on, you might be fine with a citrus degreaser, which will be more environmentally friendly than others.
Having watched pro mechanics cleaning drivetrains, our senior tech writer Simon von Bromley is a big fan of simply brushing on the degreaser, leaving it in place to work and then rinsing it off thoroughly with water.
Simon recommends a short-bristled, round paint brush (approximately 1in diameter) to brush on the degreaser. Not only is this method the least environmentally damaging, it is also the least expensive.
A generic citrus degreaser will cost approximately £10 a litre and a paint brush will be considerably cheaper than buying a cycling-specific brush.
Simon goes on to explain that when it comes to re-lubing the chain, you shouldn't bother with so-called ‘dry’ lubes. In theory, they’re designed for dry weather, but in reality, they contain so little lubricant they’re hardly worth applying.
A proponent of waxing chains, Simon is happy to use a ‘drip wax’ lube such as Smoove or Silca, or even a wet lube instead. The key to applying lube is to only dab it on the rollers between the chain links and to wipe off any excess.
A final tip from Simon is to avoid aerosol spray-on degreasers because they can risk contaminating the brakes (especially discs). In this instance, digital editorJack Luke recommends using Fenwick's Foaming Drivetrain Degreaser.
Since it foams, there’s less risk of contamination, and it’s a milder but still super-effective degreaser.
