Drive Train |
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You know it when you get that grease tattoo on your leg, and how aggravating it is, or the fear of putting it in your nice clean car and getting that grease all over the upholstery. Even changing a flat tire can get you all greased up just because you have to move that dirty chain. There is a cure! It’s called cleaning your drive train and keeping it clean. For starters you will need a few tools:
Required Tools:
- Repair stand or a way to suspend the bike
- Chain-cleaner tool
- Biodegradable solvent
- Brush
- Rags
- Lube
- Ruler
- Disposable gloves
- Small screwdriver
Check your chain for wearing—If you are a major biker and put tons of miles on your chains then it could be worn out and in need of replacement instead of just cleaning. To see if your chain need replacement or cleaning shift the chain into the large chainring, and put a ruler beside it on the bottom chain, if it measures exactly 12 inches in between two pins then you are okay and you can clean it. Now if you measure and it exceeds the 12 inches by at least an 1/8th inch then you need to replace it. Don’t forget that even with a new chain you can still get skipping when you pedal, this is because that cassette is worn out, at this point you should replace the cassette too.
Wipe your chain clean—There is an easy way to start cleaning your chain. All you have to do is grab some disposable gloves, put them on, and take a rag and dampen it with some biodegradable solvent and then wipe away. If your chain is really dirty then it may take a few times to actually get down to the chain. Don’t forget to get both sides of the chain when you are wiping.
Scrub your chain clean—If your chain is super caked with grime them you might want to use a brush and solvent in a bucket, put it under the chain, and scrub away until the grime is gone. Remember to swish your brush often in the solvent or you’ll just spread the grime. After you have scrubbed the chain down wipe off the extra solvent and it should be nice and clean. There is an easy way if you like special tools, it is a chain-cleaning tool. All you do is fill it up with solvent, click it over the chain, and manually pedal so that the links pass through the tool. This is a much easier and cleaner way to clean up that dirty chain.
Clean your crankset—To get the crankset nice and clean you should take the chain off of the small ring and then place it on the frame of the bike. Take a rag and clean up the large chainring and the insides of the small chainring. Use a small screwdriver to remove dirty deposits in between the rings and then use the brush and a clean part of the rag to finish up the chainrings.
Clean your cassette—Take the rear wheel off and put it cassette side up on your workbench. Use a rag dampened with solvent and slide it between the cogs. Try to use the swiping motion of shining shoes, it will help by rotating the cassette while it cleans too. Keep repeating this process until the cogs are spotless, then put your wheel back on the bike.
Check your derailleurs—Your derailleur is the last thing to inspect. Check the rear derailleur pulleys and remove any grime that has been building up. Take a rag and slide it through the front derailleur to clear it of any grime also. Lastly, take a little bit of lube and apply it to the chain and the derailleurs.
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