On 2018-06-11 10:04, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, June 11, 2018 at 7:40:33 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-06-10 14:01, jbeattie wrote:
On Saturday, June 9, 2018 at 8:07:29 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-06-08 10:30, Duane wrote:
On 08/06/2018 12:17 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-06-08 07:59, Duane wrote:
On 08/06/2018 10:36 AM, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-06-07 17:02, sms wrote:
On 6/6/2018 7:35 AM, Joerg wrote:

snip

I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental
toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that
is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes
faster now. First used for my teeth, then later
some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an
old regular toothbrush, followed by a good
wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really
shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you
shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it
dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I
use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently
wipe off any excess with a Kleenex.

That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi
between cleanings depending on whether I ride more
roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads.
40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The
upside is that this method does not require me to
take the chain off the bike which I would really
dread.

OMG, is anyone really spending that much time on
chain maintenance?!

Get yourself a Park chain cleaner (or some other
brand). Fill it with kerosene and run the chain
through it. Repeat with clean solvent until the chain
runs clean.

Unless the chain is in the solvent, and moving, you
won't get it clean on the inside.

When it's clean, lubricate it with a foaming chain
lube.


So how long does that process take? And I mean with
clean-up including the cleaning of the tools used. For
most of those of us who are married clean-up is
necessary, we can just leave the stuff sitting on some
bench.


The bike is already on the stand for washing.


Last time I washed my road bike was ... ahm ...
nineteen-sumpthin. The MTB doesn't get washed either, it
just wouldn't make sense.



The problems you have with equipment failure start to make
sense...


The BB would not have failed if I had hit it with the pressure
washer after every ride. Yeah, right.

I believe he uses a garden hose and not a 5000psi pressure
washer. Ever watched the pros clean bikes (road and MTB)? Hose,
suds, hose, etc., etc. Garden hoses are SOP. If your BB seals
can't hack that, you need a different BB.


I have seen high-pend MTB where they did not (!) provide a weep
hole below the BB. Couldn't believe it at first.



... I have a pan in my shed with a bottle of degreaser
(not kerosene but something biodegradable) and the Park
chain cleaner in the pan. Takes a few minutes to fill up
the tool and run the chain through it. The pan catches
the slosh. I don't usually change the degreaser. A
couple minutes in the chain cleaner works well enough for
me. Hose out everything and let it dry while the bike is
drying. Certainly takes less time than what you describe
with the toothbrushes.


Well, yeah, if you just put the bath, the pan and so on
back on the shelf as is. Not gonna happen here.



You missed the part about hose everything down and let it
dry with the bike. Cleanup doesn't take any time.


Hose down the bath container? That would get you into trouble
with environmental watchdogs some day.

He said it was biodegradable.


I wonder what the Federales would have to say about that.

Do you really think the US EPA cares about when you hose off your
chain? Incroyable.


Of course not. I am simply not a guy who carelessly chucks all his s..t
into the environment.

However, if a large bike shop did that on a regular basis out in their
backyard and somebody saw this they'd soon have the goons there,
prontissimo. And should.


... Why don't you just say "I prefer to soak my chain
in kerosene and dump that somewhere" rather than using a
biodegradable cleaner.


Because I don't think that is environmentally good either even if you
then dispose off properly at the oil refuse places.



Just say "I don't wash my bikes" and don't try to make it
impossible. People do it all the time -- even married people and
city folk.


I never said that. I just indicated that I find washing an MTB not
to be a very productive task. 10mi later it's dirty again so what
is the point of washing it?

Just say that -- and not that the EPA or your wife or the tinfoil-hat
brigade precludes more frequent or different washing. That's weird.


??

-- Jay Beattie.

PS -- I've cleaned my bike with everything under the sun and never
faced an EPA enforcement action.


They don't enforce much with individuals. Even when people let their old
motor oil soak into a creek bed they won't care. Because they don't know.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/