How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?

I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for
motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain
cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the
bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain
cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky").

I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but
I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true,
where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the
cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing
action may do a better job of cleaning the innards."

With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being
sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even
Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it
500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?

In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these
machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a
better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for
motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got
kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and
accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from
a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP,
J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the
dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product
for bicycles and sell it for less than $20.

On Jul 28, 6:17*pm, SMS wrote:

. . . there must be a big market for them, but is it
500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?


My first ignorant guess is that the number falls
in the myriads, rather than the tens-of-. (Of the
bicycle shops I know, they don't seem to move
more than four or five a year, if that) Some beginning
cyclists would buy a series of them until they either
found one that worked or decided that it was a
fool's errand.

Specious and obfuscatory articles in the major
publications seems to be the best method for
flogging largely useless items. I don't know what
an editor costs In These Tough Economic Times.

How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?

Or how may cyclist/mechanics numbskulls are there who fail to realise
that there are use once paint brushes that do the job well at a
fraction of the cost.

On Jul 28, 5:17*pm, SMS wrote:
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for
motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain
cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the
bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain
cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky").

I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but
I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true,
where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the
cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing
action may do a better job of cleaning the innards."

With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being
sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even
Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it
500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?

In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these
machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a
better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for
motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got
kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and
accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from
a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP,
J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the
dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product
for bicycles and sell it for less than $20.

If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to
need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single
speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. The
bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer
system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted.

Mike A Schwab wrote:
On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote:
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for
motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain
cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the
bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain
cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky").

I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much,
but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to
be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage
that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers.
This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards."

With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being
sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even
Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it
500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?

In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these
machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim)
a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication
system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for
bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the
whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops
are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer
to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors.
With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it
may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it
for less than $20.

If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to
need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single
speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. The
bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer
system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted.

http://www.scottoiler.com/
?


--
Colin N.

Lincolnshire is mostly flat ... But the wind is mostly in your face

Phil W Lee wrote:
"Colin Nelson" considered Thu, 30 Jul
2009 08:50:09 +0100 the perfect time to write:



Mike A Schwab wrote:
On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote:
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines
for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of
chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down
through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type
"bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling
Lucky").

I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very
much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's
statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has
the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins
the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning
the innards."

With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones
being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order,
and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for
them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?

In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of
these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has
(they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a
lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a
version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained
to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution
system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different
suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other
such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers
keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for
bicycles and sell it for less than $20.

If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to
need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear,
single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer
gears. The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on
a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be
wanted.

http://www.scottoiler.com/
?
That design rather depends on knowing which sprocket the chain is
going to be on. OK for hubgear or singlespeed bikes, but not much use
for derailer.
I'd think that a replacement jockey wheel for the rear mech with an
oilway centre fed through the bolt might work for the applicator, but
the scottoiler relies on engine vacuum to actuate it, which is going
to need thinking about on a bicycle. Gravity feed would work ok, but
you need some way to stop it when the bike is stationary.

Sorry, wrong link ...
http://www.scottoiler.com/cycle/
This gadget seems not to be viewed with much 'enthusiasm' (in the U.K.) judjing by the comments I have seen in several cycling fora (did fit a similar thing to an AJS 250 many years ago, but thought that the hot grease treatment worked better).

--
Colin N.

Lincolnshire is mostly flat ... But the wind is mostly in your face

On 30 July, 17:02, "Colin Nelson" wrote:
Phil W Lee wrote:
"Colin Nelson" considered Thu, 30 Jul
2009 08:50:09 +0100 the perfect time to write:

Mike A Schwab wrote:
On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote:
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines
for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of
chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down
through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type
"bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling
Lucky").

I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very
much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's
statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has
the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins
the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning
the innards."

With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones
being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order,
and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for
them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less?

In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of
these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has
(they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a
lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a
version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained
to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution
system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different
suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other
such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers
keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for
bicycles and sell it for less than $20.

If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to
need a chain guard. *That is going to limit you to fixed gear,
single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer
gears. *The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on
a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be
wanted.

http://www.scottoiler.com/
?
That design rather depends on knowing which sprocket the chain is
going to be on. *OK for hubgear or singlespeed bikes, but not much use
for derailer.
I'd think that a replacement jockey wheel for the rear mech with an
oilway centre fed through the bolt might work for the applicator, but
the scottoiler relies on engine vacuum to actuate it, which is going
to need thinking about on a bicycle. *Gravity feed would work ok, but
you need some way to stop it when the bike is stationary.

Sorry, wrong link ...http://www.scottoiler.com/cycle/
This gadget seems not to be viewed with much 'enthusiasm' (in the U.K.) judjing by the comments I have seen in several cycling fora (did fit a similar thing to an AJS 250 many years ago, but thought that the hot grease treatment worked better).

Being. wash chain in paraffin oil. Dry. Immerse in heated graphite
grease. let cool. remove excess grease. Grease gets pushed out as it
is used. Engine oil may be added before retreatment. Lasts 4000
miles on motorcycle iirc.

Hot oil soaking also works although the trearment requires 48 hours
for full effect.