Chain Cleaning (was: Zefal Deluxe LED Light, 180 Lumens, Spot/FloodZoom, Two-Axis Mount. $21.96, includes tail light.)

On 3/9/2015 11:58 AM, Joerg wrote:

snip

I don't use any solvent but clean it mechanically. Knife, watchmaker
screwdriver's blade, toothbrush and cloth. A good cleaning can take
20-30 minutes but then the chain is really shiny.

Who cares if the outside is shiny?

When I clean a chain, first I clean the outside and get the major dirt
off with a brush. Then, it looks nice and clean and shiny. But it's not
clean. I then run it through solvent (kerosene) on a Park chain cleaning
tool. Since the pins and rollers are in motion as they go through the
solvent the dirt on the inside is flushed out. It takes several solvent
changes before the chain runs clean.

Again, quoting Sheldon Brown: "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." People
complain that it's messy but it's just fine if you rotate the chain
slowly. The hassle is that you have to repeatedly open the machine and
discard the used solvent and wipe out any dirt in the bottom.

The other option is an ultrasonic cleaner. This probably works as well
as a chain cleaning machine but you have to remove the chain. Bike shops
really hate removing chains nowadays because chains are much thinner and
made to tighter tolerances. A guy I know that used to work at a shop
used a chain cleaning machine that was hooked up a hose to a solvent
supply. The solvent was pumped through as the chain was rotated through.
This was an extremely fast and effective way of cleaning chains. The
solvent was filtered and re-used.

--
"It's best not to argue with people who are determined to lose. Once
you've told them about a superior alternative your responsibility is
fulfilled and you can allow them to lose in peace." Mark Crispin,
inventor of the IMAP protocol.