Cleaning the bike !

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black oily stuff
! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach the cleaning ? best
to blast it off with a power jet of water ?, Should I buy some de-greaser
and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it ,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ?
Thanks

--
Regards,
Stu Devereux.
Fax no. 08701339568
(Outside UK fax 448701339568)
E-mail.

Stewart Devereux wrote:
OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black
oily stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach
the cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,
Should I buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it
,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ? Thanks

Take the chain off, put it in some petrol or similar, shake, let all the
crud settle, put it back on the bike and oil.

Clean the cogs with an old toothbrush and car engine degreaser.

doki wrote:
Stewart Devereux wrote:

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black
oily stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach
the cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,
Should I buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it
,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ? Thanks


Take the chain off, put it in some petrol or similar, shake, let all the
crud settle, put it back on the bike and oil.

Really, don't use petrol unless you are fond of taking unnecessary risks
with very flammable liquids. White spirit (or paraffin) is less
flammable (though still to be treated with respect) and works perfectly
well.

If you have solvent in an old plastic soft drink bottle you can put the
chain in with it, put the cap back on, then give it a good shake. Later,
when the crud settles, the solvent can be decanted and reused.

It's all well described on Sheldon Brown's site, but for some reason I
cannot get a working link to the relevant pages.


--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

Following on from doki's message. . .
Take the chain off, put it in some petrol or similar, shake, let all the
crud settle, put it back on the bike and oil.

/oil/?

Many people have discovered chain wax or spray can general purpose
lubricants. Say good bye to black crud misery! Get the chain-ring of
confidence. You too can keep your chain looking as young as mine.


PS If drenching in petrol (paraffin preferred) this can (a) take all
lube from inside the rollers and possibly (b) add water 'cos there can
be water in paraffin. So after drying in the sun you have to work out
how to lubricate inside the chain rollers (they were lubricated in the
factory but you've just removed that). - Another good reason for
sticking to the hassle free non-oil alternatives.

IMHO - Get a new chain fitted by your LBS and throw the oil can away.




--
PETER FOX Not the same since the submarine business went under

2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk

Stewart Devereux wrote:

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black oily stuff
! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach the cleaning ? best
to blast it off with a power jet of water ?, Should I buy some de-greaser
and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it ,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ?

Car shampoo is surprisingly good at removing oily grime even at normal
dilution. I'm amazed how it gets crud off chainrings.

JLB wrote:
doki wrote:
Stewart Devereux wrote:

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black
oily stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach
the cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,
Should I buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it
,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ? Thanks


Take the chain off, put it in some petrol or similar, shake, let all
the crud settle, put it back on the bike and oil.

Really, don't use petrol unless you are fond of taking unnecessary
risks with very flammable liquids.

All adds to the fun!

in message , Stewart
Devereux ') wrote:

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black oily
stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach the
cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,

No, you'll knacker the bearings.

Should I
buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it ,clean off
with a cloth and re-oil ? Thanks

Take the chain off (if you can easily) and clean it by dropping it into
a bottle of solvent and shaking vigorously. If you can't easily take
the chain off you can use one of the on-bike cleaning baths, but in my
experience these are a nuisance. Either way dry fully before
re-lubricating. Do not over-lubricate! After the lubricant has had time
to soak into the inner crevices of the chain, wipe off any excess with
a cloth or kitchen towels.

Dismantle the rear deraileur cage and drop the bits into a bath of
solvent, after carefully observing how they go back together. Clean
with an old toothbrush and dry fully. Reassemble with a smidgin of
grease.

Wash everything else with warm water, car shampoo and a soft cloth. Use
an old toothbrush to get into awkward corners.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other
;; languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and riffle their
;; pockets for new vocabulary -- James D. Nicoll

In article ,
Stewart Devereux wrote:
OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black
oily stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach
the cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,
Should I buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40
it ,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ?

In no particular order -

Check for looseness in the front and rear wheel bearings, bottom
bracket and headset. Adjust/lubricate/replace as necessary

Clean the frame and rims with warm soapy water.

Clean the chain with Jizer or similar.

Clean the gears and sprockets with aerosol Gunk.

Do NOT use a power washer - it forces muck into places which are
otherwise safe

After the bike is squeaky clean - relube everything which moves.

Brake and gear cables with a thin oil - 3 in 1 is still OK.

Chain and cartridge with GT85.

Brake posts and seat post with anything penetrative.

After all that clean the braking surfaces of the rims with acetone or
similar on a clean cloth or tissue.

Check the tyre pressures

It's actually easier to do it than it is to describe it but I hope
that this helps.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

"doki" wrote in message
...


JLB wrote:
doki wrote:
Stewart Devereux wrote:

OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black
oily stuff ! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach
the cleaning ? best to blast it off with a power jet of water ?,
Should I buy some de-greaser and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it
,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ? Thanks


Take the chain off, put it in some petrol or similar, shake, let all
the crud settle, put it back on the bike and oil.

Really, don't use petrol unless you are fond of taking unnecessary
risks with very flammable liquids.

All adds to the fun!

I know someone who was seriously burnt because he used petrol for cleaning.
DON'T use petrol!!!!!

Stewart Devereux wrote:
OK, so I've had my Dawes hydrid for 6 months now, plenty of black oily stuff
! around the chain and gears etc- how should I approach the cleaning ? best
to blast it off with a power jet of water ?, Should I buy some de-greaser
and use some 'elbow' grease, or WD40 it ,clean off with a cloth and re-oil ?
Thanks

You can get a chain cleaner kit from Halfords, which has rotating
brushes and clips on the chain. This saves taking the chain off and
messing about with inflammables. To clean the gears use a toothbrush
and a special bike cleaning liquid like 'Muc-Off', from bike shops.

Doug.