chain ocd

[nez]

1) traffic film remover cleans the chain and cogs a treat. Of course they get washed and oiled afterwards. Any reason not to use it?
2) how often do you clean yours? I used to be a chain [derogatory word removed], you know, once or twice a month all that. Now I find myself driven to clean it after every 50k run. Do I need help?

[Tiberius]

1) traffic film remover cleans the chain and cogs a treat. Of course they get washed and oiled afterwards. Any reason not to use it?
2) how often do you clean yours? I used to be a chain <i>[derogatory word removed]</i>, you know, once or twice a month all that. Now I find myself driven to clean it after every 50k run. Do I need help?

Do what you like with your chain mate......I'm more interested in what the 'derogatory word removed' was....

[531colin]

[derogatory word removed]
Oh, yes, it takes relatively little to upset the software...lets see if something synonymous will get by..."slovenly"...

[nez]

Ess ell u tee. Goodness knows why it's considered rude. Pc gone mad

[Mick F]

Your PC's gone mad?
Sounds like you need a new one.

As for chains, I clean mine when it needs it. The timescale/distance depends on the weather.
Did mine on Saturday last, and it'd done 484miles since the last clean, but I use White Lightning Clean Ride.

[reohn2]

1) traffic film remover cleans the chain and cogs a treat.

Wazzat? i've never heard of that before

2) how often do you clean yours?

when it begins to look cruddy,usually about 500miles+

I used to be a chain <i>[derogatory word removed]</i>, you know, once or twice a month all that. Now I find myself driven to clean it after every 50k run. Do I need help?

Not with cleaning it,that's a simple job.
However a few sessions on the couch of a chain therapist could help.There aren't many specialising in the field as it's quite a narrow discipline,and resources are stretched there are some who like to get their hands dirty and their teeth into it though,myself included.
I'm a long standing member of the Chain Therapist's Club(CTC) and can offer my services at £250+VAT(Very Annoying Tax) per hour.I would suggest a ten session program with a further ten bimonthly cleaning by candle light instructions and advice to follow,that should cure the problem.
I can check my diary for available appointments if you like

[pete75]

Personally I'd recommend you purchase the ShelBroCo chain cleaning kit and precisely follow the instructions http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

[beardy]

Traffic Film Remover: my suspicion is that this is white spirits in a pretty little bottle.

I find that chain cleaning is "required" after every ride on certain Sustrans routes, they seem to have an unfathomable wish to cover their tracks with a loose abrasive fine sand/grit mix which is perfect for tyres to lift and throw onto chains. It also makes a perfect grinding paste when combined with any chain lubricant.
As most of any ride is done after such a bit of Sustrans the effects of cleaning often lasts no more than the first five miles of a much longer ride.

[reohn2]

Traffic Film Remover: my suspicion is that this is white spirits in a pretty little bottle.

I find that chain cleaning is "required" after every ride on certain Sustrans routes, they seem to have an unfathomable wish to cover their tracks with a loose abrasive fine sand/grit mix which is perfect for tyres to lift and throw onto chains. It also makes a perfect grinding paste when combined with any chain lubricant.
As most of any ride is done after such a bit of Sustrans the effects of cleaning often lasts no more than the first five miles of a much longer ride.

There's a fine balance between a wet and lubed chain and a dry one devoid of any lube.
MickF swears by a wax lube,personally I found it lacking and needing applying too frequently.
The wet MTB/sticky/chainsaw-like lubes such as Finnishline Green,TF2 Extreme,etc,remain too wet 'n sticky.
I settled on a lighter lube that dries off if applied after a ride and never before,it doesn't attract as much grit 'n crud as the wet lube but lasts longer between applications than the wax/dry lubes available.

TF2 aerosol or similar,isn't the perfect lube,but then I don't believe there is one for a bicycle chain exposed to the elements.But it's the best one I've tried,it's cheap,offers longer times between cleaning due to it not attracting as much crud,etc,is easy to clean off with a suitable solvent(White Spirit),and extends chain life(4k+miles per Sram chain).
I'm as happy as I can be with chain lube.

[nez]

Aha. Serious answers. Tfr is some sort of alkali cleaner. I put it in a park chain cleaner and whizz away with the pedal. Like beardy I use some gravel roads and they do kick up a good grinding paste. I just use the tfr, wash off with water and then apply Prolube after every good run - maybe 50k is exaggerating but certainly 100-150!

[reohn2]

Aha. Serious answers. Tfr is some sort of alkali cleaner. I put it in a park chain cleaner and whizz away with the pedal. Like beardy I use some gravel roads and they do kick up a good grinding paste. I just use the tfr, wash off with water and then apply Prolube after every good run - maybe 50k is exaggerating but certainly 100-150!

Which one?
I've just googled it and got some very different oils and lubes,including one from CRC costing £10 for 125ml

[nez]

Gold. In my local bike shop for 6 quid. You don't use much as it's very runny and squeezes out of the bottle through a tiny hole. The mechanic swears by it and he gets everything else right so I follow his line

[nez]

Ps well, everything bike mechanic related. I haven't interrogated his wife about his housework skills

[reohn2]

Gold. In my local bike shop for 6 quid. You don't use much as it's very runny and squeezes out of the bottle through a tiny hole. The mechanic swears by it and he gets everything else right so I follow his line

I have a theory about retailers,some tell the unsuspecting punter,the product that is best is the one they make the most most profit on(cynical moi).
That said,If it's runny,as in light oil runny,and if it soaks in the chain then dries off or excess can be wiped off leaving the chain free of sticky crud attracting residue after application,then it's the best you can do.
Have you tried TF2 aerosol?

[nez]

He may well do, but he doesn't own the shop and everything he does on my bike is done perfectly and for the price he said... so I'm not complaining. It must be absolute murder trying to run a business like theirs in a town centre.

I haven't tried TF2. I'll take a look.