How To Get A Perfectly Clean Chain

A super clean drivetrain rapidly reduces the rate of wear on your bike components. There are a multitude of products that will shift dirt from your bike, from everyday household chemicals to bike specific formulas. In this instance, we'd certainly recommend a bike-specific degreaser that's kind to your components and preferably to the environment as well.
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[@tmulqueen]

I've used a pair of old tooth brushes taped together. Works just as well as a proper chain cleaning tool.

[@vietphamification]

me too! saw some laying in the ground from past friends and might as well use it

[@danilogutierrez2178]

Tomas Mulqueen The only problem I had was that there is no option of seeing a new update to a page turner

[@chrisflores1448]

Same here been using this technique since I was a little kid and I never use WD-40 that stuff is horrid they have videos online that prove how bad it cleans dirt After Time when it dries up people don't notice cuz they're constantly reapplying and wiping it down but it's actually kind of counterproductive

[@jimihenrik11]

No it doesn't. At least not for me. I have used the toothbrushes for years. Now i have a chain cleaning tool and it is a difference like day and night.

[@kookamunga2458]

@@chrisflores1448 I only use wd40 only once but put it on the cleaning cloth . This is because I was trying out and experimenting with different chain lubricants . One popular brand of ceramic lubricant gummed and coated my chain with a thick hardened ceramic coating. I stopped using that ceramic lubricant and never had to clean with wd40 again .

[@AussieInJapan]

These old GCN how to videos are still the best.

[@spanish111japan]

That intro... With that beanie and the music it looks like a video of "How to steal a road bike"

[@bnt7526]

Haha

[@poisondagger3626]

Lol

[@Arthur-mh2uo]

Ha ha

[@robphippen]

I find that a chain that’s really dirty, especially with wet lube applied does NOT come clean with bike-specific degreasers. In that case I use either paraffin or white spirit. I minimise the environmental and cost impact by pouring the dirty liquid back in the can: the dirt settles to the bottom and the liquid can be reused again and again. I used the same can of paraffin for about 20 years! With dry lube, normal degreaser seems to work just fine.

[@kara2814]

Spot on with this Rob, my dad showed me how to do that 50 years ago with white spirit so as to keep reusing it. Zero chance of chain rusting as it is a very light oil and by using the same fluid multiple times its cheap and your not flushing it into the enviroment. No need to reinvent the wheel (OK bad pun!) with other expensive "specialist" products.

[@Me-eb3wv]

🙏🏼

[@meganalexandra6604]

Thanks so much for sharing this

[@raczyk]

Whats paraffin, wax? Is white spirit cleaning easier? Do you have to dunk in alcohol at the end to remove the white spirit before greasing?

[@robphippen]

@@raczyk Paraffin is also known as kerosene, it's a hydrocarbon liquid used e.g. as a fuel. Whether using paraffin or white spirit, I clean that off with 'normal' bike chain cleaner, then finally rinse the cleaner off with water.

[@kentwydell9322]

Excellent video. Factual and to the point without larking about with lame jokes and trying to become a KZbin 'personality'

[@running4fun863]

I love getting my chain really clean and spent a lot of time cleaning. Thanks for this tips. Love it.

[@Maxmaxz]

Pro Tip: If using a concealed motor in the seat tube, be extra cautious when cleaning around the bottom bracket. White spirit and similar products can play havoc with the electronics.

[@nunyabusiness3786]

You cheater

[@luckyapple2655]

can play havoc - distutb, disrupt as in "shift work can play havoc with the body clock"

[@nsant]

Just blood dope. Less chance of getting electrocuted.

[@redjumping]

I forgive the occasional commercial for muc-off, everyone needs to make a living : ) Its a small price to pay for all the great vids GCN post.

[@nunyabusiness3786]

My chain looks like the inside of a smokers lung Thanks for the tips!

[@Fire-dk4pi]

Lmao

[@monsieurcamembert5223]

@Alien On a Bike wouldn't recommend it

[@notar2123]

like the inside of your brain

[@furqaanshah5570]

@@notar2123 like the shit for brains of you

[@jcderby129]

@@monsieurcamembert5223 Donald Trump would!

[@niob9141]

Thanks Simon, showing how to use the chain cleaning device briefly was the piece of information i was looking for!

[@hythesailor]

Fantastic video. Cuts through a lot of the woof I have read in other articles and tells you what you need to know. Thanks.

[@mikemills54]

Thank you. Once again one of your videos has helped me a lot and saved me a bit of money.

[@gaborvaradi7946]

Thanks for this very useful video, added to my essential bike videos list!

[@dreamlover122769]

thank you for this valuable and very well thought out and easily explained tutorial..and being environmentally friendly is so important to me so thanks again for being so conscious and helpful

[@DJAngiePangie]

Thank you so much for this video! I'm gradually learning bike maintenance as I go and my chain is lovely and shiny now! :)

[@gcn]

Our pleasure.

[@danieloshea3326]

That's what she said

[@ericgeorge5483]

I like this guy. Great presenting style and a really interesting video too.

[@GG-jiggles]

Thank you for service! Straight to the point !

[@fredylemus3384]

I always learn with you guys .... thanks!

[@g52681]

Thank you for the clear, logical guide.

[@brianbassett4379]

I tried for the first couple of years with my latest bike (I have only owned and ridden a single bike at a time)... to keep it clean and shiny all the time, immaculate. I obsessed over the chain to the point of cleaning it during rides. This is all while averaging over 7K miles a year, 20 to 120 mile rides year around. That means for me, living in the Pacific Northwest, 4 to 6 months of riding in the rain and on muddy wet surfaces. I have a Rohloff Speedhub mounted on a full-suspension touring bike coupled to a BBSHD mid-drive and it's amazing. It's broken me to ever owning another bike without a Rohloff. The mid-drive and the Speedhub are made for each other, they go together like lamb and tuna fish. @ The 1st year I rode I changed the chain 8 times... whenever it got to 0.5% wear as tested with a Park tool. After another 25K miles and 4 years riding I now wipe the chain clean daily and swap my chains every 6 months. Drop the chain, flip or replace the Rohloff gear, mount a new chain, and ride. Always having a straight chain line makes it amazingly easy to maintain. 11 Jul 19 - 71 miles w/front panniers & trailer on less than 15Ah... 1/2 the packs capacity. www.relive.cc/view/g37290970278 photos.app.goo.gl/RD1NrDPCZQuHpWja9 For anyone that thinks they can really clean the chain on the bike, follow this guys instructions then pull the chain and drop it in some type of solvent and see how filthy it still is.

[@FlourescentPotato]

you think you disproved this video, but really you just wrote an essay on how you're overly neurotic about your bike chain

[@brianbassett4379]

@@FlourescentPotato The fact that you consider 11 sentences an essay makes me weep for the future little lady. It's not a question of proof or disproof, it's merely a question of choice as any bike rider understands... but I understand why you don't. You stay safe Pumpkin.

[@really7037]

I repeated everything that he illustrated from gloving up, muc'n off and suds'n down and my chain and Cannondale went from a black coal color to shiny and clean! Thank you very much for such an educational video.!! 5 STARS! Best 4:46

[@LungCancer420]

Thank you sir. This video is concise, informative, and very helpful

[@nathanedensor3543]

can't wait. Friday evening having my hair styled and cut like Dan Lloyd's. Hoping to look fresh for a velodrome session at Derby on Saturday.

[@camfranklin585]

first time bike owner here!!!! this is extremely helpful, thank you!!!

[@haych27]

1.5 hours later I've actually cleaned my bike in winter! Thanks for the great content guys, with your segments, my excellent lbs and getting punctures I've learnt heaps about bike maintenance I'd otherwise be too lazy to do. :)

[@Brandon-xp1ob]

I use the nail brushes and they're wonderful. I usually blow off excess water from my chain with compressed air and let it sit overnight before lubing again to make sure it's bone dry. Cheers!

[@rinnin]

The most helpful video on this subject I found so far 👏

[@AssFaceNFT]

Exactly what I needed! Thank you!

[@mastimusicduniyanaina2147]

I got to know more from this video. Good job GCN

[@MarioGoatse]

My chain came from the shop with the worst quality black grease. I bought some good chain degreaser and washed it a few times to get it all off, then gave it a good lube with some Muc-Off Dry Lube, and now it’s so much better.

[@razcohen5590]

Wow! Amazing! Where were the days before GCN were sponsored by muc-off when Si told us to use wd40?

[@Demon09-_-]

at least they still say there is other stuff. and not trying to say muc off stuff is the only way . someone's gotta pay for all their trips and bike's I guess

[@riggermortisfpv526]

+RC 1986 I was really expecting to see the can of wd40 come out......today is a somber day indeed.

[@thadestroyer1988]

+Marc Ariss totally! haha.. great to see all those comments... xD

[@ianmiles7916]

+RC 1986 On a short wash not the long one or detailed chain clean.

[@gcn]

+RC 1986 There were, there was this video which came out one week after the 5 minute bike wash! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5LOZXSwobqta7M

[@scotty193]

Well a top tip coming from a guy who worked weekends in a bike shop as a kid and rode competitive BMX is what this video omitted to tell you. What you need is a chain breaker if you want to clean your chain correctly.

[@paulneri835]

Thanks for that, bro. I found the nail cleaners particularly useful and not just on the chain. A long handle soft-bristle kitchen (cup?) scrubber helped on tight spots. I used environmentally friendly degreaser and it seemed to work but the grease certainly didn't fly off. The grease on my chain etc may have been particularly heavy but perhaps the trick is to leave the degreaser on for some time? I'm really not sure that good ol' soap and water wouldn't have done the job but anyway my bike chain and surrounding bits look a lot cleaner than what they were!

[@mrcodhead67]

I used shower gel, eg Lynx, that Mint one, etc, that I received as unwanted presents as my degreaser. It worked very well, and smelt a little nicer than most!

[@CMane]

Dude. That nail brush trick is way cool. I’ll be trying that.

[@chriskostka5397]

Love the bike maintenance tips you guys post. Wondering what to do when it's too dang cold out to wash your bike outside. Miles and miles on the trainer in the winter make my drivetrain sound pretty sad but I'm not about to go out and clean my bike in sub zero temps in Wisconsin. Any ideas or tips to give the bike a once over when it's too cold to clean it outside?

[@michaelfrymus]

Been cleaning the chain after every other ride since day one. Looks brand new Then again, I only had it for like a month. 🙃

[@kylieminou7775]

"a gleaming drive train does wonders for your morale" LOL, it sure does! and the sound is priceless

[@benjaminoppong-twumasi9662]

Good product and appears well made. Easy to use.

[@JonnyDIY]

+1 for the Paint brush hack! Genius! 👏

[@chadtellevik5479]

I use simple green. Thanks for the video

[@jacobmarx697]

An old tooth brush works a treat for me, it would have just gone in the bin anyway & saves having to go buy a nail brush. Just give it a rinse in degreaser a few times whilst cleaning the chain.

[@gratefultube]

Most authoritative. Much gratitude.

[@jangyman]

Sold on the double nail brush hack! Si is certainly one of my favourite online bikey's.

[@ronralph5726]

I use Simply Green to degrease my chain in a Park Tool Chain Gang cleaner. Sometimes I use WD40 to do quick degrease, wipe it completely dry, then lube my chain. Regular WD40 is not a lubricant, but WD40 did come out with a version of chain lube, which I haven't tried yet.

[@condor5635]

I blow my chain while turning it with high pressure air from my air compressor. Does an awesome job of blowing grit and sand etc. then I lube it and hold a shop towel around it while cranking. Repeat this a few times and viola. A very clean chain I believe. Compressed air works great. Thanks for posting

[@joejoe8948]

I use Simple Green. Works great!!

[@segway2613]

Thanks GCN!

[@lance12551]

Very good video, thanks alot ✌

[@andrewdeck7945]

wow, did not know there was a chain cleaning tool! Getting one RIGHT NOW

[@etechjd8260]

NICE CLEANING OVER THE GRASS. GOOD FOR ENVIRONMENT

[@syedjavedahmad9719]

Thanks for the tutorial.

[@johnbouttell5827]

I like the double nail brush technique. Good bodge.

[@cianbolger3100]

Used it on my road bike worked thx gcn

[@grayza2988]

That chain bath looks great think ill invest in one its on ebay comes with the drivetrain cleaner to

[@tommyvictorbuch6960]

I've used rim cleaner for cars for years. Works brilliantly.

[@enrgys_world]

Excellent video, thank you Sir

[@gcn]

You're welcome 🙌

[@1shadowfx]

Brilliant! Thanks!

[@mosmondor]

I just needed to hear Si say: "apply liberally" and I'm in heaven :)

[@randallschulz5018]

My weekly routine: • Remove wheels • Remove chain • Clean chain for 15 minutes with Simple Green (non-toxic solvent and detergent) diluted 1:15 in an ultrasonic cleaner. Repeat twice more with fresh cleaning solution. This is by far the most tidy and low-labor way to get a chain really, really clean. Cleaning the rest of the drive train (and the rear cassette) with the chain out of the way is much easier. (The time it takes me to clean the rest of the bike and drive train-at a rather leisurely pace-is usually about the same as the 45 minutes of ultrasonic cleaning.) Put it all back together, lube and go!

[@LuKaS2oo9]

That's some OCD

[@tamisbraaf5591]

Every week? This feels like a monthly routine or 2 monthly routine

[@avi.d04]

Man your bike must be getting real gritty every week of you gotta do that weekly

[@monkeyx17]

i would of said every 6 months, not ever week thats madness. unless you ride like 100km a day

[@cosryuu3900]

@@LuKaS2oo9 😭😭

[@johne7100]

Stand up a bit of cardboard between chain and back wheel to protect your rim & tyre. Oil rots rubber and lubes brake pads.

[@acraig8586]

Thanks to all those that sponsor GCN and the production of these enjoyable videos. To those that continually complain about the products they use quit whining and go make your own videos. Let us know how that works out for you.

[@MrSmid888]

You brush it on. You don’t paint it on. Unless of course,it’s paint! Great channel,I’m obsessed 🚴‍♂️💨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@garyluker623]

Great video!!! Thank you

[@clayguy33]

Thanks! & btw... rubbing a teaspoon of any cooking oil, such a canola, is very good at removing oil and such from hands. Followed by soap and very warm water.

[@blackjack5293]

Another good tip not disclosed in this video, but time consuming, spin each connector roller of your chain to verify unimpeded movement. A stopped roller will cause your bike chain to kick as you pedal, causing serious jars, and even dislocation of chain from drive track, in the worst cases it can even break the chain.

[@danial_s]

GCN uses SRAM and Shimano, nobody bats an eye. Then comes like 5 pixels of muc-off, *everyone loses their minds*

[@nightfly222]

Very true, the only people GNC is pissing off is the Campagnolo users.

[@crystaljoy4226]

Danial Arif hi Malay ke

[@cianbolger3100]

Thx for repling to me in the comets a while back

[@dylansimpson4071]

nice my fit bike bin makeing this grinding sound and the bike was harder to pettle. awesome hack ill try it

[@drithligh]

*pedal

[@Gejokono]

Awesome very helpful!!!

[@alexandradiannedelatorre3235]

thanks for the Tips

[@luc_courleciel]

Merci pour la vidéo. Good job !

[@djjayem100]

Perfectly explained for a nooby here. thanks.

[@Yorenzo27]

I use simple green diluted with water with park tool chain cleaner tool. gets me a perfectly clean chain everytime.

[@scholzdigital]

By how much are you dilute it?

[@vincecaporale3544]

Lorenzo Cordero I don’t delete it at all

[@stefanofabrizi8191]

Great video !!!

[@johnverrios3944]

wax is the way, dirt sticks to the oil and you have the perfect conditions for making a grinding paste

[@priyavivisvlogs2905]

Help full video👍👍

[@HPaulModels]

Nail brush hack a winner for me!!!

[@dmajumdar2059]

Subscribed! There, take that!

[@czrthegreat]

Thank you kinda sir! ✊️

[@malcolmarchibald6356]

I was quite literally walking home from a Family Mart thinking about this. And boom!

[@dudeflynn2781]

Funny, same here

[@mattwilliams8614]

Using an empty squash bottle to clean chain: 1. Drop chain into squash bottle and pour in a cup of White Spirits. 2. Secure Lid and shake for 1 minute. 3. Poor out liquid and repeat with another cup of white spirits. 4. Once you have done step 1 and 2 twice, cut open the bottle with a knife and remove the chain. 5. Now roll the chain up and hold in 1 hand. 6. Smother the rolled up chain in Fairy liquid and rub in hands until chain is shiny. 7. Wash with water to make sure all the fairy liquid is removed. 8. Leave chain to dry on a peice of dry kitchen roll. Really good tip and is a quick, cheap and effective way if cleaning your chain.

[@sauravjith6925]

I have no cycle

[@rajeshshaw1358]

Get one

[@d_mac3233]

I use cold water, straight from the hose pipe, low pressure. Spray onto the cassette, chainrings and rear derailleur whilst back pedalling. Takes about 20 seconds... none of all this time consuming pissing around with brushes and expensive degreasant. All down to the lube I use... Weldtite TF2 Wet Lube. Washes off quite easily with plain water which obviously means you need to lube all the time in wet weather but my drive train is always immaculate. Quick dry off with kitchen roll and leave to dry overnight. I apply far too much oil when re-lubing and wipe off the excess with kitchen roll. Takes all of 2 minutes. I just pour it on whilst back pedalling... no messing about putting a dot on every link.

[@planespeaking]

I use a spray degreaser then sponge then wait then normal muc off or equivalent then sponge again I used to use chain baths for years but found the sponge more effective. I of course use different sponge to clean rest of bike. I use dish brush from ikea to do cassette and jockey wheels. Bike stand really helps to clean bike I got mine from lidl for £30, surprisingly good quality and worth every penny. Removing wheels makes it much easier to clean everything. Muc off cleaners work well, diesel is non biodegradable and a carcinogen that is if you don't slip over and kill your self first in what you spilt. I haven't found the muc off lubes that amazing and quite expensive used wurth wax and fenwicks. Whatever you use makes sure it's on a clean chain and you wipe off excess

[@vicentesoare]

excellent video

[@mahmoud5461]

Thank you a lot

[@crystalricalton7037]

I used a cleaning product called mean green, when that ran out, spray nine. Not sure if those particular products would harm a bike but it seemed to work just fine.

[@BurgerKingFootLettuce]

Nice technique....

[@slippyg]

Great vid

[@twintwitch1]

This my way. I use Royal Purple gear oil on my chain one drop per link. After every ride I use dawn and warm water on the chain. First I soap the chain with warm soapy water. Then with a a clean soapy rag under the chain I spread dawn from the spout on the chain. I then scrub the chain by cranking the chain. Then I use a soft paint brush on the chain as I crank it. Then I put a little dawn on the cassette and crank it round against a soap brush. I do the same for the chain wheels. Royal purple lubes nice and cleans easily. I do this after every ride or every 60 miles. It takes 5 minutes. I have a bucket with the dawn, brushes and rags out where I clean the chain all the time, no setup time.

[@chrisogrady28]

Oooo, mud off improved the chain cleaner since I got mine. I have to awkwardly hold a chain cleaner aerosol in one hand with a pipe going into the tool with the other hand and spinning the pedals with my third hand...

[@shotgunzombies2]

Thanks for all the videos. Quick question though, what is the stand being used in the video?

[@sgorratoad]

Rapper Si is back!!!

[@GuinessOriginal]

Love how his rag is an old utd shirt. Exactly right, and how they got their nickname of the rags

[@MarzNet256]

I use a quicklink to remove chain and soak it in mineral spirits overnight. Then remove and use paper towel to dry chain. The paper towel sucks all the dirty solvent out of chain. I rotate 3 chains to even out the wear on cassette and chainrings, so I always have a clean chain ready to reinstall while the other is soaking. I run 9-speed 1x setup so I can reuse the quicki link many times over. Some made for 10 and 11 speed chains are not reusable so this trick may not work for you.

[@Nicool333]

man...that is SUCH a sweet bike. I wish...

[@IGotsBadFeeling]

I use a kitchenware degreaser like Mr. Muscle. Works perfectly fine.

[@experiment54]

Washing up liquid in hand + some sugar = clean hands. Pro Tip Of The Week right there ;)

[@Maxmaxz]

+experiment54 Clean + tasty hands. The sweetness of the sugar nicely balances the soapy bitterness of the washing up liquid. Yum yum.

[@simonrichardson5259]

I'm so going to try this. Really hope it works, thanks!

[@experiment54]

Simon Richardson DIY/homemade/poormans swarfega

[@willblizard3610]

dawn dish soap is the best in my opinion for cleaning greasy bikes and hands,warm water is nice as well

[@tradworksuk2125]

yep! Or even better - old coffee grounds, as it doesn't dissolve in the hot water and it smells nice

[@senketsu8786]

two taped up toothbrushes work great.