The GOOD, BETTER & ULTIMATE Way To Clean A Bike Chain For Free Speed & Longer Lasting Drivetrain!

Make your bike faster and last longer for free! How to clean your bike chain to make your road bike or gravel bike faster and expensive drivetrain components last longer!
In this video we look at three different methods of how to clean a bicycle chain. It's some of the simplest bike maintenance to do at home and yet can make a huge difference to your cycling in 2024.
You can read more bike chain cleaning tips here:
road.cc/content/feature/how-c...
Which do you think is the best way to clean a bike chain? Let us know in the comments below...
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⚫️ In this video
0:00 Introduction
1:07 The good way to clean a bike chain
2:46 The Better way to clean a bike chain
5:05 The ULTIMATE way to clean a bike chain
7:40 Outro
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[@robertlight2370]

Use an old shoelace to floss the cassette. It's easier than using the edge of your towel.

[@madplanet3351]

For these on a budget..remove cassette and chain. Place into old washing up bowl. Apply half a mug of the readily available 'Elbow grease 'liquid along with very hot water. Swish around with old brush. Repeat until water is clear. Remove and dry. Radiator is good in winter. Use Elbow grease onto a cloth and clean chainring Reassemble everything they apply silica secret.

[@Mgrant8163]

First ride yesterday on a new chain and cassette. Also, it was the first time using a waxed chain. It was like butter! No chain sound at all, super clean. I loved it.

[@romanpramuka2703]

This video is April Fool's joke? I've never seen worst chain maintenance recommendations. It's full of mistakes.

[@nigelwilkinson-xg9us]

Clamping the top tube scared me 😅

[@Dimashoey]

haha me too...but knowing his bike is allez, it isn't that scary

[@alistair410]

I think its OK to put your bike on the work stand using the top tube as long as you don't put any force on the clamp, let gravity do most of the work. If you clamp your bike using your profiled carbon seat post you have to apply a lot more clamping force to hold the bike there. Where would you clamp a bike that doesn't have a seat post, there are a few of them around.

[@thegrowl2210]

Why do these KZbinrs keep doing this?

[@nigelwilkinson-xg9us]

@@alistair410 good point

[@kmmntrls]

Its alloy

[@kenkool5979]

WD40 is not a degreaser

[@garyrobinson312]

Fairly sure he was using Wd40 bike degreaser, not the multi purpose stuff

[@richardgilbert5339]

It certainly isn't,if you've got a tin of it in your bike tool box bin it. I've heard of people spraying it down gear and brake cables for lube???? I'm glad he mentioned chain direction when reinstalling the chain,made that mistake years ago before I knew better, drivetrain sounded worse than before I cleaned it.If he's being that thorough he should've removed the cassette for a good clean. Warning people that degreaser and bearing don't mix.

[@KOL630]

You say that but it’s very effective at cleaning chains and metal parts. It also thins out grease in bearings so not a good idea to spray into parts like hubs etc. so technically it does decrease to an extent.

[@jeremynorth]

WD stands for water dispersal. It's hydrophobic

[@Leo-gt1bx]

I actually is look it up.

[@siners77]

Good informative video, hope some day someone would think of adding a video to adjust / tune, changing gears !!

[@winstonshaw2533]

one of the better videos on quickly cleaning your chain and deep clean put WD-40 isn't a degreaser.. Gunk degreaser is great but one thing I personally always do using a chain Bath always use diluted washing up liquid to get the degreaser out of the chain followed by clean warm water

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

There is a WD40 branded degreaser. I guess they are using that rather than actual WD40, which is bad for your bike.

[@hal9058]

The Silca wax system makes chain waxing much easier. It's faster, much more thorough/efficient, and compact setup

[@GummeeH3]

I've got an alternative for biweekly-ish cleanings: shift into big/small, spray the chain with your spray lube of choice (lately I've been using Boeshield cause it tests well on the chain wear tests), then grab the chain in your dirty chain cleaning rag and run the chain in an S pattern thru the rag using the top and bottom of your hand. That will get the rollers on both sides. Alternate on the sides of the chain. Clean off the jockey wheels and floss your cassette with the edges of your rag. Done. Is it spotless? No. Has this worked for almost 40 years now? Yes. You should probably still do a deep cleaning once a year, and you should re-clean after every rainy ride, but for a 'quick, keep it mostly clean' cleaning and lubing regimen, this works.

[@Akira-xc2zi]

I like this method, I do the same.

[@timetrialist]

Finally this bike channel talks about bike maintenance instead of selling bike BS

[@mboretzki]

I'm mostly riding in dry conditions and only on tarmac. I degrease my chain every +/- 1.000 km completely with Muc-off degreaser. Then I rinse it in hot soapy water and lubricate it afterwards. My last KMC chain made it about 16.000 km and was only 50% worn which is considered enough for a change on an 11-speed cassette according to some bike mechanics I talked to. Let's see how long my new Shimano chain will make it...

[@luzzyrogue]

5000km

[@RegularJonMTB]

Going to some hot waxing this summer when my current chain wears out.

[@qwertyazerty2137]

Nothing (maybe apart from a sonic cleaner) beats a simple shake in a bottle with a brake cleaner. For the cassette just use a paint brush. It's enough to have the teeth and cavities between clean. No need to floss for a perfect clean.

[@VladThe333]

I cut off the top of a plastic bottle, screw on the cap and pour solvent into it. I immerse the lower jockey wheel of the derailleur in this container and simply pedal backwards

[@bcc1955]

But will remove grease from jockey bearing right?

[@VladThe333]

@@bcc1955 there is no bearings in my pooley wheels 🤷

[@cryptobond0079]

Only the best for my chains and bikes. TDF Banana Wax Drag & Friction Reduction Racing Chain Wax. Clean you chain With Holts EGR Valve Cleaner before ultra sonic cleaning. Wax That Chain! ⛓️👍

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

WD40 is lubricant dissolved in solvent. While it may do some degreasing, it will add some. Thus, the cleaned parts are not actually clean. Applying chain lube on top of another lube does not sound like best practice. Chain lubes, the good ones anyway, are made to adhere to clean metal.

[@tomaburque]

Nothing cleans as good as a ultrasonic because nothing works on the inside of the bushings as well. If you don't want to deal with hot wax, there are wax-based lubes like Squirt which work great. I'm in a dry climate and currently using Muc Off ceramic which works for my needs.

[@paceline]

Can anyone recommend some consumer-level ultrasonic cleaners that fit a chain and don't break the bank?

[@socopower]

Ah, that’s better then :)

[@nukez88]

I mean I guess it depends on the bicycle. For my MTB a chain is 4$ the shimano cassette is abound 10-15$. One of the more quality chain cleaning product's or de-greasers cost about 20$

[@SlingsAxes]

400 to 1500 k? As in 400km 1500km?

[@hendrikgoldammer659]

Chaining a chain after a couple hundreds of kilometers due to wear and tear would be completely insane, that’s for sure

[@thejuampi]

A year ago I accidentally bought a fake shimano 11 speed chain. Made it last 6000 km using the ultrasonic cleaner and waxing it. Not bad. I know an original chain can last 12000+ km if waxed properly every ~300km

[@Sutlore007]

I have no confidence on re-apply the wax lube as I have seen people just dry brush the chain and re-apply the wax lube right away. Since the chain does not look so clean after finished, I feel like re-applying the wax lube like that 4-5 times later will eventually contaminate the chain. Would it be any other way to re-apply the wax lube properly?

[@oli4572]

Wax does not attract any dirt or dust at all.

[@grvl307]

Since I've started using hot wax I don't do all this stuff anymore. My chains last 10.000 km 😄

[@leftyseel8658]

Is it ok to just use degreaser without rinsing? I also use an old shoelace to clean in between cogs, like someone here commented.

[@khaledzaidan]

definitely wash off the degreaser before applying lube (especially inside the links)... he didn't mention that bit... after degreasing, I usually use some soapy water on a sponge + brush (sometimes) then just water to wash off the soap... otherwise i find the lube doesn't last much

[@11robotics]

A chain only lasting 1.500 km is considered to be good nowadays? Good God. 11 speed chains easily last 3.000 km and 30.000 m of climbing under a heavy rider. Good thing those SRAM Red flat top chains are cheap as chips. But yeah, ultrasonic cleaners are the way to go. Easy to find cheap ones on Aliexpress, some large enough to also clean cassettes and at least the smaller chainrings.

[@JFomo]

I ran my last sram red chain for over 15,000km with 200,000m plus of climbing. You're doing rookie numbers there.

[@mboretzki]

​@@JFomo I also don't understand what some people are doing with their chains. My KMC chain lastet for almost 16.000 km with 180.000 m of elevation. Changed it last weekend with about 50% wear.

[@grvl307]

The chain on my winter bike that I rarely clean and dont wax lasts 3000-4000 km.. 🥲 10.000 km is a normal number for my waxed chains that I clean and rewax often. 1500 km is embarrassingly low.. 🫣

[@11robotics]

@@grvl307 @JFomo @mboretzki I wasn't referring to waxed chains, but merely to regularly and thoroughly degreased and lubricated chains. Another factor is the rider weight, their power output and the prevalence of high power bursts, the pedalling technique involved (grinding leads to far more chain wear than spinning), the size of the chainrings and sprockets (smaller chainrings and sprockets lead to more wear), the prevalence of cross-chain use and even the amount of gear shifts under power. Those were also quite conservative values ("easily lasts" means it can do more). Long story short, the quoted longevity of my chains could easily be improved by 50-100% if a 65 kg rider (instead of 88) who mostly spins (> 90 RPM instead of my median of 82 RPM), rarely if never sprints and rides a 52/36 crankset (instead of a 46/30 one), while never crosschaining, was doing the exact same rides I do.

[@cyclingjoezone]

Nonsense. 1500k is not a lot of mileage. Clean rings and cassette when you replace chain @4500km and don’t ever use wd-40.

[@DanRoch]

Rotating 3 chains saves the most time, so you can bulk clean or wax.

[@roadcc]

Good tip! Definitely!

[@philadams9254]

In B4 the 'just wax your chain' crew 😂

[@kenleckie2359]

Start new and soak I gasoline 3 times then mix a teaspoon of Teflon power in melted paraffin wax and enjoy a extremely clean chain for upto 15,000km forget about oil and grinding dirt an filff

[@JFomo]

Take the jockie wheels off but don't put them in the ultra sonic cleaner. The bearings are sealed. If you put them in the cleaner then all the grease will get washed out and you will not be able to regrease them. Just clean them with a cloth. Take the cassette of and brush it down with a toothbrush dipped in turpentine. The chain can be cleaned in a jar of turpentine too though you may beed about 2 or 3 jars of it. Reuse the turpentine for next time too so don't pour it out. Lastly soak the clean chain in mineral spirits, let it dry and proceed to lube or wax.

[@roadcc]

Agreed, good tips! We like to ultrasonic clean jockey wheels with bushings but agree ones with bearings it’s best to stick to a toothbrush

[@JFomo]

@@roadcc Yeah the ones with bushings are fine, no harm.

[@antonyadshead965]

I pressure wash the chain and cassette while on the bike, avoiding getting anywhere near any bearings. I want to blast the filth out of the chain and cassette, but not the grease out of wheel bearings etc

[@oli4572]

Pressure washing the chain is an absolute nogo. You will avoid water in between the tiny gaps of the chain links by any chance. If you do so and oil your chain right after, you will trap water in these little gaps and rust there will be, also if you let the chain airdry after your pressure washing session. Nogo!

[@nigelbradley613]

In the 2nd method you didn't protect the rotor and sprayed degreaser over it

[@richardgilbert5339]

Get him to clean my Vitus Sommet MTB drivetrain after a weekend riding in the north east of Scotland,then youll see a dirty drivetrain,or after a winter of riding 😂

[@Craig_Beale]

Rock 'n' roll gold lube has been the best lube I have found so far, it goes on as a wet lube, cleans the chajn at the same time and doesnt clump or flake of like wax based lubes do

[@bondy284]

Totally agree !!!!!! And have used different products on my chains over the years and this is the best in my opinion👍🇦🇺.

[@ryansanchez7735]

yes, rock n roll gold is pretty good, no need degrease as it also cleans the chain. saves time and easy to use. clean looking drivetrain all the time

[@matkvaid]

First thing - it is not possible to clean and lubricate at the same time - lubricant is not some kind of magic thing, it either lubricates or cleans, or it is just marketing. Also, this lube cannot be called "good", it is average at best in testings.

[@ryansanchez7735]

@@matkvaid just sharing my own personal experience with it nothing more…

[@iann23]

A chain lasts between 400km - 1500km? Wow. Think mine has done about 20000km.

[@therealbonj]

My microphone wasn’t working but I think I get the idea - use a deep fat fryer right?

[@roadcc]

i feel a follow up vid coming on

[@stephenragland7710]

WD40 is the wrong lube and does attract H2O

[@paullubbers939]

Use bio-degradable!!!!

[@a1white]

Yes. The trouble with WD40 or GT85 is they contain PTFE which is a pretty nasty “forever chemical”

[@stephencharles6932]

Not good. Wax your chain. Beautiful buttery smooth transmission and next to no cleaning palaver ( after initial set up).

[@roadcc]

You agree we got the order right then? We love wax too!

[@JasonMatthewCrabtree]

I don't think he watched the video through the end and he just missed that you did the waxing at the end. I think you got the order right though!

[@michieltr]

Did you watch this?

[@stephencharles6932]

@@michieltr haha, no! Didn't watch after the start of the ultrasonic bath part, thought that was it!

[@socopower]

Very good, but please clamp your seat post not your frame 😣

[@konigsegg_1to1]

The frame is a specialized allez sprint, made of aluminium.

[@socopower]

Ah, that makes sense

[@peterwillson1355]

The WORST thing you can do is wipe a chain with a rag. You're just pushing the crap IN.

[@Leo-gt1bx]

Hot waxing is the best way to not have to deal with all of this crap.

[@oli4572]

But useless, as waxing is shown here...

[@stretch1396]

Gas

[@ianthompson6268]

I like to clean chains in kerosene. It cleans and lubes.

[@lolbubs11111]

Only wax.

[@aveedub7403]

Surprised to see presenter spraying WD40 liberally all over cassette and possibly overspray on rotor!!!! Take the wheel out or cover rotor with a plastic bag if you're gonna spray wd40 about! Imo. I prefer deep immersion chain waxing, just done two to swap out contaminated!!

[@roadcc]

We had to save something for the better and best methods!

[@xaviermorel4956]

First!

[@xaviermorel4956]

Park tool CM 5.3!!!!!

[@Celeritate7]

Just go to a car wash and bring a degreaser spray. Job done.

[@bicikircho]

put bike on shower, get a hard brush, put some detergent on the brush, go thoroughly over the entire drivetrain, chain, sprockets, jockey wheels, etc. Rinse with water. Repeat 2-3 times if when rinsing water keeps being dark when falling from chain/cassette. Dry with a towel, once sure chain is dry, lubricate. I do this after every ride (65k or more)