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Anonymous Fri 07 Jun 2013 18:55:28 No.134117 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By:

Mountain bike advice.

Just got myself an amazing mountain bike, something I've been saving for for quite a while.

Been on my first ride, 25km off road, was awesome. But I've got back and my once shiny, sparking chain is now looking like my road bikes chain after 200+ miles.

It hasn't got thick mud or anything on it, just lots of dust and dirt.

Whats the quickest way to clean this off after each ride? I dont want to spend ages cleaning the bike after every ride, but I want to take great care of this bike, so I need the drive chain to be well looked after.

Pic related, the bike I got

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 07 Jun 2013 18:57:31 No.134118 Report

Quoted By:

pee on it, it is a natural cleaner and lubricant.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO Clean_Ride_4oz.jpg, 540KiB, 900x1800

Anonymous Fri 07 Jun 2013 20:31:29 No.134186 Report

Quoted By:

White Lightning Clean Ride. Read the instructions and use as directed.

Best to reapply it when you get home after a dirty ride, not just before the next one, so it has time to dry.

Mule

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Mule Fri 07 Jun 2013 20:50:53 No.134196 Report

Quoted By:

Not a MTB ... but I hose my dirt bike down with simple green, let it soak for a few minutes while I get the hose out. Hose off all the crap, wipe down anything real crusty (weep hole off the cylinder head always pukes coolant, which in turn collects dirt), then let it dry in the garage. Lube your chain while you're at it.

I don't recommend pressure washers unless you're real careful around seals and electrical parts. Garden hose has never given me any water-ingress related problems.

Don't know if there's an MTB equivalent, but a "Grunge Brush" is nice to have. Knocks the big shit off chain/sprockets.

Glamour shot after I washed it, but before I tore it apart to replace a bunch of parts last month.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO ParkToolCC32.jpg, 107KiB, 800x700

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 16:47:25 No.134810 Report

Quoted By: >>134826

Whatever you do, don't blast it with cold water from a hose or pressure washer. Those "sealed" bearings are not perfect, and when you suddenly cool them off, the air inside the wheel hub or bottom bracket (crank bearings) will contract, sucking water in. This is why you should NEVER ride through a stream deep enough to submerge these parts. You should also never use soap or degreaser near these components, because it can get past the seals and wreck the lubrication inside.

There is no "fast" way to clean a mountain bike that is covered with mud. You must carefully dig out the big chunks, then use wooden implements (I use disposable chopsticks carved to fit cracks and crevasses) to dig deeper, then wipe everything down with paper towels or clean rags that you can wash and re-use.

The drivetrain is a huge issue. I have been trying to figure out the optimum lubrication system for a long time. Unlike with road bikes, you are riding through dirt, which acts like grinding compound when it mixes with your chain lube. The front wheel throws dirt directly on the chain. The only way to really clean it is to remove it, soak it in solvent or "natural" cleaner, then brush it out, then repeat with fresh solvent. I allow the dirt to settle out of my solvent for re-use. Some people use an ultrasonic cleaner with acetone, then heat the chain up in a warm oven to evaporate all traces of solvent before re-lubing. You can clean chainrings and sprockets with an old toothbrush and solvent, but be careful not to get any of that into wheel or BB bearings.

No matter what, if you ride a lot, plan on replacing your chain once a year. As it wears, it lengthens, which wears out your sprockets. Get a Park Tool CC3.2, pic related. As soon as your chain wears 0.5 percent, replace it, which makes your gears last longer. Get a chain that can be taken apart easily with a modern version of the "master link," like a SRAM chain.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO pedros brush.jpg, 12KiB, 400x400

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 17:27:06 No.134826 Report

Quoted By:

>>134810
To clean my bike I let the mud dry then brush it off with picture related. I also have a hoof pick (for horses, from the horse store) with a little brush on it that's really good for getting mud out of my shoe tread and around the cleats, and out of the pedals if there's any there.

I should have explained better but the White Lightning is a wax based lubricant that doesn't trap dirt like oil does (as long as you let it dry before riding), and it really does clean the chain as you ride. It doesn't last very well in rain or really heavy mud but it's the best lube I've found for dry or moderately muddy dirt riding. It does leave a bit of waxy residue that eventually needs cleaning but nothing like the grinding paste that oil based lubes turn into.

When I do clean my chain I take it off (quick links make it easy) drop it in a jar of degreaser for a little while, shake it around, then fish it out and scrub if I have to. Then a hot water rinse so it drys fast, and re-lube.

>plan on replacing your chain once a year.
It could be 6 months, could be a couple of years, depending on how much you ride and how dirty it gets (mileage isn't a reliable guide either). I'd say check it often and don't go by a schedule.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 19:05:08 No.134853 Report

Quoted By: >>134871

Why not just get a drivetrain cover? Remove the entire element of having to worry about dirt and mud and cleaning

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 19:34:51 No.134871 Report

Quoted By:

>>134853
You mean a full chain case? On a mountain bike? I don't think there are any that work with derailleurs and triple cranks.

Besides they're heavy and it's one more thing to get bashed up on rocks and go out of alignment and if your back wheel flats you're fucked because they make it a real PITA to remove the back wheel. I'd rather clean my chain once in a while.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 19:48:58 No.134880 Report

Quoted By: >>134909

OP here. This is what I did.

Today I got the hose and used warm water on a shower setting to remove most of the dirt. Didn't use jet and made sure to be careful of the brackets and wheel hubs. So I got most of the dirt off the drivetrain then used a cloth to dry it best I could, then applied some dry lube to chain/cassette/derailleurs

About every 6-8 rides I plan to run the chain though a chain cleaner with degreaser, then scrub down the entire drivetrain with a brush and some degreaser until its all clean. Use the hose to wash away the degreaser and apply more lube.

The only question I have is do I let the drivechain dry before applying the lube? I can only let it airdry, so half of me says I shouldnt apply dry lube to a wet product, then other half says I shouldnt be letting water airdry on the recently degreased chain and components.

Mule

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Mule Sat 08 Jun 2013 20:09:22 No.134885 Report

Quoted By: >>134909

bunch of garage queens here.... wow.
Ride more, worry less.

I do like the hoof pick/brush idea though. Might have to add one of those to my tool bucket.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 20:39:28 No.134901 Report

Quoted By: >>134912

don't want to derail the conversation. but can you share skewers between wheelsets?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO hoof-pick-brush.jpg, 73KiB, 600x600

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 20:52:40 No.134909 Report

Quoted By: >>134924

>>134880
>About every 6-8 rides I plan to run the chain though a chain cleaner
If you have master links like SRAM chains I find it's easier and a lot less messy to take the chain off to clean it. I put it in a plastic peanut butter jar with some degreaser and shake it up and use a toothbrush to scrub if it's still a bit dirty. Then the dirt settles out and I can pour off the clean degreaser and reuse it. With White Lightning I need to do it a lot less often than 6-8 rides.

>The only question I have is do I let the drivechain dry before applying the lube?
Don't think it matters too much. I usually do, but the lube should displace the water, as I said I use hot water and it dries fairly quickly.

>>134885
>Ride more, worry less.
That's why I like White Lightning. A clean chain rides better and lasts longer, though, and 9 & 10 speed chains aren't cheap.

This is the pick I got.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 20:55:29 No.134912 Report

Quoted By:

>>134901
As long as they're the right length. I do it all the time.

Pinzfag.

Pinzfag. Sat 08 Jun 2013 21:11:36 No.134924 Report

Quoted By: >>134957

>>134909
I had an extra flashlight holster pouch that I zip tied to my bike and filled a small bottle with chainsaw bar oil, works great. Bar oil is cheap and since I need to apply oil to my chains so often due to the super dry dusty environment.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 08 Jun 2013 22:24:32 No.134957 Report

Quoted By: >>134960

>>134924
I used to use that stuff in the winter but it turns into gritty tar & I wore out my cogs in like 4 months

Pinzfag.

Pinzfag. Sat 08 Jun 2013 22:27:04 No.134960 Report

Quoted By:

>>134957
Good to know, will keep that in mind.

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