Bike cleaning - Groupset, Cassette etc

[schizo]

Chain wear thingamabobs are ok but they sometimes indicate wear a bit too early, there is a sticky under Tech Q & A that will explain a better way of measuring the chain over a bigger "spread" of link for a more accurate way of establishing if the chain is worn or not. The little measuring devices are a quick and dirty and I use mine every now and again, but the final say is still the measuring tape.

Tried searching now for this, where can I find it? Powasol washed by bike at VG and said I have 75% wear, just would like to check it.

[rouxtjie]

Tried searching now for this, where can I find it? Powasol washed by bike at VG and said I have 75% wear, just would like to check it.

Measuring Chain Wear

 

The standard way to measure chain wear is with a ruler or steel tape measure. This can be done without removing the chain from the bicycle. The normal technique is to measure a one-foot length, placing an inch mark of the ruler at the side of one link pin, then looking at the corresponding link pin 12 complete links away. On a new, unworn chain, this link pin will also line up exactly with an inch mark. With a worn chain, the link pin will be past the inch mark. [For accurate measurement, the chain should be held under some tension -- either on the bicycle, or hanging. Also, use a metal ruler or tape measure. Wood, plastic and cloth all can expand or shrink.-- John Allen]

This gives a direct measurement of the wear to the chain, and an indirect measurement of the wear to the sprockets. first, let's look at how to do this with a ruler that measures in inches.

• If the link pin is less than 1/16" past the mark, all is well.
  
• If the link pin is 1/16" past the mark, you should replace the chain, but the sprockets are probably undamaged.
  
• If the link pin is 1/8" past the mark, you have left it too long, and the sprockets (at least the favorite ones) will be too badly worn. If you replace a chain at the 1/8" point, without replacing the sprockets, it may run OK and not skip, but the worn sprockets will cause the new chain to wear much faster than it should, until it catches up with the wear state of the sprockets.
  
• If the link pin is past the 1/8" mark, a new chain will almost certainly skip on the worn sprockets, especially the smaller ones.
  

In metric measurement, 10 links of a new chain are 25.4 cm, or 15 links, 38.1 cm.

• If the link pin is up to 25.5 cm or halfway between 38.2 cm and 38.3 cm, all is well.
  
• If the link pin is a little bit past 25.5 cm, or approaching 38.3 cm, you should replace the chain, but the sprockets are probably undamaged.
  
• If the link pin is approaching 25.7 cm or 38.5 cm, you have left it too long, and the sprockets (at least the favorite ones) will be too badly worn. If you replace a chain at this point, without replacing the sprockets, it may run OK and not skip, but the worn sprockets will cause the new chain to wear much faster than it should, until it catches up with the wear state of the sprockets.
  
• More than that, and a new chain will almost certainly skip on the worn sprockets, especially the smaller ones.
  

There are also special tools made to measure chain wear; these are a bit more convenient, though by no means necessary, and most -- except for the Shimano TL-CN40 and TL-CN41 -- are inaccurate because they allow roller play to confound the measurement of link-pin wear

 

Copy and pasted from Sheldown Brown's website

 

http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

[rouxtjie]

PS you can even make a wear indicator tool to quickly indicate accurate wear from the above post, the tool will just measure using the plates instead of the rollers.

[Ecko_1]

Thanks for all the useful info rouxtjie!

 

I will go home and fit the powerlink. Looking around for a good multi tool now. I see there is a new thread discussing them.

[rouxtjie]

Thanks for all the useful info rouxtjie!

 

I will go home and fit the powerlink. Looking around for a good multi tool now. I see there is a new thread discussing them.

Go with the parktool one mentioned on that thread...works perfectly

[schizo]

Thanks for all the useful info rouxtjie!

 

I will go home and fit the powerlink. Looking around for a good multi tool now. I see there is a new thread discussing them.

+1

[Ecko_1]

Update from my side. I cleaned my bike nicely, but had an unfortunate incident. Riding down to Critical Mass on Friday my chain somehow bent. So there I was on the side of the road 5km from home with a bent chain, not able to ride critical mass. I had a powerlink in my bag but no tools

 

So Saturday I went to my LBS and the owner hooked me up with a smaller (I was actually planning on ordering from Buycycle today) 105 cassette and SRAM 1031 chain for the same price as replacement Tiagra parts on Buycycle.

 

I then went on the hunt for a multi tool. After looking at a few shops I bought the Park Tool IB3. Looks and feels awesome.

[MarioH]

Are you running 9 or 10speed ?

[Ecko_1]

Are you running 9 or 10speed ?

Tiagra 10 Speed

[Pure Savage]

If I have a racing set of wheels and training set of wheels with different cassettes, should I use separate chains for each cassette? My training cassette and Chain have a lot more Km's on them than the racing ones. Do you guys suggest swooping the chain as well?

[mikethebike234]

someone mentioned that Mr Min is good to use on the bike I went to the shop the other day and there are a few different types of mr min which does one use?

[GaryvdM]

Ok cool, lets focus on the chain, cassette and crank(ring in particular)

 

You need

1 x bottle car shampoo(non waxy kind, motoquip makes 5L that works quite nice...not sunlight soap please)

1 x bottle degreaser(clean green will do)

1 x quicklink installed in your chain already that enables you to remove and install the chain in seconds

1 x brush set, parktool makes a pretty nice pack for about 200 zars

1 x bakkie that you can put clean green into..Butro ones work well

1 x lockring remover tool

1 x chainwhip

 

Take chain off bike and put in bakkie, cover with cleangreen and put lid on, leave it for a couple of hours. Go and wash bike as per usual with new brush set and car shampoo, scrup all the parts but make sure to have a brush that you will always use just for the parts that are greasy, don't use that for the rest of the bike...Scrub as clean as you can and rinse with water....NO PRESSURE HOSE AND NO CLEANGREAN OR DEGREASER. Remove cassette from freewheel using whip and lockring tool. Using clean green and brush to really get between the cogs and into all the gaps. wash with water. Put cassette back with lockring tool. Your crank should be easy to clean with a rag since there is not chain on the bike. Wipe clean between teeth and rings.

 

After a couple of hours, remove chain from cleangreen bath, rinse under a warm tap for about 2min. Dry chain with rag and install with quicklink.

 

Job done

 

I follow a very similar procedure.

 

What do you use to lube your chain? I dip mine in melted paraffin wax. I got the wax from Planet Nails. I melt the wax in a steel dish on an old electric frying pan. When I take the chain out, I wipe the excess wax off the outside with a rag. The chain and cassette stays clean for a very long time doing this, and according to Friction Facts, this is the best lube in terms of power efficiency.

 

My derailleur jockey wheels have bushings, not ball bearings, and so every 2nd wash, I take them off, clean them, and regrease them.

 

And Mr Min for the frame. Gives it a shine

[rouxtjie]

I follow a very similar procedure.

 

What do you use to lube your chain? I dip mine in melted paraffin wax. I got the wax from Planet Nails. I melt the wax in a steel dish on an old electric frying pan. When I take the chain out, I wipe the excess wax off the outside with a rag. The chain and cassette stays clean for a very long time doing this, and according to Friction Facts, this is the best lube in terms of power efficiency.

 

My derailleur jockey wheels have bushings, not ball bearings, and so every 2nd wash, I take them off, clean them, and regrease them.

 

And Mr Min for the frame. Gives it a shine

Ah lube.....tried everything, and I mean everything...oil / wax / teflon based to see which ones are the best, best being

 

Keeps chain quiet for long rides without needing to re-apply

Doesnt make your cassette a royal mess with waxy buildup

Doesn't make your frame a mess with oily debries being flung onto it

Extends the drivetrain's life

 

Only two have these characteristics

 

Rock and Roll Blue...its a bitch to get, but if you do...buy 3 bottles

A new lube by spokeworks....I was sceptic about this one, but really a lekker lube that is in the same league as r&r blue

[Pusher]

Ah lube.....tried everything, and I mean everything...oil / wax / teflon based to see which ones are the best, best being

 

Keeps chain quiet for long rides without needing to re-apply

Doesnt make your cassette a royal mess with waxy buildup

Doesn't make your frame a mess with oily debries being flung onto it

Extends the drivetrain's life

 

Only two have these characteristics

 

Rock and Roll Blue...its a bitch to get, but if you do...buy 3 bottles

A new lube by spokeworks....I was sceptic about this one, but really a lekker lube that is in the same league as r&r blue

Do you use R&R on both road and MTB?

[rouxtjie]

Do you use R&R on both road and MTB?

Oops forgot to mention...nope

 

R&R...mtb only, spokeworks...both.

[geemobee]

I am going to attempt this,

 

You need

 

1 x bottle car shampoo(non waxy kind, motoquip makes 5L that works quite nice...not sunlight soap please)

this should be easy to get R50

 

1 x bottle degreaser(clean green will do)

http://www.cwcycles....gator-degreaser R150

 

1 x quicklink installed in your chain already that enables you to remove and install the chain in seconds

how do I know whether I have a quicklink installed?

 

1 x brush set, parktool makes a pretty nice pack for about 200 zars

http://www.cwcycles....toolz-brush-set R110

 

1 x bakkie that you can put clean green into..Butro ones work well

should be okay with this

 

1 x lockring remover tool

http://www.cwcycles....-remover-wrench R535

 

1 x chainwhip

http://www.cwcycles....assic-chain-rod R215

 

 

So I am in for around R1000 ?

 

I should just buy this for R600 ... http://www.chainreac...ce/rp-prod40997

Edited February 18, 2014 by geemobee