Degreaser

[Gregzilla]

What is the best degreaser for your chain? is it ok to use something like clean green or must I get bicycle specific cleaner to protect my parts?

[stewie911]

Use whatever you like. Sunlight/diesel/clean green

 

The more important part is to properly lube afterworths

 

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Agree with stewie911

 

But the best have citrus in them. I've found that Finish Line make a very nice Citrus Degreaser Spray (expensive though). Handy when your using wet lube.

 

What I've learn't is to always wipe the chain clean after applying lube, and learning not to apply too much.

 

 

But nowdays I just use hot water, car wash stuff and a good brush (R10 randts).

 

[Christoph]

What is proper lube?? for a road bike??

[Yang]

Here's my cleaning equipment. I only use the parafin once in a while since it strips all the grease completely. I spray the chain, let it soak for 10 minutes. Then I spray the cleen green, let it soak for 10 minutes. Then I wash it off with a gentle spray from the hosepipe or from the spray bottle. No scrubbing or brushes needed. I learnt this from the LBS when I told them that the normal cleaning stuff was too expensive, and they let me into their secret. Then I take my bike inside after drying and spray Mr Min. I use Mr Min because my bikes are female (I don't mount male bikes) and they like to smell nice, except for my MTB which is on the butch side and doesn't like smelling nice. Just be careful where you clean with the parafin. I put braai logs under the groupset to catch most of it. Then as Stewie says, lube your chain properly afterwards.

 

  

[AndreZA]

What is proper lube?? for a road bike??

 

 

 

oh crap, you did not just ask that question. Why did you not ask a easy one like "is there heaven or hel?".

 

 

 

Anyway, a good degreaser is Red Hot Product's Chain and Casette Cleaner. It's available from Dunkeld.

[mark ellis]

I use stuff that we have been using for years to clean our Offroad bikes, cant remember the name now....i find it.....MUCH cheaper than most of your Branded cleaners.

We use it as a general bike cleaner, spray on and spray off but if you dont mix with loads of water is an excellent degreaser, you find it at most MX or motorbike shops.

 

ahh ya its called Teapoll (not sure of correct spelling)

[Contaminated Haggis]

What is proper lube?? for a road bike??

 

 

Rock n Roll Gold

[stewie911]

Easy Mampara.

 

Proper lube - What you prefer. Ask your bikeshop to recommend one.

 

(What I like about a wax based dry lube is that you can touch them and your hands won't be all black.) - Shouldn't have said that

 

[Danger Dassie]

Bicycle specific products are often a ripoff, what you pay for in a tiny bottle you can buy in bulk of normal dergreaser, lube, grease etc..

For me personaly, prepsol, rinse wash, dry and lube. I might use something like squirt, otherwise for wet rides I use wynflo, greases I buy the Herschelle products from builders.

Same often goes for suspension oils and brake fuids.

[DMC007]

Rock n Roll  You'll be sining after that!

[Oliver Williams]

Car shampoo solution for regular washes; Clean Green - diluted for frame / parts and full strength for chain & cassette...water soluble and enviro friendly - obviously dry off afterwards.

[Muddy]

 

Here's my cleaning equipment.

 

  

 

So when do you use the wine? Before, during or after

 

 

[gummibear]

Nothing shines a frame better than Mr Min and it protects the frame from sweat and energy drinks.

[Slowbee]

Here's my cleaning equipment.

 

  

So when do you use the wine? Before' date=' during or after

[/quote']

the bottle is open. So clearly it doesnt matter if it was before during or after - but when are you getting a new one.

 

Yang - how do you dispose of your paraffin polluted water ?

[Yang]

Here's my cleaning equipment.

 

  

So when do you use the wine? Before' date=' during or after

[/quote']

the bottle is open. So clearly it doesnt matter if it was before during or after - but when are you getting a new one.

 

Yang - how do you dispose of your paraffin polluted water ?

 

I'm normally under the alfluence of incohol while I'm on the Hub.

 

I place some braai logs under the groupset to catch the dripping parafin. I wash my bike in an expanse of concrete brick paving. Then the wash off (cleen green and water) goes onto the brick paving and through the gaps. Not ideal, but the best I can do. The only saving grace is that the amount of parafin is probably no more than 100ml's, of which a lot falls onto the logs anyway. The wash away contains very little parafin after its dripped on the logs and soaked away the grime in the chain.