Chain Maintenance

[trapezeartist]

The chain is probably the most ill-treated part of a trials bike. We dose it with mud, dust and water and put sudden shock loads through it, and most of the time it serves us faithfully and well.  I have my own system for cleaning and lubrication but I wonder what other people do. My procedure goes as follows:

• After washing the bike I give the chain a spray of WD40 before putting it away.
• Unless the chain is looking unusually clean, I take it off and wash it in paraffin, brushing thoroughly and then hand it up to drip.
• After 24 hours + I refit the chain.
• On completion of the bike's general maintenance I spray the chain with chain lube. I'm using Muc Off Dry at the moment but I'm not too picky and buy whatever I see.

I'm wondering whether diesel would be better for washing the chain. It should have better lubricating properties and may be as good (or better) for cleaning.

Are the on-bike chain cleaning gadgets any good?

[turbofurball]

I lift the bike, pop an old cereal packet between the chain and tyre so as to avoid overspray, and give it a generous quantity of WD40 which flushes out a lot of muck as well as oiling it (I tried with other products but found they didn't remove nearly as much).  Because of where I live I rarely have to clean the bike, so over time the chain gets a bit gummy; for that I use a squirty bottle of heater paraffin (it's pretty much odourless) and a toothbrush twice around so it comes up clean, wipe it dry-ish with a rag, and then add more WD40 ... same goes for the odd occasion I actually wash the bike.

 

I do the same on the o-ring chain on my Tango, and for the road bikes I clean with the same paraffin and use a hardier chain lube after.  They've all lasted very well so far.

[totty79]

I only do your step one

"After washing the bike I give the chain a spray of WD40 before putting it away."

I tried a couple of different off road chain lubes and they all held dirt making a gooey grinding paste that was hard to clean and chain life was also really poor at just over a year, my current chain that's only had WD40 on it is 4 year old.

[arthritic]

I remove the chain before washing the bike, drop it in a container of old engine oil, with a couple of stirs around, for a day or so. Hang it up to drain for 24 hrs and wipe clean, then fit it when the rest of the bike has been prepped. Not keen on WD40 spray anywhere near the rear end and the brake disc.

[jonnyc21]

I have found that on O-Ring chains I can get away with just some WD40 to clean the chain works great and to keep it simple a very light spray with some lube to keep the rings from drying out works great for basic maintenance but will put it in some gear oil to sit over night if I pull it off for a full clean job. 

Standard non-O-Ring chains I will do the same if I feel like it needs a bit extra in the middle if an event, in-between events I clean and drop the chain in a bucket of gear oil to make sure it gets something a bit heavier into the rollers between events.

Seems to work well for me for chain life.   I am sure there is a lot of other ways to do it that work as well or even better. 

[lowside]

I've used diesel on my road bike chains, but they are covered in all manner of horrible gunk.  For trials or MTB, if I was stripping it right back, I'd use something like MucOff.  it's way harsher than many people realise and really does take everything with it as it drips off.  Easier to deal with than diesel on disposal.

I've got a 3 sided brush from Halfords for the trials bike which seemed to do a half decent job, but it didn't come out as clean as my MTB chains do with the plastic Park Tool enclosure (pic below - too small for motorbikes).  I used a ton of rags on the trials bike in comparison to when I do the MTB.  Then again, it's a bigger chain isn't it.

Lube is my biggest issue always, because it goes everywhere and rarely in the places you want it to and unless the chain is off, access is difficult.  Ideally I'd want to bathe my chains in lube rather than spray it on.  Anyone know any products like that, where you can shallow bath a chain, like I guess the OEM's do?

 

The above is for MTB and just an example.

[jonnyc21]

2 hours ago, lowside said:

I've used diesel on my road bike chains, but they are covered in all manner of horrible gunk.  For trials or MTB, if I was stripping it right back, I'd use something like MucOff.  it's way harsher than many people realise and really does take everything with it as it drips off.  Easier to deal with than diesel on disposal.

I've got a 3 sided brush from Halfords for the trials bike which seemed to do a half decent job, but it didn't come out as clean as my MTB chains do with the plastic Park Tool enclosure (pic below - too small for motorbikes).  I used a ton of rags on the trials bike in comparison to when I do the MTB.  Then again, it's a bigger chain isn't it.

Lube is my biggest issue always, because it goes everywhere and rarely in the places you want it to and unless the chain is off, access is difficult.  Ideally I'd want to bathe my chains in lube rather than spray it on.  Anyone know any products like that, where you can shallow bath a chain, like I guess the OEM's do?

 

The above is for MTB and just an example.

Just found this, seems like a good video on chain lube.

 

[turbofurball]

Yeah, the issue I had with that was the samples were left in liquid WD40 for hours, when you're spraying it the part that harms o-rings is going to evaporate off very quickly.

I should have noted above, when I say I use lots of WD40 I mean I really do soak it!

[marky dee]

After washing WD40 , and just for i ride..spray dry chain lube..!!!

[guy53]

For half of a century, I've used ATF to lube the chain. After a ride I wash the bike than I generously lube with ATF, I wipe of the chain before leaving for the next ride. I found the lightness of the oil penetrate the rollers and push the mud out. Only thing, don't forget to put something under the bike.

Guy

[guy53]

I forgot, the chain of a trials bike doesn't very hot when riding, I think that it's the reason why the ATF work for me.

Guy

[lineaway]

I soak it in gasoline/solvent for a day or 2 and then brush it clean and do the same in any motor oil I have. Go about a month using light chain lube, then repeat the process all over again.

[trapezeartist]

Well, the only common thread between most people is WD40, so I'll definitely stick with that bit of my process. Paraffin or diesel? I think I'll give diesel a go, and see how it goes.

[turbofurball]

Having previously worked in a commercial vehicle garage, you couldn't pay me enough to have the smell of diesel in my garage at home, lol

[richt]

If you wash your chain then WD40 may help to dry it, ('W'ater 'D'ispersant 40th attempt) It is a water repellent/dispersant but Not a lubricant so bad news for a chain!

For trials a heavy gear oil will be ok, or old gearbox oil. Just pour/brush it on.