Spent 2 years fighting with my chain skipping before I realized I was cleaning it wrong

I was using that citrus degreaser stuff from the auto parts store and just hosing it down. Then my buddy at the bike co-op in Portland watched me do it and was like bro you're washing all the grease out of the bushings. He showed me to just wipe the chain with a rag and lube the rollers one at a time. Total facepalm moment. Anyone else find out they were overcleaning their chain?

2 comments

2 Comments

david12323d ago

Man that citrus degreaser stuff is brutal on chains... I did the same thing for like a year. What finally worked for me was switching to a wax based lube and just wiping the chain down after every ride with a dry rag. No more soaking or blasting it. Just wipe, relube the rollers, spin the cranks a few times, then wipe off the excess. Chain lasts way longer and shifting is way smoother. My buddy down at the shop said the whole point is keeping dirt off the outside while the inside stays greased. Simple is better for sure.

harperb4623d ago

Nah you're absolutely right, that citrus stuff is way too harsh. I wrecked a chain the same way a few years back before someone set me straight. Your method sounds spot on.