Chain cleaning is an essential part of bike maintenance.
It extends the life of your whole drivetrain, and can greatly improve shifting and overall drivetrain function.
We'll walk you through each step for cleaning and lubing a chain in this Repair Help video.
Hi, I'm Ben with Park Tool. The first tip in getting a clean chai, is to use a degreaser.
Bicycle specific degreaser is formulated to cut through the thick buildup of grime and oil usually found on most bicycle chains.
Second tip, use a chain cleaner such as the CM-5.2 or the CM-25 I have here.
You certainly don't have to use a chain cleaning device,
but cleaning your bike's drivetrain can be a messy process that involves a lot of prep and a lot of work.
Tools like the CM-25 and CM-5.2 significantly streamline the work, and they do the job better as well.
In addition to the chain cleaner and solvent,
You'll need rags, soap & water, apron and rubber gloves.
If you're inside, protect the surface you're working on.
If you're outside, consider spraying water on the concrete to make grease and contaminants easier to clean up later.
We've already checked our chain to make sure it's not worn out. See this other video for that process.
Put the bike in a repair stand.
Rotate the bike so the lower section of the chain is level.
Shift to the smallest cog in the front and rear.
If you have a dummy hub, remove the wheel
and install the dummy hub.
A dummy hub is recommended but not required.
It will add chain slack and keep the loosened contaminants away from the wheel and components.
Attach the chain cleaner to the lower section of chain. Make sure the chain fully seats into the brushes.
Fill with solvent to the fill line.
Slowly pedal backwards. Pedal at least 30 revolutions.
Remove the chain cleaner and empty the solvent into a container.
Once the contaminants have settled, the solvent on top can be reused.
Check with local authorities for disposal.
Rinse out the chain cleaner and refill with soapy water.
Repeat the process of installing the chain cleaner and running the chain through until the chain is thoroughly rinsed.
While you're cleaning the chain, it's a good idea to also clean the other components of the drivetrain.
Wipe of the chain, by running it through a clean, dry rag
and leave the chain to air dry, or blow it off with a compressor.
Once the chain is dry, it's important to lubricate the chain.
Use chain lube such as CL-1 and add a drop of lube to each individual rivet.
Next, take a clean dry rag, back pedal to wipe off any excess lube.
This will prevent dirt from collecting on your drivetrain.
Remove the dummy hub and reinstall the wheel.
The chain is now clean and ready to ride.
If it's true that a clean bike is a happy bike, then this bike would be utterly despondent by how dirty its chain is
so it's a good rule to clean your bicycle's chain thoroughly around once a month if you're riding regularly.
Thanks for watching this video on chain cleaning.
If you have any other questions about how or when to replace your chain, watch these videos from Park Tool.