Do you like to go out on your mountain bike, racing bike or any other bike and would you like to have a good biking experience? Then it is essential to clean and lube the chain of your bike. Not only will your bike ride go easier, it will also take a longer time before you have to replace your chain.
Items needed to clean your bicycle
- Brush
- Tootbrush
- Hot water
- Washing-up liquid
- Buckets
- Rags
- Degreaser
- Chain oil
Step 1 – Cleaning the chain of your bike
It is recommended to clean your bike outside, otherwise it could get a bit messy in your house or garage. Put some of the washing-up liquid in your bucket, fill the bucket with hot water until you have a bucket filled with foam.
Dip your brush into the foamy water and scrub your chain until it is clean and shining.
Step 2 – Remove residue with a degreaser
Now that your bike chain is clean, apply a degreaser to your chain and make sure the liquid soaks into the links. The degreaser will make sure that any residues you did not see are removed. If you still see dirt left, remove the residue with your toothbrush. Please be aware that after using the toothbrush for cleaning your chain, it should not be used anymore for cleaning your teeth!
Also rotate the cranks a couple of times, ensuring the degreasing liquid goes into all the links.
Put some clean and fresh water in a bucket and pour this over your chain.
Step 3 – Wipe the chain
To ensure that all the dirt is completely removed from your chain, wipe it with a rag.
Step 1+2+3 – Use a chain cleaning device
Instead of going through steps 1, 2 and 3, you can also buy a chain cleaning device at a specialized bike shop. These tools have reservoirs you can move your chain through and work as good as step 1, 2 and 3.
Step 4 – Apply oil the chain
After completely cleaning the chain of your bicycle, apply the chain oil to the bike chain and spin the cranks, so the oil will go into the links. Do not worry if you apply too much oil, just remove it with your rag.
Please use bicycle chain oil to lube your chain instead of motor oil, since that will not fully penetrate and bike chain oils also do a better job when it comes to fighting corrosion.
