Got called out for my lazy chain cleaning method by a shop owner

I used to just spray degreaser on the chain while it was still on the bike and call it good. Last month, the owner of The Spoke in my town watched me do it and said, 'You're just pushing all that grit into the rollers, you know.' I mean, he was right. Now I take the chain off and soak it in a jar of solvent for every deep clean. It takes longer, but the drivetrain is way quieter. Is taking the chain off for every clean overkill, or is that the only real way to do it right?

4 comments

4 Comments

perry.phoenix24d ago

My chain lasts twice as long since I started soaking it.

paigem4523d ago

Soaking my chain like @perry.phoenix does got me an extra 500 miles last season.

jordan_young22d ago

Soaking like @perry.phoenix is a total game changer for chain life.

king.derek22d ago

That "way quieter" drivetrain is the real proof. A quiet chain means way less friction wearing everything down, not just the chain itself. You're saving your cassette and chainrings too, which is the bigger win.