Rant: I was cleaning my chain wrong for a whole year

I used to just spray degreaser on it, scrub, and rinse, thinking it was fine. Then my friend pointed out my cassette was still full of black gunk after I 'cleaned' it. I realized I never took the chain off to clean it properly, so all the old grease inside the links was just mixing with new lube. Now I pop the chain off every three months, soak it in a jar of solvent, and the whole drivetrain runs quieter. How do you guys clean your chains without making a huge mess?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesleymiller26d ago

Try a chain cleaning tool with brushes.

bettywright27d ago

Tried the jar method, works like a charm.

baker.willow26d ago

Yeah the jar method is solid for a quick clean. I keep a dedicated pickle jar in the garage just for chains. It beats scrubbing by hand every time.