5 Easy Steps To Clean Your Chain

You know that chain is the vital component to transform your leg powers to roll down the wheels via the pedals. As the main bike's primary moving part you can't let it to be corroded by not maintaining frequently. Particularly if you ride in muddy or dusty tracks, you should clean it more often to keep it works well and obviously prevent any undesirable accidents during the ride. 

While working with your chain, please to take your bike outside as you are going to be wrestling with lubricants which mean can cause your floor getting dirt. The old stuffs are needed here. You will need them to wipe out the dirt patching on your chain. The old brush and old T-shirt are worthy for cleaning tool while the old newspaper will keep your workspace surface clean. Using the quality bike lubricant will give such a satisfied result. A spot where you can lean your bike against something to keep your hands free while you're busy is ideal. You can also use a work stand if needed. 

Items you need:

• Old newspapers
• Rags - old t-shirts work well for this
• Solvent of some sort (something like WD-40 or isopropyl alcohol)
• An old toothbrush
• Quality bike lubricant

1. Prepare Your Workspace and Assemble Your Supplies

Firstly, please find a spot where you are going to work. As mentioned above it's better to do your work outside. Once found the spot prepare all stuffs listed above and get ready to work. Spread out your old newspaper on the floor below your bike and also spread another one to put your supplies. Shift the gears on your bike while turning the pedals so that the chain is on the largest ring in the front and on the smallest socket in the back.

2. Spray or Wipe Solvent on Your Bike Chain

With your bike in position, apply solvent to the chain. Do this while slowly turning the pedals backwards to move the chain a section at a time so you can clean it by either spraying on the solvent as you wipe down the chain with an old rag or by wiping down the chain with a rag that is saturated with the solvent. This will loosen the collected grease and dirt on your chain and allow it to be wiped away more easily. Continue applying solvent and wiping down the chain while turning the pedals slowly until you've worked through every link.

3. Use a Brush for More Thorough Cleaning

A toothbrush dipped in solvent will help you work between the links of the chain and down into areas that your first efforts with the rag simply couldn't reach. Using the techinque again of slowly turning the pedals backward, work on each link of the chain, from top, sides and bottom, paying attention on angling the brush so you can get down into those hard-to-reach places.

4. Clean the Other Parts of Your Drivetrain

After you are finished with the chain, take a few minutes to clean the other parts of the drivetrain. Apply a little alcohol or WD-40 to a clean rag and simply wipe the accumulated crud from these parts or use the brush to get at them. The hardest part is getting down in between the small chainrings.

5. Reapply Lubricant

After the chain is free from any dirt, reapplying lubricant will help protect the chain from rust, make your pedaling more efficient and extend the life of your chain. It's highly suggested to not lubricate the chain immediately before riding. You should give yourself at least a couple of hours to allow the lube to fully penetrate, and then wipe away any excess. If you lube just before riding, you'll end up flinging lubricant all over your bike from the rapid movement of the chain.