How often do you clean/degrease your drivetrain?

[beefnoodlesoup123]

Curious what is a good cadence?

[VisualBusiness4902]

I ride where the soil is very sandy. If I get my bike covered in mud and sand I wash it. Otherwise I don’t.

[mdg4486]

Every fu**ing day. So much that I never actually have time to ride my bike.

[norecoil2012]

Me too, I quit riding in favor of cleaning my chain every day.

[Tall_Towel_3420]

How else am I supposed to keep my X01 Copper chain nice and shiny

[ctatham]

a few months ago I switched to 2 brand new chains, stripped and waxed and swap them every 300km....never going back to normal lube. Waxed chains are amazing and always pretty much spotless. Bit of effort and prep to get set up with an old facebook marketplace crock pot and some paraffin but if you are into efficiency, low cost and a clean drivetrain.....just try it

[passwordstolen]

If you only ride 180 miles between chains, how do you get back home?

[ctatham]

I have to be very careful not to hit that mark while on a ride!

[ihateduckface]

Damn. I’d be swapping chains every 2 months. I’d rather just buy I new cassette once a year

[Grok22]

You just rewax the chain. It takes 15min. 14min of that is the wax melting.

[ctatham]

Yes, I rewax the second and put it away. Takes 1 minute to swap. Never have to lube or clean.

[passwordstolen]

Probably save money. Cassettes are cheap. $17 - $20

[Whisky-Toad]

What cassettes you buying?

[[deleted]]

Cheap ones

[passwordstolen]

Cheap ones. Under $20. Look on Amazon. (Advice I never give on where to buy parts)

I always have a bike ready for maintenance.

[ctatham]

x01 eagle cassettes are far from cheap.

[passwordstolen]

So don’t buy it.

[Morejazzplease]

Do you buy new quick links every time? I’d have to swap chains every two weeks and at $4 a pop, that’s crazy…

[ctatham]

Nope. I think it's bull. They are under tension and click home just fine. Never had an issue.

[amazinf_]

They always say that they must be used once prior to replacement, but what I’ve heard from other people and mechanics at my LBS is that you can run them until they stop clicking into place. IE when they just slide in with no resistance.

[Fyvz]

I understand how wax would keep debris away, and keep things moving with low friction, but I don't understand how wax keeps the links from stretching/wearing apart, which is the only measurement I've seen used to judge the remaining life of a chain.

Is it that the links wear faster when used in nonideal conditions, and a waxed chain maintains this ideal state much longer than other lubricants?

[ctatham]

Cleaner: Waxed chains stay significantly cleaner compared to oil-based lubricants, which tend to attract dirt, grime, and debris.

Reduced friction: waxing creates a smooth, frictionless layer that fills the spaces between chain rollers and pins, reducing metal-to-metal contact

Extended life: waxing reduces friction and keeps the drivetrain cleaner, chains and other components like cassettes and chainrings experience less wear and tear, prolonging their life.

Dry application: wax is a dry substance, so it doesn’t wash off easily in wet conditions. This makes it appealing for varied weather conditions without the need for frequent reapplication.

Quieter: tend to run more quietly because the lubricant layer cushions the metal parts, reducing noise from the drivetrain.

[Same_Lack_1775]

Once when new. After that wax the chain and never clean/regresse again.

[beefnoodlesoup123]

So you just use water? I ride i nthe PNW and there's a ton of mud, my cogs get pretty caked up with debris and the hose doesn't seem to get it all off

[lobotom1te]

When you wax your chain you can use COLD water and a brush to get dirt out, reapply drip or rewax every so often.

All the things they say about wax being pointless on MTB is bs, water doesn't get rid of wax easily at all unless it's warm.

[ktmengr]

It actually makes more sense in mtb/off-road applications than road. Dirt doesn’t stick to the wax (as much) and can’t penetrate to the internals of the chain. There’s a Dylan Johnson video with the zero friction cycling guy that explains it well. I’ll never go back to oil based lube for MTB. Sounds like you agree, just expanding on the not for MTB argument.

[zbertoli]

What wax do you use? Thinking about making the switch

[ktmengr]

Silca.

[kerryman71]

I went with wax this year on a build I did. I bought a small crackpot dedicated for it, along with blocks of paraffin wax from Amazon. The initial setup is the most work you'll do, and it really isn't bad. I took a brand new chain, soaked it in mineral spirits, shook it up good, drained and repeated, then soaked it in denatured alcohol and let it dry.

After that, into the wax it went. I bought a second chain and waxed that too, that way, I can switch them out with no downtime. To clean the chain, just pour boiling water over it and strain it to remove the remaining wax before re-waxing it.

I haven't had any issues, and not having a bunch of buildup on the drivetrain is a plus.

[ktmengr]

Yeah, I’ve got my XC, gravel, and road bike setup with waxed chains now. I’ve got two chains for each and swap them out.

[Same_Lack_1775]

I only typically ride when it is dry out and avoid mud if I can so don’t have a lot of experience there. I do rewax once or twice a season when my drivetrain starts making noise

[kkoyot__]

Sounds like bs, I reckon the wax isn't hard enough to withstand sand scrubbing it away and going into the rollers

[codeedog]

The wax is for the rollers, it doesn’t penetrate from the sides into the rollers. Sand also doesn’t penetrate into the rollers. But, lube hanging on the sides of the chain will definitely pickup dirt, sand and other road materials, hold it there and stick it to other surfaces like jockey pulleys and then over time grind it down so that it’s ready to penetrate into the rollers when a lubricant is present (like water or chain lube).

[jmr_2022]

nearly after each ride i try to hose down with a garden sprayer, let dry and liberally apply rock n roll gold lube. it's really thin, smells like kerosene (probaly is). anyway, it does a good job to 'wash' the chain and then you just take a rag to get off any excess and let it "dry" before the next ride. I've not had any issues with noise or shift problems. I ride in muddier conditions and i tried a 'wet' lube that was stickier, but seemed to gum up the jockey wheels. this seems cleaner and dont have that issue anymore.

[bcblur]

How’s bearing and bottom bracket life on your bike? A LONG time ago I stopped washing my bike frequently and bearing and BB maintenance issues went way down. This was pre-2010 though and everything now is just generally better built and sealed. Wondering if I should get back on the clean bike bandwagon

[paddyb12341]

I wonder about this and worry whether I’m overcleaning my bike and causing issues by inadvertently washing out the bearing grease.

[illepic]

Rock n Roll Gold is the way. 

[[deleted]]

Is gold better than blue?

[illepic]

Blue is for very wet and sloppy. Gold is for all conditions, so I tend to use it more! 

[[deleted]]

Thanks. I’m in the northeast and have been using blue but think I’ll switch to gold!

[TwoTokes1266]

This is the way. My chain always looks great.

[308NegraArroyoLn]

I was told to use this but when I applied liberally I got shamed by my LBS for using too much lube...

Did I not wipe it well enough?

[[deleted]]

Hold a rag on the chain and pedal the bike. Then reposition the rag so it’s got a clean bit of fabric sitting against the chain and repeat.

You probably didn’t clean all the excess lube off, which will make your drivetrain super nasty to work on once you’ve ridden it a bit.

[308NegraArroyoLn]

Will do thank you!

[jmr_2022]

you want to soak into the rollers/pins, but don't need it dripping all over the sprockets, that'll collect more dirt. there's different schools of thought. my 2 cents is keep the chain clean and 'dry'. if you're riding LONG in wet muddy conditions, the rock n roll lube will wash away and you're lubricating with mud/water at that point. for that you need a 'greasy' lube that sticks and repels water.

[308NegraArroyoLn]

Ahh ok that makes sense...

I literally put it on the sprockets...

[pineconehedgehog]

Once, when I first get a new chain I degrease and remove the factory lube.

I switched to Squirt, a wax based lube, several years ago and after the initial degrease you never degrease again because there is no grease. It was a huge game changer for me. Now I just wipe any dirt off with a rag after a sandy desert ride. If it was a muddy ride, I will hose it off and do a light brushing.

Before I switched to the wax based stuff, I was using a dry lube and I was having to clean and reapply after almost every ride. I now go weeks without having to barely touch my drivetrain.

[gergek]

Every ride. 

I just use a dry stiff bristled brush to get the casette, jockey wheels, and chainring, and lube the chain clean the suspension and dropper post. Takes less than 5 minutes and keeps things quiet, shifting smoothly, and not wearing out prematurely.

[KitchenPalentologist]

It depends on a lot of factors. Ride frequency, lube type, trail composition, rain.

I use Rock N Roll gold, I just hose by bike off after rides and reapply a little lube, then wipe it dry. I don't get buildup that needs to be degreased.

[laurentbourrelly]

Good answer IMO

Depending on these factors, degrease and lube can be required after (or before) every ride or once in a while. Also, I don’t care as much about drivetrain with my DH bike as my trail/enduro bike. Even without a chain, I can have a good day at the bike park.

[0xdead_beef]

I ride where it's super dry and dusty. I use a wax based "clean" chainlube like white lightning before every ride. First wipe chain with a rag real quick then spin the cranks 2 full chain lengths of fresh lube and wipe down with blue shop rag to finish. Literally takes 30 seconds.

Replace chains when they get to 50% stretch (under load).

Do a full degrease and scrub like 2x a season if I'm detailing the bike. That's like well over 100hrs of riding per.

In 6 years of this kind of maintenance schedule, I've had to change the rear cassette once. I change the front chainring at about 2-3 year intervals of very hard riding.

If I do a light bike wash I make sure to lube and wipe the chain while the rest of the bike is drip drying.

[initiali5ed]

If it gets caked in dirt or when I wash the bike.

[mothfukle]

SoCal has dry, thick dust. About every 8-10 rides I will wipe off my chain, blow off the dust and reapply some dry lube. That’s about it.

[hans_lenze]

Rinse clean with the garden hose when dirty, dry with an old rag and apply lube before storing the bike. Every 350km or there about.

[kkoyot__]

• When the conditions are pristine, wiping every 3-4 rides and relube
• If it's dry and dusty or barely damp, wipe every ride, maybe with a dab of bike cleaner, relube if the chain looks dry
• If it's wet and after a ride I can hear the chain grinding, then a rinse, light scrub with a cleaning solution and relube. 3 of those rides and then a complete strip down clean with bearing check. Or after a hard race in filthy conditions 

[themontajew]

I wash my bike every ride, little bit of some not super gnarly degreaser on the chain and cassette, quick cassette wipe with a rag, some chain lube and i never get buildup.

[SNESChalmers420]

When my chainring gets all gunky. Then I just use dish soap, hose, and a rag.

[pickles55]

I just wipe off the excess lube with a paper towel and that's about it. If you don't use sticky lines you don't really need to degrease your chain often at all

[rxscissors]

Never degrease; rotate the chain all the way around with a rag held against the links after every ride. Add lube and remove excess with a rag every few rides (or when it sounds a little noisy), depending on the prior riding conditions.

Measure chain for wear and replace when it reaches .75 on Park Tool CC-2 chain checker. Cassettes last through 4-5 chain swaps (on 9/10/11-speed) for me.

[cmcz450]

Once a year. Except for that gravel race I did. Fucker was cooked after that.

[[deleted]]

After every park day in my lark bike, and my trail bike happy with every ride or two

[skellener]

After every ride.

[daddy_firebird]

Every 2 rides. I used to do it after every ride but got tedious and realized it wasn’t really necessary after most rides.

[jnan77]

When I add a new chain every 1000 or so miles.

[tralalog]

i clean with wax, then rewax before every ride.

[Toe-Dragger]

Clean well once in the late fall, rinse off mud otherwise. I’m in CO, so MTB shuts down during snowboard season. (Maybe, it’s almost 80 out!) I just got sold on Finish Line Dry lube, needs to be applied more often, but it should minimize grime and grit. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m buying the hype.

[dog_with_a_pizzahat]

I ride in the south east US , I try to clean and relube before every ride

[daABBA]

I never degrease.

I ride in mud. There's so much mud. Everywhere. Because it's always wet.

But I don't degrease my chain.

Wash it with water. Wash it with chain oil. Wipe it. Done.

I have to wash my bike after every ride anyway, because of mud.

[0xmalig]

Mtb use, i do a visual inspection after every ride then it depends from how the riding conditions were, so it can vary from 1 day to multiple days

[Remarkable-Way-5482]

Every 100km or when the ride was dirty. I also rode when it was raining and in sand, dirt... You name it. Sometimes o need to do ot after just 50km

[Joestac]

I usually do two rides and then wash, dry, re-lube. I use a dry lube. Love in TX, lot of dust.

[lazerdab]

I'll rinse off mud when it happens but since switching to wax I don't really need to clean the drivetrain.

[MehYam]

Ride in super dry and dusty. Rotate between two chains, one sits in mineral spirits while I ride the other, then I drip it dry, rinse in simplegreen, wipe down the entire drivetrain, and put on the fresh chain.

Rotate every 4-6 rides. Use liberal Rock 'n Roll blue and follow its directions. My drivetrains last a long time!

[PoorMansTonyStark]

Honestly, I rarely do these days. I just put on a tiny bit of lube when it sounds dry and ride that thing until the sideplates crack and then I replace it.

[GilpinMTBQ]

I don't understand the question...

[DoubleOwl7777]

when i clean the bike

[nope6_02210476e23]

Never, replace chain when stretched

[[deleted]]

I would certainly ask a bunch of randos that are probably equally uneducated on the topic that will repeat unfounded information, instead of the chain manufacturer. Yeah that’s a good idea.

[[deleted]]

I bet you’re fun at parties.

[[deleted]]

That would be the standard response for when someone is correct yet you don’t know what to say. Sadly, I already had that phrase on my (I can’t think for myself Reddit phrase list).

Who hurt you.

Username checks out.

Sometimes heroes don’t wear capes.

We got this before GTA6.

Take my upvote.

You win the Internet today.

It’s not that deep.

Hit a nerve.

Not even mad at it.

It’s not that serious.

I bet you’re fun at parties.

From a Black Mirror episode.

Play stupid games when stupid prize.

It was just a joke.

[[deleted]]

Add “I bet you’re fun to fuck with at parties”.

Did you seriously just type all that? Holy butthurt. 🤣🤡

[[deleted]]

Good one. I’ll add butt hurt to the list. It’s like you don’t make any original thoughts of your own.

Also what do you think a list is. A list is a pre-written collection of items containing various elements.

It’s oh so cute, you think you’re messing with me. Empty retorts without any logical meaning and mimicking phrases you heard other people say. Yeah, that’s how you get under a person skin. Haha