Degreased chain

**lanci** · 16th September 2009, 21:54

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain?

I am silly I know, but I got impatient and wanted to clean the chain

**Coldrider** · 16th September 2009, 22:03

Originally Posted by lanci

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain?

I am silly I know, but I got impatient and wanted to clean the chain

Put some lube on the chain, go for ride to get the chain warm, stop, lube again so the o or x rings swallow the lube, go for a ride again , stop, lift the rear wheel of the ground, rotate rear wheel, forwards & backwards, watch & listen for tight links & missing o rings.

**modboy** · 16th September 2009, 22:08

You should be sweet - just get some nice bike chain lube onto the chain. I normally spray heaps onto a clean rag and rub it on to the chain rather than spary the shit all over the bike and wheels and chain only to have it spray off for the next 3 weeks...

When you degrease, you always gotta lube up afterwards. Keep your degreaser and chain lube together. Degrease then lube and you'll always be sweet.

If you are still in doubt your bike shop will tell you if you've fucked your chain. But provided you haven't ridden for weeks with it dry you should be ok.

**lankyman** · 16th September 2009, 22:08

Originally Posted by lanci

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain?

Short answer, quite possibly yes. Degreasers and a lot of solvents strip all the lube out of your o-rings. In future use something such as kerosene as it leaves an oily residue on your o-rings and then re-lube before riding anywhere. There are already several threads relating to this

**lanci** · 16th September 2009, 22:11

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.

**Coldrider** · 16th September 2009, 22:24

Originally Posted by lanci

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.

Note about lubing it warm, the o rings suck the lube in as they cool down.
The o ring chains sealed for life is a crock, the o rings rotate & scavange lube & dirt in and out for their lifetime. the longetivity of the chain is in the tensile strenght of the links, and the hardness of the pins. O ring & x ring chains tensile strength is 2 to 3 times stronger than normal chains, that is where marketing & margins are made.
A chain is fu**ed when the rings are broken then missing, the links are stretched, the pins have worn, giving a link measurement greater than the sprocket tooth measurement. Or yeah, if the pins rust they swell , creating tight spots. A stuffed chain is more likely to cause vibration and noise.

Factoid # 2, my cylc has notchy gear changes when using full synthetic engine oil, but is fine using a semi sythentic or mineral.

**Maki** · 16th September 2009, 23:27

Originally Posted by lanci

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain?

Yes.......

**Coldrider** · 17th September 2009, 00:20

Originally Posted by lanci

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.

http://www.bikesa.biz/forum/index.php?topic=17683.0

Link to real chain advice.

**Pixie** · 17th September 2009, 08:18

Originally Posted by Coldrider

Note about lubing it warm, the o rings suck the lube in as they cool down.
The o ring chains sealed for life is a crock, the o rings rotate & scavange lube & dirt in and out for their lifetime. the longetivity of the chain is in the tensile strenght of the links, and the hardness of the pins. O ring & x ring chains tensile strength is 2 to 3 times stronger than normal chains, that is where marketing & margins are made.
A chain is fu**ed when the rings are broken then missing, the links are stretched, the pins have worn, giving a link measurement greater than the sprocket tooth measurement. Or yeah, if the pins rust they swell , creating tight spots. A stuffed chain is more likely to cause vibration and noise.

Factoid # 2, my cylc has notchy gear changes when using full synthetic engine oil, but is fine using a semi sythentic or mineral.

Links don't stretch.
Chain elongation is due to wear in the pins and bushes

**dogsnbikes** · 17th September 2009, 08:30

Im with Lankyman keep the Degreaser's away from the chain....and use kerosene its cleaner to work with just dab and wipe,will do the whole rearend in one go and is friendly on the chain enviroment

I clean with Kerosene and lube with Chain oil

**vifferman** · 17th September 2009, 09:08

Your all worngA.
I clean my chain with paintbrush cleaner, followed up with paint thinners, then prepsol, then lube it with two-stroke premix. I've been doing this for weaks and the chain is beatifull and shinny.