o-ring chain cleaning

[riffer]

I use kerosine and a smallish paint brush.

But make sure that you let all of the kerosine dry off first before you put the chain oil on, or it will just fall off, leaving you chain links to go all rusty...

[vifferman]

Don't use Simple Green - it's not "tested and approved" on O-rings, and it's actually caustic. Degreasers, steam-cleaners or pressure washers are all no good too, because they all run the risk of getting moisture in behind the O-rings, especially on an older chain, as the O-rings aren't indestructible, and may actually retain a good seal for as little as 8000km, so anything you do to help them wear out isn't good.

Clean your chain whenever it's starting to get a build-up of lube or crud and is less flexible. This will depend on the conditions you ride in; if you never ride in the rain, clean it maybe as little as infrequently as once a year, but if you ride on gravel roads and/or in the rain (and sometimes in the gutter like me), then maybe as often as once a month.

After you've cleaned your chain with kero, leave it at least a day before lubing the chain, and riding the bike wouldn't hurt, as the last vestiges of kero will get flung off.
What you use to lube the chain is largely a matter of how much mess you can put up with; anything from a heavy-weight oil, 89-90 gear oil, chain lube (usually an oil with solvents that rapidly evaporate to leave an oily/greasy residue), or chain wax (same thing, but with wax left instead of an oil or grease).

Here's some handy-dandy links:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=11793

http://www.quality-cycle.com/truth_a...cle_chains.htm

This last one you should evaluate critically, as some of the info is debatable.

[Bonez]

After you've cleaned the chain, what's the best oil to use? Would something like WD40/CRC be ok, or something a bit thicker?

Hypoid gear oil