How To Clean And Lube Your Drivetrain | GMBN Tech How To
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- To get your bike running smoothly, giving your drivetrain some TLC is essential. Doddy goes through the basics of maintaining your drivetrain to get it feeling new again.
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You don’t need to take apart your entire drivetrain to get it feeling great again. Consistent maintenance makes all the difference, and a little work after every ride or two pays off. A good clean and lube is all your bike ever wants.
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As a novice rider who tends to go with the geek side of things, your videos have been invaluable. If i'm uninformed about a subject (i.e. bike maintenance) i research and study and these videos have been invaluable. Can't thank you enough.
but all they've said in the video is very basic stuff. You should be removing the cassette and chain to clean
Superfluous I would think on yearly basis perhaps.
Has forward for more thorough clening details.
I bought a mountain bike 34 years ago and have been cleaning it with the method I've listed below. The bike has never had any major component replacements over thousands of miles of mountain biking. I've just changed brakes and tyres to date.
Below is what method I use,
1 lightly spray off debris from entire bike with garden hose.
2 Hand wash bike with mild detergent and warm water.
3 Hose down to remove solution.
4 Clean cassette, chain, and chain set with mild detergent using a 3 inch nylon paint brush.
5 Hose down to remove solution.
6 Bounce bike on back wheel to remove surplus water.
7 Wipe entire bike down with kitchen towel.
8 Apply lube to a sash tool ( this is a pointed brush that's used by painters and decorators) this brush will evenly apply lube to exactly the areas that need lubrication.
This entire process takes approximately 30 minutes after every bike ride.
I will continue to use this method on my Cube Stereo 160 action team, as there have been no issues I've encountered with my old mountain bike using this method.
I hope this helps guys,
Happy riding.
How frequently do you do this?
Jay Had
It's usually done after every mountain ride, However there have been occasions I've left the cleaning until the 2nd or 3rd ride, (this week). I find it satisfying to clean after every ride, as the next outing becomes more enjoyable due to the bike's performance is at its optimum level.
Hi! Can you list down the parts that needs lubrication? I think i might not have lubricated some parts that need oil
JM Araneta
Hi areas you should lubricate are:
Chain, wheel axel hubs, derailleur, basically any moving part except break disks. Check your bike manufacturer instructions for your bike. The cleaning is vital for smooth operation and longevity, I hope this helps.
Ive been done that, meaning theres no "over specifics" lube needed. Just a regular clean and simple chain lubricant
You are my authority on bike maintenance, appreciate the simple but detailed explanation and instructions.
Doddy is a champ
Hey Doddy,
Bit of a hack for you, Get a plastic bag and put it around your disk rotor, It will not abosrb the degreaser.
Go green
Thank you I will bare that tactic in mind mate
Tip of the day...I ride both bicycles and chain-drive motorcycles. Works great on both although the lube requirements are different, so use specific lube. Oh ya..the tip...Dawn Ultra Platinum PowerWash. Best degreaser out there, and won't eat paint or ruin your bearings. Spray, scrub with an aforementioned stiff brush...I use old toothbrushes and bike-specific brushes...rinse...repeat if necessary. One time and a good rinse with the hose does the trick :-)
Stay safe and thanks for the video!
I'm lucky that here we have dry weather, so after a ride, cleaning the dust using a simple brush before adding dry lube is enough, lube the chain, and wipe the residuals... and you are ready for the next ride. (Exactly as you explained)
I use a deep cleaning only when requited.
Thanks for the video.
Greetings from the Galilee.
I use lemon floor cleaner bought in a supermarket to clean my chain with my park tool chain cleaner.
Way more cost effective and means I can clean my chain every time I ride. So always super smooth shifting 😁😁
will mccurrach the best smelling chain east of the Mississippi!
lemon floor cleaner works on chains???
@@skyice5206 it's a strong degreaser
@@willmccurrach8186 It is a life hack. Wow. Thank you.
@@willmccurrach8186 Have u tried Colin or any other phenyls (floor cleaners) for degreasing chains? Which Company's products you prefer personally?
Brilliant info, lots of little important tips, some I didn't know. This will help me to degrease, clean and lube my bike. Thank you for sharing.
I wished i watched this video before spraying wd-40 all over the place
LOL that's funny dude :)
@@connected2local my dad taught me to do this, 5 bikes later and now ik how bad it is
Lol dont do that cuz it can literally eat ur drivetrain
Lol same
Luckily I only rode back n forth my driveway and miss shifted and chain fell off.
So I'm researching lol
Thank you for always being so courteous and thorough!!! It is so easy to pay attention you what you say and learn from you. You are truly good at what you do. Thank you very much!
Have only cleaned my bike once this year, and that was 1.700km ago lol. Time to buy some supplies because it looks fairly easy with the tools/brushes used in the video
I'd never go back to oil based lubricants. I've been waxing for nearly 2 years, chains are in much better condition, don't get gritty or so dirty in wet or dry conditions, no chain tan left on my legs either. I also love the sound of a newly waxed chain 👍
Same, its a game changer.
I just switched to a dry lube and my chain sounds... rattly I guess. It never made noise with my ptfe lube before but it was awfully dirty. I'm just wondering if that's the sound you're talking about.
Kopfjager no that's the sound of your drivetrain getting worn. A waxed chain is super quiet and sounds awesome give it a try 🚲
I just started waxing. I do love it so far. I think I’m going to do my road bike next. I got a small crock pot filled with wax for when I need to do any others.
maybe the name of the product? i wanna give it a try actually use muc off dry lub , thanks !
I just did this last weekend and it feels good to have a clean drivetrain, man! However I feel that unlinking the chain and soaking it in a yoghurt cup with degreaser, while removing the guide wheels and giving them a proper clean, doesn't take that much longer and really removes the grime that accumulates in the small spaces.
too much degreaser is not good because the chain have factory grease in the inside that it has to keep in place.. something like that, i read about it in a chain manual, cheers bro@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_
I like this guy and his contribution to the community. What is suspect is the apparent amount of wd-40 products being used, not to mention Park Tools. I realize they don't have to pay for all the cool free stuff so I guess I will ignore product recommendations and try to get the take home info on cleaning the drivetrain.
Great tips. My ride is a trike. So fun but a pain to spin pedals while working on the chain. It’s long. Need two people. Some good news, disks are on front wheels only.
I tried for the first couple of years with my latest bike (I have only owned and ridden a single bike at a time)... to keep it clean and shiny all the time, immaculate. I obsessed over the chain to the point of cleaning it during rides. This is all while averaging over 7K miles a year, 20 to 120 mile rides year around. That means for me, living in the Pacific Northwest, 4 to 6 months of riding in the rain and on muddy wet surfaces. I have a Rohloff Speedhub mounted on a full-suspension touring bike coupled to a BBSHD mid-drive and it's amazing. It's broken me to ever owning another bike without a Rohloff. The mid-drive and the Speedhub are made for each other, they go together like lamb and tuna fish. @ The 1st year I rode I changed the chain 8 times... whenever it got to 0.5% wear as tested with a Park tool. After another 25K miles and 4 years riding I now wipe the chain clean daily and swap my chains every 6 months. Drop the chain, flip or replace the Rohloff gear, mount a new chain, and ride. Always having a straight chain line makes it amazingly easy to maintain.
11 Jul 19 - 71 miles w/front panniers & trailer on less than 15Ah... 1/2 the packs capacity.
www.relive.cc/view/g37290970278
photos.app.goo.gl/RD1NrDPCZQuHpWja9
For anyone that thinks they can really clean the chain on the bike, follow this guy's instructions then pull the chain and drop it in some type of solvent and see how filthy it still is.
Pop the quick link off and shake the chain in an old jam jar full of white spirits / thinners / petrol. Dry and repeat until it washes clean. Finish with brake clean or an alcohol to ensure no residue. Best clean and super cheap.
I use wet lube Dura Lube 40 are the Best for lube chain 👍
I use mineral oil as chain lube and its great. Just make sure to wipe out the excess. And wipe your chain after each ride. Once wiped, apply oil and wipe out the excess. Check if you see grime or dirt on the chain when you touch. When no dirt is seen, it means its clean and ok to ride again.
Imma just stick to my ptfe shimano
Cool watch Doddy! Good tip with chain park tool cleaner
Use shower caps and foot covers you get at swimming pools to help cover the break discs! Great for storing spare wheels as well!
Edit: auto correct mistake on swimming
nic it? you can have it! i just want a free GMBN one when they come out! yeooooo
you can buy 10 on amazon for 89p
This is glorious, I been tryin to find out about "oiling a bicycle" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Viyackson Yenacob Review - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my work buddy got great success with it.
Baboy73 shut up, bot.
no need to buy $20 brake disc protectors.
The shop towels 💡
On the park tool channel they said you could reuse degreaser fluid if you left it too settle and let the gunk go to the bottom and use the fluid on the top if that makes sense.
It makes perfect sense. Have you ever seen an artist's work area. My grandpa kept a can of thinner with a large wire mesh in the bottom that he cleaned his brushes out with. I don't think he changed the thinner for over a year. He would just add more when it evaporated as it is pretty volatile.
He did a vid on this great idea
Subscribing to your channel is one of the best things I have ever done for myself and my bike’s!! THANK YOU!!
Seems thorough cleaning and lubrication is covered well,and wet or dry lube for chain.But does not mention tri-flow,wondering if that would work?
Cheers doddy, brilliant thanks for the footage my friend 🇬🇧😉👊👌
Thank you very much this video will help me loads I have a eurobike x1 which I had to buy some products for my drivetrain
Might sound kind of crude, but I use brake cleaner and old toothbrushes. Makes your drivetrain look BRAND NEW in literally seconds. And there’s no risk of contaminating your rotors. Make sure you let it dry good (I use compressed air) and reapply your lubricant after it’s fully dry. It’s really important to make sure it’s dry before you lube it, if it’s not dry it’ll actually break down your new lube. You can get off brand brake cleaner for under $2 at the supermarket, and it’s far more effective than any degreaser. Definitely avoid getting it on your paintwork though.
Those Park Tool chain cleaners are magical.
Dishwashing liquid in a chain cleaning device works great!
If you do this make sure you absolutely wash the chain thoroughly afterwards. Don't use Dish washing liquid to clean your bike as if you don't wash it off properly it can attack aluminium or set up a nice galvanic cell between 2 dissimilar metals....
nice Watch your wearing 🙂
All I do is soaking a rag with motor oil (any engine oil will do) and pulling the chain through it.
That's it.
Repeat every week on rainy conditions and every month on dry conditions.
No special expensive chain oil needed and no degreaser or anything else.
Motor oil has everything needed, it works not only as a lubricant but also as a detergent and rust inhibitor, it has anti wear components, too.
2:44 I recommend finish line grunge brush or similar device it's so simple & effective ot use. creat for cleaning jockey wheels and the chain.
I also like the Muc off brushes, the small & hard is great for grips, the drive train brush is great too. the brushes got rubberized edges so won't scratch the bike.
there might be similar products, buts its what I use, and I don't know of other similar brushes.
+1 for the grunge brush.. especially for use on the Jockey wheels and your 3 largest cassette cogs... erg messing around with the plastic scraper vs a quick whizz of the Jockey wheel through the grunge brush does the trick.
There is also a fenwicks brush and sponge, checking them out soon!
@@Hasio-Maszkietnik Fenwicks does not have a a chain brush.Finish Line Grunge Brush is designed to clean the chain, I recently discovered White Lightning has one too.
Thanks
THAT REMINDS ME , I NEED TO DUST OFF MY OAKLEY MINUTE MACHINE AND PUT A NEW BATTERY IN IT
I have some doubts. I clean the chain with a degreaser and then lubricate the chain.
I need to pass the chain through water after the degreaser?
I need to wait for the chain to dry before lube? Natural or with air?
Thanks
I have a FINISH LINE chain cleaner and use diluted Simple Green, 2 good washes and its fine, then clean the cassette, etc
Love the Oakley watch you have there sir.
Can you use a hose pipe to get dirt off the drivetrain?
NEVER use degreaser unless you use isopropyl alcohol to help get water/degreaser out of the chain as the last bath. AND only use noncorrosive degreaser. better learn to dismount the powerlink/quicklink using only your hands and put just a bit of lube to help it when taking it off. press on both sides laterally as to squeeze them towards each other while pulling the link apart as in "/" line in the "Z" letter is for pulling apart and the upper and lower lines in the "Z" letter being pressed together make the pulling apart easier. a 10 year old can do it with no tools after learning how. after you learn how to easily and safely dismount the powerlink you won't ever mount a chain without one. getting the chain off the bike makes the cleaning much more easier and you can also immerse the chain in whatever thick lube before wiping it clean with a rag (less need to add volatile compounds to help the oil penetrate the chain if immersing the chain and leaving it some time for the bubbles to come out). the best lube for the job should be relatively unexpensive and you'll buy a large amount anyway because the best lube for the job is not sold in 100ml containers - all brand "bike chain" lubes are overpriced while most are crap. synthetic GL4 gear lube is useful for wet/winter conditions, waxy stuff for dry/warm weather but be sure to mix in some ceramic (boron nitride) additive as it's easy to get - they sell if for cars as it's a very useful additive for both engine oil and gear oil but very much so for the bike chain. the time in which the oil is potentially squashed away in the bike chain is much longer comparing to a car's gears. the chain gets in tension and travels from the sprocket to the chainring depending on cadence and chainring size so that the friction gets to occur LATER, after that delay in which time (1-2 seconds) the lube can be gradually squashed so that whatever grinding bits remains unseparated by the thinned out lube gets to wear out the chain if the surface is not smoothed out by whatever additives would stick to it. hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) not only is a perfect additive for this purpose but it also helps to dissipate whatever heat (very good thermal conductor) is created whenever hard surface happen to be in friction and might contribute to the oxidation of the lubricant. AVOID EP additives like moly unless you have the chain completely protected from water. wax does not work well on it's own, it needs to be mixed with one or more things and this depends on the temperature, how much dirt is thrown into the chain by the wheels or just how much dirty the air is, how often water hits the chain etc.
I would tilt the bike the other way so that no degreaser is able to run into the rear hub. Also: if your bike is not too much dirty you can run the ParkTool CC-2 with WD-40. And you can save the oil for the next time. I change the oil with each 3-4 rides but i do a lot of road rides.
the quality of your videos is quite impressive
Is it necessary to use degreaser for every clean when using a dry lube? It seems to be fairly water soluble to me, so on most cleans I just clean it using running water, wipe it off and relube.
This is exactly what I also wonder
Excellent tutorial!!
Great lesson! charlie m.
How about frequency, reapply v clean n reapply, or after specific types of rides, say sandy v dirt v mud v really wet?
Nice video as ever was just looking for one of your videos for a quick and effective way to clean and lube drivetrain!
Why did you cover your brake disc if WD-40 degreaser is safe for disc brakes?
Hey guys big fan!! Keep up the amazing videos!
Are you rinsing with water in the bucket?
Best info on cleaning ever. Thank you
A small tip I use to lubricate the chain is to put the extremity of the lube container directly onto the chain (like you in the inside) but with a physical contact. This way, the lube will slide on the chain by capilarity and not with drops so you don't waste any product :) Actually, this way you don't even need to push on the bottle to get the lube out.
This is my exact method 🤙🏼
If I’m lubing post ride, how do I know which one to use Mate?
#askgmbntech, my friend has been using a ceramic lube from finish line. Where does that fit in between dry and wet? Thanks, great channel.
Helpful video. Thanks!
Dind't quite get it - I live in a place with dry and wet weather conditions. Imagine I put on dry lube and the next day or so it rains - can I put wet lube on top of it or do I need to clean the entire chain beforehand? Thanks and really nice videos!
so you wipe off excess from the bottom of the chain rollers and sides ?
Hey Doddy, do you lube or grease the cassette???
Can you use a wet lube on the rear mech instead of a dry one?
Very informative video with many good instructions. When I want to get my cassette super clean I take it completely apart and clean each individual cog. I just find it a cleaner way to do it and it uses less degreaser.
Can I use chain salubrious on my chain and cassette
Does anyone know which DT Swiss rear hub was on this bike?
Should the sproket ever be lubed or just degreased
Very thorough. Good job, Andrew!
Was very useful. Things up. Cheers mate!
Excellent explanation, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for sharing. What an expert😍
I find it easier to take the chain off, i do being as nowadays it's much easier due to the master link in the chain, then soak it in petrol or a strong degreaser, get rid of all that grud & foreign particles, i don't think it's bad for the chain as i have carried out the same method for about 30 years, also remove the jockey wheels to and if poss the cassette also, no worries of cross contamination then, do this about every 500 miles pending on what type of weather & terrain, the cleaner and well maintained your chain is then the longer ever think get lasts, but eventually it will all need replacing like everything eles
Isn’t re using a master link bad ?
This man's got a good taste for watches.
Use washing up liquid and water or diluted simple green to decrease chain with a chain cleaner. This will be much cheaper and just as effective as a canned degreaser or solvent. Also if washing up liquid is only effective if chain is cleaned every 5-7 days.
Same here. I use Simple Green with one of those mechanical chain cleaners, that clamps over the chain.
Could you use isopropel alcohol instead of a chain cleaner or would that damage the drivetrain?
What about 3-in-1 oil? Any good as a lubricant? Then pop the chain in petrol to clean it. Old school;)
Thank you!
I just use muc off on the cassete and muc off chain cleaner on the chain then a dry and lube
Hi doddy. Have you ever used melted paraffin wax. I've seen some TH-cam videos on how to but they are all road bikes. They say some pretty good things
Is that a One Up chain guide?
Take the chain off the bike and drop it into a can of light solvent (naphtha). Agitate. Brush if necessary. Sling off excess solvent and let dry. Lube with one drop on each roller. Wipe clean.
4:34 Another good tip : *TAKE YOUR WATCH AND ANY RINGS YOU WEAR - OFF BEFORE CLEANING BIKE.*
I didn't get the part after applying the degreaser. Do I use plain water to rinse off the degreaser ?? or soapy water ??
I have a spray type degreaser which comes in a can. So after spraying onto the chain, do I still need to use water to rinse off the degreaser ??
We have a 1000km bike packing trail here in Western Australia and I’m looking for ideas to keep the bike going when I’m out camping for days at a time. The ride is through gravel, laterite, sand, limestone road, a bit of mud. Any ideas?
Ignore the Wd-40 advertisement. Use a chain bath contraption and kerosene as the fluid. The kerosene can be reused ♻️
i use my bike everday, i think oil for the winter, and muc-off of the summer is hot......eh, in scotland
I’ll stick to the jet wash thanks
So should I just lube my chain only after degreasing it and when the rollers don’t move?
wow I have been lubing my chain wrong for years lol
Bruhhh
To make u feel better I sprayed that thing on my break discs I tho its gonna break better 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
@@TimeZ7 you were right, it will BREAK indeed
@@TimeZ7 try some coca cola :-D we did that 15 years ago on our bmx bikes
Der Highland lmao
Silicone. Makes tires look like new, bearings, cables, chain, suspension, everything. Safe on plastic, put it on everything except brakes. Makes your bike look brand new. I use it on bearings, but I overhaul every 150 miles, or every week.
Most excellent. Thanks!
My bike make so much noise when pedaling,i thinking about using wD-40 but i scare if break not work after spray wD-40 ,my bike will make me see Jejus so quick😆if i do only on chain will it work?i really needed,and do i need grease after spray wD-40??
Grease your suport
@GMBN Tech...... Did Park Tools not give you guys a CM-25 Proffesional Chain Scrubber when they outfitted your shop, because watching GCN and GMBN clean the bicycle chain is painful without it!
coldforgedcowboy They can do that for super perfect.
Will a motorbike degreaser and lube such as motul C2 be recommended for this?
What a bike😍
Hello,
I used degreaser on my cassette and its getting tiny rust patches! Should I be worried and what do I to fix it?
Thanks
It's probably just surface rust. Give it a good scrub and it should come off. Make sure it's properly dry and it shouldn't rust I don't think.
Would this stop squeaking when I pedal?
What about the all conditions lube? is it really an all season lubricant or would u still recommend dry/wet depending on conditions?
Quick question: Is it normal for the drivetrain to be dirty after every ride? Also, I notice muck cakes on the jockey wheels. Lately I been cleaning it after every ride. I use a degreaser and a toothbrush. Thanks
I'm one of those people that services their bike just before a ride, but I don't have any friends so it doesn't really matter.
Love your videos, learning a lot that I didn’t know and what tools I need thankyou
MAD acceleration sound at 2:29
Doesn't using a chain cleaning tool with degreaser wash out the original grease inside the chainlinks and therefore the chain won't work as long? Really interested on your opinion on this
Well, if you use the correct lube it won't matter. You want a lube that is thin (so that dust won't be picked up), polar (so that it sticks to the metal) and water-insoluble (so that it won't be washed away). I use double end capped ISO viscosity grade 46 PAG air conditioning oil and i find it the perfect chain lube.
Two words, "old toothbrushes"
Definitely never fail
Thanks for idea. Good thing I kept mine
@@BenUkulele0-@6
Ñ"+;0!!,***-#
Good morning, you can do a maintenance of the Shox vivid Air R2C 2012, because mine is defective, and I can not fix it. Would you also like to know if I can replace nitrogen with normal Air Pump? Thank you. it would also have to show this maintenance in the IFP. Or I could do the maintenance of some Shox that had these two compartments, the Air is the oil, so I can build up the courage and be able to do maintenance on mine, because in my city it does not do maintenance and I would have to send the Shox to a city that is more than 1000 kilometers from mine. Thanks. I'm form Brasil