Bring your rusty bike chain back to life!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ธ.ค. 2024
- This worked surprisingly well
My chain cleaning video: • DIY bike repair: How t...
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The trick I've always used on my bikes, from WW1 bikes to 90s MTBs is using some citric acid powder. You can buy it in hardware stores. You don't need a very high concentration, a few spoons will do the job in a classic glass of water. You let it sit overnight, rinse it VERY well the day after, let dry and then lube right after. NEVER use strong acids, they will destroy everything.
Thanks for sharing, interested to try that out sometime!
citric acid is used in every chain degresear of modern products labelad as natural or bio safe :D
I use it for old motorcycles, especially chains and the insides of fuel tanks. Cheap and works a treat.
Wow...thanks
Apparently citric acid is magical since it has dual action.
It can dissolve weak and damaged steel, but it is slow at dissolving good steel. You could say this is similar to vinegar.
But the citrate ions are also capable of rust removal via chelation, similar to Evaporust, regardless of the acidic action of hydrogen or hydronium ions.
Indeed some people suggest that a partially neutralised solution of citric acid with low residual acidity is very similar in its action to Evaporust.
At around 9 nine bucks, I'd say, replace the chain. However, if you really must, or really want to restore that rusty chain, I' d recommend the following: Brush the outsides of the chain with a wire brush, perhaps on rotary tool to remove as much surface rust as possible. Then wipe off with a dry cloth. Then proceed to clean the chain with citric cleaner and water. Then clean again 2 or 3 time with just water. Pressure blow dry. Spray liberally with WD40. Let it sit. Then work the chain and make sure it's moving freely again. The lube with oil. Another cleaning round with water and then blow drying before lubing could be advisable. Good luck !
Thanks for adding your tips 😊👍
it is not problem outside rust, problem is that inner sliding surfaces of chain (pin and link hole) are rusted and even if you remove rust from here, surfaces are damaged and if you use that chain it will wear very fast, the cheapest is to replace it
Agree….if chain is this rusty better buying a new one. With the cost of WD40 and chain oil, you’re not saving much money, and if the chain is that bad there’s a chance one on the pins might break anyway.
@@makantahi3731Not really cheaper if you have to buy the tools and everything else! I could be wrong...
@@ShinobiZXx you do not have to buy cnc machines,you need plier or pin extracter, that costs 10$ and it can be used many times,more would cost to go to bike repair shop to replace chain,just labor
This only makes sense if you have zero dollars and lots of free time. that chain is likely going to measure over 1% elongation and cause accelerated wear to the cogs (the more costly bits). A 6/7/8 chain is dirt cheap and you could replace it much faster than trying to resurrect that encrusted old thing. Some things ain't worth fixing.
If you have the skills/tools, I agree, good to replace 👍. Many ask me for an option for this though, so I made a video with an option!
you still need the penetrating oil and how much you would need. i think you buy a new chain 😊
these cogs are dirt cheap as well
Bir şişenin içine benzin yada tiner koy iyice çalkala birgün beklet ve sonra yağla sonuç mükemmel olur
you must ride alot 10+ miles a week, most people never wear out a chain...i own several vintage 80s tiyr de france bikes, i HAVE NEVER EVER BROKE OR WORE OUT A CHAIN IN MY LIFE!!! i do realize the new flexy 12 gear MB chains are thinner
Thank you for the insightful guide! My bike went rusty over christmas and I'd been agonizing over the scope of bike maintenance for weeks. Looking forward to Spring in the saddle now :)))
Glad this could help 😊
honestly pretty helpful for my situation. getting a new bike in a few weeks but its the first real nice day of the year so ive done the process to my old 1992 and it already looks like its gonna give me a good go. loosened it and went around the block letting it work in some before a short adventure
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, glad it could help you!
If someone hasn't mentioned it the penetrating oils you want are either PB Blaster or Kano Kroil. Use PB Blaster outside and don't inhale the fumes - very noxious but either works better than Liquid Wrench. Then you can anchor the chain to a board with a clamp and go over it with a wire wheel on a drill hitting all sides at various angles then soak it in Metal Rescue or Evapo Rust, rinse and lubricate. Hopefully after all that work and time it'll still be within tolerance to be usable. Or buy a new chain. 😃
everyone knows you can just buy a new chain, that's not the point of the video. You guys need to watch the "how to replace an old chain with a brand new one" video. This is not that video. thanks for the video. it's exactly what I wanted to see for the awesome old 80s road bike I just picked off my neighbors trashcan.
Appreciate your comment, and glad it could help 😊
"So first, get some penetrating oil on there, make sure to wiggle the links to get it running again.
Next you wanna get some penetrating oil on there, just to really loosen everything up.
Now, possibly the most important step: Spraying some penetrating oil on the chain, a frozen chain means an un-rideable bike.
Now in the video, just for fun, I soaked the chain in some penetrating oil, it really helps to free up those frozen links.
At this this point the chain was looking good but still a little stiff so I pulled an ancient bike maintenance trick and coated some penetrating oil on there.
What most people tend to forget is this final step, It's quite tricky... the chain is nice and loose but to keep it that way, what you wanna do is throw some penetrating oil on there."
Jks very helpful video man, Thanks. Good ol' WD-40 worked well.
Glad it could help! This comment must’ve taken a long time to type out 😅
This method is really insightful! I just fixed my bike and it works! Thank you so much!
That’s great! 😊👍
Very impractical but i did something vaguely similar. Spray wd40, wiggle the stiff links and just ride it lol. Over time it will de rust itself. I found it funny because one day i realised my rusty chain wasnt rusty anymore. Honestly just buy a new chain but if your lazy and have wd40, spray that and pray
Works well in a pinch for a cheap bike you just ride around for basic use. Wouldn’t even attempt for anything higher end
Wd40 is water displacer, not lubricant
While handy if you have the tools at the end of the day your probably better off buying a new chain great video though
Thanks, ya I agree, most times it will be much easier just to replace the chain. I just get so many comments asking about fixing rusty bike chain, wanted to show an option!
HOME RUN!!
Have you ever considered to change the chain?
Yup! This probably warranted it, but wanted to show an option for getting it working again. I have a chain replacement video in the works 👍
@@onelastlap9302 Good hint for emergency repair, not for long lasting solution: internal chain links could be rusted and weakened for good
Will the chain still eventually collect dirt even after wiping the oil or is waxing the chain the way to go for a grime free chain and no more dirty hands from touching it?
Any chain with oil will eventually get dirty, wax really the best for cleanliness. But it’s better to start with new chain, it wouldn’t work well to wax a rusty chain like this (wax wouldn’t stick)
@@onelastlap9302 I just learned something today. You just prevented me from future frustrations. Thank you!
I use a disposable chain for monsoon which always looks black like diesel. And a separate chain for dry weather. I keep the monsoon chain dipped in kerosene(air tight container) during storage.
Cool, thanks for sharing! Haven’t heard of this before
I wonder how long this fistful of rust can work as intended. I had rusty broken links earlier, but I don't know if there is a difference between different manufacturers and how their chain tolerate rust.
The real repair here would be to realize the chain, this would probably be best suited as a short term fix just to get your bike riding again. But bike chains are pretty durable, so it may last longer than expected
I actually did that last summer to an old bike in the shed...Was there for like 20 years....I also had to use plyers for some of the links but in the end I gave the bike to a school teacher and she loves it.
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing!
Amazing that a penetrating oli worked to loosen up rusty metal- who knew!!
does diesel remove rust?
Potentially, if it’s all you’ve got, you can try it. Let me know how it goes!
What was the other stuff to clean the rust?
See the linked video in description for full chain cleaning process (degrease, lube, wipe)
Enjoyable video, but why go through all this trouble instead of replacing the chain? A good KMC, Yaban or Shimano chain costs only $8.
Thanks, I got many comments and questions asking for this video. I guess many don’t have access to new parts or tools to fix!
OK my bicycle is maybe 50+ years old and it was left outside it’s small and it’s going to be not used most likely unless it’s a small child but I still wanted it to look better… any suggestions additionally??
Some suggestions for getting started, A general wash (using soap/brush) could be a good start, and then adding oil to any moving parts. You could then inflate the tires, and see if it still rides!
Bro Bro Bro Bro Bro this works so well I had an old bike with a rusty as chain and i didn't bother to replace it I tried this video and it worked so well I might stop bying new chains for my mountain bikes.
Bro thank you very much just help me a lot
That’s great, glad it helped 😊👍
Do i do the same thing for my gears?
Gears you can scrub a bit more aggressively, since you can get at the surfaces better then with a a chain. So ya, spray, wipe, repeat
It was better to just replace the chain. It would cost the same as that can of penetrating spray.
Ya, if you have tools/ability to change (and easy access to parts), replacing good idea 👍
Not a solution I'd be using, but thanks for the info. It was quite a surprise to me that rusty chains could be cleaned and lubricated to be ridden again.
Thanks, ya I would also be replacing a chain if it was for my bike (and possibly cassette/chainrings), but just wanted to show an option for those with minimal tools/resources how to get their bike rolling again
Man these comments need to learn how to be resourceful. Yea you can just ✨buy✨ a new one. Some can’t, and sometimes it truly is unnecessary when you have the will to do it yourself. Not everything has to be new to be good.
(And before you tell me it might break or some worst case scenario, grow some balls maybe?)
Thanks for your comment 😊. I always like to try and make things last as long as possible as well!
Spray WD40 onto the chain then use a wire brush - you would be surprised how shiny the chain becomes.
Sounds like it would work once all the links are freed up!
If your are a mechanic like me you could use a wire wheel on your bench grinder lol to remove all the rust
Could work, but with that you’re already removing the chain, so it’s better to replace at that point, my idea for this was to give people an on bike option!
Thank you
😊👍
cheers, gonna do mine right now, just bought dw 40
Great! Hope it goes well 👍
Did it work ?
@@thunder.506x Absolutely it worked. I didn't know it would be so awesome, zapping the rust but then literally making the chain look brand new. I did it weeks ago and it still looks new.
😂 That chain is toast
Ya, this is more just to get the bike up and moving of new chain/tools aren’t available, but replacement a good idea at this point
What spray you are using
This is liquid wrench spray 👌
This is basically a Jack's films "Protein shake" equivalent of bike chain cleaning.
why not just take the cain off instead of messing up your floor?
Many people ask me how to fix, and many also have no bike tools. So wanted to offer an on bike solution, but yes, replacing makes total sense in this case
Nice video, I don’t even know where to buy chains so I’ll try this, also got a bike from the trash so I’m not trying to spend much
Sounds like a good approach for your situation! Glad it could help
And it still qualifies to be completely replaced. Chains aren't expensive. Especially in this kind of old bikes if there's a 7-8 speed chains.
Even the 11-12 speeds chains aren't expensive
Oder eine neue Kette?
Also a good idea, this is for those who don’t have option to replace (many ask me)!
Found this via the short you posted, thank you.
Oh nice, thanks for checking out the long form as well 🙏👍
i feel buying a new chain is more effective and not that expressive 😅😅
Agree, this is for those without easy access to parts/ability to change. Many ask me for an option!
New chain is like 15$ and you need to replace it anyway in most cases. And in this case for sure
Many people who follow my channel don’t have easy assess to parts/tools, so asked for an option to get up and running. Agree new chain is a good idea though!
Thank you, will definitely check it out
Hope it helps!
@@onelastlap9302 It did! My bike’s chain before cleaning was all rusty and brown color but after the steps it was repaired like normal! Thanks for the guide.
Sometimes you just have to buy a new chain, but usually brake cleaner does a pretty good job.
This probably warranted a new chain, but will experiment with brake clean 👌
@@onelastlap9302with 3 in 1 oil, or if you really want to be hardcore, I've never done this with a bicycle chain but I've done it with bigger chains is, soak them in gasoline overnight.
And a video replacing a rusted chain with a new one won’t be as successful as this one 😂
@@RidesWithJake I do have a chain replacement video in the works, but covers chain wear and different replacement options 👍
Why is that rust the wrong color
It’s Canada rust 😅
Use a ultrasonic cleaner
I wanted to show a method that keeps the chain on the bike, but yes, ultrasonic cleaner can be a great cleaning device!
A new chain would have probably been cheaper and more time efficient than all the chain spray used. Just sayin’……
Nothing wrong with putting a new chain at this point, this is just a quick/easy method to get up and running in the meantime (or if parts/tools unavailable)
Let me guess, if one of your employees doesn’t do a good job you try n just get rid of them too instead of teaching, because you can’t fix nor prevent?
Remove the chain, soak in vinegar.
May give this a try, hearing this recommended. Although I wanted to show an on bike option without removing chain
@@onelastlap9302 dont do it it will rovme any conting off the chain and even start eating the chain
Well, a new chain wouldn't have got you 270k views, lol! Bravo
Didn’t think it would be so popular haha, thanks 😊
Great Video
Thanks! 😊🙏
Just take the thing off and soak it in something that actually removes the rust
The point was to offer something with the chain on the bike, if you’re able to remove/reinstall, it’s better to replace
Is there really a point in restoring chains as rusty as some are here? The rusting will have converted some of the metal to rust and likely pitted it too, resulting in a stretched chain that won't run as smooth.
I suppose that for a beater or lower-end bike used to travel short distances it might be ok, but if you have a decent bike and do any amount of cycling, just get a new chain and clean and lubricate it properly.
And if you insist on restoring a rusty chain anyway, at least do it properly, off the bike using something like Evaporust, which actually removes surface and light rust, then rinse it off, dry it immediately with a blow dryer, and then lubricate it right away or it'll rust again. Penetrating oil won't remove rust inside the rollers, where it most matters. This is a shortcut solution that doesn't really fix the underlying problem.
Hey, thanks for the detailed comment! Agree, this is just to get a cheap bike running again until it can get fixed properly 👍
hahah yeah but rust eat his length, and good bye gears
Ya, the whole drivetrain is already at the point of needing replacing, this just gets it up and running for the time bending before getting replaced (possibly when chain snaps or breaks)
changing chain would be cheaper and better for drivetrain
This is for someone who doesn’t have access to parts or tools 👍
You used spray cans, tools more expensive than up to 8 speed chain, which you can find for as cheap as 5€
@@kestutiszelnys2770 shhhhhhhhhhttttt!
Great advice 👍
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
tldr: penetrating oil
And some link massaging 👌
ITS ALIVE ITS ALIVE ITS ALIVE ITS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😂
it is dead chain, do not let it rust at first place
This would be ideal!
just buy a new chain...lols...otherwise, if you want to bother with rusted chains, soaking it in vinegar works better.
Ya, new chain for sure a good idea of possible, I have a video on that coming up as well, this is for those who don’t have that available to them (had a lot of requests)
From my experience i would just replace the chain
Also good if you have the tools/parts to do so!
This will definitely mess up your sprockets if they aren't already.
Short story even shorter: Use penetrating oil a bunch of times and free chain links that arent moving.
It is better to buy a new chain
Agree a new chain would be a good idea, this is for those without easy access to parts or tools to fix 👌
nice and all but i don't know why you should do that.
great saved me 15$ for a chain
Saving money is saving money 👍
It costs more to use the degreaser than the chain to replace. More time for an unguaranteed result
No no. That whole bicycle belongs in only 1 place - the garbage. Nevermind that chain...
I mean, I did get it from the garbage 😅
Or you could just buy a new chain for about 8 quid?
New chain good idea, this is ideally a temporary measure of tools/parts hard to come by
Just buy a new chain if it was in that state it was probably shagged anyway🙂
Agree, many have asked me for an option on this though, so just showing what can be done 👍
Its cheaper to vuy a new chain than to “restore” old one. Wd 40 costs 12 euro, let alone two hours of your time to clean it
This is for those without tools/parts to replace, new chain is great idea, this is just to get it going again until it can be replaced
Penetrating oil...
Now that's funny..
Lol..
Any other recommendations?
If you love your bicycle, you'll buy a new chain. If you really love your bicycle, you'll buy a new cassette.
ok...but this video can be very very useful for people with a low budget...love is always there.. whether you have money or no money 😊
Buy a new one instead, lubricant, oil and TIME are expensive than a 6€ new chain
Replacing is also good, this is for those without the tools/ability to replace
Where WD-40?
Please change a new chain
If you have the tools/parts easily available, yes, it’s a good idea 👍
Knipex cobras spotted!
They’re great pliers, I like their pliers wrench as well 👍
You could also just spend a few bucks on a brand new chain instead of on all the oil, cloths and time wasted, and buy a brand new chain that will serve you well instead of riding with a rust belt.
the price of wd40 is the same for a new chain
The idea is if you don’t have access to parts (or tools) to fix, this gets it going again, but yes, a new chain isn’t a bad idea
Buy a new chain already, or new bike 👍
I’ve heard many bike shops tell that to people, just buy a new bike. This is an option for those who can’t/don’t have access to parts or service
The new chain is cheaper then you used wd40
You’d really only want to do this if you can’t easily get a new chain, which can be the case for many!
@@onelastlap9302 yes you are right
Think a new chain would have been cheaper.
I don’t think it would even be safe to ride that chain. You can’t see the internal corrosion.
Just take it off and shake it in some solvents. Also you can leave it in wd40 for some time to unrust it
The idea was to offer a solution that leaves the chain on the bike, if you have the tools to remove, may as well just replace
@@onelastlap9302 well, if it's just a peace of scrap to use to get somewhere around town why waste money on a new chain. I myself have a crappy, rusty bike, just to go get groceries or smth and i can leave it anywhere without worrying about it getting stolen. A bike costed me smth like 20 dollars so that's about the price of a new chain. To remove the chain actually you only need a hammer and a nail to strike the pin out
Buy a new chain. Problem solved. Done.
Have a video on chain replacement coming soon 👍. But not everyone has the tools to do that
Maybe just buy a new chain?
If an option, yes, this for those without access to parts/tools
My god! How cheap are you people? Just buy a new chain!!
Agree, new chain if you have tools/ability, but many people watch my clips from around the world, and don’t have easy/fast access to parts/tools, so this is an option many asked for
Just Buy A New Chain There $10.... Smh 🤦
This for those without easy access to parts/tools, new chain good idea if you can
Nice video bro.
Thanks, hope it could help! I know replacing the chain would be the obvious thing, but many ask for this fix, so wanted to show 😊
Me bel ike (uses degreeser)
it's cheaper to buy a new chain
This is for someone who doesn’t have access to parts or tools 👍
But, then you have to have the tools to replace the chain.
Upgrade that junk to Shimano Dura Ace
Perfect chain for a beater bike 😅
@@onelastlap9302 Shimano chain $23, 2pack wd40 $23
Not sure why you'd want to do this. Just buy a new chain
If parts/tools not easily available, replacing a good idea if possible
Bro used $20 of cleaners and oil, spent surely time, which'd get you $10 dollars to barely fix a chain for $8.
Ya, it makes sense to change the chain of you have the tools/ability. This is for those who can’t do that, or don’t have available to them. Maybe 1/4 of the can of $10 spray used
tbf is it not been looked after changing can cos more problem than it cures
Bro new chain is like $4 just buy new one
Just buy another chain for pity's sake! What a wate of time
Agree, new chain if you have tools/ability, but many people watch my clips from around the world, and don’t have easy/fast access to parts/tools, so this is an option many asked for
Just buy a new one wtf its like 10$
This for those without easy access to parts/tools, new chain good if you can
Buy a new chain 💀
Chains aren't that expensive man :/
Just buy a chain mate , don't be so cheap haha
EASYEST OPTION buy a new one
Why the heck should you revive a rusty chain? just buy a new one! jeez
Agree! This for those who don’t have access to new parts easily and need a temporary fix 👍