With teflon/PTFE being a primary ingredient, I would make sure to use it in a well ventilated area and/or use a mask with an organic vapor cartridge. Teflon is one of those "forever chemicals" that accumulates in your body
Great point! Our workshop is very airy and there is an extraction fan. Personally, I can't work with a mask on. That shouldn't stop anyone else from using whatever PPE they deem necessary to protect themselves...
This isn't true. PTFE is very safe - it's incredibly unreactive, and your body can't do much to absorb it. About the only way you could be harmed is by burning it, as it releases some nasty products when it decomposes. PFOA and the related precursor chemicals used in PTFE manufacturing *are* bad, and cause environmental contamination that sticks around for ages. Those are the 'forever chemicals' that are a problem. PTFE is a very common material for medical implants like artificial heart valves - it's used specifically because the body can't break it down and because it's biologically inert.
Brilliant video from a man who knows! Learned a lot and great to see the tips on how to keep the environment clean while you're cleaning your drivetrain. Long live GT-85!
Yes, PTFE is bad for the environment. Over oiling a drivetrain with anything (GT85 included) and then using degreasers and over oiling again is worse. The grime from over oiling and wearing the drivetrain away quicker is less environmentally sound just on it's own. There really isn't much about riding a bike that is good for the environment...
No amount is allowed in public water supplies it's so dangerous. Huge push in the States to upgrade ball public water supplies to remove every trace. This stuff is very toxic.
I’ve been doing it this way for years except with wd40. Different stuff but also works. Wd40 is a solvent with some light lubricating properties. Some people love to hate on it, but I’ve got close to 40,000 miles worth of cleanings with wd40 and it’s never given me premature wear or any other negative results.
You are correct. I’ve used most new lubricants over the years but keep going back to WD 40. People love to hate it, “…it’s a solvent,not a lubricant” is what I hear most often. I’ve been using it for over 50 years on all kind of bikes. I’ve never noticed chain, or whatever, wearing out any earlier. I don’t think it last as long but it’s much less expensive. And when thinking it doesn’t last as long, I check my chain, and clean it, more often.
@ I’ve heard of people doing this. But I mis spoke. I use it to clean and then use a separate dry lube. Although occasionally I’ll do one short ride before the lube. I use pro link gold for the lube. Which is also has a tiny bit of solvent in it, so similar to wd40 it cleans a little while lube. After 100 miles I’ll just wipe the chain and shuttle gears with a rag that has wd40 sprayed on it, and add a little bit of Pro Link after. This gets me about 800 miles, and somewhere between 800-1000 I’ll do a deeper clean and floss the cassette, etc. But I do find wd40 makes it easy to do regular quick cleans to prolong the interval between deep cleans. At least for me living in a dry climate.
Also you can buy WD40 in bulk (5lts) and fill a spray bottle with it. No aerosol gas needed. Very economical. Great cleaning and lubing properties. I recall being told 15% by volume is oil. In UK with lots of rain I use a heavier chain lube and so need to clean my chain regularly. WD40 does the same job as GT85 in this EXCELLENT video. The guy’s a legend. (Not your typical cyclists shape tho! Just sayin!)
What was the lubricant again? .. GT85 , think he only mentioned it a million times . All serious though , brilliant video from extremely experienced mechanic. Do so many things wrong with servicing , however hopefully 🤞 I’m learning 😁
For years l used oil based lubes then went through the whole process of degreasing with the park tool chain cleaner. I then converted to drip wax and now the process of oil/degrease/oil is thankfully finally over.
Been riding/racing for 24 years, gt85 and this advice is spot on! Been doing exactly what this vid says for years. Even now, muddy ebike ride- leave mud to dry, brush off and wipe down with gt85 and a rag. No washing. Then clean drive train and done.
Use heatshrink, instead of crimping aluminum cable end clamps. The heatshrink will keep the cable end from fraying and can be removed without cutting the cable end. You can use a cigarette lighter to shrink, if you don't have a heat gun.
So what was that cleaner name again? In any event, TY for providing this information. I do appreciate your years of expertise on this essential part of cycling.
Dont screw in your hollowtech II preload screw in that tight. Its just extra drag on the bearings. Screw it until there is NO PLAY. Unscrew it as much as possible while keeping no play in the system. Then cinch the crank arm bolts hard (evenly) to ensure the preload doesn't change. Screwing in the much is costing watts.
Many degreasers contain a small amount of Sodium Hydroxide ( caustic soda ) which will etch Aluminium alloys. Use YT to give you a video on it as it will never let me supply a link. To see what happens try soaking some kitchen foil for a few hours ( approx 0.01mm thickness ) .
Exactly how I deep clean my bikes, and have done for the past 35 years. Although, I somewhere picked up that GT85 isn't good for lubricating chains...will be going back to just gt85 from now. Think I have been over lubricating. Excellent advice throughout the vid 👍
GT85 probably works alright as chain lube if you never ride in wet conditions. I'd guess it's washed away (To further add to the amount of dangerous microplastic in the environment with it's teflon content) in under a minute in the wet.
100% good sense Top class videoing and editing. Snappy, well informed and v entertaining. Love the fairy liquid and lurpak skit at the end. Leg End! (So now we know who ate all the pies)
I use a non scratch dishwashing sponge, water, eco washing up liquid to clean my chain. Then I use bio chainsaw oil with liquid vegetable glycerol to thicken it
So happy to see others doing it this way. I've always cringed when seeing "pros" using high pressure water to clean the drive trains on $10k bikes. I guess they don't pay for the replacements, so they don't care.
Bearing seals are very good at keeping high pressure water out (They usually don't have do as the main principle of labyrinth sealing is to force anything going into the seal to change direction more than once on the way, so the energy in the water is dissipated before it gets to the bearings) as water has quite high surface tension, and competent component designers also expect their products to be used in the rain, so sealing water out is part of the seal requirements. Solvents and water mixed with surfactants such as soaps and degreasers on the other hand, have low surface tension and get right past bearing seals to wash the grease out without any great difficulty even at low pressure. It's quite well documented in MTBing that the people who most often have to replace suspension bearings (Which are a lot less well sealed than hub and BB bearings in most cases) are also the ones who have the cleanest bikes. The bearings in a dirty bike with a well maintained drivetrain will last a lot longer than those in a bike that's doused in solvents after every ride.
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @luzzyrogue8617. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. You say you do the same as I do... what product do use rather than GT85? Good on you... so many people clean their bikes like a bull in a China shop.
This video was great! I live in a a not-large city apartment so can't really clean to the extent shown here (which is probably a good thing b/c i would totally mess this up with all the disassembly and then re-assmebly)...really great though!
Yeah I never got it with that degreaser lark. Clean your parts with a thin oil or lube and you are doing both jobs at once and keeping the water away. I use GT85, WD40 and I also put a bit of 3in1 oil on my chain, mech pivots and jockey wheels cleaning off excess with a rag. 3in1 oil is cheap as chips and is far superior to things like Finish Line as it does not form a thick crud that is difficult to remove. As for prices in UK, 3in1 is £4 for 200ml, Finish Line is £8 for 80ml.
Have you ever tried Muc Off MO-94 (which is PTFE free)? We run a busy bike hire centre and we tend to use a dish soap mixed with a light kitchen degreasant on the drive train, the grease does't run off, but it's reasonably clean after.
Glad i watched this necause i just bought a nice new teammachine 5 and in the past with my old commuter ive gone heavy on the degreaser and lube. Will make sure not to do that with the new bike!
Thanks Rick... glad it gave you a little reminder. Have you seen the latest video about cleaning and lubing your chain on the bike to prevent mucky build up? Still trying to get the Lurpak out of my hair...
You are very welcome @Hertog_von_Berkshire. One can't be blamed for not knowing what they don't know, especially when the whole industry relentlessly chants over oiling and degreasing. I had to look up what Jizer was. I still eat too much good food, but it does help me hold my wheels on my lap! So sorry I haven't responded sooner. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested.
I always remove the derailleur pulleys and clean and grease the bushings they turn on. Maybe your GT85 provides some short term lubing. Certainly is quicker.
Newer (High end) derailleurs use cartridge bearings instead of bushings - it's actually a downgrade in durability compared to the Shimano ceramic bushing setup, but there might be a fraction of a watt to be gained in efficiency, so they're doing it despite it costing customers more. SRAM jockey wheel bearings also tend to seize after use in mud and get sloppy enough to affect shifting in less mileage than it takes to wear the drivetrain out. Shimano ones are good for about 3 drivetrains before they have no teeth left, but they still shift okay... Do not use GT85 where grease should go, it's a light oil, so even as as chain lube it only works if you never ride in wet conditions. Also teflon is one of the 'forever chemicals' that make up part of the microplastic contamination building up in the environment and literally every animal, plant and human body, so I wouldn't recommend using any product that advertises it contains teflon.
Glad I found your channel. Good info and given with a hint of comical sarcasm which I like! Its uncanny, I use that exact hair care regiment as well, or I should say I did. Now Im bald 👀 and my chain, chainring look like that last one, I wonder which of my 4 degreasers and puddle of lube caused it 🤦
@@bicycleguru Wipperman now offers pre-waxed chains. I wouldn't dismiss it outright. The GT85 is mostly naptha treated to take the Sulphur out + some spindle oil ( I looked at the SDS sheet ) . As for the people who say wax is crap , they rarely say why, which in my eyes gives them no credibility. Like any tool, if you know how to use it , it works well . A little education is usually needed as a lot can go wrong. Also the subject is a magnet for trolls. Edit : as others have said the formulation of GT85 seems to have changed. The SDS sheet I found ( using "safety365 sevron GT85" ) is from 2008. Road cc's review from 2016 seems to think it contains isopropanol , C10-12 alkane/cycloalkane and petroleum distillates. It may have changed again but the base chemicals ( petroleum ) are likely still the same ( no oil seems to be mentioned now ). I wouldn't be spraying it often and say drinking alcohol as any toxicity may be increased. I have worked with people dealing with bulk chemicals for over a decade and some didn't make it to retirement or ended up with dementia etc. You will be getting a 'dose' in your bloodstream with the amounts you use. At least you don't use petrol as that contains n-hexane and benzene which have a high cancer risk. Better to use a container of solvent with a lid if you can.
Good stuff, one thing, rag? Ok if it's really cruddy use the oily rag first But microfibre cloths are as good as that chain clean thing, the grit sticks to them and comes off the chain
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @erhan6095. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. You are very welcome and thanks for letting me know.
Even less than it works on bikes as anything other than a surface cleaner and a way to release more microplastic forever chemicals like teflon into your environment.
As I said before it's best to talk to someone who actually works on the equipment like yourself. Many thanks. Got myself a Pedro's chain checker and some of your GT85 which is hard to get in Australia. Ready to clean and check chain periodically. Just put a new 10 speed Cassette and chain on my Giant Dirt 2 2018 ebike. How often should you clean ?. Graeme in Australia
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @graemer66. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. One of my life rules is to always ask an expert. You are very welcome and glad you got benefit from the video. This is where I bought GT85 from the last couple of times I was back home in Australia... au.rs-online.com/web/p/lubricants/8952306 It has become quite apparent that GT85 global availability has been massively reduced since WD40 acquired the company. In answer to your question, little and often. I have recently put a video up showing how I do this on my own bikes reducing the frequency of having to do a full on deep clean.
As an avid cyclist, I just buy anodized drivetrain and rinse it each time my bike gets wet. Not worth the time because 11 or 12 speed chains do not last a season anyway. Maybe it make sense for 8-9 speed drivetrains because they last longer.
Why do you cut off the gear cable? Most of the time, the cable end cap is easily removable if you just push on it from the sides with flat nose pliers. And then install a new cap afterwards. Also, I found that an easy way of cleaning the insides of the chain is using air from a compressor. I do it while holding a rag under and running the blow gun over the chain. Muck flies right off. P.S. Lurpak, go Denmark ;)
I've been using WD40 for a while to clean and degrease, based on the fact that it leaves a protective oil coating, rather than leaving the metal completely exposed.
I wonder what ZFC would think ? I'm sure he's too busy testing manufacturer chain lubes. More disturbingly , why has YT suggested this video to both of us a year after it's release , almost at the same time. If your YT suggestions follow my subs, get ready for some weird stuff 🙂
@ Did they get the attention of the major lube manufacturers and are they active now testing today's products ? Public outreach is probably more important than who beat who. I know ZFC isn't up to academic research standards but his principles are fundamentally sound and his heart is the right place. More importantly when he is wrong and evidence is provided he does seem to listen. I find that a rare quality in a world ruled by pride and ignorance. I do think however that he has taken too much work on and currently I see negative effects. Likely CSIRO researchers don't have to run the gauntlet of business interests like "H" who effectively are exploiting trolls. You need someone tough enough to deal with that. I say the above because I have read your previous ZFC thoughts on other channels. You genuinely seem to be saying it how you see it but the above is my perspective on things.
@@dawn_rider Do you have concerns about my view of Adam Kerin's practises ? Other channel hosts like Oz Cycle's Steven Leffanue have had their fair share of differing opinions , I have seen you contribute opinion there . Most people on here have had a different idea to another subscriber at some point . My relationship with Adam has been good mostly , he and I both have mental health challenges to deal with which we have shared experiences about . I remember seeing you on GCN and Adam's channel as well as a few bicycle build / maintenance channels . Some chain lubricant manufacturers have challenged Adam Kerin's test methods and findings like Weldtite , Rock And Roll , Muc Off and Tri - Flow .
@@robertmcfadyen9156 I was a bit taken aback that you aired your concerns publicly , considering all the issues Adam has had with 'malevolent actors'. I really did not know what to make of you. It would have been better to email him privately about your concerns. I've probably not visited Ozcycle for a long time so I will have to check the comments. I was quite annoyed with Ozcycles fix for that dog. It literally seemed overkill. I shall probably never know the circumstances that led up to it as media can be one sided. Sounds like It was the manufacturers of the chain lubes that didn't test well. If its in the public domain I will try to find out what they said. I have my own 'challenges' which probably make me seem harsh at times. I only activated my YT account about 18 months back so did not comment on ZFC or anywhere else before then ( did watch though ). Possibly in time I will regret it ?
Wow! This is awesome. What a kind, friendly, intelligent , great steward of the planet and other people. I subscribed , will check out some more of your vids. My story is a bit unusual, I think , I was a 12,000 + mile cyclist and bike mechanic between 1974 - 1980 , on firstly a 74 Peugeot U -08 - "juvenile " till early 78 when I bought a new Motobecane Mirage. Then, I graduated high school, and never rode until 2 months ago. A 44 year break, but I am back cycling, got nearly 1000 miles since Nov 9th of last year , I have a master mechanic Park tool kit coming and I purchased a used single speed I have been training on. Your vids are going to be a huge help to me. Thank you for being you... much respect
I am yet to get deeper into this, but will at some point. A tester of all things oily to clean chains with globally or something like that. When WD40 bought GT85 circa 10 years ago they massively reduced where it could be bought internationally. Last coupla times I was home in Oz, I bought from a company called RS Components. They are a UK company and it was shipped there through their network. One of the things I want to try cause it is what I used when I was racing at home is Tri-Flow which I think is readily available in the US, Try it and let me know how you get on if GT85 is unavailable...
Taking apart the bike is not practical for most people. The takeaway that I’m getting is to not over lube the chain and have the bike professionally cleaned.
Absolutely be good to the environment. However, as good as GT85 may be, those aerosol propellants are NOT good for the environment. If ya really cared, try something in a pump spray. Silca's Drivetrain Cleaner is a good alternative.
That's a lot of ptfe spray to clean 1 drive chain, and you still haven't cleaned down to the metal, never mind the health and environmental impact. Surely awater bases enzyme Bio degreaser that is recyclable and non toxic is a better choice. The cost of all those can's must be horrendous as well. Just because what you have done "more times than hot dinners" doesn't make it right, or best practice.
I had similar thoughts. Basically the message here is, "clean your chain by rinsing it with your chain lube, and then wipe it with a rag". He also mentions that you do not want degreasers near your bearings, so do not use it on your chain. However, his chain lube of choice, GT85 has as its main carrier 'white spirit', which is a petroleum-derived solvent, which makes it a degreaser. When you also consider the apparent virtue signaling that is implied by the the lecture on the environment followed by the promotion of Teflon (which has no responsible way to dispose of it), I think the content creator has created more than just a wee bit of irony in this presentation.
I can't believe you're talking about saving the environment while recommending using a product that you know contains teflon, which is one of the 'forever chemicals' that's adding to the supply of dangerous permanent microplastics in the environment and building up in literally everyone's body already. I tried the chain checker method for replacing chains and it worked when the chain was replaced before the point when the checker reckoned it needed replacing, but when I let it got to the official replacement point the new chain skipped in a couple of gears. I was using a Shimano chain checker too, which preloads the rollers to give an accurate measure of chain wear - a lot of the 'chain checkers' don't do this, so they're measuring the wear in the rollers (Irrelevant to chain replacement) as well as the change in chain pitch due to the inner plate holes wearing into slots and wearing notches into the chain pins. This pitch change is the only important measure of wear transferred to the sprockets. It's cheaper, especially if you value your time, to let everything wear in together and replace the whole lot when the chain rollers are getting to the point they're so loose they're hanging as low as the edges of the side plates of the chain. This is the same sort of mileage where at least 3 or 4 chain replacements and probably more would have happened (There's still no chain skip as everything is worn together - I've gone to the point where a few rollers wore so thin they fell off the chain completely and it still didn't skip, so plenty of factor of safety on this too, and this is with 10 tooth top gear cassettes on a MTB which are a lot more sensitive to skipping than higher tooth count gears). What's interesting, and I've seen it on every Shimano and some SRAM 12 speed chains is that when the chain is getting properly worn out it starts to get visibly wavy under load, presumably because the chain is so narrow that small amounts of uneven wear from one side of the chain the the other are enough to make it look visibly wavy under load. This still doesn't affect shifting, but on a Sunrace cassette with a SRAM chain it may be the cause of a cracking noise - I wouldn't go near Sunrace cassettes again though, as this noise seems to be specifically unique to the Sunrace product - never seen it before in 30 years+ riding. Throwing out perfectly good chains because they're slightly worn is another pointless environmental waste, even if the steel is being recycled as it's not like the energy from melting it down, making a new chain and transporting it around the world is without cost. For professionals looking to get every last fraction of a Watt to the road there's probably a small efficiency penalty to letting the chain and sprockets wear properly into each other, but nobody who's paying for these parts with their own money rather than being paid to use them is in the category where this should matter. If you were very careful, alternating 3 or 4 chains on a continuous loop every few hundred miles would get genuine increased life from your drivetrain and save actual money, but I've never seen anyone recommend that - almost as if selling people more shit they don't actually need is the business model they're supporting...
Hot wax with Teflon and sodium disulfate in it. The parts remain clean and friction remains low. What we really need to have is a good frame shampoo that doesn't dull the paint and washes off easily.
I loved the video. And appreciate the sentiment. But here is Egypt, there are no lubricants to save your life. So i have gone down the path of waxing. What do you think of it?
Was watching OzCycle I think it is .. goes into so much detail over wax strangely from candle .. does it seriously work better than normal lubricants? UK weather too especially Scotland 🏴 with wet and cold 🥶, heard it falls off
1 can per bike clean, bit much innit? Personally, I use a tooth pick and my spit. Takes a while but I find it's much better for the environment. Jokes asides can't you just wash the chain and other bits n bobs in white spirits then drain the spirits into a jar and let it settle to be used again. Once done you can dry off (whichever way you prefer) the parts and then lube up accordingly? A full can of any spray seems wildly excessive, even for old-school!
I think the target group for this is people who can't stand their families and use doing pointless work on their bike as an excuse to stay in the shed and avoid interacting with them.
This is not the way to clean your bike. Especially the chain. A complete tear down of the drive train only needs to be done twice a year. In between, take the chain off and let it soak in a jar of simple green while you clean the rest of the bike. Periodically shake the jar. When your bike is done, so will your chain. Take it out, brush it up, hose it off, shake it off, wipe dry, air dry for a few minutes, reinstall, lube each link/roller while backspinning and DONE.
With teflon/PTFE being a primary ingredient, I would make sure to use it in a well ventilated area and/or use a mask with an organic vapor cartridge. Teflon is one of those "forever chemicals" that accumulates in your body
Great point! Our workshop is very airy and there is an extraction fan. Personally, I can't work with a mask on. That shouldn't stop anyone else from using whatever PPE they deem necessary to protect themselves...
I was gonna make the same comment, but it's probably too late! :)
But it's chemically inert
There's lots of confusion in this, PTFE isn't the problem, it's the PFOA used in its manufacture
Just stop using products with PTFE.
This isn't true.
PTFE is very safe - it's incredibly unreactive, and your body can't do much to absorb it. About the only way you could be harmed is by burning it, as it releases some nasty products when it decomposes.
PFOA and the related precursor chemicals used in PTFE manufacturing *are* bad, and cause environmental contamination that sticks around for ages. Those are the 'forever chemicals' that are a problem.
PTFE is a very common material for medical implants like artificial heart valves - it's used specifically because the body can't break it down and because it's biologically inert.
Brilliant video from a man who knows! Learned a lot and great to see the tips on how to keep the environment clean while you're cleaning your drivetrain. Long live GT-85!
Thanks for saying so 👍 So glad you got something from the video more than how to do the job...
Very interesting, but isn’t PTFE bad for the environment?
What is not bad for the environment?
Yes, PTFE is bad for the environment. Over oiling a drivetrain with anything (GT85 included) and then using degreasers and over oiling again is worse. The grime from over oiling and wearing the drivetrain away quicker is less environmentally sound just on it's own. There really isn't much about riding a bike that is good for the environment...
@@bicycleguruavoids your car, which is worse
Yes, very .. it doesn't break down,.oil and degreaser is also bad but not as bad as this
No amount is allowed in public water supplies it's so dangerous. Huge push in the States to upgrade ball public water supplies to remove every trace. This stuff is very toxic.
You had me at "Buckle your toe straps"! I'm in.
I’ve been doing it this way for years except with wd40.
Different stuff but also works.
Wd40 is a solvent with some light lubricating properties.
Some people love to hate on it, but I’ve got close to 40,000 miles worth of cleanings with wd40 and it’s never given me premature wear or any other negative results.
You are correct. I’ve used most new lubricants over the years but keep going back to WD 40. People love to hate it, “…it’s a solvent,not a lubricant” is what I hear most often. I’ve been using it for over 50 years on all kind of bikes. I’ve never noticed chain, or whatever, wearing out any earlier. I don’t think it last as long but it’s much less expensive. And when thinking it doesn’t last as long, I check my chain, and clean it, more often.
@ I’ve heard of people doing this. But I mis spoke. I use it to clean and then use a separate dry lube. Although occasionally I’ll do one short ride before the lube.
I use pro link gold for the lube. Which is also has a tiny bit of solvent in it, so similar to wd40 it cleans a little while lube. After 100 miles I’ll just wipe the chain and shuttle gears with a rag that has wd40 sprayed on it, and add a little bit of Pro Link after.
This gets me about 800 miles, and somewhere between 800-1000 I’ll do a deeper clean and floss the cassette, etc.
But I do find wd40 makes it easy to do regular quick cleans to prolong the interval between deep cleans. At least for me living in a dry climate.
I love WD40. I have been using it since 2000. Using it regularly the chain and all other components last longer.
Also you can buy WD40 in bulk (5lts) and fill a spray bottle with it. No aerosol gas needed. Very economical. Great cleaning and lubing properties.
I recall being told 15% by volume is oil.
In UK with lots of rain I use a heavier chain lube and so need to clean my chain regularly.
WD40 does the same job as GT85 in this EXCELLENT video.
The guy’s a legend. (Not your typical cyclists shape tho! Just sayin!)
What was the lubricant again? .. GT85 , think he only mentioned it a million times .
All serious though , brilliant video from extremely experienced mechanic. Do so many things wrong with servicing , however hopefully 🤞 I’m learning 😁
For years l used oil based lubes then went through the whole process of degreasing with the park tool chain cleaner.
I then converted to drip wax and now the process of oil/degrease/oil is thankfully finally over.
exactly.
Wax is great stuff provided you never ride in wet conditions.
Im so glad Ive found this channel, I trust big belly bike mechanics
You're not the 1st to say and I see the logic...
As a big belly cyclist, I just subscribed.....
Fantastic, thank you. No waffle or BS, factual and to the point. Our Canadian mountain chariots will be getting the GT PTFE spa treatment.
Great techniques!! I’ve done this over the years. But you are a master! Thanks!
Spot on….as I Cycle Mechanic of many years, I totally concur with your methods and advice.
Been riding/racing for 24 years, gt85 and this advice is spot on!
Been doing exactly what this vid says for years.
Even now, muddy ebike ride- leave mud to dry, brush off and wipe down with gt85 and a rag. No washing. Then clean drive train and done.
Just sold me on belts and gearboxes.
Use heatshrink, instead of crimping aluminum cable end clamps. The heatshrink will keep the cable end from fraying and can be removed without cutting the cable end. You can use a cigarette lighter to shrink, if you don't have a heat gun.
I solder mine. Can hardly see it but stops cable fraying and can still thread through apartures.
I like that idea!
Available from Lidl at the moment a lifetime supply for £5.
So what was that cleaner name again? In any event, TY for providing this information. I do appreciate your years of expertise on this essential part of cycling.
Dont screw in your hollowtech II preload screw in that tight. Its just extra drag on the bearings. Screw it until there is NO PLAY. Unscrew it as much as possible while keeping no play in the system. Then cinch the crank arm bolts hard (evenly) to ensure the preload doesn't change. Screwing in the much is costing watts.
That was wild! The axle bolt on the Shimano cranks only needs to be tightened to remove any play (0.7to1.5Nm) the tab and bolts do the rest
He only did it hand tight ? have you ever worked on a bike ?
Many degreasers contain a small amount of Sodium Hydroxide ( caustic soda ) which will etch Aluminium alloys. Use YT to give you a video on it as it will never let me supply a link. To see what happens try soaking some kitchen foil for a few hours ( approx 0.01mm thickness ) .
Thank you! Finally someone who talks in layman’s terms.
My Good. This is bloody brilliant. A master at work! 💪🚴
Exactly how I deep clean my bikes, and have done for the past 35 years. Although, I somewhere picked up that GT85 isn't good for lubricating chains...will be going back to just gt85 from now. Think I have been over lubricating. Excellent advice throughout the vid 👍
GT85 probably works alright as chain lube if you never ride in wet conditions. I'd guess it's washed away (To further add to the amount of dangerous microplastic in the environment with it's teflon content) in under a minute in the wet.
5:48 that look on your face! I love it.
100% good sense
Top class videoing and editing.
Snappy, well informed and v entertaining.
Love the fairy liquid and lurpak skit at the end.
Leg End!
(So now we know who ate all the pies)
I use a non scratch dishwashing sponge, water, eco washing up liquid to clean my chain. Then I use bio chainsaw oil with liquid vegetable glycerol to thicken it
So happy to see others doing it this way. I've always cringed when seeing "pros" using high pressure water to clean the drive trains on $10k bikes. I guess they don't pay for the replacements, so they don't care.
Bearing seals are very good at keeping high pressure water out (They usually don't have do as the main principle of labyrinth sealing is to force anything going into the seal to change direction more than once on the way, so the energy in the water is dissipated before it gets to the bearings) as water has quite high surface tension, and competent component designers also expect their products to be used in the rain, so sealing water out is part of the seal requirements.
Solvents and water mixed with surfactants such as soaps and degreasers on the other hand, have low surface tension and get right past bearing seals to wash the grease out without any great difficulty even at low pressure. It's quite well documented in MTBing that the people who most often have to replace suspension bearings (Which are a lot less well sealed than hub and BB bearings in most cases) are also the ones who have the cleanest bikes. The bearings in a dirty bike with a well maintained drivetrain will last a lot longer than those in a bike that's doused in solvents after every ride.
I do exactly what you have done, only missing the Gt85.
I have never splashed my bike with a jet. And it's as fast as it can get 55 on a flat.
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @luzzyrogue8617. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. You say you do the same as I do... what product do use rather than GT85? Good on you... so many people clean their bikes like a bull in a China shop.
@@bicycleguru I use something from Loctite. It's green on the outside so I believe to be Bio.
This video was great! I live in a a not-large city apartment so can't really clean to the extent shown here (which is probably a good thing b/c i would totally mess this up with all the disassembly and then re-assmebly)...really great though!
Yeah I never got it with that degreaser lark. Clean your parts with a thin oil or lube and you are doing both jobs at once and keeping the water away. I use GT85, WD40 and I also put a bit of 3in1 oil on my chain, mech pivots and jockey wheels cleaning off excess with a rag. 3in1 oil is cheap as chips and is far superior to things like Finish Line as it does not form a thick crud that is difficult to remove. As for prices in UK, 3in1 is £4 for 200ml, Finish Line is £8 for 80ml.
Have you ever tried Muc Off MO-94 (which is PTFE free)?
We run a busy bike hire centre and we tend to use a dish soap mixed with a light kitchen degreasant on the drive train, the grease does't run off, but it's reasonably clean after.
Great info,,wax chain ⛓️ saves a lot of cleaning just need a little hot water. (6 years on waxing)
I miss GT85 as i can’t get it in the states
Glad i watched this necause i just bought a nice new teammachine 5 and in the past with my old commuter ive gone heavy on the degreaser and lube. Will make sure not to do that with the new bike!
Im buying GT85. I clean my MTB weekly with dish soap. Separate brush for the frame and chain. But now ill be buying GT85 and using the chain cleaner
it seems to be a nice bike to go to work with, which bike is it ?
Plus GT85 smells amazing 😍
Excellent video Ash. Reminds me of the training session and an excellent refresher for me. Good luck with the Lurpak
Thanks Rick... glad it gave you a little reminder. Have you seen the latest video about cleaning and lubing your chain on the bike to prevent mucky build up? Still trying to get the Lurpak out of my hair...
Excellent, thanks Ashley. Whoops, I've been doing a few things wrong. I do like my Jizer.
You are very welcome @Hertog_von_Berkshire. One can't be blamed for not knowing what they don't know, especially when the whole industry relentlessly chants over oiling and degreasing. I had to look up what Jizer was. I still eat too much good food, but it does help me hold my wheels on my lap! So sorry I haven't responded sooner. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested.
What about cleaning the bike chain when it is full of caked up gunk because of wet lubricant? Can you still clean it with GT85?
Just subbed. Quality videos 👌 first thing I did was go out and buy gt85 😄
Brilliant video and lots of great tips
Thanks 👍🏻🙂
Any idea what the Canadian version of gt85 is? Wd40?
I always remove the derailleur pulleys and clean and grease the bushings they turn on. Maybe your GT85 provides some short term lubing. Certainly is quicker.
Newer (High end) derailleurs use cartridge bearings instead of bushings - it's actually a downgrade in durability compared to the Shimano ceramic bushing setup, but there might be a fraction of a watt to be gained in efficiency, so they're doing it despite it costing customers more. SRAM jockey wheel bearings also tend to seize after use in mud and get sloppy enough to affect shifting in less mileage than it takes to wear the drivetrain out. Shimano ones are good for about 3 drivetrains before they have no teeth left, but they still shift okay...
Do not use GT85 where grease should go, it's a light oil, so even as as chain lube it only works if you never ride in wet conditions. Also teflon is one of the 'forever chemicals' that make up part of the microplastic contamination building up in the environment and literally every animal, plant and human body, so I wouldn't recommend using any product that advertises it contains teflon.
Glad I found your channel. Good info and given with a hint of comical sarcasm which I like! Its uncanny, I use that exact hair care regiment as well, or I should say I did. Now Im bald 👀 and my chain, chainring look like that last one, I wonder which of my 4 degreasers and puddle of lube caused it 🤦
Great Instruction. Thanks!
I’ve just read that as of Jan 2024 GT85 no longer uses Teflon. Do you still use it? If so, how do you find it performs?
As good as GT85 may be at cleaning your drivetrain, it is not an effective chain lube. Maybe if you clean and apply daily, it may just be OK.
You didn't talk about waxing the chain, shock horror. This is excellent no bs!!
Hahaha... waxing is for legs and surfboards! Glad you like it...
@@bicycleguru
I've tried it, it's crap.
@@bicycleguru Wipperman now offers pre-waxed chains. I wouldn't dismiss it outright. The GT85 is mostly naptha treated to take the Sulphur out + some spindle oil ( I looked at the SDS sheet ) . As for the people who say wax is crap , they rarely say why, which in my eyes gives them no credibility. Like any tool, if you know how to use it , it works well . A little education is usually needed as a lot can go wrong. Also the subject is a magnet for trolls.
Edit : as others have said the formulation of GT85 seems to have changed. The SDS sheet I found ( using "safety365 sevron GT85" ) is from 2008. Road cc's review from 2016 seems to think it contains isopropanol , C10-12 alkane/cycloalkane and petroleum distillates. It may have changed again but the base chemicals ( petroleum ) are likely still the same ( no oil seems to be mentioned now ). I wouldn't be spraying it often and say drinking alcohol as any toxicity may be increased. I have worked with people dealing with bulk chemicals for over a decade and some didn't make it to retirement or ended up with dementia etc. You will be getting a 'dose' in your bloodstream with the amounts you use. At least you don't use petrol as that contains n-hexane and benzene which have a high cancer risk. Better to use a container of solvent with a lid if you can.
@@andystone5487then you didn’t do it right
Provided you never ride in wet conditions, waxing is great.
good day where can i buy that kind of front and rear fender sir ?
Good stuff, one thing, rag?
Ok if it's really cruddy use the oily rag first
But microfibre cloths are as good as that chain clean thing, the grit sticks to them and comes off the chain
Have you watched my other video about cleaning and lubricating your chain at the same time?
Thanks!
Thank you.
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @erhan6095. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. You are very welcome and thanks for letting me know.
This guy is a beast 🦁
That’s such great advice 🙏 I have subscribed
Chain cleaning, dry micro fiber, clean chain, add rock and roll lube(gold) let sit and then use microfiber to wipe off excess lube... easy peasy
isnt teflon a forever chemical?
I really don't ride my road bike much, yet enjoyed the video! I wonder if GT 85 works on motorcycles??
Even less than it works on bikes as anything other than a surface cleaner and a way to release more microplastic forever chemicals like teflon into your environment.
@ thanks
Great video and now have a good reason for not cleaning my bike more than once a year!
Right on 👍
As I said before it's best to talk to someone who actually works on the equipment like yourself. Many thanks. Got myself a Pedro's chain checker and some of your GT85 which is hard to get in Australia. Ready to clean and check chain periodically. Just put a new 10 speed Cassette and chain on my Giant Dirt 2 2018 ebike. How often should you clean ?.
Graeme in Australia
So sorry I haven't responded sooner @graemer66. You can read why on the channel's community tab if you are interested. One of my life rules is to always ask an expert. You are very welcome and glad you got benefit from the video. This is where I bought GT85 from the last couple of times I was back home in Australia... au.rs-online.com/web/p/lubricants/8952306 It has become quite apparent that GT85 global availability has been massively reduced since WD40 acquired the company.
In answer to your question, little and often. I have recently put a video up showing how I do this on my own bikes reducing the frequency of having to do a full on deep clean.
Have you tried Bunnox or Balistol, they are natural and good for the environment afaik!?
As an avid cyclist, I just buy anodized drivetrain and rinse it each time my bike gets wet. Not worth the time because 11 or 12 speed chains do not last a season anyway. Maybe it make sense for 8-9 speed drivetrains because they last longer.
Why do you cut off the gear cable? Most of the time, the cable end cap is easily removable if you just push on it from the sides with flat nose pliers. And then install a new cap afterwards. Also, I found that an easy way of cleaning the insides of the chain is using air from a compressor. I do it while holding a rag under and running the blow gun over the chain. Muck flies right off. P.S. Lurpak, go Denmark ;)
thx for the tips
I've been using WD40 for a while to clean and degrease, based on the fact that it leaves a protective oil coating, rather than leaving the metal completely exposed.
Apparently GT85 no longer contains ptfe
interesting approach
I wonder what ZFC would think ? I'm sure he's too busy testing manufacturer chain lubes. More disturbingly , why has YT suggested this video to both of us a year after it's release , almost at the same time. If your YT suggestions follow my subs, get ready for some weird stuff 🙂
@@dawn_riderI know of a CSIRO researcher that beat ZFC to it with a chain lubricant testing program .
@ Did they get the attention of the major lube manufacturers and are they active now testing today's products ? Public outreach is probably more important than who beat who. I know ZFC isn't up to academic research standards but his principles are fundamentally sound and his heart is the right place. More importantly when he is wrong and evidence is provided he does seem to listen. I find that a rare quality in a world ruled by pride and ignorance. I do think however that he has taken too much work on and currently I see negative effects. Likely CSIRO researchers don't have to run the gauntlet of business interests like "H" who effectively are exploiting trolls. You need someone tough enough to deal with that. I say the above because I have read your previous ZFC thoughts on other channels. You genuinely seem to be saying it how you see it but the above is my perspective on things.
@@dawn_rider Do you have concerns about my view of Adam Kerin's practises ? Other channel hosts like Oz Cycle's Steven Leffanue have had their fair share of differing opinions , I have seen you contribute opinion there . Most people on here have had a different idea to another subscriber at some point . My relationship with Adam has been good mostly , he and I both have mental health challenges to deal with which we have shared experiences about . I remember seeing you on GCN and Adam's channel as well as a few bicycle build / maintenance channels . Some chain lubricant manufacturers have challenged Adam Kerin's test methods and findings like Weldtite , Rock And Roll , Muc Off and Tri - Flow .
@@robertmcfadyen9156 I was a bit taken aback that you aired your concerns publicly , considering all the issues Adam has had with 'malevolent actors'. I really did not know what to make of you. It would have been better to email him privately about your concerns. I've probably not visited Ozcycle for a long time so I will have to check the comments. I was quite annoyed with Ozcycles fix for that dog. It literally seemed overkill. I shall probably never know the circumstances that led up to it as media can be one sided. Sounds like It was the manufacturers of the chain lubes that didn't test well. If its in the public domain I will try to find out what they said. I have my own 'challenges' which probably make me seem harsh at times. I only activated my YT account about 18 months back so did not comment on ZFC or anywhere else before then ( did watch though ). Possibly in time I will regret it ?
I don't think we can get GT-85 in the states, but I know a lot of bike shops us tri-flow and it sounds similar because I know that too has ptfe.
We used Tri-flow at a shop I used to work at. Works great, but I should have worn gloves back then.
Wow! This is awesome. What a kind, friendly, intelligent , great steward of the planet and other people. I subscribed , will check out some more of your vids. My story is a bit unusual, I think , I was a 12,000 + mile cyclist and bike mechanic between 1974 - 1980 , on firstly a 74 Peugeot U -08 - "juvenile " till early 78 when I bought a new Motobecane Mirage. Then, I graduated high school, and never rode until 2 months ago. A 44 year break, but I am back cycling, got nearly 1000 miles since Nov 9th of last year , I have a master mechanic Park tool kit coming and I purchased a used single speed I have been training on. Your vids are going to be a huge help to me. Thank you for being you... much respect
I was just about to blast my wheel bearings and hubs with degreaser. I watched your video and followed your approach... Close call lol.
Stick with it! A much better solution in the long run...
Only ever used GT85 👍
GT 85 not available in the US. Alternatives?
I am yet to get deeper into this, but will at some point. A tester of all things oily to clean chains with globally or something like that. When WD40 bought GT85 circa 10 years ago they massively reduced where it could be bought internationally. Last coupla times I was home in Oz, I bought from a company called RS Components. They are a UK company and it was shipped there through their network.
One of the things I want to try cause it is what I used when I was racing at home is Tri-Flow which I think is readily available in the US, Try it and let me know how you get on if GT85 is unavailable...
@@bicycleguru I already use spray Triflow and it thicker than GT85. I am going to try Muc-Off MO94.
Using Muc Off MO 94 now and it appears to be a good replacement for GT85
0:53 many United States viewers use Simple Green for chain cleaning .
Taking apart the bike is not practical for most people. The takeaway that I’m getting is to not over lube the chain and have the bike professionally cleaned.
Mine was to buy GT85. I clean my bike chain with a small brush and frame with hot dish water
Amazing that you didn't cover the lubricant you use/don't use for the drive train apart from the crank!
Absolutely be good to the environment. However, as good as GT85 may be, those aerosol propellants are NOT good for the environment. If ya really cared, try something in a pump spray. Silca's Drivetrain Cleaner is a good alternative.
Interesting. Thumbs up
Or lube chain with Squirt wax instead.
+1 for this. Great product
Thanx man.
That's a lot of ptfe spray to clean 1 drive chain, and you still haven't cleaned down to the metal, never mind the health and environmental impact. Surely awater bases enzyme Bio degreaser that is recyclable and non toxic is a better choice. The cost of all those can's must be horrendous as well. Just because what you have done "more times than hot dinners" doesn't make it right, or best practice.
I had similar thoughts. Basically the message here is, "clean your chain by rinsing it with your chain lube, and then wipe it with a rag". He also mentions that you do not want degreasers near your bearings, so do not use it on your chain. However, his chain lube of choice, GT85 has as its main carrier 'white spirit', which is a petroleum-derived solvent, which makes it a degreaser. When you also consider the apparent virtue signaling that is implied by the the lecture on the environment followed by the promotion of Teflon (which has no responsible way to dispose of it), I think the content creator has created more than just a wee bit of irony in this presentation.
That escalated quickly from a chain clean!
I have a couple of videos that are for quick chain cleaning to stop it escalating to a full on clean like this one...
Is WD-40 any good?
Regular WD-40? No, WD-40 make bike specific products, use those.
As a daily commuter I’m not going to do this twice a week tbh, I’ll just go with the degreaser on a rag and re oil
Epic ending 😂
I can't believe you're talking about saving the environment while recommending using a product that you know contains teflon, which is one of the 'forever chemicals' that's adding to the supply of dangerous permanent microplastics in the environment and building up in literally everyone's body already.
I tried the chain checker method for replacing chains and it worked when the chain was replaced before the point when the checker reckoned it needed replacing, but when I let it got to the official replacement point the new chain skipped in a couple of gears. I was using a Shimano chain checker too, which preloads the rollers to give an accurate measure of chain wear - a lot of the 'chain checkers' don't do this, so they're measuring the wear in the rollers (Irrelevant to chain replacement) as well as the change in chain pitch due to the inner plate holes wearing into slots and wearing notches into the chain pins. This pitch change is the only important measure of wear transferred to the sprockets.
It's cheaper, especially if you value your time, to let everything wear in together and replace the whole lot when the chain rollers are getting to the point they're so loose they're hanging as low as the edges of the side plates of the chain. This is the same sort of mileage where at least 3 or 4 chain replacements and probably more would have happened (There's still no chain skip as everything is worn together - I've gone to the point where a few rollers wore so thin they fell off the chain completely and it still didn't skip, so plenty of factor of safety on this too, and this is with 10 tooth top gear cassettes on a MTB which are a lot more sensitive to skipping than higher tooth count gears).
What's interesting, and I've seen it on every Shimano and some SRAM 12 speed chains is that when the chain is getting properly worn out it starts to get visibly wavy under load, presumably because the chain is so narrow that small amounts of uneven wear from one side of the chain the the other are enough to make it look visibly wavy under load. This still doesn't affect shifting, but on a Sunrace cassette with a SRAM chain it may be the cause of a cracking noise - I wouldn't go near Sunrace cassettes again though, as this noise seems to be specifically unique to the Sunrace product - never seen it before in 30 years+ riding.
Throwing out perfectly good chains because they're slightly worn is another pointless environmental waste, even if the steel is being recycled as it's not like the energy from melting it down, making a new chain and transporting it around the world is without cost. For professionals looking to get every last fraction of a Watt to the road there's probably a small efficiency penalty to letting the chain and sprockets wear properly into each other, but nobody who's paying for these parts with their own money rather than being paid to use them is in the category where this should matter.
If you were very careful, alternating 3 or 4 chains on a continuous loop every few hundred miles would get genuine increased life from your drivetrain and save actual money, but I've never seen anyone recommend that - almost as if selling people more shit they don't actually need is the business model they're supporting...
Interesting
1:30 risk of chain dirt re - depositing .
Looked good right up until ‘GT85 contains Teflon’. It’s not really acceptable to use PFAS anymore.
Hot wax with Teflon and sodium disulfate in it. The parts remain clean and friction remains low. What we really need to have is a good frame shampoo that doesn't dull the paint and washes off easily.
I loved the video. And appreciate the sentiment.
But here is Egypt, there are no lubricants to save your life. So i have gone down the path of waxing.
What do you think of it?
0:56 I beg your pardon, sir, but my pro tip IS a stick!
My best tip to keep your bike and your clothes clean is hot immersion waxing!
10 years of waxing has been a dream.
Was watching OzCycle I think it is .. goes into so much detail over wax strangely from candle .. does it seriously work better than normal
lubricants?
UK weather too especially Scotland 🏴 with wet and cold 🥶, heard it falls off
I can smell this video!
1 can per bike clean, bit much innit? Personally, I use a tooth pick and my spit. Takes a while but I find it's much better for the environment. Jokes asides can't you just wash the chain and other bits n bobs in white spirits then drain the spirits into a jar and let it settle to be used again. Once done you can dry off (whichever way you prefer) the parts and then lube up accordingly? A full can of any spray seems wildly excessive, even for old-school!
"Wack this off". Well alright. Lol
The GT85 drinking game!
Nice method.
But saying be aware of the environment, and simultaneously just blasting ptfe everywhere is crazy
Only wash your hair when it squeaks- great videos
Haha... very funny! Glad you like them
Who the Hell is going to go to this much trouble every week?
I'm pretty sure the whole point of what he said is you shouldn't have to deep clean your drivetrain every week 🤦🏻
I think the target group for this is people who can't stand their families and use doing pointless work on their bike as an excuse to stay in the shed and avoid interacting with them.
@@peglorBrilliant that’s me 😂
Brake cleaner or degreaser, definitely bad. How about kerosene?
Using large amounts of PTFE product is not cool.
Deep cleaning a drivetrain is like deep cleaning your shoe soles every time you go out for a walk. All that hard work lasts exactly one ride.
Your hair maybe worn out from using that Fairy & Lurpak combo. 😅
It's definitely on the list of culprits 😂
This is not the way to clean your bike. Especially the chain. A complete tear down of the drive train only needs to be done twice a year. In between, take the chain off and let it soak in a jar of simple green while you clean the rest of the bike. Periodically shake the jar. When your bike is done, so will your chain. Take it out, brush it up, hose it off, shake it off, wipe dry, air dry for a few minutes, reinstall, lube each link/roller while backspinning and DONE.
I do all this after every ride 🤥
Wished I had watched this video before buying a 5 litre bottle of degreaser😢