How I CLEAN my Bicycle Cassette so it Sparkles and Lasts Longer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
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My personal process for cleaning the bicycle cassette using the simple 5 minute quick and easy method and a deep clean involving removing the cassette with nothing more than a bottle of degreaser, some brushes and elbow grease!
How to Clean Your Chain • How I CLEAN my Bicycle...
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Quick tip: there are easier ways to clean a cassette. I stopped using those fiddly 'in between the cogs' brushes years ago:
1. Simply use a household cleaning brush or floor dustpan brush with long enough bristles. Apply a small amount of degreaser to the brush and/or cassette, rotate rear wheel backwards while simply holding the brush at the back of the cassette,
2. Use another similar brush with soapy water (dish soap) and repeat (if you just rinse with water, it's usually not enough to clean the remaining black degreaser off the cassette),
3. Rinse with water spray bottle or hose.
This can all be done indoors by using a plastic tray under the cassette to catch the drips.
You can also use the same process for the chainrings and jockey wheels.
A nylon bristled dish brush gets the job done for about $3-00.
Yep, that's all you need. Got mine at the 1€ store & works better than the 'bike-specific' brushes at a fraction of the cost..@@KeithHeinrich
Same as I do. Congrats!
Yeah don't buy bike specific stuff for this stuff. Super expensive and always seems to be shit at the job.
1p shower cap works great to protect the brake disk
I've started using spray kitchen surface cleaner (which acts as a degreaser), and also disinfectant wipes for the rest of the bike, which are much cheaper than bike-specific products, but work just as well. Lemon-scented too, which is always nice.
Disinfectant wipes for the frame? Can you recommend the brand of the surfsce cleaner? Thanks
@@ftj8279 Dettol (I'm in Ireland), I'm sure there's a similar product wherever you are, doesn't have to be identical; same for the wipes, though I've had the same good results with the cheaper ALDI branded products.
I use a leaf blower to get the cassette dry very handy and gets the water out
You should let the degreaser soak for a few minutes before using the brush, it takes a while for the degreaser to dissolve the oil on the cassette.
Indeed you got a point
Your so-called filthy cassette is what my cassette looks like after I cleaned it.
bruh
💯 I saw his cassette when the video started and thought the same
an old boot lace works well for cleaning inbetween the sprockets
I use a large ‘fuzzy’ pipe cleaner and ‘floss’ the cassette. It does a great job after spraying the degreaser and letting it soak. The pipe cleaners are like cheap and disposable after each use.
David, you are the best. Appreciate your work here. Best from Germany.
Surprised not to see any comments about blowing off cassette with an air compressor hose. Makes drying quicker and guaranteed to remove all the water safely before lubing the chain.
I clean my cassettes and chains with a brush in a bucket of diesel fuel - it may not be the fanciest cleaner and not recommended to do it inside an apartment, but it is quite effective against an oil and dirt mix. With long thick rubber gloves even the hands stay clean from the diesel.
The dirt settles on the ground of the bucket after some time, the diesel gets clean again and can be used again and again without major waste
Dawn Dishsoap is the best degreaser (look what is used after oil spills) and more cost effective than the special sprays.
If your cassette and drive train need cleaning, then so will you after completing this task. Good to see David mentions gloves @ 4:08. Some eye protection also helps, as well as wearing an old long-sleeved shirt, to protect against airborne debris when you’re really “going to town” with the brushes.
From experience never wear a shirt (or shorts) that you really like when cleaning with a brush. Those grease spots that will get on your clothes can be difficult to get out. If you put spray and wash (or even a citrus based degreaser) on the spots and wash the items immediately that usually gets the grease out though. But sometimes it takes 2 washes.
Wait for a time when your wife is away and run the pulled cassette through a cycle in the dishwasher. The “pots & pans” cycle works best.
make sure whether your cassette is washable in a dishwasher. Many stainless products like a high value knife must not be washed in a dishwasher as they can be damaged :)
Should I use biodegradable oil and degreaser then?
I'd guess that the "normal" Oil isn't up to human consumption standards.
Is that your ex-wife ?
Yeah don’t do this. Not because of your wife. Because it will get whatever drivetrain oil/grease you have on your cassette in your dishwasher and then potentially on dishes and in YOU.
@@mrphyslaw If that happens you need a new dishwasher. Moreover, there is nothing unduly toxic on your cassette, despite your imagination.
wd40 sprayed on edge of rag, drag edge of sprayed rag through each gear, repeat with dry rag, works great and is cheap, negatives - ive ran out of old tshirts for rags !
Legend says he is still going to town cleaning the cassette
muc off is paying some good money for these cleaning videos of not really dirty bikes :)
Yeah, I was gonna say "This video brought to you by Muc-Off."
The dude even bought Muc-Off cleaning gloves.
IMO, just another bike industry advertising video.
Nice one mate you seem very common sense driven i am an mtb rider but will apply your impementation to my bike cheers
Seeing this hassle makes me really appreciate a belt drive and internal gear hub. No maintenance required, always works and looks like a treat.
How much are they?
@@thememaster7 pl
@@eoinmeaney What's pl?
If you snap a chain on the road, it can always be fixed, but you can't do that with a belt. You'd better get used to carrying an extra belt along. Also, chain-driven transmissions have many other advantages that belts just can't match. In short, they're far more versatile.
the only good thing about a belt drive is that its less maintenance than a chain but as a bike rider you should be doing regular maintenance on your bike anyway lol. belts are more expensive, heavier and dont have the flexibility than chains have (being able to easily repair a chain yourself in a few minutes if it breaks or gets bent which is rare anyways unless youre a mountain biker and a downhiller wont even need a chain) if you change your cassette you can just add a few links to your chain to make it fit the larger cassette or vice versa, removing links for a smaller gears. you have to physically take apart your bike frame to remove a belt drive lol
I’m always careful about spraying degreaser on the bike in case it gets into the bearings in the rear hub, bottom bracket or headset and destroys the grease. Over the years I’ve damaged components doing this. In fact the only place I use degreaser these days is when cleaning the chain.
this. chain only.
What do you use instead then?
@@toffeeriot4219 big terry cloth towel.
don't let it get dirty in the first place. wipe it a lot; make sure the lube is only INSIDE chain rollers.
when you lube it, thoroughly wipe off external excess.
I learnt about the bearing issue the other day after wrecking them with WD40
Before watching this vid, I was doing the same thing with KH7 degreaser, then the water hose and admittedly getting s super clean cassette.. My 4 week old bike starting clanking up hills, and an inspection revealed both cassette hub bearings practically seized. Combination of degreaser and water spray destroyed the grease in the bearings. I now clean the cassette with a brush and rag and take off the chain for degreasing and lubing.
For drying I also use a leaf blower
Take your bike to the Coin Car wash, spry with soap and wash cycle , it takes every thing a way from your bike and spray WD-40 when your bike is dry.
You can buy long pipe cleaners that work a bit easier than the old t shirt method. Great video by the way.
I used the Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner to clean my cassette on the bike a few years ago. After a few applications, it had dissolved all the grease in the drive side bearings in my rear hub.
I use wax-based lube (Squirt) these days, but the cassette still gradually gets dirty from road detritus, so I remove it to clean with the Muc-Off stuff.
I found out the hard way after wrecking the hub bearings with WD40
Good video, thanks. Also avoid any chemicals landing on your lawn 😊
My tip: Much better than the T-Shirt is an old kitchen knife, the table knife version that fits in between the cogs. Using lots of degreaser and the kitchen knife while the wheel is still in the frame you get out even extremely dense grit and grime. The cassette is like brand new afterwards.
I use petroleum for cleaning. Very effective to remove the oily, greasy dirt from the chain and from the cassette.
I got this old Deore set, front and back mech, for free some years ago. It was filthy, really. I just soked it in oil a few hours and it was clean and fine - no more work needed. Oil dissolves oil, remember, so I'd guess that should work well with the cassette as well.
Very satisfying to watch. Thanks inspiring me to clean my cassette. 🙌🏾
I removed my Shimano cassette from the wheel, fully dismantled it and cleaned each part individually. It was a lot of parts, but it seems they go back together only one way. Lot of work, but boy was it clean.
glad i found your channel. I have seen muckoff on GCN channel...but i am really impressed with just how clean things come out. how do you DISPOSE of leftover liquids? for car engine oil we have special places... would i take it there?? i will buy some through your link. (and chain cleaning tools. ps. what about a discussion on chain stretching, and when to replace... i just use old fashion "examine the gap between chain and chainring when you pull it out from the ring.)
6:32 I thought that was a deep fat fryer at first haha
the deep fat fryer is used afterwards for lubing... ;)
I just degreased my cassette and removed from the bike, honestly it never seemed safe to spray degreaser on the cassette while on the bike. But, yes any method you mentioned is necessary to extend chain life . Thank-you
I was using isopropyl alcohol to wipe a bit of my cassette to see the brand/ model, and got some on the cogs and couldn't believe how shiny they came up.
hi, is that safe?...im intending to use ethanol...i removed cassett i i wonder if i can clean it with ethanol.What do you think?
@@megamanson9809 I think so. It's very evaporative. I think it's used a lot in the computer repair business. I was surprised at how it dissolved year of oil accumulation. But it was only the one spot so not definitive! I think it's called rubbing alcohol in America. Ethanol might be more aggressive particularly on non metal parts. It can ruin O rings when it's in petrol.
i have watched several bike cleaning vids now. the procedures and results are more or less the same and are useful, but what all of the videos lack is to mention where the contaminated degreaser goes. with the attached chain-cleaner e.g. where do you all dispose the dirty/ oily mixture? same goes with your shown method of rinsing the cassette with water. it will surely end up in the soil, or do you use some cloth that gets soaked and disposed afterwards?
i don’t want to rain in your parade, but i am just wondering since the disposal is never mentioned.
That's a good question. For starters, I would begin with using a non-toxic chain lube, and some sort of biodegradable degreaser. When I do cleaning, I have a sheet of cardboard under the bike that soaks up all the grime. The rest collects on the rags / cleaning brushes. I don't hose anything off, so there's no run off to worry about.
I know the Muc off stuff is all biodegradable, probably other bike specific products as well. just make sure to read the labels on the products you use. I use the Muc off lube as well as the degreaser and both of those are biodegradable and non-toxic.
Just Gave Mine a Good Spring Clean Cool Video 📹 Bro and Thankyou 💯👌🏻✌🏻
My cassette, chain and derailleur are orders of magnitude worse. I will consider the methods to clean these..
I certainly don't faff about like that. I use parafin and a long bristled brush it's done in a couple of minutes plus parafin is a third of the cost of cycling degreeser.
Is paraffin dangerous?
@@thememaster7 -- It is to your paintwork...
@@Liofa73 No it isn't I've never had any problems.
If you start waxing your chain, you will be amazed how clean your drivetrain stays!
I use Molten Speed wax
Great video bruv! Thanks for your time & cheers 🤙
Can dishwashing liquid be used as a degreaser for a cassette?
Couple of times when I cleaned the cassette this way, the degreaser got into the hub, so I needed to re-lube the hub mechanism. I prefer removing the cassette for the deep cleaning.
i've used a cheapo $30 ultrasonic cleaner from Aliexpress for over 3 years now, no issues whatsoever. Chain & cassette come out sparkling and with lighter soils, sometimes just water is enough! Wouldn't really consider it an expensive option with all that time saved
Hi David, Cheers from Colombia! another great illustrative video! And the new Roval Alpinist CLX II look amazing... Review soon? And, another question: With Sram Rival, have you ever had a front drop chain issues well known on Force Etap?
Thanks Diego, there is a video on the wheels in the works, just got to ride up some more big hills first! Never had a dropped chain in this Rival groupset, only had it once on Force but seems super rare in my experience
No. I wax my chains so there’s virtually nothing on my drive train. Sometimes I have to pick wax out of between the 11 and 13 tooth gears
I've just moved to waxxing. Fed up with de-greasing!!
@@phil_d nice! Do you have a recipe of your own or do you use molten speed wax?
@@burningatthetrailhead Well after watching Oz Cycles videos and looking at my chain and cassette I decided to go for it.
I was going to do just food grade paraffin wax and PTFE (10:1) but came across 'Wolfblood' here the UK. They mix their PTFE with 20% WS2. It seems other brands do the same too: Speed Max, Absolute Black, Silca. You buy it as a 60g sachet and mix it yourself. I got a small 'stock making pot' and melted it on the stove.
The only difference is the mixture is black if that makes a difference to you. Flaking has been minimal.
I will be making up a liquid version using Isopropyl alcohol to lube the commuter bike when it rains.
@@phil_d very nice and no the black flaking doesn’t bother me. I mix PTFE and molybdenum disulphide at 1/8th teaspoon each per pound of wax.
@@burningatthetrailhead Ah! You're using MoS2 whereas WS2 is Tungsten Disulfide.
WS2 is slightly more slippy at 0.03 vs 0.05, but who can test for that on a drivetrain??!! It just happened to be what was available ;o)
Great video
Protect your disc from degreaser, but on the same note wash off the degreaser once done, and let it all soak into your grass 🙂
Good if we put the plastic box on the grass under the cassette so the degreaser is caught during washdown. It can then be tipped down a drain to go to the wastewater treatment plant rather than contaminate the ground.
Very useful info here...many thanks!
Use wd40 to breakdown the oily buildup. Scrub it, scrub it, then use dawn dishsoap to clean away the wd40. Works a treat for car work.
keyword car work
PB Blaster works even better than WD-40. It's like WD-80! But it has a strong smell because of the intensity of the grease breaking down. It's like PU-40.
Dawn works really great too and smells good. I hang my chain and drip Dawn on it slowly so that it runs down the entire chain for penetration. Smells good while working hard. It's like Don. Cuz that's my name.
I use DuPont chain saver for cleaning an lube been riding an building my own bikes for 20 yrs nothing i have found works as well as the DuPont.. Its a dry lube but when wet 30 min open time it cleans bomb.. An it also keep your chain an cassette cleaner then anything you will find i will guarantee that
I take off the whole drivetrain and throw it in the dishwasher machine. I spray a bit of degreaser on all of it to loosen the gunk. After washing I rinse with IPA and WD40 to prevent rust
The side of towel between cogs technique is the most effective .
Use cheap kerosene, move the chain between three glass bottles to get it clean. Let it dry a while (but kerosene do lubricate in a way gasoline doesn't), then lube it lying on papers, clean the drive train on the bike, rings and derailours, and put on the chain. The kerosene may be filtered through coffee filters to be re-used. But also it filter itself to some extent, the dirt sink to the bottom. However coffee filters ensure no larger particles than like 0.02 mm left. A capacity in motor oil filters I think.
Cleaning the drive train is done with the detergents in motor oil.
Soaking a rag with motor oil (any engine oil will do) and pulling the chain through it is all I do.
That's it.
Nothing else.
Repeat every week on rainy conditions and every month on dry conditions.
No special expensive chain oil, chain wax and no degreaser or anything else needed.
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. In winter it's thin enough and in summer thick enough due to its viscostiy improvers it comes with when it is a multigrade oil which every motor oil nowadays is.
Like I said, everything ever needed is already in motor oil included.
There is no cheaper and more effective way to take care of your bicycle chain.
I use a pipe cleaner from a craft shop for in between the sprockets. Works wonders
Yes, recommend getting a light colour bunch to help see how dirty/effective they are
@@thisandthatandotherthings all white is what I grab
I use dawn dish detergent, a pail of hot soapy water and a scrub brush and it comes out spotless.
After i discovered cleaning gears and chain using MDA (mineral spirits - degreaser - alcohol) inside a container and then shake it, i never go back in using sprays, brushes, or like those chain cleaner tool. After that i use wax based dry lubricant and i never see my drive train turn to black.
Iv got to say that bright green degreaser from muc off is the nuts!! I use it to clean grease off my snazzy bike shoes too! works amazingly well!
be careful if your bike has a ‘dork disc’ behind the cassette. it tinted mine slightly green!
Another reason why the dork disc should be thrown away 😂
The first thing you do when you buy a bike is to throw that dork disc away.
Great - thanks!
I'm installing a new 7 speed cassette and chain in my mountain bike. I am about to go on a 1,500 mile journey with about 100lbs of baggage, and I weight 240lbs. Should I bring my chain cleaning device by Park Tool that looks a lot like your Muc-Off device, along with some similar brushes and maybe 20 oz of biodegradable degreaser, or is it that too much to carry along and 1,500 miles would be okay and I clean it once I'm home? Also you completely submerge your freewheel in the cleaning fluid. Shouldn't you then rinse it in plain water and re-lube the internal parts within the freewheel, and if so what kind of oil would you use if you live in Minnesota that gets below zero Fahrenheit in winter? Thanks for a very nice video!
OK, I am naive but I have two ideas. One is to ride the bike to a coin-operated car wash, use the shower cap to protect the disc brake rotor, paint on or spray the degreaser then use the pressure washer at the car wash to clean the cassette. The other idea is if the casssette is off the bike would be an initial degreaser/hose off, then put it in the dishwasher with a better dishwashing detergent. If you are married I would do this when the wife's out of town, in the interest of self-preservation.
After reading other comments mine was just reinventing the wheel...
If you prep and soak chain in paraffin wax instead of using petrol lube or the snake oil chain lubes you won't have this cleaning work on any of your drive train parts. In other words you don't need degreaser if you don't build up grease to begin with.
Totally agree with parafin wax
Guys, best diy brake rotor protector is the saran wrap
So you brush it... Thank god I found my way here. Would have never known this technique..
A dishwasher tablets work like a magic and they clean wayyy better than an expensive degreasers.
Just take one tablet, cut it in half and put it in like 2-3 liters of water for 10-15 mins. Stir it from time to time. At the end you will have an incredible cleaning solution.
Useful tutorial, thanks.
I have an additional step after step two (I don’t do on the bike) - that’s spraying the cassette with Muc-Off’s Bike Protect spray or MO94. It gets rid of any water and protects the cassette nicely. I leave it a little while and then lube with wax going up and down the cassette so the wax spreads over it also. Works for me. Probably not the correct way.
Pretty sure there is no need to lube the cassette.
Only the rollers in the chain need lube.
Or just use a wax immersion lube and never have to do this again :). People complain about the "work" of waxing (it's not a big deal)...wake up folks, this is way more tedious and filthy !! (and creates a lot of environmental solvent / rag waste)
Yes! I spendt less working time removing the oil from the chain than the second method he showed. So much easier
Wax is great, I'm sure and would definitely solve this . But even if you don't wax your chain, I don't understand how it can all get so filthy. Sparing but frequent lubing and silicon spray on chainring and cassette from time to time means I never get in this kind of mess. And for reference, I live in the UK and ride off road, so gloop is standard for much of the year.
Hmm ok sounds hard tho😂
@@71CMMin bri'ın ehh..?؟ weyLz, skatlind o(r🔕) northurN iyrlind?؟! ; )🚲🇬🇧🚲⚡💥
What if your freehub is inside the cassette and you don't have the tools to remove it.. for example I can remove my cassette with my hand but my free hub is inside the cassette and you need a tool to take it out now would I be able to clean it like you did without worrying about it or do I need to remove it?
Pipe cleaners work too!
Thanks a lot for the video! I have a question. If this degreaser gets on carbon wheels, nothing bad will happen? They are black and I'm afraid that light spots will appear :)
😲 I can‘t believe that we need videos about cleaning. How have I learned it 40 years ago 🤔 wait my Dad told me
I ride fixed gear with steel cog and chain ring and just brush it off with a brush every few months, cheers.
Did you borrow that cassette your bike always looks spotless in videos 😉
I went to a sewing supply store and bought cheapest fluffy synthetic yarn and use it like dental floss between the cogs.
Why do you have a stack of vinyl LPs atttached to your wheel?
A small tip that will save you money and headaches!!! Remove your Etap battery and make sure you cover the terminals prior to cleaning...... I've ruined 2 etap batteries due to the degreaser (Muc OFF) eating away at the small tab that locks the battery in place...... The small tab becomes very brittle and mine snapped off due to the chemicals in the degreaser!!!!! Dont make my mistake. One of my battery tabs broke mid ride and it took me 60 minutes to locate the battery (i found it at the bottom of a descent in a dirt gutter)...... Just sayin'
Paraffin wax and ptfe your chain, Bradley won the world time trial with it. No muck, no mess, no oil, minimal bike cleaning, no need for degreasers, clean hands, easier puncture repair, and most importantly, less wear of your front and rear cassette and chain as there's no oily metal grinding paste living on your bike.
would wd40 be a good alternative to muc off to use to clean cassette?
Two bikes and a Subaru 😃👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I notice in the United States we are taught it is very important to take the wheel off the bike when cleaning the cassettes and tilt the wheels towards the grounds in order to not allow degreaser and contaminates to get into the free hub. But I notice in Tour de France bike cleans and lots of European videos no one tilts the wheels and even cleans the cassettes with wheels still attached to the bike. I guess the fear of contaminating the free hub is not that big of an issue after all?
If water not available one can brush microfiber cloth with a brush. Cloth will pick up dirt.
Could we use white spirit to clean cogs and chain?
What's a regular basis, once a week? Once a month?
Does the degreaser remove rust too?
Tank’s for the video. Do you use the ultrasonic to clean your chaine? Tank’s
I have never once deep cleaned my cassettes or chains, ever, in almost 30 years and that with mountain bikes! Just a toothbrush to get the worst stuff off after a ride.
Put a bit of pink stuff cream on it and it comes off easy.
i use a ptfe spray.......comes off quickly, and better than regular degreaser on valuable parts
That stuff is Hella hazardous for your health
@@almy791 i dont drink it pal!
Nothing better than a shiny cassette after washing a bike.
👍 super explained clean bike is a clean smooth ride 😊
Irĺ
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And te grass gets all the healthy nutrients much needed :(
Well, I just cleaned a couple of my cassettes, having used Squirt lube for a while they were horrendous. The Shimano one came out real nice, certainly added lustre to the cluster. However the SRAM NX Eagle looks awful, a lot of the paint fell off and there is no other protection for the steel. 1-0 to Shimano.
If you imerse the cassette in the bucket won't you degrease the inside of the cassette and remove the lubricant? I maintain that you will. Then how do ghet lubricant into the cassette innards?.
There are no moving parts inside the cassette. Just a bit of grase on the splined shaft when assembling to prevent it getting stuck if you leave it on for a decade will probably be fine. I think it's probably better to clean the cassette seperate from the wheel, so you don't spread dirt and smear all over your spokes, rim, tire, or completely degrease parts you like to stay greased. Like bearings and derailler hinge points.
What do you do with the used degreaser containing oil remaining ? To the recycling station I hope and not on the ground nor sour.
Most Bike degreasers like the Muc Off brand are biodegradable just make sure to read the label on whatever product you are using.
Suppose to lube the cassette after cleaning it?
I have seen arguments both for and against.
Yeah. I'm old school and was taught to let some standard motor dribble its way into the internals of the cassette as you spin it. You can hear it quieten right down as you do that. But this advice may be outdated and I'd be interested to hear if that's the case.
Which bike repair stand are you using.
within 3 minutes , i remove the cassette, drop it in a small container with some diesel. Brush it clean. Spotless. Spray clean with GT85. Refit Job Done.. Do the chain the same way..
Can you create a video to show us how to remove the cassette?