That shop mechanic in Tucson made me rethink how I clean chains

Was dropping off a frame at a shop down in Tucson last month and the guy behind the counter, Mike, asked why I degrease my chain every time. He said he just wipes it down and adds lube, never fully strips it. Been doing the full soak clean for years, but after trying his way for about 200 miles, my drivetrain is actually quieter and shifts smoother. Anybody else ditch the deep clean and just stick to wipe and relube?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_taylor4410h ago

That solvent soak strips the factory grease out of the bushings, and that grease is what keeps things quiet. Once you pull it all out, you're relying on whatever lube you put back in to do the same job, and it never quite does. Wipe and relube keeps that base layer intact, which is probably why his stuff ran smoother than yours.

emma_baker6145m ago

idk @brooke_taylor44, but most factory grease is just whatever cheap lube they had on hand. it's not some magic formula, it's mostly there to keep things from binding during the first few hours. once you clean it out and put a decent grease back in, it's usually fine. maybe his stuff ran smoother cause he used a better lube than the factory stuff.