Should I wash a bike before or after cleaning the chain?

Kernel_Sanders

I'm getting an old bicycle roadworthy again and the chain is bone dry and rusty, but I'm going to just brush it off in situ. Should I then wash it (with the rest of the bike) before applying lubricant?

Nebulous2

If you must do that I would wash the bike without too much emphasis on the chain, then oil the chain, go over the chain slackening all the links individually, then wipe off any excess oil and repeat several times.

In your place I would replace the chain. You get a basic chain for about £3 in Asda, though you could be opening up further trouble if the chain has 'stretched' and worn the teeeth on the gears.

Richard53

Agree with the above. A chain should be regarded as a consumable item, and replaced whenever necessary. If it's bone dry and rusty, you will never get it to work properly, no matter how much you wire brush it and try to free the links. A basic new chain is cheap and well worth it. The difference in the ride will be very noticeable.

On a motorbike, I would change the sprockets at the same time because they wear too, and a new chain with old sprockets will destroy each other in no time. The wear is less severe on a pushbike, but if you can see obvious wear to the sprockets, hooked teeth etc (it will be mainly on the rear sprocket), then change that too.

Wash the bike, spin the wheels to get excess water out of the hubs, new chain on, give everything that needs it a smear of oil, wipe down, clean up and put away.

Kernel_Sanders

I've never thought of a chain as being expendable before! I really don't know if my sprockets are too worn, and the bike probably wouldn't be worth going to the expense of changing them. It's a single speed...
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[Deleted User]

There's nothing wrong with that, it just needs some oil.

Kernel_Sanders

jack_pott wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with that, it just needs some oil.

Hmm... think I'll wait for a second opinion on those pics.
Perhaps I gave the impression that the chain was slightly seized; it still goes round easily (so probably bone dry just on the outside).

PintAndAPie

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

Hmm... think I'll wait for a second opinion on those pics.
Perhaps I gave the impression that the chain was slightly seized; it still goes round easily (so probably bone dry just on the outside).

Here's your second opinion, there's nothing wrong with that, it just needs some oil.

Nebulous2

Very definitely a consumable item. I use about 4 chains a year.

That chain doesn't look as though you couldn't salvage it. As I said earlier work the oil in several times making sure each link moves freely and there aren't stiff ones, wiping off the excess each time.

Sprockets can develop a distinct sharkstooth shape if they are too worn and I don't see that in your pictures, but the only way to really tell is to measure the chain. You get a special tool to measure it with.

I don't measure mine, on multi-speed bikes but occasionally if I have left it too long I will find that a new chain skips and I have to change the sprockets as well. It will tend to be on only one or two gears, but they are the ones I use the most!

If it was me my advice still wouldn't change, I would still put a new chain on then take it from there.

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

Richard53 wrote: »

If it's bone dry and rusty, you will never get it to work properly, no matter how much you wire brush it and try to free the links. A basic new chain is cheap and well worth it. The difference in the ride will be very noticeable.

It is interesting but just three or our weeks ago I resurrected a 15 speed deraillieur that had been standing outside I think, and the chain contained maybe a dozen seized links. I sprayed the chain with WD40 and using my fingers and thumbs simply cracked each seized pair of links. Clearly a bicycle chain is a very very old designed piece of kit so it will be very robust so long as it isn't constantly used on a beach, or totally devoid of a good lubricant.

I used the bike for a couple of days with just the WD40 on the chain which mostly evaporates but does contain some lubricant of course. Then a couple of days later I used a good quality chain lubricant and the chain looks good, runs quietly and feels good through changes.

In the OP's case it is noteworthy that the cycle is single speed. That means the chain is more likely to have been stretched on hills ! I could therefore see more reason for swapping it if there was any suggestion it had had a hard life and as another poster said, the rear sprocket may also show signs of wear so might be worth changing it. However, at what point does a moneysaving expert stop buying new bits and make the old ones last? How much is a new rear sprocket for a single speed? Maybe not much?

I note one poster says a new chain can be bought in Asda for £3 (I didn't know that so thanks for the pointer!) but don't you need a special tool to open and shut a chain, or are we talking about the old circlip type joining links?

As for worrying about what order to wash the bike or treat the chain, well I wouldnt apply expensive chain lubricant and then hit it with a high pressure hose if that is the question being asked! A little bit of common sense goes a long way. However I 'll admit I tend to use an oily rag for pretty much every task involving missed dirt, surplus lubricant, water, and dirty hands, and I just swap that for a clean one when it makes my hands dirtier than my hands make it! Isn't that common sense too? :rotfl:

Kernel_Sanders

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

In the OP's case it is noteworthy that the cycle is single speed. That means the chain is more likely to have been stretched on hills ! I could therefore see more reason for swapping it if there was any suggestion it had had a hard life

Nope it's had an easy life as the bike's electric

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

I note one poster says a new chain can be bought in Asda for £3 (I didn't know that so thanks for the pointer!)

Been in this evening and they are £4. Choice of two Bell chains but sadly both the same size and suitable only for minimum ten gears (How can they specify this when surely the sprocket for e.g. a 7 speed will be the same as for a 14 speed?) Also link tool is another £3. (Pair of Bell brake blocks with casings and bolts is a bargain £1.18; V brake blocks were a few pence more).
Think I'll try the brass suede brush, wash whole bike then apply WD40 (or my cheap equivalent) as you suggest.

Avoriaz

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

.then apply WD40 (or my cheap equivalent) as you suggest.

Don't use WD40 as a lubricant.

It is a degreaser and will remove grease and oil from a chain so make sure that, after using WD40, you apply a decent lubricant.