We’re back with another class of Bike Maintenance 101.
Last time, we discussed how to patch an innertube.
In today’s session, we’re going to show you how to clean and maintain the workhorse of your bike: the drivetrain.
Whether you ride trails, city streets, or weekend loops through the suburbs, your bike’s drivetrain takes the biggest beating. It’s constantly exposed to dirt, water, and grime, and if you don’t clean it regularly, that grit starts acting like sandpaper, wearing down your drivetrain prematurely.
Fortunately, cleaning the drivetrain doesn’t take much time and can extend the life of your bike.
Here’s how to do it.
What Is the Drivetrain?
The drivetrain includes:
- The front chainrings
- Rear derailleur
- Cassette (the gears on the back wheel)
- The chain itself
What You’ll Need
Before you start, gather the following supplies:
- A few old rags
- A firm brush (an old toothbrush works fine)
- Bio-degreaser
- Chain lubricant
- Optional: A chain-cleaning device
How to Clean and Lube Your Bike’s Drivetrain
1. Set Up Your Bike
If you have a bike stand, now’s the time to use it. Elevating your bike makes cleaning more comfortable and gives you full access to the drivetrain. If you don’t have a bike stand, you can just flip the bike upside down and rest it on its seat and handlebars.
2. Clean the Chain
If your chain isn’t too gunked up, a simple rag and bio-degreaser will do the trick.
Just dampen the rag with degreaser, grip the chain with the rag, and pedal backward to run the chain through the cloth.
For a chain that’s heavily coated with crud, use a chain-cleaning device. These clamp around the chain and scrub it as you pedal, offering a deeper clean with less mess. They’re pretty nifty.
3. Scrub the Chainrings and Cassette
Use your brush and some bio-degreaser to scrub the chainrings (the front gears) and the cassette (the cluster of gears on your rear wheel).
While turning the pedals, work the brush into the teeth to dislodge dirt and buildup.
If there’s stubborn gunk between the cassette cogs, use a rag to “floss” between the gears.
4. Let Everything Dry
Give the drivetrain a few minutes to dry completely before applying lube. You don’t want moisture diluting or displacing the lubricant.
5. Lubricate the Chain
Apply a drop of lubricant to each link of the chain as you slowly rotate the pedals backward. Once you’ve gone all the way around, wipe off any excess lube with a clean rag. Too much lubricant will attract dirt and defeat the purpose of your cleaning.
There you go. How to clean your bike’s drivetrain.
If you’re a casual rider, a once-a-month cleaning and lubing should be enough. If you’re putting in serious miles, every other week would be better. Add it to your home maintenance checklist on Todoist. And if you took your bike through a wet and muddy ride, give it clean and lubing when you get home.
