[ecblanks]

I've read through the FAQ's and did a search and can't seem to find much discussion on cleaning the derailleurs.
I've got a race on Sun. and I need a GOOD cleanup. On my old bike I used to soak everything in industrial degreaser, rinse, and spray the crap out of it with Tri-flow teflon. This method worked really good for 5 years, but now I got my new Kona and I want to be a little more TLC about it. I need my de's good and cleaned, plus my chain. Which brings me to my second question: About every post on chain cleaning has you removing the chain. Well I got a shimano and no extra pins so I really don't want to remove it.
Any advice is mucho appreciated.

 

[Brown_Teeth]

Cheapest fast way to clean it is using a .99 cent can of brake cleaner, its got every solvent known to mankind, use the little tube to direct the spray and use a rag to catch the gloop. Immediately relube. I like silicon based spays on deraileur pivots and grese on the chain.

 

[trbogti]

I spray the derailleur with degreaser, scrub lightly with a toothbrush, then wipe dry with a rag. I also blow any dirt out of the crevices with the compressed air keyboard cleaners you find at Target or any office supply store. Compressed air works great for blowing sand and dirt out of all the bike's hard to reach places.

 

[SilverStar]

Uhhh I wouldn't spray the derailleur with degreaser---it'll wear away the precious and much-needed grease that's on the spring and pivots. I have a Shimano chain too so what i do is dip a toothbrush in degreaser and clean the derailleur. After that, lube it and wipe dry. Don't forget to clean the pulley wheels too and every 6 months or so, take the pulleys off and clean and grease the bearings and/or bushings. There's no need to remove Shimano chains; granted its much easier but that's what SRAM chains are for.

 

[trbogti]

Uhhh I wouldn't spray the derailleur with degreaser---it'll wear away the precious and much-needed grease that's on the spring and pivots.

All you have to do is lube the spring and pivots when you're done. Other than that, you pretty much described the same process that I use to clean the derailleur.

 

[dogwood]

SRAM powerlinks work on Shimano chain too.

 

[SilverStar]

Really? I was told by the Performance Bikes shop mechanic that SRAM powerlinks aren't compatible with Shimano chains......*shrugs*

 

[Tippster]

I'm currently running a DA/XTR chain with a power link.

over 2k miles (road) and 100 miles off-road, only 1 incident.

Pulled up to traffic lights dropped from large ring to middle and up 3 cogs at the back.

I'm track-standing at the lights, haveing not realised that my chain had yet to fully cross over at the back onto the casssette.

Pulled off with full acceleration - chain snapped at the power link.


I'm inclined to thinbk that was my stupidity rather than incompatability!