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How great is a freshly cleaned cassette?

1931 Views 26 Replies 17 Participants Last post by shwndh, Dec 11, 2021

walkerwalker

Discussion Starter · Dec 11, 2021

Taking your cassette off and getting all the gunk out is such a great feeling. Clean the chain ring(s) too, lube the chain, and calibrate your shifting and the euphoria can be overwhelming. If you're not motivated to ride, do these things and you won't be able to stop thinking about your next chance to hit the dirt.

Share your tips for cleaning those gears!

I like to take the cassette and chainring off of the bike. Great to do on those rough winter days. Start with air compressor, then use an old spoke or blade from a keyhole saw (or hacksaw, jigsaw etc) to carefully scrape out the tough stuff. Follow with a wire brush or stiff plastic brush. Then find an appropriate size container that can seal shut, like a plastic take out container. Add components and fill with isopropyl acohol, then shake. Q-tip to get in the hard to reach bits. Wipe off with a blue shop rag. Then repeat any of these steps as necessary. You can filter the used IPA through the blue shop rag back into the container and save it for next time.

Hair Wood Cuisine Rectangle Flooring

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1 - 20 of 27 Posts

Sparticus

· #2 · Dec 11, 2021

Since I voted as I did, maybe I should mention I'm not married.
=sParty

Reactions: 1

rideit

· #3 · Dec 11, 2021

My analogy is that it feels like going to get your teeth cleaned.

heh.

I crack myself up!

Reactions: 1

Jayem

· #4 · Dec 11, 2021

Don't really care much...but right now we are in winter and riding on snow and it's amazing how clean the drivetrains stay now...basically no cleaning necessary all winter.

Reactions: 1

FortOrdMTB

· #5 · Dec 11, 2021

How long did that take? How many hours of riding does it give you?

rideit

· #6 · Dec 11, 2021

Do we all need to go back and read ‘Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?’

I only made it to the third chapter or so…

walkerwalker

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 11, 2021

FortOrdMTB said:
How long did that take? How many hours of riding does it give you?

How long to clean the cassette? With dismounting, cleaning, and remounting, then scrubbing my hands with fast orange...maybe 30 minutes? But I was not in a hurry. I like to clean it out every winter. Gives you something to do when there is 4ft of snow on the ground. I'm sure folks in muddy regions do it more frequently.

I just bought a used bike on CL. I didn't want to ride with someone else's dirt all up in there. It really makes a huge difference in ride quality. I mean, you could also do a bunch of other routine (and beyond) maintenance. Some folks take it down to a bare frame every winter, clean it up, re-grease, etc. But just cleaning the cassette makes it feel like a whole new bike.

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786737

· #8 · Dec 11, 2021

walkerwalker said:
You can filter the used IPA through the blue shop rag back into the container and save it for next time.

I had to re-read this twice to see where you snuck a beer into the procedure.

Reactions: 1

NoCanSurf

· #9 · Dec 11, 2021

There's an old adage, "You can tell much about a man by how he cares for his tools." I think this tread falls under that thought.

I for one take great joy in cleaning my bike and my car (and before that my motorcycles)... I wipe down my small collection of tools before putting them away. They aren't name brand tools, and there are too few of them (apartment dweller here).

Last week I had my bike wheelless in my work stand, washing it in the parking lot of my building. Other residence found reasons to walk past and ask questions. I had just installed fender, and wanted to clean the bike before the rainy season...

Reactions: 2

PTCbiker

· #10 · Dec 11, 2021

the one ring said:
I had to re-read this twice to see where you snuck a beer into the procedure.

I never could find it...really should've finished school.

J.B. Weld

· #11 · Dec 11, 2021

Hopefully you did the chain, chainring and derailleur pulleys too. Love a sparkly clean drivetrain!

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driver bob

· #12 · Dec 11, 2021

One poll option deleted, sexism wasn't needed here.

Gym123

· #13 · Dec 11, 2021

walkerwalker said:
How long to clean the cassette? With dismounting, cleaning, and remounting, then scrubbing my hands with fast orange...maybe 30 minutes? But I was not in a hurry. I like to clean it out every winter. Gives you something to do when there is 4ft of snow on the ground. I'm sure folks in muddy regions do it more frequently.

I just bought a used bike on CL. I didn't want to ride with someone else's dirt all up in there. It really makes a huge difference in ride quality. I mean, you could also do a bunch of other routine (and beyond) maintenance. Some folks take it down to a bare frame every winter, clean it up, re-grease, etc. But just cleaning the cassette makes it feel like a whole new bike.

I just did that to my freehub yesterday, including disassembly and cleaning so I could grease the bearings which, as it turns out, were totally dry.

I rode it with someone else's dirt on it- I felt so cheap.....

Gym123

· #14 · Dec 11, 2021

Gym123 said:
I just did that to my freehub yesterday, including disassembly and cleaning so I could grease the bearings which, as it turns out, were totally dry. New crankset, cleaned & lubed the chain- it's really quiet, now.

I rode it with someone else's dirt on it- I felt so cheap.....

Sparticus

· #15 · Dec 11, 2021

driver bob said:
One poll option deleted, sexism wasn't needed here.

When I first read that option, I thought it said, "New boots for your wife."
That's why I voted for it. I like women in boots.
=sParty

net wurker

· #16 · Dec 11, 2021

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DIRTJUNKIE

· #17 · Dec 11, 2021

I didn’t see “like sliced bread” as an option.

DIRTJUNKIE

· #18 · Dec 11, 2021

net wurker said:

Trying to confuse our younger generations with that plastic contraption.

walkerwalker

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 11, 2021

J.B. Weld said:
Hopefully you did the chain, chainring and derailleur pulleys too. Love a sparkly clean drivetrain!

I did! The shaking in IPA works great for cleaning the chain too. Shake it up thoroughly, let it sit overnight (or until the gunk all settles), screen the IPA, repeat as necessary. Those little derailleur pulleys are the hardest thing to reach. That's one thing I typically don't take off the bike.

411898

· #20 · Dec 11, 2021

A clean used cassette is not as good as a clean new cassette.

/thread

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