Menu

Sign in
Clean

Clean the whole drivetrain

Degrease the cassette, chainrings, derailleur jockey wheels and chain, rinse, dry and lube again. The deep clean to do a few times a year.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
45 minutes

This guide is still being written: only the main steps are described for now.

Safety

  • Cover the rotors, pads and rims with a rag before applying degreaser. Anything greasy on a braking surface takes your brakes away.

Tools you need

  • Work stand

  • Degreaser

    Otherwise: Isopropyl alcohol

  • Brush

    Otherwise: Clean rags

  • Clean rags

  • Chain lube

Step 1Protect the brakes and prepare the bike

Put the bike in a Work stand and tuck a folded rag around each rotor or brake block. Apply Degreaser (or else Isopropyl alcohol) to the cassette, chainrings and jockey wheels, leave it for a few minutes, then scrub every part with a Brush (or else Clean rags) while turning the pedals backwards.

Rinse with clean water, never a pressure washer, dry with Clean rags, then lube the chain link by link as described in the chain guide.

  • Clean

    Clean and lube the chain

    Degrease, dry and lube the chain so it shifts quietly and lasts twice as long. Do it again every few hundred kilometres.

    Easy · 20 minutes

  • Check

    Check the drivetrain

    Chain wear, cog and chainring teeth, derailleur hanger and shifting — enough to know in fifteen minutes what needs replacing or adjusting.

    Easy · 15 minutes

  • Measure

    Measure chain wear

    Measure how far the chain has stretched with a wear checker or a steel ruler, and know when to replace it before it wears out the cassette and chainrings.

    Easy · 10 minutes