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
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.
Read next
- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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