I like seeing what am doing, and saying as I only do it once a month I usually take the front sprocket cover off.
10 min warm up ride, 10-15 mins with paraffin and a brush, rinse off with water and wipe down, that’s another 5, leave to dry for 5, run it round the block to get it slightly warm again and then lube. Call it 40 mins if you like. But I’d usually squirt a bit of wd40 around the place, give the brake discs a wipe etc.
How can you do yours so quick?
Are we talking chain maintenance here?
+1 For if a jobs worth doing its worth doing proper - Clean off with paraffin applied by brush and cloth, inspect 100+ chain links, check chain slack and adjust as necessary, re-lube.
Can’t be done in the dark, can’t be done in a matter of minutes.
Once every couple of weeks or so (in this grotty weather anyway) I run the chain through the kettenmax to clean all the gunk off it, wipe off and relube - could almost do that with my eyes closed.
Chain adjustment and all the other stuff happens less often and i’ll tend to do that in the garage, although I reckon it could be done well enough by the light from an open front door or perhaps a head torch if the other option was just leaving it.
Cloth, chain cleaner, elbow grease. If chain warm apply lube. If not apply lube and then reapply after short ride to warm up.
Have to balance maintenance with enjoyment. If I’m spending an hour every time to clean my chain, I’d rather take the car.
That floodlight might work for me!
Well, I was embarrassed that I go through this rigmarole at 1000 miles. If you’re spending less time, does that mean you’re doing it more often?
Never tried a kettenmax, always looked a lot more hassle than wiping on some paraffin and going at it with a gunk brush, but I’d give it a go if it’s quicker?
A lot of the m&e boys at work use those floodlights & they’re pretty bright, probably overkill for chain cleaning but I guess that doesn’t matter as long as you’re not blinding the neighbours and you can stand it far enough back not to blind yourself.
My kettenmax is on a shelf in the garage with the paraffin & collector bottles already attached. Takes 30 seconds to attach it to the bike and chuck a board under to catch any drips, turning the back wheel until the chain has run through it a few times takes another couple of minutes and then a quick wipe over the chain with a rag and it’s shining like a new pin.
Interesting. Classic or Premium?
I got it years ago from Hein Gericke - looks like a premium on the Kettenmax website but not sure which version.
While we are on this subject - does anyone recommend a good stand? Cleaning the chain is a right ball ache without one.
Abba
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Abba
me_groovy
The abba one is decent for when you want to do a lot of maintenance but (just by seeing them) I’ve always felt it’s too much effort just for chain maintenance…
I found paddocks just so easy to use. Two movements and the rear wheel is in the air. Can’t comment on which one as I had just generic ones
Serrisan, to be honest I was thinking the same. As it really is only so that I can spin the chain round.
get yourself a couple of car axle stands then. one goes under each swingarm leg.
Isn’t it still quicker to use a paddock?
What can’t be done in the dark is the inspection of the 100+ chain links!
I’ve used a pair of these http://www.screwfix.com/p/0103-eb-portable-site-light-220-240v/3529k in the past and found them to cast too many shadows to be of any real use for close up work, used in conjunction with this http://www.screwfix.com/p/t4-1-led-headlamp-3-x-aaa/5914k and http://www.screwfix.com/p/led-inspection-light-1-5w/4305k you should have no trouble in spotting a failed ‘O’ or ‘X’ ring or a partially seized link.
I looked at those Abba stands and thought the ‘Super Bike Stand’ was a little expensive for what it was, a paddock type stand. As for the ‘Sky Lift’ it looks too unstable, its model specific and at over £400.00 it has racked up too many cons.
Haha, that’s what I use now Daniel. And I bought the lube off you!!
Or similar style …