The Easiest Way to Clean a Mountain Bicycle Chain

If you don't want to go to all the trouble of deep-cleaning your chain, cleaning it on the MT bike fairly quickly is certainly possible.

Here's a step-by-step guide to degreasing, cleaning and lubricating your chain on the MT bike.

1. If your bike is disc-brake equipped, you should think about covering your disc rotor or removing your wheel. If you're not going to cover it, make sure you apply degreaser as far away from it as possible - where the chain meets the chainring underneath the driveside chainstay. Alternatively, you can use a chain-cleaning device or remove the wheel and use a chain keeper (more on these shortly).

2. Spray a dedicated chain degreaser on the chain, back-pedalling to coat the entirety of the component. If using a chain-cleaning device, pour degreaser in until it reaches the fill line.

3. Rub the degreaser into the chain with a brush or rag. It's best to use an old rag or brush specifically for the drivetrain and have a clean rag to use on the rest of the bike, to avoid getting black marks over your sparkling machine.

4. Wait five minutes, or however long the manufacturer recommends, before washing the degreaser off. In that time, you could clean the rest of the bike.

5. Wash off degreaser using water.

6. Wipe the chain with a rag or cloth until it is no longer black. If your chain is particularly dirty, you may need to repeat the degreasing process.

7. Once there is no more black residue coming off the chain, dry it. You can use a dry cloth or rag for this, or if you're lucky enough to own one, an air compressor. Don't leave the chain overnight to prevent rust build-up.

8. Lubricate the chain. We'd recommend a drip-on lube rather than a spray-on one. Firstly, this is to avoid getting lubricant on the disc brake rotor or caliper (if applicable) but also, by dripping the lubricant on one drop on each link, it gives you an opportunity to inspect the chain and will help you catch any issues, such as if there is a tight link or mis-pressed rivet.

Final words

As the mountain cycle price is a little higher, you must ensure that your bike is rust-free. Your bike chain's rollers and other components are in continual action, which means they are vulnerable to wear and tear and also run the danger of rust and corrosion because they are always moving.

To maintain the chain rolling smoothly for a longer period, it is vital to check for indications of wear on the chain and to see whether it has stretched. When the chain is stretched beyond its capacity, the gears in the vehicle might get damaged. When a chain is damaged beyond repair, replacing the chain rather than the gears is always preferable since replacing the gears is much more expensive than replacing the chain.

You can take preventative measures regarding your bike if you check the chain for signs of wear and tear and strain. You must do routine maintenance if you want to stay riding your bike for a long time.

The chain is the essential component of the bicycle, and it is the one that has to be maintained regularly. You should be able to properly maintain your bike chain by following the methods outlined here to keep the bike functioning smoothly and dependably.

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