A dirty chain is easy to spot. It's black, it leaves a mark on your calf, and on a wet day it starts to crunch through the gears. That grime is mostly old lube mixed with road grit, and it works like grinding paste on the rollers and on the teeth of your cassette and chainrings.
Keep the chain clean and it lasts longer. So do the cassette and chainrings, which cost a lot more to replace. You don't need a workstand or special tools. Twenty minutes, a brush and some kitchen roll will do it.
The short version: spray chain cleaner onto the lower run of the chain while you backpedal, leave it two or three minutes, scrub with a stiff brush, rinse with warm water and dry it thoroughly. Then put one drop of chain oil on each roller and wipe off the excess.
How often to clean it
Wipe the chain down after any wet or muddy ride. Hold a rag around the lower run of the chain and backpedal for a minute. That gets most of the surface muck off before it dries on.
A proper degrease is due when the chain looks black rather than metallic, feels gritty if you run a finger along it, or starts shifting noisily. Riding through a British winter, that's usually every two to three weeks. In dry summer weather, roughly every 300 to 500 km is fine.
Don't just keep adding lube to a dirty chain. Fresh oil on top of grit carries the grit further into the links.
What you'll need
- Ballistol Chain Cleaner to shift old lube and grime
- A stiff brush. An old toothbrush works, or a chain brush with a hooked end for the cassette
- Kitchen roll or lint-free rags
- A bucket of warm water and a sponge
- A chain lube to finish (see the table below)
- Nitrile gloves, and some cardboard or an old towel under the bike
If the rest of the bike is filthy too, Ballistol Bicycle Cleaner is a foam made for the whole bike, chain included, so you can do the lot in one session.
Protect the brakes first
This is the step people skip. Chain cleaner and lube must not get on disc rotors or pads, or on the braking surface of the rim if you have rim brakes. Contaminated pads lose grip and squeal, and once oil has soaked into a pad it usually has to be replaced.
On a disc-braked bike, hold a folded rag over the rotor while you work near it, or take the rear wheel out. Close to the brakes, spray onto the brush rather than straight at the bike. Work outside or with the garage door open, and keep aerosol cans away from heat and naked flames.
On an e-bike, switch the system off and take the battery out before you start, so a nudge on the pedals can't wake the motor.
Cleaning the chain on the bike
Shift into a middle sprocket at the back and the big ring at the front. That keeps the chain away from the spokes and gives you a straight run to work on.
Spray Chain Cleaner along the lower run of the chain while you turn the pedals backwards slowly with your other hand. Two or three full turns of the cranks covers the whole length. Leave it two or three minutes to soften the old lube.
Scrub the chain with the brush, working into the sides of the links and between the rollers, and keep backpedalling so you get every link. Then do the two jockey wheels on the rear mech. They collect a surprising amount of black sludge, and a dirty jockey wheel puts it straight back on a clean chain. Finish with the teeth of the front chainrings.
The cassette is next. Run the brush down between the sprockets, or pull a strip of rag back and forth between them like dental floss. A second light spray helps if the gunk is thick.
Rinse with warm water and a sponge or a gentle hose. Don't use a pressure washer. It can force water past the seals in the hubs, bottom bracket and headset.
Then dry it. Run the chain through a dry rag while you backpedal, and leave the bike somewhere warm for 30 minutes or so. Water left inside the rollers is what turns a chain orange overnight.
Lubing it afterwards
A freshly degreased chain has nothing on it to keep rust off, so always lube it the same day.
Put one drop of chain oil on top of each roller on the lower run as you slowly backpedal. One drop per roller is plenty. Turn the cranks for about 30 seconds and run through the gears to work it in.
Leave it five minutes, then wipe the outside of the chain firmly with a clean rag. The oil needs to be inside the rollers, not on the outer plates where it picks up dirt. If the chain still feels oily on the outside after a wipe, you used too much.
| Product | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Ceramic Chain Oil | Everyday chain lube for road, gravel and mountain bikes. Also suitable for e-bike chains, fork stanchions and gear cables |
| E-Bike Chain Oil | E-bikes, where the motor puts extra load through the chain |
| Bike X Lube | Wet, muddy or coastal riding, where saltwater resistance matters. Doubles as a maintenance spray for the rest of the bike |
| Bike DryLube | Suspension forks, damper tubes and dropper posts rather than the chain |
If the chain has gone rusty
Light orange surface rust on a bike that's been left out over the winter can usually be cleaned off. Spray the chain with Ballistol Universal Oil, leave it ten minutes to creep into the links, then scrub with the brush and wipe it down. Repeat if needed, then clean and lube it as above.
Check it carefully afterwards by bending it link by link. If some links stay stiff, or the plates are pitted, replace the chain. A badly rusted chain is weaker and can snap when you stand on the pedals, and that's how people get hurt.
When cleaning isn't enough
Chains wear and lengthen however well you look after them. A chain checker tool tells you in seconds. Most drivetrain makers advise replacing an 11 or 12-speed chain at 0.5% wear and a 10-speed or older chain at 0.75%. Leave a worn chain on and it wears the cassette and chainrings too, and a new chain will then skip on the old sprockets.
Questions people ask
Do I need to take the chain off to clean it? No. Cleaning it on the bike works well for routine jobs. If you do remove it using the quick link, check whether the maker says that link is single use before you refit it.
Can I use washing-up liquid? Warm soapy water shifts light dirt from the outside of the chain, but it struggles with old oil packed inside the rollers. Whatever you use, rinse and dry the chain thoroughly.
Why does my chain squeak after I've cleaned it? Almost always because it's dry. A degreased chain needs lube straight away.
Can I use Ballistol Universal Oil as a chain lube? It's handy for lifting light rust and protecting a bike in storage. For regular riding, a dedicated chain oil is the better choice because it's made to stay on the rollers between rides.
Chain Cleaner, the chain oils and Bicycle Cleaner are all in our Bike Care range. Not sure which lube suits your bike? Call +44 (0) 7817 267314 or email sales@ballistol.co.uk.
Once the chain is clean and dry, the next decision is which bike chain lubricant to use for the weather you ride in.
More guides: How to Stop Rust on Metal · How to Clean a Shotgun
