Update: Why I stopped using a chain cleaning machine after a local group ride in Portland

I used to swear by my little chain cleaning gizmo (you know, the one that clamps on and spins the chain through solvent). But last month at a Sunday morning group ride in Portland, a guy named Dave pointed out that the solvent from those machines can actually push grit deeper into the rollers. He showed me his own chain after 400 miles using just a rag and a drip of WD-40 between each link, and it was way cleaner than mine. I went home and took a closer look at my chain under a bright light, and sure enough, there was a gritty paste hiding in the inner plates that my machine never touched. Now I just wipe the chain down with a dry rag after every ride and hit it with a light oil once a week, and my shifting has been smoother for the last 80 miles. Has anyone else ditched their chain cleaning tool and seen better results?

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hayes.tara8d ago

Dave's spot on about that. A dry rag and some careful oiling gets way deeper than those solvent machines ever could, and it's way easier on the seals too.