Tag: bicycle repair

Few things look worse than rust on your bike, but rusty parts don’t need to be thrown out. With a few things you’ve probably already got around the house or can find nearby.

This is the first part of a two-part video on three different ways to clean a bicycle chain. It uses degreasers, lubricants, and chain cleaning products produced by Finish Line Technologies, Inc., but focuses on the bike and how to clean it more than it does on the products. The beginning of this video also contains general information about chains, how they’re made, how they wear, and what happens when they do, before going into the first of three chain cleaning techniques. A version of this video with a printable guide can be found at www.howcast.com/users/caeasura.

STEPS Loosen the nuts that hold the axle to the frame. If they are extremely tight, spray some lubricant on the nuts – “WD 40”, a silicone lubricant or even vegetable oil will do the trick. (Many modern bikes will not have nuts. They have a quick-release which you can easily loosen and remove the wheel). Take the wheel out of the frame. If it’s the rear wheel, you will need to lift the chain clear of the gear cluster. To ease the removal of a rear wheel, shift the chain to the smallest gear on the wheel before loosening the skewer or nuts. If it’s the front wheel, that one will be a little easier. You may also need…