How To Clean Up Rusty Bike Chain

Rust on your chain is no good it creates additional friction places wear on your other drivetrain components and makes the chain more susceptible to breakage.

How to clean up rusty bike chain. Turn the bike upside down setting it on the seat and handlebars. To ensure the longest life and best operation of bike chains avid cyclists should clean their chain once. Examine the entire length of the bike chain to check for any surface grime or dirt. Soak the chain in a bowl of lime or lemon juice for 60 minutes to two hours.

The citric acid in the lime juice reacts with the rust dropping it off. Check out this article which explains how to clean a bike chain just under 5 minutes. A complete guide to remove rust from bike chain with vinegar. If you notice warping imperfections in the metal or similar deterioration you and your bike will be better off with a new chain surface rust buildup and crustiness can all be removed so your chain runs like new.

After your chain is all cleaned up back on the bike and lubed make sure you clean it every month to prevent it from the dirt and the rust again. Being simple in their aesthetics bikes are often forgotten and not taken care of by their owners ending up corroding and eventually the parts break down. Align the pin of a link removal tool against a pin within a chain link. It is dependent on how rusty the chain is.

If your bike has been sitting outside for a while or if you live in a wet climate chances are that at some point you ll end up with a rusty bike chain. Remove the chain from the cog and front wheel. Evaluate the condition of the chain. Take a look at your chain up close.

Few things look worse than rust on your bike but rusty parts don t need to be thrown out. One that is too rusty will need a good soaking in the lime juice before embarking on cleaning. Your bike needs just as much care as your car or truck. With the bike still upside down you can start cleaning the whole chain using lime juice if you have not removed the chain.