Used to half-ass chain cleaning with a rag and degreaser, now I pull the chain and use a ultrasonic cleaner

I used to just spray some degreaser on a rag and run the chain through it while it was still on the bike. Took maybe 5 minutes but I always ended up with black gunk caked in the rollers and grime everywhere. About 6 months ago I bought a cheap ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight for like 40 bucks. Now I pop the chain off, drop it in with some Simple Green and hot water for 3 cycles, and it comes out spotless. Sure it takes longer but the drivetrain shifts way smoother and I don't go through chains every 6 months. Has anyone else switched to ultrasonic cleaning for chains or am I overthinking this?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret2341mo ago

Wait, how long does it take you to pull the chain though? I’m still at the spray and rag stage myself, but mostly because I figure the extra 15 minutes of wrestling with a master link is just me being clumsy (which, let’s be honest, I am). I keep eyeballing those cheap ultrasonic cleaners at Harbor Freight, but I got this weird fear I’ll forget to take the chain out and just zing it into the washing machine on accident. You’re definitely not overthinking it though, anything that makes the bike shift better and keeps me from buying a new chain every few months is worth the extra hassle in my book. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and grab one before I spend another afternoon scrubbing gunk out of my carpet.

hernandez.brooke1mo ago

Harbor Freight's little ultrasonic runs hot enough to warp chain o-rings if you leave it in there too long, I've seen it happen on a buddy's bike. Nobody talks about that part because we're all just trying to avoid the scrubbing. Maybe just dunk it in a tub of kerosene overnight instead, easier on the rubber bits and way cheaper.