This highly sophisticated technical feature was inspired by none other than our boss man, Mitch Lees. While he was sidelined with injury, I ended up with his long-term test bike – and the first thing that hit me was the mountain of old grease and grime caked over the chain, sprockets and swingarm.

Mitch insists it was his brother’s questionable washing technique, but honestly, there was enough sticky build-up to keep his fringe gelled upright for half a year. Aside from looking terrible, all that grime attracts dirt and causes the chain and sprockets to wear out much faster. Here’s how to clean them properly while you wash your bike.

1 PIT STAND

Start by setting up your pressure washer, laying out your soap and degreaser, and placing the bike securely on a pit stand so the back wheel spins freely.

2 BLAST AWAY

Using the pressure washer, remove as much of the crusted-on grease as possible. Take care not to spray directly into seals or rubbers, as the pressure can damage them.

3 DEGREASER

Load your spray bottle with degreaser and coat the sprockets, chainguides, chainguards, swingarm and finally the chain itself, making sure it’s thoroughly soaked.

4 SCRUBBING BRUSH

Grab a scrubbing brush and begin removing the loosened grime. Rotate the rear wheel while holding the brush on the inside, outside and both edges of the chain. For heavy build-up, keep dipping the brush into a bucket of degreaser as you go.

5 MORE PRESSURE

Once everything is scrubbed and loosened, hit it again with the pressure washer to rinse off the remaining sludge.

6 REPEAT IF NEEDED

If your chain hasn’t seen a clean in a while – or the gunk is seriously baked on – you may need to repeat this whole process a few times before everything is shining again.

Technical Editor Mat Boyd

TIPS

CLEVER STUFF

  • Place the bike on a pit stand so the rear wheel spins freely.
    • Use a cheap scrubbing brush – it won’t be useful for anything else after this job.
    • For stubborn grime, let the degreaser sit for five minutes to soften the build-up.

DUMB STUFF

  • Don’t use acidic cleaners, as they can strip colour from chains and sprockets.
    • Petrol on an O-ring chain can cause the rubber O-rings to swell.
    • Don’t pressure-wash too close to swingarm stickers – you’ll mark them or blast them off entirely.

TOOLS

PRESSURE WASHER, SCRUBBING BRUSH, DEGREASER, PIT STAND

BEWARE

Know your pressure washer. Mine isn’t particularly powerful, which makes it ideal for bikes, as it doesn’t cut seals or shred sticker kits. But if yours is a high-powered industrial unit, it can easily damage rubbers, stickers and plastics if you get too close.

BREAKOUT

CHAIN ADJUSTMENT

Nothing kills a chain and sprockets faster than incorrect chain tension. I see bikes every day with chains pulled far too tight. As the suspension compresses, the chain tightens, which means that if it’s already tight at full extension, it will stretch and damage the drivetrain once the suspension loads up.

The correct adjustment is when the chain only becomes tight at full compression. A handy rule is to fit three loose fingers between the chain and swingarm behind the chainguide. Because every bike and every hand is different, if you’re unsure, sit on the bike.

If the chain is tight with your weight on it, it needs loosening. Even with you on the bike, the chain should still have some freeplay. When in doubt, refer to your manual – manufacturers always list the correct freeplay measurement.