Muck and the London Cyclist

[imatfaal]

Double header

 

1. What is the black oily greasy muck that clings to every surface of my bike after a few kilometres of London riding? I end up cleaning my chain every day now - I do 50km through pretty grimy London every day and by the end of that all oiled surfaces are covered in thick cloying black gunk. It is non-water soluble and has a fair amount of plain micro-grit in it - but what else? Even the non-lubricated surfaces are covered to a lesser extent. Grit, soot, remains of my lube...and what else?

 

2. I have tried the commercial chain cleaning solutions - and they work but are pricey and smell frightful. What could I try as a safe, reasonable non-toxic, cheap, and easily sourced alternative. At present I just use soapy water - but I read about adding BiCarb, meths, lemon juice, etc. Any ideas for a homespun alternative?

 

 

 

 

[Phi for All]

1. What is the black oily greasy muck that clings to every surface of my bike after a few kilometres of London riding? I end up cleaning my chain every day now - I do 50km through pretty grimy London every day and by the end of that all oiled surfaces are covered in thick cloying black gunk. It is non-water soluble and has a fair amount of plain micro-grit in it - but what else? Even the non-lubricated surfaces are covered to a lesser extent. Grit, soot, remains of my lube...and what else?

Maybe your fatbergs are spilling out into the streets!

 

2. I have tried the commercial chain cleaning solutions - and they work but are pricey and smell frightful. What could I try as a safe, reasonable non-toxic, cheap, and easily sourced alternative. At present I just use soapy water - but I read about adding BiCarb, meths, lemon juice, etc. Any ideas for a homespun alternative?

I've been using a spray bottle mixture of equal parts warm water and white vinegar for greasy stuff. Maybe soak the chain first, and scrub off using some bicarb as an abrasive?

[Enthalpy]

What material deposits?

- Air is dirty in cities. You see that when arriving by plane. When mines and steelmaking was active here, we got a dust layer on cars everyday.

- Flowers, trees... produce dust (pollen and so on) as well, and not little. Main source of dust in homes. Depends much on the season.

- Dust separated from the road surface, from concrete, and more

 

Cleaning: at least for the chain, a grease solvent will do.

- White spirit

- Turpentine

Observe if you develop allergies, and check the cost of renewing the grease.

Maybe grease dissolved in clean solvent (jar+tap) is a quick way to lubricate the chain after cleaning.

At other bike parts, especially painted ones, these two solvents can have drawbacks.

Other, chlorinated solvents may promote corrosion.

[John Cuthber]

Diesel might be cheaper and easier to get than white spirit.

Petrol would work, but it's dangerously flammable and more toxic too.

Things like bicarb and vinegar are likely to promote rusting.

[CaptainPanic]

I bike a fair amount myself (sometimes also similar distances, although not only in the city), and my experience is quite different:

 

1. My bike does not get dirty. The air over here in the Netherlands is not going to be significantly cleaner than in London, so the source must logically be local. That made me think it is just dirt from the street. The wheels of your own bike, as well as those of the cars and trucks around you can pick up dirt. You then essentially drive into it. If this is the case, you should find that the dirt forms thicker layers on forward facing surfaces. If however the layer is thicker on the top, it may be something falling down when you're parked. If it is distributed uniformly on all surfaces, this suggests that it originates in a vapor phase, which is rather worrying to be honest. Is there any heavy industry along the route you take?

 

2. I leave all the dirt on my bike chain. I make sure that my chain is well lubed, and the lube should protect it from all the dirt of the road. I wash my chain only when the municipality uses salt (against ice, in winter time), because the salt will corrode my chain. (Actually, if it is winter time, I just use an older bike that is already rusty, and I don't care about). If the bike needs a cleaning, I just go to the local car wash, and use a high-pressure water hose to spray everything off. After that, I apply new oil on the chain, and it's done. I would not recommend any solvents to dilute the oil off your chain. When you apply new lube, it will dilute the lube and will actually make the lube come off.

[imatfaal]

Maybe your fatbergs are spilling out into the streets!

 

I've been using a spray bottle mixture of equal parts warm water and white vinegar for greasy stuff. Maybe soak the chain first, and scrub off using some bicarb as an abrasive?

 

I will have to spend some time to get those images of fatbergs out of my head - I ride past the end of Brick Lane (London's curry house nexus) and I bet there are some doozies under there

 

What material deposits?

- Air is dirty in cities. You see that when arriving by plane. When mines and steelmaking was active here, we got a dust layer on cars everyday.

- Flowers, trees... produce dust (pollen and so on) as well, and not little. Main source of dust in homes. Depends much on the season.

- Dust separated from the road surface, from concrete, and more

 

Cleaning: at least for the chain, a grease solvent will do.

- White spirit

- Turpentine

Observe if you develop allergies, and check the cost of renewing the grease.

Maybe grease dissolved in clean solvent (jar+tap) is a quick way to lubricate the chain after cleaning.

At other bike parts, especially painted ones, these two solvents can have drawbacks.

Other, chlorinated solvents may promote corrosion.

 

I think the greasy airborne muck is more from our fleet of red buses and black cabs than from industry - since the clean air act a few decades ago London is pretty good about what it burns . And the grit from the stupid amount of building going on at moment

 

Diesel might be cheaper and easier to get than white spirit.

Petrol would work, but it's dangerously flammable and more toxic too.

Things like bicarb and vinegar are likely to promote rusting.

Diesel - hadn't thought of that; I had shied away from petrol for the reasons you mentioned.

 

I bike a fair amount myself (sometimes also similar distances, although not only in the city), and my experience is quite different:

 

1. My bike does not get dirty. The air over here in the Netherlands is not going to be significantly cleaner than in London, so the source must logically be local. That made me think it is just dirt from the street. The wheels of your own bike, as well as those of the cars and trucks around you can pick up dirt. You then essentially drive into it. If this is the case, you should find that the dirt forms thicker layers on forward facing surfaces. If however the layer is thicker on the top, it may be something falling down when you're parked. If it is distributed uniformly on all surfaces, this suggests that it originates in a vapor phase, which is rather worrying to be honest. Is there any heavy industry along the route you take?

 

2. I leave all the dirt on my bike chain. I make sure that my chain is well lubed, and the lube should protect it from all the dirt of the road. I wash my chain only when the municipality uses salt (against ice, in winter time), because the salt will corrode my chain. (Actually, if it is winter time, I just use an older bike that is already rusty, and I don't care about). If the bike needs a cleaning, I just go to the local car wash, and use a high-pressure water hose to spray everything off. After that, I apply new oil on the chain, and it's done. I would not recommend any solvents to dilute the oil off your chain. When you apply new lube, it will dilute the lube and will actually make the lube come off.

 

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_city_details.php?rotterdam

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_city_details.php?london

 

Not sure if indicative or significant - just first comparison site I found.

 

There is a certain amount of crud that is everywhere - its airborne and very fine rather than vapour (I believe), but most is spray coming up from road and none is from where it is parked as it lives a pampered existence indoors in my office and garage.

 

Regarding the cleaning (nb I can be a little obsessive about this) - as the bike is in the office I cannot let it get too mucky so even during summer it gets regular cleaning. But as soon as the roads are wet; the chain, cassette, and derailleurs just get ridiculously dirty - to the extent of hampering gear changes. By the way a high-pressure hose can have enough force to pop through seals and trash bearings - I have had this happen on my free-wheel and heard of others that have trashed a bottom bracket similarly.

 

Many thanks the replies

[dimreepr]

For cleaning your chain I’d recommend WD40 or similar, it also works for tree resin and many other things.

[Greg H.]

For cleaning your chain I’d recommend WD40 or similar, it also works for tree resin and many other things.

Just remember that WD-40 does not lubricate, so you'll need to apply a separate lubricant after you're done.

[Phi for All]

Part of the grit is probably made of rubber from tires. This may be the black part you described.

 

And the grit from the stupid amount of building going on at moment

Not to go too off-topic, but I'm hearing this from everywhere. With the economy the way it is, isn't it amazing that existing buildings would kill for more tenants but new construction is going on all over? I wonder if the regulations regarding covering parts of construction that produce dirt and dust haven't been relaxed, in the US at least. That sounds like us, stimulate the economy by increasing the public risk to safety.

[imatfaal]

 

Part of the grit is probably made of rubber from tires. This may be the black part you described.

 

Not to go too off-topic, but I'm hearing this from everywhere. With the economy the way it is, isn't it amazing that existing buildings would kill for more tenants but new construction is going on all over? I wonder if the regulations regarding covering parts of construction that produce dirt and dust haven't been relaxed, in the US at least. That sounds like us, stimulate the economy by increasing the public risk to safety.

 

 

To be honest it's the greasy hydrocarbon bit I am most curious about - although the black of the rubber makes a lot of sense in the colouration.

 

And in London we are in the middle of another #*~!ing house-price boom! Properties to rent or sell within London are in short-supply apart from the very bottom and very very top of the market - so that's why they are building; and our present very biz-friendly and environmentally-weak government are easing planning and building regulations where ever they can.

For cleaning your chain I’d recommend WD40 or similar, it also works for tree resin and many other things.

 

I have a muc-off alternative spray that works wonders on the cleaning, water-displacement, and protection side - but I was after something lo-tech, cheaper, and just different

 

Just remember that WD-40 does not lubricate, so you'll need to apply a separate lubricant after you're done.

 

I know what you mean - and you cannot use it as a decent lubricant; but it does lubricate, it's just that it is better at a tonne of other stuff.

[Enthalpy]

Just remember to wear gloves when using any solvent, especially if regularly.

- We need our fat on our skin

- Some solvents let unwanted compounds permeate the skin

- Some minor components of white spirit, kerosene, Diesel oil are not innocent.

[Arete]

So I race mountain bikes -

 

1. A 1-2 hour soak in kerosene is great for stripping muck off neglected drivetrains. However, it will strip ALL the grease out of the parts, so you need to relube liberally after doing so, and if you leave it overnight it will rust parts.

 

2. I use a dry lube like white lightning over a wet lube, as it attracts less gunk and supposedly self cleans.

 

3. A spray of WD40 on clean, non moving components makes them much easier to clean once they get covered in mud.

 

4. These things x million.

 

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10053&langId=-1&catalogId=10052&productId=183924&utm_source=Google_Product_Search&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=datafeed&cm_mmc=Google_Product_Search-_-PLA-_-Datafeed-_-Park%20Tool%20CM-5.2%20Cyclone%20Chain%20Cleaner&CAWELAID=1011846749&catargetid=400006960000002266&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla

[imatfaal]

So I race mountain bikes -

 

1. A 1-2 hour soak in kerosene is great for stripping muck off neglected drivetrains. However, it will strip ALL the grease out of the parts, so you need to relube liberally after doing so, and if you leave it overnight it will rust parts.

 

2. I use a dry lube like white lightning over a wet lube, as it attracts less gunk and supposedly self cleans.

 

3. A spray of WD40 on clean, non moving components makes them much easier to clean once they get covered in mud.

 

4. These things x million.

 

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10053&langId=-1&catalogId=10052&productId=183924&utm_source=Google_Product_Search&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=datafeed&cm_mmc=Google_Product_Search-_-PLA-_-Datafeed-_-Park%20Tool%20CM-5.2%20Cyclone%20Chain%20Cleaner&CAWELAID=1011846749&catargetid=400006960000002266&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla

 

I have the cheep knock off rather than the posh park tools version - but agree they are just so good at removing the need for elbow grease. I find that the muck from mountain biking or cyclocross is much much easier to remove - admittedly there is more of it, but most comes off with a gentle spray from a hose or even a watering can. Didn't know about dry lube on top of wet lube - might give that a go.

[John Cuthber]

"So I race mountain bikes"

Who wins, you or the bikes?

 

Confucius he say "if you think WD40 isn't a lubricant then you never got it on the rims where the brakes bite."

[imatfaal]

"So I race mountain bikes"

Who wins, you or the bikes?

 

Confucius he say "if you think WD40 isn't a lubricant then you never got it on the rims where the brakes bite."

 

Too true. I use muc-off's PTFE spray all over my rims - but luckily I have disc brakes; however when I forgot to mask the brakes before spraying it was a real problem. Had to completely disassemble brakes to get them clean of the stuff - you can apply enough force with disc brakes to cut through the lube and come to a stop but I would think with rim brakes you would just not stop till you hit something or fell off.

[Arete]

"So I race mountain bikes"

Who wins, you or the bikes?

 

Sometimes me, sometimes the bike and sometimes the ground.

 

 

 

Confucius he say "if you think WD40 isn't a lubricant then you never got it on the rims where the brakes bite."

 

IMHO the issue is that the purpose of WD40 is as a water displacer and rust preventer (was originally developed to protect nuclear missiles from corrosion according to wikipedia) . Its lubricating properites are due to a small amount of mineral oil in it and it's therefore not a replacement for actual grease or oil in on parts that need grease or oil.