When To Use a Bike Chain Scrubber | PedalChef

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A bike chain scrubber is a tool that comes with inbuilt sponges, brushes, and wipers for optimal cleaning. So, when should you use a bike chain scrubber?

When should you use a bike chain scrubber? How often should you use it? What does a bike chain scrubber do for your bike chain? How do you use it? This article will look at when you should use a bike chain scrubber and provide a brief explanation of how it works while listing the advantages of using a scrubber on a regular basis.

Scrubbing your bike removes the dirt and debris that affect its performance. You should use a bike chain scrubber once a week if you ride daily. You should also use a scrubber if; you ride through muddy terrain; there is a film of dirt on your chain, or if it starts to make grinding noises.

In this article, we will look at the instances when you should use a bike chain scrubber; we will also list a few advantages of using your scrubber on a regular basis while at the same time providing a brief explanation of how bike chain scrubbers work.

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Overview

Dirt and debris build-up on your bike chain is among the top causes for bike chain breakage and failure. This is because the build-up increases friction between the components of your bike chain and the drive train, leading to quicker wear and tear. As a result, your bike chain becomes weaker and weaker and may break at an inopportune time, such as when you are riding on a busy highway.

A bike chain scrubber is a chain cleaning tool with special features that allow it to penetrate deep into your bike chain’s roller, rivets and plates and provide a deep clean that removes deeply embedded dirt and debris. Most bike chain scrubbers come with a set of rotating brushes suspended in a solvent to allow for deep cleaning, absorbent sponges to reduce drip and a magnet that draws debris that has been cleaned from the chain.

Using a bike chain scrubber as part of your bike cleaning and maintenance routine is among the best ways to reduce your chain’s wear and tear rate and increase its longevity. In addition, bike chain scrubbers perform the deep clean required to remove deeply embedded debris. This results in a cleaner and better-performing chain that does not need to be replaced on a regular basis.

When should you use a bike chain scrubber?

Cleaning and scrubbing your bike chain on a regular basis is the best way to ensure that it performs better and lasts longer. You should scrub your bike at least once a week or on a daily basis if you use your bike in rough or muddy terrain. This ensures that all the dirt and debris that has accumulated in your chain is removed before it has time to build up and increase the friction that causes wear and tear. You should also use a bike chain scrubber if:

  • You notice a black and viscous oil film on your bike chain.
  • You hear loud grinding noises whilst pedalling.
  • You ride through muddy terrain.

Black and viscous film on bike chain

You should also use a bike chain scrubber if you notice that your bike chain has started to turn black. This occurs when excess oil/lubricant in your bike chain attracts dust and dirt, which turns the oil a black or dark brown color. The excess oil is usually the result of over lubricating your bike chain. This causes your chain to attract more dirt and debris, resulting in dark, thick and viscous oil that must be scrubbed and cleaned off to allow your bike chain to function optimally.

Loud grinding noises while pedaling

Loud noises from your bike chain are usually caused by increased friction between your bike chain’s components as well as friction between the drivetrain and chain. This friction is caused by a build-up of dirt and debris as a result of poor cleaning and maintenance. In addition, neglecting to clean and lube your bike chain will cause it to dry out and rust, resulting in the grinding noise you hear every time you try to pedal your bike. In order to avoid this, ensure that you use a bike chain scrubber on a regular basis and also lubricate your chain at regular intervals.

After riding in muddy terrain

Copious amounts of mud will have stuck to your bike and bike chain after riding on muddy terrain, especially if you do so on a rainy day. Not only does this make your bike look unsightly and require a significant amount of leaning, it may also affect the performance of your bike chain. A large amount of soil, gravel, tiny rocks, and other debris enter your bike chain when you drive on mud, requiring a thorough cleaning in order to get everything out.

After washing your bike with soap and water, you will need to use a bike chain scrubber in order to ensure that you get the dirt and debris out from the hard-to-reach areas on your bike chain. Neglecting to do so will result in a build-up of dirt in your chain, causing increased friction and resulting in quicker wear and tear of your bike chain.

Reasons to use a bike chain scrubber

A bike chain scrubber is a tool that provides dedicated and thorough cleaning of your chain. You should use a bike chain scrubber for several important reasons. First of all, it deep cleans even the hard-to-reach parts of your chain, removing the dirt and debris that can cause friction and wear and tear. Secondly, a bike chain scrubber increases the longevity of your bike chain, which means that you will not constantly have to replace it. Finally, it is easy to use, containing components that allow you to scrub your chain, remove dirt and debris and rinse these out of your chain.