A little tip. When lubing the chain, keep it on the big chainring. Any excess lube is more easily whiped of the big chainring than the little one.

Hi Shane, it's me the wheel balance guy from Seattle. Just giving your loyal folowers like me a little heads up if you use an Ultrasonic cleaner... I used to use the same Ultrasonic cleaner and soon discovered not to ever put Aluminum parts in it because it pits the surface especially when it is anodized. I ruined a perfectly like new pair of Campagnolo super record 11 brake calipers when I put them in for a quick clean, and was horrified when I pulled them out to rinse them. Yeh hard steel stuff like chains and cassette cogs good. Aluminum parts to risky.

Heya Shane. Thanks for the follow-up for the Ultrasonic Cleaner. Top stuff! Here's a few things I've found (a bit more homebrew) than yours, that I think are good take off points too, that I've come across to help us reach the Nirvana of cleaning things. 1. Baby Wipes. You can get the Mama Mia ones from ALDI for about $2.00 that are paraben/alcohol free. Great for everything. I discovered these when I used to work in animation using Plasticine. They were the only thing to get off the oily residue. 2. Like a car, start the clean from the top down, due to the gravity factor. 3. Chain breaker with a KMC quick link = no need for chain cleaners. KMC actually have a little blurb written on their website advising against them. 4. Cheap ass USC = Icecream bucket filled with Kero. Put your chain in, put in like 250 ml's of Kero. Shake it like Shakira. I made the mistake of not using gloves the first time with Kero. I now use Nitrile gloves (mechanic gloves) which are like a dollar each from supercheap. Supercheap also stocks grease cleaners for your hands that are great if you're getting super dirty. Having wrinkled hands that smell like jet fuel is no fun. Leave the excess Kero in the sun to evaporate and throw or re-use the bucket. 5. Rinse off chain and dry to remove excess degreaser as you don't want this when re-lubing. 6. Same as you, I tend to do a solid lubing. I tend to leave the lube in overnight to soak into the rollers and wipe the excess in the morning. This type of deep clean though is probably great for a dry paraffin wax based lube like squirt, which adheres better with super clean chains. I think they're becoming more common now as they do reduce friction. 7. I know this is isn't required, but I put an ultra-thin layer of grease in the cassette body (not in the spline grooves) to help taking off the cassette next time. It serves no other purpose. 8. I finish with a UV protectant called Aerospace 303. I use this for car interiors mainly, but it works great for gloss-free carbon parts. It's water based, so no silicone and dries up after about 5 weeks. Great for frames, carbon parts and even running gear. Matte stuff works best and it literally makes stuff look out of the box new. This stuff is even recommended by guys like Parlee, for protecting carbon frames from the QLD sun. 9. Acetone works great on carbon brake tracks and rims for removing stubborn dirt. 10. If you have an air-compressor lying around, also a great tool to get dirt out of bolt heads, and brake parts without degreasing. 11. I use the soy base triflow product for quickly lubing spoke nipples and the friction points of brake cables. This just gives them a protective layer that dries naturally in a month and is environmentally friendly. Most of these tips I borrow from car detailing experience, but the apply to bikes equally. It's great to see the reception from brands like muc-off, but a tonne of this stuff has existed for decades for cars and just as easily goes on bikes. Geek out. Also Von short for Veronica? Mind BLOWN.

I just bought mine today and tried it out on the the chain I have been running all winter through snow, salt and grime, the result is much better than I would have expected. So thank you for this great tip

Putting kerosene in a high frequency (electrical) environment isn't smart, even if it's in H20. There's a lot of electricity driving the transducers below the tank and it's also a high a capacitance area. Strongly you suggest using a water-soluble cleaner. I worked in an industrial ultrasonic cleaning environment for many years and that's why I'm commenting here.

When I clean mine I also check for wear just as you did. While going up hill and hard accelerating over a speed bump I've had a worn chain slip. With all my weight forward and suddenly no gears I ended up over the handlebars. That was fun.

Could I make do with a washing up bowl and my wife's vibrator?

Good tips. I usually pull out my little camping folding stool for when I have to do a lot of hunched down work.

Tip: I always run a zip tie through the loose cassette parts, just cause it's easier to put back onto the wheel. Good trick for newbies as... then you do t need to think order of rings, Shims, etc

The reason it didn't come out spotless clean is that kerosene does not mix with water. Water will stay at the bottom of the tank (where the parts are) and the kerosene will float on top (providing little contact). But ultrasound cleaning is so good that you get results even with just plain water. For best results some water soluble detergent is needed if you're going to use water.

We use ultrasonic at work to clean sensitive aircraft parts. Two of the secrets are heat at about 120 C & time. Basic is 30 minutes, heavy is 60. We use other processes like deionized water & rust block in the process also.

That is an super amazing tip with the ultrasonic cleaner we have one of these at home and nobody is using it but now there is a usage

This was one of the most satisfying videos in the last months! You should have done this video two weeks ago, now it's too close to christmas to change my wishes to an ultrasonic cleaner :D

108k views! Amazing. Bike cleaning at it's finest. The day spa treatment for your bike

keep up the good work love seeing the progress. just bought a trainer in large part because of you

Hey Shane, great advice. I also use an ultrasonic cleaner on the drive chain. I've found that if I run it twice I get a good bit more of the gunk out on the second run. Then I run a second ultrasonic cleaner with paraffin. Perhaps my OCD is more severe. :-)

That's the only reason I need a lawn: bike cleaning!

Thanks for the parts cleaner link. As much time & effort I put into prep’ing my chains for hot wax, $75 USD Harbor Freight (an inexpensive good-enough quality vender) is nothing in comparison to speeding up and improving the process. Great professional UKposts channel. 👍👍👍 And Merry Christmas 🎄

Hi Shane After such a good clean where nearly all grease and oil are removed, I will recomend Ufo DRIP from Ceramicspeed to oil the chain again. Ufo DRIP is pretty expensive an difficult to use, but when both chain and Ufo DRIP are about 20 centigrade in temperature, it works fine. I hang the cleaned chain on a nail and let the Ufo DRIP ran down on the chain until every part of the chain have some lube added. Here in Denmark where the temperature not so often are 20 degrees or above, I heat the chain after lubricating with a electrical warming gun, to make sure the lube are absorbed into the chain joints as god as possible. Se you on the road :-)

Nice video with good information, thanks for using natural light.

Bike shop in my city has one that can fit up to a whole frame. Had a complete cleaning on my Aluminum bike. I swear after everything went into the ultrasonic cleaner and was rebuilt with new cables and brake pads the bike felt way better than brand new and looked like I had just pulled it out of the box.

Talk about perfect timing. Just bought one today.

Hi Shane, if you want to clean it quicker and save your detergent. You can use a glass jar or zip lock bags. Just put your parts there it will work for you!

great vid, the ultra sonic cleaner is awesome. have you tried a hot wax onto the chain? its awesome and dry as well, so attracks less dirt than a wet lube.

So if you think that bike started out dirty I'm afraid to show you my mountain bikes! HAHAHA! That parts cleaner is very nice and I might have to get one soon. Enjoyed the video and sub'd so I can watch more! Thank you :-)

Great content ... thanks for the tips ... keep em coming

Love the ultrasonic cleaner 👍

Baby wipes and an ultrasonic cleaner. Excellent! This is the way you do it.

This is one the most useful videos that I use, I ultra sonic clean my stuff all the time. I did purchase a bit better ultra sonic cleaner and hot wax the chains.

Thanks for posting and sharing.

Shane; Thank you for all your videos - what a great jobb! The joy you have, goes through the screen. :-) Now, a question about the cleaner; how many watts do you recommend? There are many different out there.... Keep the good work up and stay blessed!

Brilliant idea!

LOL @ OCD. Glad I'm not the only one who needs consistent spacers!

Hi. Great videos. One question. I have seen that you use quick links for your chain(s). Which brand do you use, and how many times do they manage to be opened and closed again before you have to replace them?

I've used oven cleaner spray in the past, best instant clean ever although I'm sure it's not good for the environment, all I do now it GT85 the chain and rear cassette and wipe with an old rag once a week or after every wet ride and I've never suffered any premature wear or bad shifting - Chain is cleaner than it has ever been

When I visit Australia I'll be sure to drop my bike off with you! Great video Shane! :)

Many thanks for the video Shane. I've heard about people using Ultrasonic cleaning but will now investigate further. What Quicklink do you use and what tool was that to undo it so easily ?

Subbed! Happy New Year Shane!

Muc Off is the best stuff I have ever used for cleaning my bike. The LUBE is defiantly #1.

lol, I have the same spacer OCD. Glad its not just me.

Never known anyone to jet wash a ultrasonic cleaner. Electronics and water don’t mix. Put the stuff in a zip lock bag with water and solution then drop the bag in the water. Keeps it clean.

Good job! I'll drop mine round later😅

i could be wrong but water and oil products dont normally dont mix.... putting kerosene in boiling water while inside an electrical appliance is a big fire hazard. That kerosene will just float on top and evaporate away as an explosive gas. Good thing you did that outside.

Hey, just watched the video, specifically the way you cleaned the ultrasonic cleaner afterwards. I just purchased an identical cleaner but wondered how waterproof the electronics are. Can I clean mine the same way you soaked yours with a hose? (Minute 6:00)

Shane, nice vlog as usual with great detail. Yes. Festive 500 begins tomorrow, though here in the northern hemisphere it will not likely be so sunny and nice, expecting a dry day here where I live, in the Seattle WA area, with temps in the 0-3 C / 32 - 36 F range. Is this your standard cleaning process for the drive train, or do you only go to the extent of the ultrasonic cleaner a couple of times a year or when particularly dirty? Thanks and Happy Holidays!

I thought they said this plastic ultrasonic cleaners aren't good? by the way how many watts is the device?

Safety Note: Never stick your hands in a running ultrasonic cleaner... The bubbles can pass through the skin and into the blood stream. Air bubbles in your blood is dangerous. read the instructions and warnings.

Saw a 600ml tank on Amazon. It might be too small?

My Shimano RD F8050 DI2 front derailleur is very sticky when shifting and recently stopped going to the big chainring. I have repeatedly used cleaner spray to get into the big chainring but it has difficult. The derailleur will work for a while and then will not work from small to big, until I respray the cleaner again. Can I submerge or dangle the front derailleur in an ultrasonic cleaner to get rid of the build-up. Will this short out the solenoid?

That cassette and chain looked better than mine even before you cleaned it

Is olive oil okay to use?

Wow I need one !!! 😁

- Water - degreaser - bike wash - water - rag With that you don't need ultrasonic cleaner. Just put components in and wait for 10 minutes. Same thing. That UC is not strong. Proper UC will do the magic but that model cost too much for chain cleaning. I do not use degreaser. It is bad for the chain. For basic cleaning - soapy water For dirt chain - diesel For relly dirt and rust chain - WD40 For long life of chain - No degreaser, no cross chain. My last Shimano chain lasted for 20k km.

Great video👍 What chain break link do you use?

I can always tell a fellow OCD biker when I see their tire lettering center with the valve stem lol love it

believe it or not chain grease is the best cleaning agent for bicycle parts. In military they use something called CLP (cleaning, lubricating and protecting) to clean their rifles. any grease or carbon build up just get dissolved into chain lube and it doesn't corrode your components. ofc chain lube is expensive but for the long run chain lube preserves your component better so you will be saving lot's of money. i leave a thin film of lube on my bike regardless if it's drivetrain or not. it acts as an anti oxidant which protect your aluminium parts and top coat of your carbon frame. i recommend prolink progold 16oz spray bottles, they aren't that expensive yet thin and easy to use as a cleaner.

2:40 So that's what that tool is for. I've had one in a kit of bike tools and never used it... not that I've given it much thought up till now. But I have cursed a few times when splitting chains with my bare hands.

what kind of oil do you recommend? o use the wax based stuff. is that sufficient if I clean my chain using this method?

I'm liking that yellow cap muc off. I was using T9 but the wax properties make it a pain to clean.

great tip on putting boiling water in first! thanks

Shane what degreaser are you using, I bought an ultra sonic cleaner, put the hot water in and some degreaser and it didn't clean, I put it down to the degreaser being a cheap Bunnings brand

Shane, do you use a chain-lock to re-open, re-close the chain? If yes, which chain and which lock?

What brand of rear light is that on Von's bike? Also, what is your opinion on waxing a chain, or using wax based lubricants such as Squirt. I've tested but the wax seems to get gunky and definitely harder to clean, and strip from the chain if you want to go back to oil based lubricants again.

Hey shane, i picked up a cheaper ultrasonic cleaner but my chain still sounds kinda gritty despite running it through about 2-3 cycles. Any tips of possibly making that clean even better?

Gotta get me one of those ultrasonic cleaners

What quick link do you recommend for the chain? Yours seems super easy to install or take off

Is this a Shimano chain with a SRAM link? Being able the chain the SRAM way looks convenient. Is it as robust as the Shimano link?

I thought that I was the only person who wanted the 11sp on the spacers in the same place!🤣

Would you recommend putting an entire break caliper or deraileur in one of these things?

what is the quick and easy chain removal tool you used?.

YO was that "cleaner" Kerosene? If so How does it work with a biodegradable cleaner? If I use Diesel fuel everything comes off regardless of the contraption, but hey....is that allowed?

Do you still use the ultrasonic cleaner?

after that chain dries melt some paraffin wax in that ultra sonic cleaner, drop that chain in. You'll have a very clean and super fast chain. Especially good for mtb because you can get away with dry Teflon or silicone lubes that don't build up or collect dirt for a couple months before needing to retreat with wax. It's also fast, did I mention that?

OK, so how do you know where the spacers in the cassette go? I.E. how do you know which gears they go between?

Hey Shane, ALDI have a 50w 750mL USC today for $30, would be worth a go?

So it IS supposed to sound like that when it's running. I just got one and I fired it up to see make sure I didn't get a dud unit and was a bit alarmed by the noises it made.

I feel this is like a fancy gadget, but nothing more. I regularly clean my drivetrain with some worn textile and those fancy chaincleaners, and when I take the chain-chainrings-cassette off approximately after every 7-800 km, I use a dishwasher cream ultraderm (~2usd in HUF) it's enough for a season.

Tried to take advantage of 25% off store-wide at Super Cheap today....sold out at every WA store apparently!

not shure but: first raw dirty off and than put in ultrasonic bath?

Shane is that straight kerosene or a degreeser that's kerosene based?

How many parts have you lost in the grass?

No mounting paste or grease onto the cassett locknut or freehub?

I've cleaned cassette sprockets with Biozet. You can soak them overnight. And I guess since it's enzymic, rather than alkali / acidic you won't dissolve the metal. Do take care of your hands though.

What did you do with the water and kerosene after you were done cleaning the parts?

This made me realize what I consider clean on my mtb is very different than yours on your bike

You can clean the cassette really easy just by passing a piece of old choth between the gears. I don't even use any solvent and after I clean it looks brand new !

Should ultrasonic increases the chain looseness???

very cool! i went to Wal Mart right away but couldnt find this bike?!?

Bought an ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon and tried it last night to clean a couple of cassettes and a chain. The first cassette I tested was done in a mixture of water and Finish Line citrus degreaser, mixed at a ratio of about 3:1. I started with cold tap water and then heated up using the ultrasonic cleaner's own heater. Can't say the cassette came out cleaner than just using degreaser and a brush because I still had to use a brush and several sprays of Muc Off. For the second cassette and the chain, i used a mixture of water and Pedro's Oranj Peelz citrus degreaser. I didn't have a whole lot of the degreaser left so the water to degreaser ratio was much higher. The cassette and chain definitely did not come out cleaner than the previous attempt. They were cleaned in multiple 480-second cycles. I am a bit disappointed with the outcome. Did I not use the right kind of degreaser for the ultrasonic cleaner to do its magic? I did use the plastic tray that come with the cleaner (accordingly to the manual, using the tray to reduce the cleaning effect by about 20%).

I half expected to see Von give you a hard time about the job you did!

Have an ultrasonic at work but don't think the boss would be to happy with me using it to clean bike parts. Lol

Shane, what oil do you use?

Love the idea. However bike washing takes long enough and this seems to just add another step

Can you put your brakepads in there as well?

Cleaning the chain, chainrings and cogs for roadies is usually unnecessary provided a proper lubricant is used. There is no drip-on lube on the market that comes close to hot-soak in a combination of canning paraffin and motor oil. This combination picks no dirt, shift feel almost buttery smooth and a lube lasts at least 300 miles.

A tooth brush, some degreasing and a rug works for me. Keep it simple. :)

dont forget lemishine @walmart, best grease cut in n america. But iam trying wax pariffin and pariffin oil 1:1. If that dont work i'll use oil. My chain is inside in velomobile.

Looks like the inner chain ring might be installed in the wrong orientation, Could be wrong as not used to that Power meter/crank setup but may be worth a check. nice little cleaner though!

One thing to add: Before reassembling and greasing the chain I’d recommend to liberally spray it with water displacement (e.g. WD40, yes this is the one time where putting WD40 on a chain is useful) and let it dry completely to make sure no water is left inside the links.