Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: Paul on 14 December, 2023, 10:04:20 am

Title: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Paul on 14 December, 2023, 10:04:20 am
Or something in between?

An ad for this (https://fastchain.biz/) popped up on my FB feed. What do you think?

Does anyone have one?

I've been a take-it-off-and shake-it-in-white-spirits guy for a long time, but this looks tempting.
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 14 December, 2023, 10:22:02 am
I'm with you on this, but prefer diesel to white spirit. Leaves lubrication behind inside the rollers.
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: PhilO on 14 December, 2023, 11:29:50 am
Something in between, definitely.
I can see it being quite effective in directing a jet of WD40 or similar deep into the rollers. But it looks incredibly wasteful!  And I wonder how long before the seals between the rotating part and the static part fail, causing back-spray into the operator's face?  :sick:
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Paul on 14 December, 2023, 04:33:33 pm
...Leaves lubrication behind inside the rollers.
What, diesel, or white spirits?
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: robgul on 14 December, 2023, 05:18:35 pm
...Leaves lubrication behind inside the rollers.
What, diesel, or white spirits?

Diesel is an "oil" white spirit is a "solvent" - so diesel.

Have to say the gadget looks pretty wasteful in the way it sprays.  A look at the website and other products suggests that it's a bloke in his home with a 3d printer making a few bits (probably to order?)

. . . I've used one of the "clamp on reservoir and brushes" chain cleaner in the past but nothing really works as well as taking the chain off the bike - I've moved to using my ultrasonic cleaning tank with a weak degreaser solution and then waxing the chain in a slow cooker with a mix of wax and PTFE powder (one chain on the bike, one being cleaned/waxed ready to swap out to rinse and repeat)
 
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Paul on 15 December, 2023, 12:05:33 pm
I'm with you on this, but prefer diesel to white spirit. Leaves lubrication behind inside the rollers.
How do you get your diesel?
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: robgul on 15 December, 2023, 01:28:56 pm
I'm with you on this, but prefer diesel to white spirit. Leaves lubrication behind inside the rollers.
How do you get your diesel?

If you know anyone that has an oil boiler and uses "35 second" fuel - that's diesel (with a red additive to stop it being used in vehicles) so you could dip their tank with a ladle!!
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Philip D on 15 December, 2023, 02:19:20 pm
The red additive is just a dye. Red diesel can be used in a normal diesel car, it's just illegal :-)
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: yoav on 15 December, 2023, 03:11:56 pm
If diesel is good then why not just use used cooking oil?
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: grams on 15 December, 2023, 03:20:20 pm
How do you get your diesel?

If you're sensible enough to not own a diesel car, you can still just buy it at the filling station. The "minimum delivery 5 litres" label most pumps have is about measurement accuracy, not what they're willing to sell you.
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Hot Flatus on 15 December, 2023, 04:11:37 pm
If you use disc brakes I wouldn't use it.
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: robgul on 15 December, 2023, 04:37:38 pm
The red additive is just a dye. Red diesel can be used in a normal diesel car, it's just illegal :-)

That's what I meant!   Years ago I had a diesel Land Rover and on one occasion the revenue chaps knocked on the door and said they needed to dip the tank to test for red - I was innocent. 

I understand that the dye leaves a permanent trace within the workings of the engine that can prove the vehicle has been run on red diesel.
Title: Re: Fast Chain chain cleaner: new messiah or snake oil?
Post by: Feanor on 15 December, 2023, 04:42:13 pm
How do you get your diesel?

If you're sensible enough to not own a diesel car, you can still just buy it at the filling station. The "minimum delivery 5 litres" label most pumps have is about measurement accuracy, not what they're willing to sell you.

This is what I do.
Just bear in mind that Dinosaur Stations will only allow you to dispense it into specific containers: the plastic 5l ones they sell in the most Dino Stations, or the 20l metal jerry cans.
They won't authorise the pump if you are trying to fill milk bottles or anything else...