Hot take: You don't need to clean your chain after every single ride

Honestly, I see so many posts here about people scrubbing their chains with degreaser every 50 miles like it's a religion. I've been riding the same road bike in Portland for over 2 years now, putting about 3,000 miles a year on it, and I wipe the chain down with a rag maybe once a month. I think all that constant cleaning actually strips the grease out of the roller pins faster, which is where you really need the lube to stay. The real problem isn't dirt on the outside, it's the grime getting forced into the bushings when you over-clean and then slop on fresh lube. Has anyone else noticed their chain lasting longer when they just wipe it and re-lube without the whole soak and scrub routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

carter.thea17d ago

Less IS more with chains. Constant degreasing just pushes crap into the pins where it does real damage. Simple wipe and relube keeps things rolling way longer in my experience.

rivera.jesse17d ago

But doesn't a good degreasing session let you actually see the chain's condition and get all that old gritty lube out? I feel like just wiping and adding fresh stuff on top is just mixing new lube with old grime.