How often should I clean/grease the chain?

Hello Grotbag, thank you for my welcome. Never realised that forums could be so entertaining
Stroppybitch X

Hi Bill CBF1000,
Cannot remember what it is called, but I remember a chain oil that came in a tin, you put tin in oven until grease had melted, drop chain in it for a short while, after grease had cooled again it set solid and kept chain oiled for a long time and didn't make a mess of back wheel. Can anyone else remember this. It could solve Dannikittens problem.
Stroppybitch X

[Rerb]

Hello Stoppy,
The stuff you mention is called Linklife, I'm not sure if it's still available.
The problem with modern chained driven bikes is the fact that they have endless chains from new and need something more permanent than a split link once replaced, making it very tricky removing the chain for a dip in linklife.

The other thing you shouldn't really use any old solvent on modern chains as they mostly contain O'rings (X rings on some).

Most modern aerosol chain lube contains around 30% penetrating liquid which is designed to draw the lubricant into the links and then evaporate, the technique I was told and have used successfully for a good number of years is to spray your lube after a run, and let the bike stand so the chain is hot (heat expands the links). This gives the penetrating liquid a better chance of getting the lube into the links and the temperature of the chain will evaporate the penetrating liquid more efficiently with a better effect all round, well lubed chain and less fling too

[Haga78]

I clean the chain with white petroleum (paraffin), I apply it to chain with brush, just evapored I blow with compressed air and I lubricate with gear oil (I prefer oil to spray chainlube because the sprays have adhesives additives that keep dust, therefore they facilitate abrasive effects).
Anyway I lubricate every 500 km - 320 miles, but if you use spray chainlube you can lubricate every 1000 km - 640 miles.
Ah, me too oil often came on tyre, but on external side (chain side), and it isn't a problem

[BLACKPANTHER]

I lube my chain every Friday when I get in from work, then I know it's done regularly. Do it after a ride so the chain's warm and it goes on/in better. I keep meaning to go down the scott oiler route, but never get round to it when I swap bikes and then end up waiting for the next bike. I'll do it next time. Honest. Oh and clean/degrease once a month. I do about 800 miles a month which I guess is above average mileage.

[matt]

Last bike was a zx12 did 24000 miles on original chain and sprockets. Never cleaned the chain , and lubed it with wurth dry lube, how ever often it needed it. Lube it when hot, adjust it when cold on the slack part works for me