How often should I clean/grease the chain?

I ride my bike pretty much everyday but only about 15 miles max. How often do you think I should lubricate the chain? I've never done it before cos it looks tricky. I spent a fortune on aerosols of cleaner and lube n stuff only for my mate do do it in 1 minute in his workshop with the help of a friend who lifted the bike so he could do the whole chain by spinning the back wheel. He didn't wash the chain though. Is that necessary? The instructions on the can say to use a power washer first.
Is there a way of knowing if it needs doing by looking at it?
Danni

[Spree]

I wash my and lube chain about once a month during the warmer weather - don't ride much once the salt has gone on the roads

Wash it with a cheap washing up brush and water soluble degreaser (jizer, gunk etc) let it dry thoroughly then lube it with the lube of your choice. I prefer Wurth dry lube now but have used many others in the past with the same but messier success

[druidsam]

or just fit a scotoiler



..........................Sam

[peanut]

Originally Posted by druidsam

or just fit a scotoiler



..........................Sam

check the settings on the scotoilers, a mate of mine had his on(probably to high a setting) and it spilled all over the rear tyre It lubed his chain but at the cost of a new rear tyre

..peanut.

[druidsam]

Originally Posted by peanut

check the settings on the scotoilers, a mate of mine had his on(probably to high a setting) and it spilled all over the rear tyre It lubed his chain but at the cost of a new rear tyre

..peanut.

why did he change the tyre? scottoil is water based and should easily wash off and i found my scottoiler easy to set up, two drips per minute at tick over speed seems to be the perfect amount to oil the chain, and i will also add that when i blew an oil feeder pipe and covered my back wheel,tyre and brake in engine oil i changed the brake pads but scrubbed the tyre with detergent and got another 2000 miles out of it


dannikitten....i wouldnt put a preasure washer on the chain



.............................Sam

[Spree]

scottoil is water based and should easily wash off

It don't wash off when you're scraping the pegs round a bend does it

Hi Dannikitten, Stroppybitch here,
Bollocks to oiling chain, buy a shaftdrive!!!

[grotbag]

hello stroppybitch and welcome

[Bill CBF1000]

hi stroppybitch

back to chainlube - years ago used to use chainsaw oil on my old cb400 and trials bikes bloody messy but worked well

[Spree]

My bikes done 20k and the last chain and sprocket was a DID and renthal. I used Wurth dry lube form new and havent had to adjust it for 7k miles. Not bad for a big old lump thats been fully loaded for most of those miles