[0-0]

I’m wondering about buying a UC.
For those who own an Ultrasonic Cleaner, would you consider it a worthwhile purchase for regularly cleaning of your chain, cassette and the occasional cleaning of the F/R derailleurs and pedals?

Or do you feel using a bucket of soapy water, de-greaser/petrol routine worked just as well?

Thank you.

Topic

[0-0]

Chris Hayes wrote:

Chris Hayes wrote:

I would imagine that if the cleaner doesn’t clean an object in 45 minutes then there must be something wrong with it, no? Unless the chain was caked in Belgian toothpaste (a mix of oil and grit).  

Generally, with the smaller cleaners you still have to clean the chain first – and then use the cleaner to finish it off.  

I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the cleaner, or it’s just under powered.
It might work OK for jewellery etc.

I will try it again on a manually cleaned chain and see if it cleans that little bit more.

[Chris Hayes]

I would imagine that if the

I would imagine that if the cleaner doesn’t clean an object in 45 minutes then there must be something wrong with it, no? Unless the chain was caked in Belgian toothpaste (a mix of oil and grit).  

Generally, with the smaller cleaners you still have to clean the chain first – and then use the cleaner to finish it off.  

[0-0]

Geoff Ingram wrote:

Geoff Ingram wrote:

A pity. Bad luck. I thought about one a while back. Pleased I didn’t get one now.

You dodged the bullet.
Maybe more expensive/UK manufactured cleaners work, but I can’t recommend the cheap/import ones.

[0-0]

Chris Hayes wrote:

Chris Hayes wrote:

You should, it’s valuable information. If someone had been altruistic enough to leave a review saying that the product didn’t work, you’d have saved £80, no?  I should emphasis that wet weather seems to wash off the SSS wax…. 

You’re problem right, but there’s too many fake reviews on Amazon. It’s like swimming against a tsunami.

Overnight, the seller contacted me to say I can keep the cleaner and will also refund me.
At first they wanted me to pay for the return, but I refused and contacted Amazon Chat.
Then the seller wanted me to get it repaired (for some reason), then later wanted to give me a 70% price reduction, if I didn’t send it back.
I still refused. Then in the early hours of this morning they said I could keep it.

What I can guess from this “goodwill gesture”. Is the true value of the cleaner is less than the return cost of the item back to them (a UK address).

[Geoff Ingram]

A pity. Bad luck. I thought

A pity. Bad luck. I thought about one a while back. Pleased I didn’t get one now.

[Chris Hayes]

You should, it’s valuable

You should, it’s valuable information. If someone had been altruistic enough to leave a review saying that the product didn’t work, you’d have saved £80, no?  I should emphasis that wet weather seems to wash off the SSS wax…. 

[0-0]

Chris Hayes wrote:

Chris Hayes wrote:

Wow…..0-0, I hope you left a similar AMZN review.   As Pilot Pete has given write up on the longevity of Smoovelube, I’ll add a few lines on the Silica Super Secret.  Once your chain is clean, it’s pretty easy to apply to each roller using the tube it comes in, or by tipping the lube into a plastic container and immersing the chain in it.  

Then you have to let it dry overnight. Once it’s on the chain runs very quietly and the lube last 300-400 km easily (unless it’s wet).  You’ll hear the difference as it starts to wear out and then I just add a drop to each roller…and let it dry.  For this reason you’ll get in the habit of doing this once you’ve finished your ride rather than before (which is when I used to do it). 

It’s a faf compared to using oil, but I prefer having a clean drive chain. It’s supposed to be more efficient too, but probably not in the real world. 

I don’t bother leaving reviews.
Thanks for the advice about Silca Super Secret ?

[Chris Hayes]

Wow…..0-0, I hope you left

Wow…..0-0, I hope you left a similar AMZN review.   As Pilot Pete has given write up on the longevity of Smoovelube, I’ll add a few lines on the Silica Super Secret.  Once your chain is clean, it’s pretty easy to apply to each roller using the tube it comes in, or by tipping the lube into a plastic container and immersing the chain in it.  

Then you have to let it dry overnight. Once it’s on the chain runs very quietly and the lube last 300-400 km easily (unless it’s wet).  You’ll hear the difference as it starts to wear out and then I just add a drop to each roller…and let it dry.  For this reason you’ll get in the habit of doing this once you’ve finished your ride rather than before (which is when I used to do it). 

It’s a faf compared to using oil, but I prefer having a clean drive chain. It’s supposed to be more efficient too, but probably not in the real world. 

[0-0]

Pilot Pete wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

Sorry for delayed response, not been on the forum for a few days.

Im using https://www.smoovelube.com/ which is best applied to a scrupulously clean chain and left overnight to dry. Once dried it’s pretty much invisible. I get many comments about having ‘the cleanest drivetrain I’ve ever seen’ from seasoned cyclists. 

In my experience it is good for about 150 dry miles. I don’t use it on my winter bike which I use in wet/ foul conditions so can’t comment on its efficacy in those conditions, although the manufacturer says it is good for all conditions.

I find after a long ride (most of my rides are 70+ miles, many over 100) that it does start to appear as waxy bits as it is forced out from the pins and rollers. It’s still working at that point though, but I degrease and wash it off and start again before my next ride. You don’t just add more and more, you need to apply to a clean drivetrain. For some that would be burdensome and put them off, but like I say, it only takes 10 mins using degreaser and a paintbrush to get the drivetrain really clean without removing the chain, so to me it’s simple enough to do thoroughly after every long ride.

If I do a short ride, I’ll just not clean it and add more miles on up towards the 150ish before repeating the process. On the rare occassions when I haven’t washed my bike and get a short notice ride I’ll just add a drop of 3 in 1 oil to each roller, which will lubricate the chain for the ride and prevent squeaking, but makes it black and oily. I will then degrease it after that ride.

No problem about the delay. Just glad for your detailed feedback.

Thank you very much ?

[Pilot Pete]

Sorry for delayed response,

Sorry for delayed response, not been on the forum for a few days.

Im using https://www.smoovelube.com/ which is best applied to a scrupulously clean chain and left overnight to dry. Once dried it’s pretty much invisible. I get many comments about having ‘the cleanest drivetrain I’ve ever seen’ from seasoned cyclists. 

In my experience it is good for about 150 dry miles. I don’t use it on my winter bike which I use in wet/ foul conditions so can’t comment on its efficacy in those conditions, although the manufacturer says it is good for all conditions.

I find after a long ride (most of my rides are 70+ miles, many over 100) that it does start to appear as waxy bits as it is forced out from the pins and rollers. It’s still working at that point though, but I degrease and wash it off and start again before my next ride. You don’t just add more and more, you need to apply to a clean drivetrain. For some that would be burdensome and put them off, but like I say, it only takes 10 mins using degreaser and a paintbrush to get the drivetrain really clean without removing the chain, so to me it’s simple enough to do thoroughly after every long ride.

If I do a short ride, I’ll just not clean it and add more miles on up towards the 150ish before repeating the process. On the rare occassions when I haven’t washed my bike and get a short notice ride I’ll just add a drop of 3 in 1 oil to each roller, which will lubricate the chain for the ride and prevent squeaking, but makes it black and oily. I will then degrease it after that ride.

[0-0]

Well I received the cleaner
Well I received the cleaner today.

Short review: Shit.

Longer review: Don’t waste your money. It’s fucking shite.
30 seconds of brushing a chain in some hot soapy water, gave better results than 45 mins using the cleaner.
Maybe it’s just the model I bought?

[0-0]

Thank you for you help.
Thank you for you help.

[jaysa]

I used to follow PilotPete’s

I used to follow PilotPete’s approach of scrubbing the chain on the bike with Screwfix no nonsense degreaser (which is great and less noxious to water life than white spirit).
I now use an ultrasonic cleaner off ebay for £50 on the chain, which removes more dirt from the links. 5 mins each side of the chain, 50C, 50/50 degreaser/water.
Dry in the oven at 100C afterwards, then Rock and Roll lube.
Yes, it’s a faff, so I do all the house bikes at the same time with new solution per chain.
PP’s approach is defo. quicker and cheaper and probably fine 🙂

[0-0]

Thank you Pete.
Thank you Pete.
Can I ask which lube you use?
I use Squirt, but it seems to gum up my chain, cassette and jockey wheels, if I apply to correct amount (i.e. 2 servings).
But if I don’t put enough on, my chain complains after one ride.

[0-0]

Chris Hayes wrote:

Chris Hayes wrote:

Hi 0-0, if you did order the £80 one from AMZN and it works, please let us know: £80 is a bearable cost…. £300 is less so.  I know that the larger industrial ones work as I used them in a previous career, but they are massive and expensive.

Will do.
This is the one I ordered when it was £79.29 + with an additional 5% off voucher
Now the price has risen to £87.99 + with an additional 5% off voucher.

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