[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

[Pilot Pete]

Nothing that can’t be done

Nothing that can’t be done with degreaser, a take away tub, an old paint brush and 10mins of effort. £8.99 for 5ltr of Screwfix No Nonsense Degreaser, nothing for the tub and the old paintbrush. Has kept my chains and cassettes spotless for years.

Even at £80, thats 45ltrs of degreaser. I find 5ltrs lasts me almost two years. That’s 18 years worth of degreaser for the same cost. Plus, I don’t have to remove the chain (with Shimano quick links you are not supposed to keep breaking and rejoining them), so don’t get filthy and don’t risk the joining link failing, or have to keep buying new ones. And it only takes 10mins.

I looked into ultrasonic cleaners but eventually decided they just weren’t worth the outlay, the faff and weren’t going to get my drivetrain any cleaner than I can with my method.

I instead spent my money on a pet dryer which blows hot air under high pressure and completely dries my bike after washing, including driving all the water out from the pins and links in my chain and around the cassette, which means it can be lubed with dry wax immediately after washing and doesn’t get any rust spots.

[Pilot Pete]

Here is an ‘after’ picture.

Here is an ‘after’ picture.

[Chris Hayes]

Hi 0-0, if you did order the

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.

[0-0]

Thank you Chris for your
Thank you Chris for your feedback ?

[polofemilimc46]

matthewn5 wrote:

Get a decent one – I got one from these people, who gave great advice:
https://www.allendale-ultrasonics.co.uk/worktime

It doesn’t work miracles – you’ll still need to scrub a dirty cassette first – but it’s brilliant for making things really squeaky clean in hard to reach places. The OH does her glasses in it – it gets dirt out of the edges which she can never otherwise shift.

This cleaning solution feels slimy when I’ve cleaned flux from boards after use. Did you notice this?
I keep think of one to clean PCBs and carburettors. 

[Chris Hayes]

I’ve looked at these

I’ve looked at these previously and whilst I clean my drivetrain regularly and use Silca wax rather than oil I’m not overly convinced that:

a) you can buy a decent one for reasonable money (i.e. a multiple of the components you’re trying to extend the life of – say £300);

b) that you can’t clean your chain and cassette properly without an ultrasonic cleaner;

c) that spending sufficient on a decent cleaner appreciably extends the life of the equipment you’re cleaning; and

d) that you can amortize the day one outlay against any cost savings over time (versus say throwing the components in a plastic bottle and giving them a good shake).  

I’ve scoured YouTube for proof and would love to be wrong, but as far as I can see it’s marginal at best….

 

 

[0-0]

matthewn5 wrote:

matthewn5 wrote:

Get a decent one – I got one from these people, who gave great advice:
https://www.allendale-ultrasonics.co.uk/

It doesn’t work miracles – you’ll still need to scrub a dirty cassette first – but it’s brilliant for making things really squeaky clean in hard to reach places. The OH does her glasses in it – it gets dirt out of the edges which she can never otherwise shift.

Thank you for your advice.
The one I ordered was around £80 for a 6 litre tank (from Amazon). I’m not sure if it will be a good quality one or not.

[matthewn5]

Get a decent one – I got one

Get a decent one – I got one from these people, who gave great advice:
https://www.allendale-ultrasonics.co.uk/

It doesn’t work miracles – you’ll still need to scrub a dirty cassette first – but it’s brilliant for making things really squeaky clean in hard to reach places. The OH does her glasses in it – it gets dirt out of the edges which she can never otherwise shift.

[0-0]

Thank you very much everyone.
Thank you very much everyone.
You’ve convinced me to buy one ?

[Grahamd]

I use one for a deep clean of

I use one for a deep clean of my chain every month or so, using my chain cleaner in the interim. I use cheap degreaser with it, after a 3 minute programme the difference is appreciable. 
 

[fenix]

I have a cheap one –

I have a cheap one – something like this – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Portable-Jewellery-Dentures/dp/B07C1ZCHZM/ref=asc_df_B07C1ZCHZM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310679391967&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10385973813750526183&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046490&hvtargid=pla-574787842942&psc=1

 

It’s rubbish. Perhaps the more expensive ones are better but this takes a while and doesn’t achieve much.  Better off doing it manually. 

[Dorped]

Yes, I use a Amazon-bought GT

Yes, I use a Amazon-bought GT Sonic one. Every 1000 miles or so I put the chains and cassette (tandem) through (with 1:1 degreaser) and then re-lube with Absolute Black Graphenlube. Cleans really well. Happy drivechain. Happy camper. 

[0-0]

Thank you ktache and
Thank you ktache and hawkinspeter for your help and advice ?

[hawkinspeter]

I bought a small, cheap

I bought a small, cheap ultrasonic cleaner for initial cleaning of my chain before applying wax, but I don’t bother with that these days and just use a bit of Squirt wax lube instead along with soapy water (car shampoo) when I’m cleaning my bike.

The ultrasonic cleaner (filled with some powerful degreaser) worked well enough, but I found that the extra effort wasn’t really worth the slight benefits.

The one that I intended to buy was around £25 from FleaBay, but they sent one that was the next size down that wouldn’t fit a cassette in it. I was going to send it back, but after they’d tried to offer me a discount (I refused) they just said that I could keep it and gave me a full refund, so I do consider it well worth the money.

[ktache]

I have used them at work for

I have used them at work for both cleaning and resuspending sticky biologicals, they work great.  One of the workshop blokes used to clean his golf clubs in it.

Good if you have a seperate room for using it, they can easily lead to headaches, the noise annoys.

Bit of an outlay, but it will cut down on the amount of cleaning products you use, get into the difficult to get in areas and reduce some of the elbow work.

[Author]

Replies