Keeping your bike in top condition through the colder months is really important, and that’s especially true for your drivetrain!
Read on to find out more…
What’s a drivetrain and why do I need to clean it?
Put simply, your drivetrain includes just about all of the oily bits on your bike. That means the chain, the cassette (the sprockets on the back wheel), the chainset (the cogs at the front), and your derailleurs (the two mechanisms that change gear).
All of this stuff can get really dirty really easily, and that dirt means that your gears won’t work as well as they should do. That’s not all, though – a dirty drivetrain will wear out faster, too! If you ride with a dirty drivetrain, you’ll find yourself needing to replace parts much more often.
What can I do about it?
Well, if you hadn’t already guessed, the solution to a dirty drivetrain is a good old clean! A bit of dish soap and warm water won’t cut it, though. All that oil that was doing such a good job of keeping things lubricated has now turned into a sticky mess, and you’ll need something with a bit more oomph to shift it before you can put fresh oil on there!
Cleaning your drivetrain
When you clean your drivetrain, it’s important to use a good degreaser. This will break down the old oil (which is now contaminated) so that you can wash it away. Then, rinse it off to remove all the degreaser and dirt and dry everything off. Now, you’re ready to put on new lube! Make sure you wipe off any excess before you ride.
Sounds like a faff…
If you don’t like the sound of scrubbing your chain with a toothbrush, you can always use a chain cleaner machine, which helps make things quicker and easier. Or, if you want to go the whole hog, why not let us do it for you?
Drivetrain cleaning at Halfords!
We’ll remove your whole drivetrain and, using our professional parts washer machines, give the parts a deep and thorough clean. Then, we’ll re-lube and reassemble everything, ready to get going again!
While we’re at it, we’ll give your bike a once-over to make sure that everything is in working order, and let you know if anything is starting to get a bit worn out, so you know to keep an eye on it!
What’s more, we can professionally clean your drivetrain for you for just £10! That means you can enjoy smooth shifting and avoid excess wear on your components. We can do this while you wait – just get in touch with your local store and pop over with your dirty bike!
Remember, you can get stocked up on everything you need for cold weather cycling at Halfords! From lights and mudguards to reflective (and warm!) cycling clothing. We’ve also got loads of great advice to help keep you going – take a look at our cycling guides to get clued up!