Can we talk about how much better my shifting got after I cleaned my drivetrain?

I finally took an afternoon last weekend to degrease my chain and cassette after like 6 months of ignoring it. The difference was wild, I went from skipping gears on my climb up Blue Hill to smooth shifts like the bike was new. I used some Park Tool chain cleaner and a stiff brush, and the gunk that came off was nasty. Has anyone else had a before/after moment like that from a simple clean?

2 comments

2 Comments

evanr791mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah, the "gunk that came off was nasty" part really hit home for me. I did the same thing last month and I swear my chain had turned into some kind of fossilized scunge. After I cleaned it and relubed, my shifts went from sounding like a bag of rocks to actually working, which was a big win considering I usually just grunt and hope for the best.

theas941mo ago

Flip your chain around backwards every few months too. The wear is never even on both sides so it buys you some extra time before you gotta replace the whole thing.