When Gun Maintenance Becomes Bicycle Maintenance

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  • Mark 1911

    Grandmaster
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    12   0   0
    Jun 6, 2012
    10,931
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    Schererville, IN
    I know some of you out there are going to say, "I've already been doing that for years!". I just wish someone would have told me sooner. On that note, I thought I'd just put this here, hoping it will help some of my fellow gun owner-bicyclists with their bike maintenance too.

    So as I have been sharing on the forums occasionally, I've been trying to shed some weight this summer by riding the bike. I've ridden about 2400 miles since I started at the end of May. I've wiped the bike down a few times with a wet rag, but now the bike was due for a good detail level cleaning. Granted there isn't a whole lot to cleaning a bicycle, that is until you get to the gear cassette on the rear wheel.

    I noticed mine was filthy and had a lot of dirt mixed with grease way down in between the gears. Not an easy place to reach because of the small clearance between the gears (mine is a 9-gear cassette, some of the higher performance models have 11 gears or more). So I started tinkering around with some different makeshift tools to clean down in there. Pipe cleaners, they just push the dirt around. Paper towels just shred in 2 seconds flat and get stuck between the gears. Strips of old t-shirt material don't work too bad. But none of those get it really, really, clean, the way you want it when you clean your guns.

    That's when it dawned on me to clean it like it WAS a gun! So I opened my gun cleaning cabinet and grabbed my Birchwood-Casey Gun Scrubber. A few good sprays, a few light wipes between the gears with the t-shirt material, and that gear cassette is as clean as new. Sometimes being a gun owner has advantages I never even realized before.

    I wish I had taken some before pics. I didn't think to do that, but here's the after pics:

    cassette%201_zps9iaif7rp.jpg


    cassette%202_zpsrxwyrazt.jpg
     
    Last edited:

    Mark 1911

    Grandmaster
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    12   0   0
    Jun 6, 2012
    10,931
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    Schererville, IN
    Impressive! I wonder if something like brake cleaner would've worked too?

    I'm sure it would. I actually thought about brake cleaner before I thought about using the gun scrubber. I didn't have brake cleaner, but I had the gun scrubber. I'm sure either one will work like a charm.
     
    Last edited:

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,066
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    Southside Indy
    I'm sure it would. I actually though about brake cleaner before I thought about using the gun scrubber. I didn't have brake cleaner, but I had the gun scrubber. I'm sure either one will work like a charm.

    I'll admit that that's not something I would've ever thought of doing (but I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid). All I ever did was oil the chain on my old Schwinn Continental. :):
     

    Mark 1911

    Grandmaster
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    12   0   0
    Jun 6, 2012
    10,931
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    Schererville, IN
    I'll admit that that's not something I would've ever thought of doing (but I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid). All I ever did was oil the chain on my old Schwinn Continental. :):

    The first 10-speed I ever owned was the Schwinn Varsity. My brother had a Schwinn Continental. Both bikes were a metallic green color, very nice looking bikes. We bought them on the same day, my dad took us both to the bike shop and we brought them home in the car. Must have been about 1968 or 1969. My dad made my brother and I save our own money to buy them, that took a while, all summer long for me, all grass cutting money at about $3 to $5 per lawn! We bought them in the fall. I remember them being just over $70 (per bike) with tax. Two proud boys with those bicycles!
     

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
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    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
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    Southside Indy
    The first 10-speed I ever owned was the Schwinn Varsity. My brother had a Schwinn Continental. Both bikes were a metallic green color, very nice looking bikes. We bought them on the same day, my dad took us both to the bike shop and we brought them home in the car. Must have been about 1968 or 1969. My dad made my brother and I save our own money to buy them, that took a while, all summer long for me, all grass cutting money at about $3 to $5 per lawn! We bought them in the fall. I remember them being just over $70 (per bike) with tax. Two proud boys with those bicycles!

    Yep! Both were great bikes back then. Heavy as tanks compared to modern bikes now though!
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
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    Bloomington
    Just a recommendation, white lightning wax lube. I've used it for years, sheds contaminants pretty well.

    +1. Unless you ride in a lot of rain White Lightning is great. I put it on after each ride(50+ milers).

    Personally I shy away from chemicals as stout as brake clean. On my bikes I use one of the citrus cleaners. It will cut the grease and leave parts ready for lube.

    You can also get a brush made to clean out in between each sprocket though you have done fine without it!:)
     

    Mark 1911

    Grandmaster
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    12   0   0
    Jun 6, 2012
    10,931
    83
    Schererville, IN
    Just a recommendation, white lightning wax lube. I've used it for years, sheds contaminants pretty well.

    +1. Unless you ride in a lot of rain White Lightning is great. I put it on after each ride(50+ milers).

    Personally I shy away from chemicals as stout as brake clean. On my bikes I use one of the citrus cleaners. It will cut the grease and leave parts ready for lube.

    You can also get a brush made to clean out in between each sprocket though you have done fine without it!:)

    I actually have some of that product but haven't used it yet. I will put it on tonight in prep for tomorrow morning's 55 miler.
     

    blackenedman

    Marksman
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    1   0   0
    Apr 12, 2008
    287
    28
    +1 on citrus degreaser. I've used white lightning in all conditions, including wet, sloppy, muddy, cross country conditions in the Hoosier National Forest. Never been disappointed.
     
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