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Degreaser
Looking at a cheaper alternative of buying all the time bottles of the already cheap Torpedo7 bike degreaser, but sick of paying freight all the time.
Searching online, seems that Simple Green is a popular product in the US. I can see Bunnings is selling this stuff.
Have you used that Simple Green stuff? Which one would be good? I'm looking for something to degrease the chain and also the frame; I'm not into using diesel or mineral spirit.
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I've tried the spray on simple green. It works well for things like your frame as it is quite thick and doesn't run off quickly.
For the chain though, I buy a 5 litre bottle of the cheapest degreaser Bunnings do and decant a few hundred ml into a tin and chuck it in while I clean the rest of the bike. By the time I'm done, the chain just needs a quick brush with an old tooth brush and a rinse and it's good as new.
Koala care degreaser from bunnings, $13 for 4 litres, biodegradable . Done.
5 liters of Glitz spray on wipe off cleaner from bunnings costs stuff all.
Use it neat in a clip on chain cleaner and a spray bottle for the rest of the frame. I might resort to some citris degreaser for really grotty chains but if you clean you bike regularly than Glitz will work most of the time.
@Pete B, which one do you use? Maybe this one http://www.bunnings.com.au/simple-green-2l-all-p...
@ Skipper_nz. sorry can't find on Bunning's website your Koala Care…
@ Barnsy, do you mean this one? http://www.bunnings.com.au/cleaner-spray-wipe-gl...
Seems that Simple Green is a bit more expensive but would do a better job as "cleans tough cooking grease, dirt, food soils, pet soils,oil, soot, and more.", and is "Non-toxic and biodegradable".
WHich clip on chain cleaner do you use? I wouldn't mind purchasing one, they look handy.
Yep, that's the stuff on your link.
I used to go through bucket loads of citris degreaser and muck off but it was getting too expensive.
Usually I end up washing 2or 3 bikes at one time and go about it his way..
Glitz in the chain cleaner first on all bikes and scrub cassette with a brush
Then if the chains really grotty I'll use a little citris degreaser. Because the glitz gets most of the crud off a little degreaser will go a long way.
Give the bike a spray down with glitz in a spray bottle and leave for a couple of minutes, then hose off.
Might need a scrubbing brush for any caked on crap but that just depends on how dirty your bike is.
Five liters of glitz and a small bottle of citris degreaser will last me for a couple of months including the wife and kids bikes.
Like you I'm not real keen on kero and crap and all this stuff is bio degradable so no messy cleanup afterwards.
Ps . Park tool chain cleaner. Had it for a couple of years. Starting to look a little shabby now but really your local bike shop should be able to order something similar.
Sorry, my mistake. It isn't Simple Green I use, it's a product called 'Oomph' in my defense, it is green!
http://www.bunnings.com.au/oomph-500ml-degreaser...
This is the degreaser I use for my chain:-
http://www.bunnings.com.au/degreaser-auto-5l-100...
Koala care from Super cheap sorry
I got a hope chain cleaner from CRC that is great
Get the ultra cheap degreaser from Autoone or Supercheap. $3 a can. You can't beat that. Get 5 cans for that price.
Be careful with some of he cheap degreasers on the market. I tried one from supercheap once that ate the plastic on my chaincleaner. They can even eat in to your hub and bb seals. I'd hate to see what damage they'd do to a carbon frame.
My original thread was more for light/gentle degreaser. I've got a can of that cheap can of degreaser from Supercheap Auto, but I only use it where it's mega greasy… when I do maintenance; I wouldn't use this anywhere else.
I've been using Torpedo7 degreaser until now, and on the chain and it was doing a good job – with the help of a chain cleaner tool.
I've bought a small bottle of that Oomph at Bunnings; ticks all the boxes I was looking for: "industrial strength, non caustic, with no solvents, biodegradable".