GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

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Jdsk
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by Jdsk »

rjb wrote: 14 May 2022, 1:23pm My experience with those chain scrubbers has not been good. I had one that had an extended arm which hooked behind the rear mech. It snapped off the second time of using it which meant having to hold it in use. It disintegrated soon after, maybe after approx 5 cleaning cycles. Perhaps I was unlucky and later versions are more durable without the risk of the plastic bath going brittle. What do forumites recommend.
I find them convenient and have had two in thirty years of light use.

Jonathan
LancsGirl
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Joined: 5 Jun 2021, 9:57pm

Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by LancsGirl »

Deepest apologies. I seem to have started/perpetuated another "how to clean your chain" discussion.

But seeing as the subject of failing chain scrubbers was mentioned, maybe this is a case of getting what you pay for. After all, something made out of plastic, with lots of other plastic bits that move/spin/whatever, that may be loaded up with chemicals, some of them perhaps a bit corrosive, plus general dirt and filth, which is intended to be held in one hand, while a hard lumpy chain is fed through it, at probably varying angles...

...isn't going to be the most long lasting thing ever.

I see that Park do one made out of actual metal. For about four times the price of their plastic one.

I just bought the Pedro's Chain Pig. I've not used it yet, because I can't decide what to put in it.
wirral_cyclist
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by wirral_cyclist »

I'm with MickF and use a water based degreaser (screwfix) and that works brilliantly, being water based rather than a solvent I think a plastic chain scrubber should last pretty much indefinitely.

I think 10:1 is dilution suggested but I tend to do it by sploshing a bit of it and H2O, and so is probably between 4 or 5:1 BUT even then is still way cheaper than WS. I think dilution is a trade off between time and concentration BUT neat doesn't work well at all? well I suppose lots of it might, is it that water helps carry the removed crap away?

Oh and SF WB degreaser is beyond brilliant in an ultrasonic cleaner too, even diluted at suggested ratio, I suspect time/concentration/agitation is actually what matters.
Jdsk
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by Jdsk »

wirral_cyclist wrote: 15 May 2022, 7:30pm I'm with MickF and use a water based degreaser (screwfix) and that works brilliantly, being water based rather than a solvent I think a plastic chain scrubber should last pretty much indefinitely.
Why do you prefer using water and a surfactant (and then replacing that with oil again) to using a hydrophobic solvent/ cleaner?

Is it because you think that it gets the components cleaner?

Thanks

Jonathan
hoogerbooger
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Location: In Wales

Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by hoogerbooger »

Jdsk:

my reason was I was looking for something biodegradable/ or low environmental risk, as using the chain cleaner thingies on lots of bikes produces waste that has to go somewhere.

(The screwfix degreaser seems to be OK to go down the drain if heavily diluted.......although you also need consider what's in the chain lube I guess)
old fangled
Jdsk
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks

Jonathan
hoogerbooger
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by hoogerbooger »

Having said that.......I also often do similar to Lancsgirl using WD40 on a rag to clean up the side plates...... to extend the time interval before using the chain bath.

I prefer using the chain bath on warm/hot days as it ends up clean and covered in water.....which I want to evaporate off before lubing. On some miserable days I've ended up spraying with WD40 to remove the water......thus defeating my original point of using a surfactant approach....!

(I think I need a Gates drive)
old fangled
rjb
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by rjb »

Shopping in Aldi today. They had a box of 400ml GT85 for £2.49 a can. :wink:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
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Paulatic
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by Paulatic »

rjb wrote: 3 Mar 2023, 8:44pm Shopping in Aldi today. They had a box of 400ml GT85 for £2.49 a can. :wink:
That’s a 25% increase in 12 months!
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rjb
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Re: GT 85 - What To Use It For And What Not

Post by rjb »

Paulatic wrote: 4 Mar 2023, 9:09am
rjb wrote: 3 Mar 2023, 8:44pm Shopping in Aldi today. They had a box of 400ml GT85 for £2.49 a can. :wink:
That’s a 25% increase in 12 months!
True but it's far cheaper than the £4+ that most other retailers charge, often for smaller 300ml cans. Other retailers are widely available.
I've become a convert to using it on my chain.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
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