With riding season coming up, it is best that you prepare your bike and refresh your bike maintenance knowledge. Cleaning and lubing your chain not only make it look pretty but also prevents rust and premature wear. Below is a quick guide on how to do exactly that and we also listed what tools you need.

PRODUCTS:

• Chain Cleaner
  • Ipone Chain Cleaner
  • Oxford Mint Chain Cleaner
• Chain Lube
  • Ipone X-TREM Chain Lubricant-Road/Off-Road
  • Oxford Mint All-Weather Chain Lube
• Chain Brush
  • Ipone Chain Brush
  • Oxford Chain Cleaning Brush
• Alternatively, you could also buy chain maintenance packs that come with all the things you need.
  • Ipone Chain Care Pack-Road

TOOLS:

• Bike stand
• A pair of nitrile gloves to protect your hands from chemicals
• Bike mat to protect your garage/driveway from dirt and muck. Alternatively, a piece of used cardboard is a cost-effective solution.

PREPARATIONS:

• Settle in a ventilated area.
• Engine turned off, place your bike on the centre stand or on a paddock stand to be able to turn the rear wheel.
• Put on your gloves and let's go!

STEP 1-CLEAN YOUR CHAIN:

Spray the chain cleaner evenly throughout the entire length of the chain. The chemical agents in the cleaner will break down mud and road grime. Let it rest for a minute or two for the cleaner to work. After that, use the brush to agitate the dirt and grime, don’t forget about the sprockets too as they often are quite dirty. Additionally, you can use a rag to wipe off any remaining dirt.

STEP 2-WAIT AND CHECK:

After you cleaned your chain, it is a good idea to wait for a couple of minutes to let the chain dry and the cleaner evaporates. In the meantime, it is a good idea to check your chain slack and alignment while your chain is clean. If your chain has the right slack and is straight, you could go straight to the next step. If it isn’t, follow your owner’s manual guideline on how to adjust both of those things or follow our guide here.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the next step.

STEP 3-LUBE IT:

With your bike still on the stand, spray a thin layer of your choice of lube on the chain. Try to cover your chain so you get a bit of rust protection from the lube. Let it dry for an hour or two, so it doesn’t splatter all over the place, and you are good to go.

EXTRAS: