Drivetrain cleaning is something that we all neglect. Every hundred miles or so, we should all push the reset button and give our chains, cassettes, chainrings and pulleys some breathing room. I’ve found just the solution — Finish Line Speed Bike Degreaser.
Finish Line Speed Bike Degreaser Features:
- Utilizes dry degreasing formula
- Available with turbo sprayer nozzle
- Cleans without rinsing
- Can apply lube immediately following cleaning
- 17 oz aerosol can
- MSRP: $11.99
Blow Away Grime With Finish Line Speed Degreaser
As the winter riding season begins to come to a close, I’ve knowingly neglected the drivetrain on the Devinci Leo SL that’s in for review. The lightning-crisp shifting of the SRAM Force 22 grouppo has begun to wane and all those nights of putting the bike away dirty are coming back to haunt me.
You see, no matter how nice of a drivetrain your bike has, it needs cleaning to spin efficiently. All that muck and grime from dry or wet lubes over time build up and mix with road grime, salt and dirt to form that lovely black goo. It’s that black goo that leaves chainring tatoos on your right calf and gets on your hands when changing a tire. That stuff needs to be cleaned off and the best way I’ve found is with Finish Line Speed Bike Degreaser.
I’m not quite sure what the magic sauce is exactly, but the mixture of solvents and high-power spray action literally breaks down the grime and blows it away — it is flat-out amazing. To clean the Force 22 chain, I followed these steps while leaving my bike on the Yakima HoldUp.
- Rinsed my bike clean of all built-up dirt
- Using WD-40 Bike Wash, I sprayed the entire bike
- Used Finish Line Speed Degreaser, starting at the cassette (rotating until complete)
- Sprayed the chain while rotating the cranks
- Sprayed the chainrings
- Sprayed the derailleur pulleys
- Let it sit for a couple of minutes
- Rinsed the entire bike
- Gave it a quick pat-down
- Hung it up for drying
This whole process took a total of 5 minutes. I was simply amazed at just how quickly the grease was just blown away — revealing anew-looking drivetrain. It does feel as if I’ve used about half the can, so it could be quite an expensive habit, but it does clean with spectacular results. Trailside or garageside, it’s a fantastic product that’s easy to use.
The Good
- Cleans grime and dirt in seconds
- High-powered spray reaches difficult areas
- Dries without rinsing for trailside cleaning
- Easy in a can — especially compared to a chain cleaning contraption
The Bad
- Could get more expensive over time than a chain cleaner
- Watch that overspray — gets grease everywhere
The Bottom Line
Talk about power in a can. Finish Line Speed Bike Degreaser does what it says — in a jiffy. You may need a few cans lying around if you have lots of bikes to clean, but this is by far the easiest cleaning method I’ve found. My brushes and other cleaners are going to get lonely.
Buy Now: Available at REI
