From time to time, your drivetrain can get dirty from regular usage and needs to be cleaned. A dirty drivetrain, on top of not looking good and leaving dirty marks on everything it touches, can run slower and not as efficiently. It can also prematurely wear your parts down, so it is important to stay on top of cleaning it.
Here is a video that walks through this process:
Here are the tools needed for this:
- Chain Degreaser
- Chain Cleaning Machine
- Towel/Shop Rag
- Bike Stand/Way to Hold up the Ebike
Here is the process:
- Shift the chain into the smallest ring on your cassette.
- Once the chain is in the proper gear, snap the chain inside of the chain cleaning machine (the proper orientation of the chain will be determined by which chain cleaner you are using).
- With the chain cleaner securely fastened to the chain, fill the chain cleaner up to its designated fill line with degreaser.
- Once the chain cleaner is full of degreaser, pedal the bike backwards, allowing the chain to move through the chain cleaner.
- Rotate the drivetrain at least 30-40 rotations.
- Remove the chain cleaner
- Hold a rag lightly on the chain so it can still move and pedal the drivetrain backwards. This will help wipe any excess grim off of your chain.
- Take a new rag and put a little bit of the degreaser onto it.
- Use this rag/cloth with the degreaser on it and “floss” in between the cassette teeth on the rear wheel. This to help clean the grim that has gotten in between the cassette rings.
- After the grim has been cleaned, use a fresh rag to clear off any degreaser still on the cassette.
The drivetrain is now clean and should run much smoother now!
Everything DIY E-Bike Repairs
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Miscellaneous eBike Service Guide
