My chain had not been cleaned well for over 1,000 miles. This contraption did the job with minimal effort. The brushes cpuld be better made, as several bristles came out during the cleaning. The instructions recommend repeating the application, changing the cleaning solution in between. The bottle only has enough fluid for 3 runs, so if you will need to buy more to make a second full cleaning. Be sure to wear goggles or a safety shield during the cleaning operation. It stings when the fluid gets in your eye, as I found out the hard way.
I prefer removing the chain and giving it a thorough cleaning about every 3,000 miles, but with the newer chains (mine is a 10 spd Campy Record), there is not a master link, so it's not a good idea to remove the chain. This unit does a very nice job cleaning the chain! I am happy with it (as I am with most everything from Park Tool) and would recommend it to anyone who asked!
My old chain cleaning tool broke so I had to pitch it (don't recall the manufacturer of it) but this one by Park Tool is made much better and is easy to use. I wish it contained a larger container of chain degreasing fluid (I had three bike chains to clean) but you can't have everything.
Got this product because I was destroying shop rags and sponges everytime I washed my biks. In addition, This is a great way to keep your hands clean if you just want a quick clean of the chain if they bike isn't so dirty.
I had been a little skeptical that the device would provide a thorough cleaning but the first use blew away my doubts. The chain was squeaky clean. Only drawback was that a dozen or so bristles from the internal brushes broke off and lodged in the chain. Easily removed but Im a bit concerned about durability. The cleaning solvent worked fine with no offensive odor. The small brush was handy for cleaning the freewheel and derailleur elements.
Overal the cleaner does it's job, but has following flaws compared to Finish Line
- requires more detergent because of a different design
- uses two small clips to hold the top component in place, which requires twice the number of moves to open and close, finish line only has one, and it's sturdy enough
- in general feels like it requires more time to clean a chain with it (that's very subjective personal opinion)
The device is easy to set up and use despite the unclear instructions. Example the instructions say to put the rear chainring in the smallest setting. They really mean Shift the front derailleur to the smallest ring. If you dont, expect to see the chain jump off.
It does a good job of cleaning
