Keep Your Bike Clean-safely

Hi all,
This site is really growing (up to 340 members now)!

I don't want to spam this site, but want to do some shameless self-promotion.

It was chilly and damp this morning. As the weather gets cooler, wetter and grimier dirt and salt are going to start to stick to every part of your bike whether you're riding fixed, singlespeed, gears, fenders or no fenders.

I make a biodegradeable, non-toxic degreaser locally (in Chicago) that is very useful for cleaning up your bike. It will penetrate your the nooks in your chain, and will clean out any grease and grit in any parts on your bike. It rinses clean with water and doesn't leave any residue. Simple Green and the stuff at Performance will clean your parts okay, but really aren't as effective as my degreaser. It will also help remove sticky stuff like the residue left over from stickers, and will clean engine blocks and printing presses.

Right now, I'm sponsoring the Half Acre Cycling Team and my product can be found in Rapid Transit, Smart Bike Parts and Yojimbos Garage.

If you're interested in my product, check out my site www.eldukedegreaser.com.

I'll be at some of the local CX races this season with some sample bottles of my product. Please come check out my site and stop and say hi if you see me. Thanks for your interest!

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by El Duke on November 16, 2008 at 12:01pm

Hi Everybody! El Duke now has a Fan Page on Facebook! Yay!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J on December 30, 2008 at 12:57pm

Disclaimer: I do own a shop and use El Duke degreaser at work, but I don't sell it and have no business interest in those shops that do -- so hopefully there's no conflict of interest with this post.

I just wanted to share my recent experience with Nick's great product. For the past several weeks, my cyclocross drivetrain had been acting cranky. The rear mech, a four month old Campagnolo Centaur, was sticking like mad. It's operated with a friction shifter, such a simple mechanism that I found it odd that something could have gone wrong.

So I cleaned and relubed the entire drivetrain, which improved things a bit, but it was still sluggish. I rode a few days, and then went ahead and replaced the cable and the housing (also only four months old). It was a little better, but still not perfect.

The day before the Montrose cyclocross race, it would barely shift but one or two cogs and so I really scrubbed everything down (or so I thought) and coated with chain with a thin layer or T9 and a thick layer of Pedro's Go. I dropped Phil's Tenacious Oil in all the pivot points. And on the morning of the race, I was down to two operable gears. But no matter -- I wasn't racing for a podium anyway.

Weeks went by, and I was enjoying the single speed life and not really caring, since the snow and ice was so thick that I didn't feel much like shifting. But after a frustrating rollers session yesterday, I decided once and for all to resolve the problem, even if it meant a complete overhaul. Or replacing the mech. Or both.

So I removed the chain and mech (it's a 1x10 drivetrain) and dropped them both into a small bucket of amber El Duke degreaser over night. When I returned in the morning, the liquid was completely opaque and grey. I ended up taking a toothbrush to remove some stubborn bits from the chain, but the mech cleaned up without any scrubbing at all. And as I held it in my hand, all shiny and clean -- I pull back the spring and SNAP! Good as new.

And so now I have a ten speed again, thanks to Nick. So yeah, from one mechanic to another: go out and buy some of the stuff. It's from a one man shop, highly functional, and sold through cool local bike shops.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by El Duke on February 16, 2009 at 3:19am

Needless to say we're excited about this:

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J on February 16, 2009 at 5:37am

I guess you'll be able to retire soon :)

El Duke said:

Needless to say we're excited about this:

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Norm Hansen on February 17, 2009 at 3:39am

I have used this Product and it works awesome!
I Give it ***** 5 Stars out of 5

I recomend El Duke~ Degreaser!

Works Better than Park and Pedros.

How can I get some in my Bike Shop?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by terryg on February 17, 2009 at 6:14pm

I'm feverishly cleaning my chain and parts and cat and dishes in order to get rid of my Park cleaner.... I have to try El Duke!

Oh wait, I don't have a cat....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rusty Piton on February 25, 2009 at 4:30am

Speaking of safely cleaning a bike, my buddy ran his thumb through his drivetrain the other day.
FUN!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RodimusPrime on March 2, 2009 at 4:55am

I just took everyone's advice and bought some of this stuff from rapid transit. BEST degreaser I've used so far. And safe to use in the apartment without giving me and my roommates headaches.

Question:

So after You degrease with El Duke, What lubes do you recommend?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by El Duke on March 2, 2009 at 9:15am

Thanks everyone. This thread is very encouraging!

Rodimus: I usually use Finish Line, but I hear good things about Boeshield and some of the wax-based lubricants. Most of them out there are pretty decent in my experience.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by El Duke on July 7, 2009 at 2:52am

Hi Everybody!

We just completed our second ad, where a swimmer friend uses El Duke Degreaser to remove petroleum jelly from his body! Check it out and let us know what you think!

http://www.vimeo.com/5484226