How I CLEAN my Bicycle Cassette so it Sparkles and Lasts Longer

Quick tip: there are easier ways to clean a cassette. I stopped using those fiddly 'in between the cogs' brushes years ago: 1. Simply use a household cleaning brush or floor dustpan brush with long enough bristles. Apply a small amount of degreaser to the brush and/or cassette, rotate rear wheel backwards while simply holding the brush at the back of the cassette, 2. Use another similar brush with soapy water (dish soap) and repeat (if you just rinse with water, it's usually not enough to clean the remaining black degreaser off the cassette), 3. Rinse with water spray bottle or hose. This can all be done indoors by using a plastic tray under the cassette to catch the drips. You can also use the same process for the chainrings and jockey wheels.

1p shower cap works great to protect the brake disk

You should let the degreaser soak for a few minutes before using the brush, it takes a while for the degreaser to dissolve the oil on the cassette.

I use a large ‘fuzzy’ pipe cleaner and ‘floss’ the cassette. It does a great job after spraying the degreaser and letting it soak. The pipe cleaners are like cheap and disposable after each use.

Your so-called filthy cassette is what my cassette looks like after I cleaned it.

an old boot lace works well for cleaning inbetween the sprockets

I've started using spray kitchen surface cleaner (which acts as a degreaser), and also disinfectant wipes for the rest of the bike, which are much cheaper than bike-specific products, but work just as well. Lemon-scented too, which is always nice.

I clean my cassettes and chains with a brush in a bucket of diesel fuel - it may not be the fanciest cleaner and not recommended to do it inside an apartment, but it is quite effective against an oil and dirt mix. With long thick rubber gloves even the hands stay clean from the diesel. The dirt settles on the ground of the bucket after some time, the diesel gets clean again and can be used again and again without major waste

Surprised not to see any comments about blowing off cassette with an air compressor hose. Makes drying quicker and guaranteed to remove all the water safely before lubing the chain.

Wait for a time when your wife is away and run the pulled cassette through a cycle in the dishwasher. The “pots & pans” cycle works best.

If your cassette and drive train need cleaning, then so will you after completing this task. Good to see David mentions gloves @ 4:08. Some eye protection also helps, as well as wearing an old long-sleeved shirt, to protect against airborne debris when you’re really “going to town” with the brushes.

David, you are the best. Appreciate your work here. Best from Germany.

wd40 sprayed on edge of rag, drag edge of sprayed rag through each gear, repeat with dry rag, works great and is cheap, negatives - ive ran out of old tshirts for rags !

I use a leaf blower to get the cassette dry very handy and gets the water out

Thank you for making this video! It’ll definitely help anyone who is new to bike maintenance

I’m always careful about spraying degreaser on the bike in case it gets into the bearings in the rear hub, bottom bracket or headset and destroys the grease. Over the years I’ve damaged components doing this. In fact the only place I use degreaser these days is when cleaning the chain.

muc off is paying some good money for these cleaning videos of not really dirty bikes :)

Take your bike to the Coin Car wash, spry with soap and wash cycle , it takes every thing a way from your bike and spray WD-40 when your bike is dry.

Seeing this hassle makes me really appreciate a belt drive and internal gear hub. No maintenance required, always works and looks like a treat.

Legend says he is still going to town cleaning the cassette