This is Nagao, who, hot on the heels of OMM, rode along the Shizuoka coast the other day and now has not just a frame but a drivetrain in a dreadful state.
In exchange for the happy memories, the bike got sand, mud and salt.
Play like this, and the moment you get home and look at your bike,
you think, “I'd better wash this soon or I'm in trouble……”
Leave mud and salt water on it and metal parts such as the chain and sprockets become prone to rust.
Especially after riding by the sea, after a long ride in the rain, or after riding gravel or muddy roads, you want to get it cleaned as soon as you can.
That said.
A bike shop has a spacious PIT, so a bit of water and chemicals splashing around is manageable.
On the other hand, trying to do the same job at home, whether you own your place or rent an apartment, can be a surprisingly high hurdle.
The water supply is far away, or you can't use lots of water on the balcony.
If you're going to take the chain and sprockets off to wash them, you need somewhere to work, too.
And above all,
“I want my gears clean. But I don't have the time to go that far.”
I imagine that's true for a lot of people.
So we've put together a new PIT service for just those people.
We're calling it “Drivetrain Cleaning”!
What is Drivetrain Cleaning?
In a word, it's a service that gives a dirty drivetrain a quick clean and lube.
The main work involved is as follows.
- Chain removed for ultrasonic cleaning / lubrication
- Cassette removed for ultrasonic cleaning
- Cleaning of the crank and chainrings
- Cleaning / lubrication of the front derailleur
- Cleaning / lubrication of the rear derailleur
*A chain pin is included in the service price.
*A quick link, if needed, is charged separately.
*The front chainrings, crank, front derailleur and rear derailleur are worked on while fitted to the bike. We do not disassemble any of these parts.
The point of this service is that you can get your drivetrain nice and clean while keeping cost and time down.
Until now, giving the drivetrain a thorough clean has mostly been done as part of somewhat bigger maintenance, such as an overhaul.
Of course, a regular overhaul is very important.
But,
“I don't need work on that scale, but the dirt on my chain and sprockets is bothering me.”
“After a rainy ride or a gravel ride, I'd like to get it cleaned up once.”
“I have neither the space nor the time to do it myself.”
We thought it would be good to have a service you could ask for more casually at times like these, and so we've set up the Drivetrain Cleaning service.
Recommended at times like these
For example,
After a whole day's riding in the rain.
When you've ridden gravel or forest roads and your chain has gone all gritty.
When, like us this time, you've ridden by the sea and taken a good dousing of salt and sand.
Or even something as mild as “my chain area's been looking kind of black lately” is absolutely fine.
Rather than carrying on riding it dirty, just getting it cleaned and lubed once makes the chain run more smoothly and the pedaling feel lighter. Shifts click home satisfyingly, and that nasty gritty noise while riding is reduced.
Above all, a clean drivetrain is somewhere you readily feel the difference the moment you set off, in the feel when you press on the pedals and the smoothness of the shifting.
Just as a freshly washed car makes you want to drive it, when you get your bike clean and in order you naturally find yourself thinking, “Maybe I'll go for a little ride,” and heading out on the next one.
Sometimes replacement is a better idea than cleaning
Of course, depending on the condition of the chain and cassette, there are cases where replacing them is better than cleaning them.
For example,
- The chain is badly worn.
- Rust has set in.
- The sprocket teeth are worn down.
…and so on
In cases like those, even after going to the trouble of cleaning, they won't return to their original condition.
Our PIT staff will advise you on this while checking over the actual bike.
And for those who'd like every part taken off the frame, thoroughly cleaned once and reassembled, we also offer a “Full Overhaul” service.
Is Drivetrain Cleaning enough?
Or is slightly more in-depth maintenance needed?
We'll suggest just the right approach to suit the condition of your bike and the way you ride.
A campaign is now on!
Drivetrain Cleaning Campaign
Period:
Until Monday, September 15, 2026
Campaign details:
For anyone who requests Drivetrain Cleaning during the period, we'll do it for a flat ¥6,000 (tax incl.).
“Will a clean do for now?”
Feel free to ask us in just that spirit.
Bikes are made to be ridden.
Rain, mud or seaside, while you're at it, ride hard and have fun.
And in proportion to how much you've played, give it a little attention at the right moment.
Clean it, oil it, and ride again.
Keep repeating that, and a bike that was merely a tool gradually becomes your bike.
Ride it hard, and look after it properly.
I think that's about the right way to get along with a bike.
If the dirt on your drivetrain is bothering you, please don't hesitate to ask us!