Originally Posted by
cbchess
it is just so sticky! do you wipe down the outside at least?
Nope. It doesn't stay sticky for long. I'm not sure why. Here are a couple possibilities.
Whatever moisture causes the stickiness evaporates. I ride in Arizona, a very dry and dusty environment. If I rode in Seattle, maybe my experience would be different.
Dust, dirt, etc. does indeed stick, and as it dries, it simply falls away.
I do clean off the chain rings, cogs, and derailleur pulleys. I get some accumulation of crud here after the first few rides, but after cleaning it up, it no longer accumulates. I get much more accumulation when the chain is lubed with either wax-based lube, petroleum-based lube, or Dumonde Tech-a polymer-based lube.