no3puttchad
07-25-04, 09:32 PM
I just bought a new SRAM chain, and it seems to have some kind of heavy packing gunk on it. Is it ok to use it straight away, or, do I need to soak it in solven to get that crap off, and then put fresh lube on?
Bicycle Mechanics - New Chain Prep
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seely
07-25-04, 09:33 PM
Clean it VERY thoroughly.... its called "cosmoline" and is an anti corrsion agent used in shipping... they use it a lot on guns and euro cars.
MudPie
07-25-04, 09:49 PM
I just bought a new SRAM chain, and it seems to have some kind of heavy packing gunk on it. Is it ok to use it straight away, or, do I need to soak it in solven to get that crap off, and then put fresh lube on?
I just installed a new SRAM PC 69 and cleaned it completely before using. I used a water based cleaner (Simple Green) and rinsed well with hot water to help evaporate the water. Some posters say don't use water but use a petroleum based solvent. I've been using Simple Green and water for 10+ years with no problems. To each their own.
That heavy grease like coating with the new chain just seems like trouble since I can see it attracting dirt like a magnet. It's probably meant to preserve the chain while it's in the package.
Once it's clean, use your favorite chain lube. I put the clean and dry chain in a sandwich bag and squirt the lube over the chain. Then, I shake the chain in the bag to coat everything. Wipe off the chain and install. The Power Link feature makes installation a snap.
There is another post about favorite chain lubes and everyone has their favorites. FWIW, I use Prolink.
I just installed a new SRAM PC 69 and cleaned it completely before using. I used a water based cleaner (Simple Green) and rinsed well with hot water to help evaporate the water. Some posters say don't use water but use a petroleum based solvent. I've been using Simple Green and water for 10+ years with no problems. To each their own.
That heavy grease like coating with the new chain just seems like trouble since I can see it attracting dirt like a magnet. It's probably meant to preserve the chain while it's in the package.
Once it's clean, use your favorite chain lube. I put the clean and dry chain in a sandwich bag and squirt the lube over the chain. Then, I shake the chain in the bag to coat everything. Wipe off the chain and install. The Power Link feature makes installation a snap.
There is another post about favorite chain lubes and everyone has their favorites. FWIW, I use Prolink.