Road Cycling - AARGH, How do you keep your drive train shiny???

I was looking at the bike pic post thread and I looked closely at the drive train of all the road bikes... they were all shiny clean!

I can't get mine like that. It was good when I bought it, but then I lubed it with the Finish Line Cross Country wet lube.

Next ride my chain turned black and the silver cogs all turned black as well. I cleaned with a cloth. Next ride, all black waxed again.

So I went out and bought a citrus degreases. Spent two hours with a brush getting everthing absolutly shiny. It was clean enough to lick.

Then I lubed. The next ride, it was back to same sad state.

Could it be the lube I'm using? I ride in the rain a lot and I need to use this kind. But I don't get it. The lube goes on with a a very light green-yellow color and before the ride it looks fine. After the ride it gets all greasy black.

It's frustrating because I like it clean, and I notice that it affects my performance after the wax builds up for a while, and I can't spend this much time after each ride getting it cleaned..

How do you all keep them so nice?

Well, you probably know some of this but;

lube the inside of the chain only (the part that comes in contact with the cogs), not the outsides.

Don't know what finish line xc is but the greenish stuff sounds like the kind that gets dirty.

Use something like White Lightning, Pedros Ice Wax (or a million other 'dry' lubes). You have to lube often but these shed dirt.
You can boil a new chain in some parraffin wax and that will keep it pretty well lubed and clean for awhile.

Drivetrains are going to get dirty though. I spend 30 seconds with the lube and cloth before a ride and everything stays pretty clean.

Finish Line XC is designed for wet rides or long distances - It lasts well but isn't clean.

Richard

I use RemOil teflon based gun oil---comes in a spray can.

As for keeping things shiny---black is beautiful---as far as the drivetrain is concerned. Unless you really enjoy cleaning something that's going to turn black again real quick.

For me--its an exercise in futility----I just keep it well lubed and don't worry about it.

i put my bike on my stand. then i have 2 tied shoe laces together (to add length) and tie one end around the base of the stand. then i apply a degreaser or simple green and water 50/50 mix to the shoelace. then i run it up through and round each cog and spin the rear wheel. it is like flossing the cogs!! it is the best and easiest thing to do.
i like pedro's dry ice for the chain. i just love that sparkling look.

I bought a new chain, cleaned my cassette and chainrings, use nothing but a quick spin of White Lightning when I air my tires, and every thing stays silver and clean, rain or shine.