55/Rad

I've heard conflicting opinions. The new Shimano chains come with a greasy sticky "lube" goo and I'm wondering what is the best way to deal with this.

A - degrease the chain and get the crap off, then relube.
B - Put my regular lube on top of this gooey stuff
C - Keep as-is and don't add anything on top
D - other

I'm inclined to go with A as I know it can't hurt. Your opinions appreciated.

55/Rad

-=solewheelin

Yeah that sticky goo is some type of preservative to keep the chain from corroding i guess.

the right thing to do is to degrease that goo off with some simple green or kerosine (or other) and only after the chain is dry of goo, degreaser or water, you can lube with your favorite wax/erl .

Ill have to deal with this in the next few days when my order comes in from Cambria.

peace! (from your chain)

Raiyn

Let's not go there. It was covered recently here.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hain+cosmoline
Not pretty

55/Rad

Thanks Raiyn - a simple search of "new chain" - "chain goo" and other similar key words made it impossible to find anything specific. I found the information there helpful.

My favorite post was this one:


Reminds me very much of my standard answer when my wife calls me a dork: "at least I didn't marry a dork".

55/Rad

raverson

Reminds me very much of my standard answer when my wife calls me a dork: "at least I didn't marry a dork".

55/Rad

You can't go wrong with that answer!

phantomcow2

There was a thread about htis that was extensively disputed, my opinion is remove the crap as it collects dirt.

mtbikerinpa

Yes, cosmoline is intended to be sticky. White lightning lube cuts it nicely.

phantomcow2

or simple green

clausen

Simple green cleans everything. Just don't like the smell.

phantomcow2

Yea it doesnt have the happiest smell, well at least it isn't like an auto degreaser where it has that nasty chemical stink that lingers

mtbikerinpa

I like WL for that since you don't have to clean IT off.

-=solewheelin

I dont understand this.. so your saying to use WL to wash off the cosmoline? youve got to be kidding me.

Raiyn

I remembered "cosmoline" being mentioned. Helped me narrow it down.

mtbikerinpa

Its a CHAIN. WL is chain lube. When you use a WL drip over the links(as you should for most lubes) with a rag to rub off the excess, the cosmoline dissolves right off. The solvent in WL is a very effective grease cutter, then it leaves its residue on the chain, which is favorable. Follow it up with whatever else is your mormal lube(since WL is so minimal as a lube on its own) and all is good. Finish Line Krytech has a similar cutting effect. Both have to be done in conjunction with a rag in order to work right though.

-=solewheelin

Im sorry, i guess i just dont understand your method..

When i clean a fresh chain, i soak it in citrus degreaser/simple green, scrub it and degrease ALL of the cosmoline off.
after rinsing with h20, i blast it with an air compressor to get it ready for a thin coat of White Lightning.

Listen, ive been using WL for 5 yrs. have gone through maybe 6 bottles. and you seem to be stating that an application of WL "dissolves" the cosmoline right off without any further cleaning..
now maybe i should take your word for it but it just sounds like a bunch of malarky, and i dont buy it.
i know its just a chain. but i like to keep mine looking silver, dry and quiet.
ive never heard of WL intended as a degreaser (nor is it sensible to waste it as one).
And whats this "WL is so minimal as a lube on its own"? What are you talking about?
are you confusing WL with WD40?
all due respect

Rowan

I just LOVE threads on chain cleaning. Newbies versus those who think they know. And those who *really* know sit in the bleachers and chuckle.

Short answer: Do a search and select whatever method you think suits you.

Rowan

Oh yeah, sorry. It gets down to what rivet or breakable link you use to remove your chain on a regular basis. And then whether you live in nasty-winter America or some other place where salt, snow, sleet, rain and grimy dust are only a small part of your cycling environment.

Oh yeah, as to the original subject, I am absolutely sure that I can find a post somewhere on a forum somewhere by a guru of cycling somewhere, Sheldon Brown, that the goo on new chains is the rat's @rse and all you have to do is add your own concoction to it.

phantomcow2

Everytime cosmoline is mentioned, or anything about cleaning your chain is mentioned, a monster grows here.

55/Rad

Yea really. If I'd only known it's called COSMOLINE, I could found it in the search.

55/Rad

mtbikerinpa

Well, just for laughs I suppose,
The back of the WL bottle says it is a 'cleaning lube'. Take it how you want, but I have seen very few greases and lubes it wont displace. Using anything water based just doesn't sit right with me on something like a chain. It always involves either a lot of waiting or a lot of drying to be sure its water free.

-=solewheelin

Yes, now read the directions:
here, its no. 1:

"FIRST TIME USERS: Fully Degrease chain (even new chains have a sticky coating)..."

-direct quote from back of bottle. and what i learned from reading it is that for best results, you apply WL to dry, clean links, and then as it's "Self-Cleaning" itself, the minimal dirt sheds, and you apply a little more WL.
Not ever to be mixed with another substance, just shaken.

Cosmoline is an oily/gummy substance used in the military and by many companies to preserve guns, gears, chains, anything metal or kept outdoors, or kept in a warehouse for long periods of time. even new tires are preserved with cosmoline(?)

I understand what you say that water is a pain in the chain but my favorite thing about WL is that it produces a clean chain, and it displaces the water with the wax (the water evaporates) and the wax seals it and, somehow, lubes it.
-=steve