Originally Posted by
JeremyZ
The lube that came on the chain of my new TriCross is some kind of sticky oil. After only a few rides, it has bits of sand stuck to it. That can't be good for it. I'm going to clean that crap off with kerosene and apply WD-40. It is so easy, I can do it weekly or even more frequently. It is cheap. Since it mostly evaporates, it doesn't attract dirt & grit once dry.
Actually, the lube that came with the chain is perhaps the best chain lube there is. Leave it until the chain squeaks.
If you don't believe me, ask
Sheldon. I'll even quote him for you:
Factory Lube
New chains come pre-lubricated with a grease-type lubricant which has been installed at the factory. This is an excellent lubricant, and has been made to permeate all of the internal interstices in the chain.
This factory lube is superior to any lube that you can apply after the fact.
Some people make the bad mistake of deliberately removing this superior lubricant. Don't do this!
The factory lubricant all by itself is usually good for several hundred miles of service if the bike is not ridden in wet or dusty conditions. It is best not to apply any sort of lube to a new chain until it is clearly needed, because any wet lube you can apply will dilute the factory lube.