Originally Posted by
Ray Dockrey
That's not lubricant. It's a protectant to keep the chain from rusting while it sits on the shelf. That stuff is nasty and sticky and will attract everything under the sun. You need to give it a good cleaning and then lubricate it properly.
As far as the quick link goes I have used them for years on my Shimano chains and never had issues.
That is a myth, it is most definitely a lubricant. If you take a rag and spray some simple green in it and then grab the chain at the bottom while back pedaling you can wipe all the excess off of the outside while keeping the inside nice and lubricated. That way you have a nice smooth running chain from the beginning without attracting a bunch of grit.