Bokkie

froze, that might be me you refer to or imply leastways! I'm nothing less than fastidious when it comes to post ride bike cleans. Every 3rd ride or so I take a damp and oily cloth and run the chain through it to remove the surface crud and that usually does the trick for me. When I detect a serious amount of oily contaminant inbetween the cassette rings then I give the chain a thorugh clean (citrus-based cleaner) and I give the cassette a good wash as well.

I think a dirty chain indicates a less than ideal approach to bike ownership. If you keep the chain clean as you can, then generally the rest of the bike is equally looked after (imho).