I haven´t read all the threads but I have noticed that the cosmoline is very sticky and attracts dirt and doesn´t seem to work very well in protecting the chain as in winter the chain will very quickly start to rust if you just rely on it for more than a week or so. I would opt for cleaning it off with WD-40 or something and lubing the chain properly.
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only the dead have seen the end of mass motorized stupidity
Plato
(well if he was alive today he would have written it)