mattface 

I know this topic is controversial. I seem to recall hearing some people saying to remove the manufacturing grease residue before installing and lubricating a new chain, while others say the "manufacturing residue" is actually good, and by degreasing you remove it from the inner surfaces which are hard to penetrate, and should leave it be add some more lube on top when you install it.

So which side of this debate do you fall on and why?

seeker333

the material on your new chain is made from special NASA engineered depleted-uranium-base grease, made by displaced keebler elves, and its MAGIC. your chain will certainly break 30 miles from home, in the rain, if you even think about removing it.
..................

i vote degrease, then lube of your choice.

to me, that stuff shipped on sram chains has the feel of cosmoline, a material commonly used to protect military firearms in long term storage from corrosion. its sticky to the touch. i believe that if you add a little fine road grime/dust, you will have all the makings of an excellent metal grinding paste.

maybe its their intention to "loosen" it up faster, cause new chains are kinda stiff.

i knock it off with gasoline, then lube with my homemade chain lube, a mixture of 5 parts paint thinner aka mineral spirits to one part automotive engine oil. a retired keebler elf told me how to make this lube...

operator

Unless you're trying to troll. Don't bother degreasing it.

I've never ever bothered degreasing the chain when I throw it on and it does not show undue wear compared to degreasing and then lubing again.

In fact it gets diriter faster when you do the latter requiring more maintenance cycles. By the way seeker, way to perpetuate myth.

https://yarchive.net/bike/chain_lubricant.html

Similiar page on Sheldon browns webpage.

powers2b

Elf $hit is the best lube on the planet.
If you have ever spent a night watching Q-silver and Breaking away while eating a couple boxes of ELFudge cookies you'll understand.
Smoooth

mattface 

Not trolling, I'm inclined just to lube over the top, but I was pretty sure I'd seen both opinions argued before. FWIW SRAMs manual cautions never to use any "grease-dissolving or acidic agents" when cleaning a chain. but I know I've seen kerosene, and mineral spirits suggested, and the Great and Powerful Sheldon advises citrus degreaser. So I guess the controversy over chain cleaning will never die.

For my own part I'm of the more lube, less cleaning camp, and it's comforting to know that there is no definitive answer to prove me wrong.

operator

They added that warning when chains started failing because people were immersing said chains for days on end (which does absoultely jack all).

Sheldon Brown

The manufacturer's original lube is better than anything you can add to the chain, enjoy it as long as it lasts (which will be longer than any subsequent lube interval.)

It is very foolish to degrease a new chain.

Sheldon "Not Wishy Washy On This One" Brown

seeker333

i simply expressed my opinion. that doesn't mean its right, or wrong, or you have to agree with it. in fact, i prefaced my comment with a little joke so folks would get the idea that my comment was not to be taken so seriously. i try to help folks out on the forum, and ignore the ones who seem to be here just to fight.

i may be wrong, but i get more miles out of a drivetrain than anyone i've ever heard from. i attribute it to ridiculously frequent cleaning and relube, and the fact that i'm easy on gear.

my myth-perpetuating, foolish chain maint method gets me over 10,000 miles on rings/chain/cassette. which is a good thing, since sram now asks 40 bucks for a chain i was paying 15 bucks for two years ago. good thing i bought 3 pc-59s from nashbar at 8 bucks a piece when they cleared em out right before the rebadged products came out. i'm such a fool.

if someone at sram cares to offer a technical explaination of what that mystery goo is on their chains, then i'm open to changing my methods and opinion on this topic. until then, i'm comfortable sticking with whats worked for me for years.

i am considered foolish by many people, due to the fact that i regularly engage in the radical practice of riding a bicycle in the street.

HillRider

Completely agree with Sheldon. The only thing you might do is wipe off the exterior of the chain with a mineral spirits or kerosene dampened (not soaked) rag to remove the superficial goo so the chain will stay a bit cleaner. Do not soak it in solvent to remove the interior lube.

shoerhino

SRAM's web site and various vendor sites say that they coat their chains with something called GLIETMO lube. If you look at the SRAM website, they describe it as:

A coating of GLEITMO™, the finest chain lubricant in the industry, provides superior combination of friction protection and dirt fighters.

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/mountain...peed/index.php

I can't fully explain what it does or how it works, but SRAM does say that their chains come prelubed with some of the finest lube the chain will see.

mattface 

I make it a habit never to disagree with Sheldon on matters of bike mechanics, but before receiving his much valued opinion I had already installed the chain, covered it in T•9 wiped off the excess, and taken 'er for a ride. the old chain I took off was pretty seriously gunky, but after a bath in mineral spirits it's really not in bad shape. I would use it again if it ween't too short for the new 53T chainring.

Thanks everyone for the input and opinions. I expected more than one opinion. In the end I tend to go with the philosophy that too much lube is better than not enough. As for cleaning, maybe I'll do a better job cleaning this one than the previous one, but chances are I'll mostly just lube it and ride it.

operator

Uh, I didn't say you were right or wrong. I simply stated that it's myth.

oilman_15106

Degrease, the gunk that comes on Shimano chains is only slightly worse than the pin system used to hold the thing together.

Bike Nurse

I know this is a bit late in the flow .... but I have to agree with oilman .... Shimano chains (especially) are covered with the stickiest packing grease that collects all kinds of grit on your maiden run if left on. Definitely wipe all Shimano chains with a rag dampened with wax/oil remover ..... the only thing that gets it off.... do not soak it. Then apply some dry lube like Prolink and let that dry.