De-oil new chain?

Quoted message said:

Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube. Seems that I'm supposed to
clean the chain of the oil that comes on it. Should that oil be removed in all cases, or just when
you're going to use a wax-based lube?

Some will tell you the oil thats on it is good stuff, leave it. Some will say clean thoroughly.
There are lots of varied and valid opinions out there depending on circumstances, but If I were
gonna use wax-based lube (White Lightning) on a new chain with factory oil/protectant on it, I'd
clean it up really good first.

Cheers

Paul J Pharr

"Paul J Pharr" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Some will tell you the oil thats on it is good stuff, leave it. Some will say clean thoroughly.
There are lots of varied and valid opinions out there depending on circumstances, but If I were
gonna use wax-based lube (White Lightning) on a new chain with factory oil/protectant on it, I'd
clean it up really good first.

If you're going to use any kind of lube, thoroughly clean off the factory stuff first.

If he's using White Lightning and doesn't want to waste alot, he should degrease it first.
Otherwise, as Jobst and others have pointed out, the factory lubricant is as good as any, if not
better, so the advise is to leave it if you plan on using real oil.

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]>

"Paul J Pharr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube.

Seems

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that I'm supposed to clean the chain of the oil that comes on it.

Should

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that oil be removed in all cases, or just when you're going to use a wax-based lube?

Some will tell you the oil thats on it is good stuff, leave it. Some will say clean thoroughly.
There are lots of varied and valid opinions out

there

Quoted message said:

depending on circumstances, but If I were gonna use wax-based lube (White Lightning) on a new
chain with factory oil/protectant on it, I'd clean it

up

Quoted message said:

really good first.

Cheers

Paul J Pharr

"Ken" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Paul J Pharr" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Some will tell you the oil thats on it is good stuff, leave it. Some will say clean thoroughly.
There are lots of varied and valid opinions out there depending on circumstances, but If I were
gonna use wax-based lube (White Lightning) on a new chain with factory oil/protectant on it, I'd
clean it up really good first.

If you're going to use any kind of lube, thoroughly clean off the factory stuff first.

Baloney. Perhaps you can explain why? See my other post and also sit back and listen to the experts.

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]

Ken said:

If you're going to use any kind of lube, thoroughly clean off the factory stuff first.

Why?
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube. Seems that I'm supposed to clean
the chain of the oil that comes on it. Should that oil be removed in all cases, or just when you're
going to use a wax-based lube?

There's this little gem on the SRAM site: sram.comfaq display.aspOpen ↗

I emailed for more info. They seem to think the lube they used is good enough and you should just
clean the chain externally. I'm having trouble believing I can clean the chain without soaking.

Pete Geurds Douglassville, PA

Terry Morse <[email hidden]> wrote in news:tmorse-5788BE.09112802052003 @news.covad.net:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you're going to use any kind of lube, thoroughly clean off the factory stuff first.

Why?

In my experience, most high tech lubes won't bond with the chain metal if it is covered with the
factory protectant. If you're using plain motor oil, that might not be a problem.

"Richard Ney" <[email hidden]> writes:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Stick with regular motor oil.

Gear oil, unless you'r chain gets very hot.

--
__o | Øyvind Røtvold _`\(, | darkside.noindex.htmlOpen ↗ (_)/(_) | ... biciclare
necesse est ...

Pete Geurds said:

Quoted message said:

Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube. Seems that I'm supposed to
clean the chain of the oil that comes on
it. Should that oil be removed in all cases, or just when you're going to use a wax-based lube?

When using an oil, there is no need to remove original lubricant although for wax type lubricants,
the original greasy oil should be removed to convert to solid lubricant, although these have
problems of their own, such as not working after riding in rain.

Quoted message said:

There's this little gem on the SRAM site: sram.comfaq display.aspOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

I e-mailed for more info. They seem to think the lube they used is good enough and you should just
clean the chain externally. I'm having trouble believing I can clean the chain without soaking.

I have trouble believing they didn't get that text from wreck.bike where this type of care has been
promoted by "don't touch that dirty thing" proponents. They don't seem to understand what cleaning
is, the most important grit being that which is inside the chain and in the crevices leading to that
inside. This dirt cannot be wiped off. Only the external, cosmetic dirt can be "wiped" off.

SRAM:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Here are steps to cleaning your chain:

A. We suggest leaving the chain on the bike.
B. Wipe off any excess dirt, water, etc.
C. Apply your favorite bio-degreaser, agitate and then rinse/wipe it off.
D. Apply a coat of your favorite chain lube (hopefully something with at least a little Teflon in
it) and then be sure to let it dry or at least sit for a bit.
E. Using a rag/shop towel remove any excess lubricant and "clean" off the side plates of
the chain.

- lastly, feel free to repeat steps C and/or D more than once. You may find a combination that
works better in your area.

Additionally, a lot of people that replace their chains often would actually skip step C and just
go straight to step D. Also, if you feel the need to degrease the chain while it is off the bike,
we would warn against letting a chain sit in solvent of any kind (kerosene, gasoline, SimpleGreen,
bio-degreasers, etc.) for any length of time. And be sure to follow all dilution recommendations
found on degreasing products."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't understand how to agitate bio-degreaser on the chain when it is on the bicycle but then none
of this makes any sense.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I don't understand how to agitate bio-degreaser on the

chain when it

Quoted message said:

is on the bicycle but then none of this makes any sense.

I guess it makes sense to tell people this stuff when you're in the business of selling them chains.

Matt O.

Øyvind Røtvold said:

Quoted message said:

Stick with regular motor oil.

Quoted message said:

Gear oil, unless you'r chain gets very hot.

Extracted from the FAQ item:

Lubricating the chain with hot 90W gear lube works but it is also efficient fly paper, collecting
plenty of hardpack between sprockets and on the outside of the chain. Motor oil is far better, but
motorcycle chain and chainsaw lubricants are better yet, because they have volatile solvents that
allow good penetration for their relatively viscous lubricant. Paraffin (canning wax), although
clean, works poorly because it is not mobile and cannot replenish the bearing surfaces once it has
been displaced. This becomes apparent with any water that gets on the chain. It immediately squeaks.

The article:

draco.acs.uci.edu8d.2.htmlOpen ↗

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

[email hidden] (TBGibb) wrote in news:20030502225023.08129.00000449@mb-
m01.aol.com:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you're going to use any kind of lube, thoroughly clean off the factory stuff first.

Why? What's wrong with the lube that comes on the chain?

It's going to wear out sooner or later; maybe just a few weeks at the rate some of you folks ride.
At that time, you need to thoroughly clean off the factory lube before applying anything else.

[email hidden] writes:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Lubricating the chain with hot 90W gear lube works but it is also efficient fly paper,

[snip]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

The manual for my motorcycle, a Honda with O-ring chain, actually suggest gear oil, and that's what
put me on the idea of using this on my bike. It appears to work well on my road bike, haven't tried
it on my MTB.

I used to use some "Finish Line" teflon, dry stuff but that wouldn't last for one road trip so I put
gear oil on the chain last autumn and haven't touched it since. I haven't been riding this winter
but that must be something like 1000 dry kilomters on road without any chain maintainance.

--
__o | Øyvind Røtvold _`\(, | darkside.noindex.htmlOpen ↗ (_)/(_) | ... biciclare
necesse est ...

donald-<< Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube. Seems that I'm supposed
to clean the chain of the oil that comes on it. Should that oil be removed in all cases, or just
when you're going to use a wax-based lube?

Yep, clean all that goop offa the shimano chains..it is more of a preservative than a lube. I
use WD-40-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] wrote:

[chain maintenance]

Quoted message said:

When using an oil, there is no need to remove original lubricant although for wax type lubricants,
the original greasy oil should be removed to convert to solid lubricant, although these have
problems of their own, such as not working after riding in rain.

Quoted message said:

There's this little gem on the SRAM site:
sram.comfaq display.aspOpen ↗

I have trouble believing they didn't get that text from wreck.bike where this type of care has
been promoted by "don't touch that dirty thing" proponents.

Quoted message said:

SRAM:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Here are steps to cleaning your chain:

A. We suggest leaving the chain on the bike.
B. Wipe off any excess dirt, water, etc.
C. Apply your favorite bio-degreaser, agitate and then rinse/wipe it off.

[...]

Quoted message said:

I don't understand how to agitate bio-degreaser on the chain when it is on the bicycle but then
none of this makes any sense.

I'm not sure if it was what they had in mind, but you can use an on-bike chain cleaner like this
one from MEC:

tinyurl.comavy2Open ↗

I have experimented with both this device and off-bike chain cleaning by the "drop it in a jar of
Simple Green, shake well" method. Both seem to be reasonably effective at making a lot of [censored] come
off the chain. I tend to use the on-bike chain cleaner, but they suggest thirty cranks of the pedals
while in a middle gear, so the chain goes through the box a couple of times. Any speed advantage
from not pulling the chain is slight (I'm currently using a Taya chain with a snap-on sideplate),
though I imagine these things are a boon for people with "permalinked" chains like the Shimano ones.

That said, I'll probably go to a snap-linked (SRAM style) chain next time.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

shimano chains are shipped with a hi tech synthetic squid oil developed over several years R+D. This
SSO allows your chain a low friction breakin period of 30 miles, melding conformance into the entire
drive grewpo, infusing a metal surface treatment, and increasing the rider's endorphin levels if not
his sperm count. The surface treatment increases the chainrings life by 30-40% if the rider replaces
the rear cluster with the new chain and if not decreases the endorphin level and further reduces the
sperm count. while doing this(?), careful attention be payed to the alignment front and rear of the
grewpo. one can sight the CRing and the cluster front to rear by eye, sighting over a chain ring
side to side until the ring surface disappears and the eye is directly above it then look rear ward
down the chain to see which way the chain bends. not supposed to bend too much.shake shake or one
can use a string!!! tie on down tube stretch rearward. or one can ride and sight down plumbing the
frame sose the tubes line up then glance to theright to check on the chain/deray cage/CR
positions.low friction. 1-2 gears up at least. lastly. throw the wax on the cables and use oil on
the chain. that's what it came with.

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) said:

donald-<< Just icked up a new DA chain as well as some White Lightning lube. Seems that I'm
supposed to clean the chain of the oil that comes on it. Should that oil be removed in all cases,
or just when you're going to use a wax-based lube?

Yep, clean all that goop offa the shimano chains..it is more of a preservative than a lube. I
use WD-40-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

-------------

I see your comment here, Peter, on your use of WD40.

I recently have been experimenting with 3-in-one oil, a product of the WD40 corporation, on a PC-48
chain. I do not know the difference between lubricating qualities of WD-40 and 3-in-one oil, but
that 3-in-one appears to have more lingering oil.

Do you use WD-40 for chain lubrication or merely as a cleansing agent for the gunk (Jobst says a
good lubricant) onna the Shiano chains.

Otherwise, what do you personally use for a chain lubricant and how many miles, Peter, do you get
before 1/16" chain stretch?

Bruce Ball

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Before somebody jumps in me knickers here...the gent

wanted to know is

Quoted message said:

cleaning a shimano chain was a good idea BEFORE adding

anothjer lube, I say

Quoted message said:

yes. You can use the shimano chain outta the box, but the

stuff on it gets

Quoted message said:

really dirty really fast, resulting in the 'black chain'

syndrome.

This is true. However, you can clean the gunk off the *outside* of the chain by running it through a
rag dampened with solvent. That way it won't attract dirt, but the cosmolene (or whatever it is)
remains on the inside of the chain, where it's needed. This stuff is an excellent lubricant which
lasts longer than just about anything.

If I were a shop owner/mechanic, I'd probably do this to save time -- unless trying to set someone
up for a certain cleaning/lubrication regimen, in which case I'd clean the chain and apply the
preferred lube.

Matt O.

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I don't understand how to agitate bio-degreaser on the chain when it is on the bicycle but then
none of this makes any sense.

Those chain-cleaning gizmos agitate the solvent. It does make sense that you should agitate the
solvent to get the grit out from inside the links, soaking alone won't do much.

I've used those devices for decades, and while they can be messy, they do clean the chain better
than soaking, and it's a lot faster than removing it from the bike.

Before I started using motorcycle chain lube, I would fill the chain cleaning tool with oil after I
cleaned the chain, so I could oil it without removing it.

It's interesting that some people believe that going through the trouble of removing their chain,
soaking it in solvent, then soaking it in some sort of lubricant, results in a cleaner, better
lubricated chain, than following a simpler procedure.