New chain... Need to lube?



Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:

> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at the
> factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube. Greasy,
> thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and your chain will
> be black from crud.


Sorry, mate, your opinion is usually spot on, but that's straight up
********. The last five chains I've mounted on either single speed or
fixed gears, I've simply wiped the excess lube off and ridden as is. No
black gunk, no major residue, just a noisy drivetrain after a few
hundred miles. You've seriously been wasting your time.

Is Prolink good? Yarr, it's fine stuff, but so is just about anything
if you don't leave schmutz on the outside of the chain to attract dirt.
 
landotter wrote:
> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>
>> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
>> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at the
>> factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube. Greasy,
>> thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and your chain will
>> be black from crud.

>
> Sorry, mate, your opinion is usually spot on, but that's straight up
> ********. The last five chains I've mounted on either single speed or
> fixed gears, I've simply wiped the excess lube off and ridden as is.


Aye, but therein lies the rub. That **** is so sticky it never just
wipes off. But, I follow the same procedure, wiping a new chain more
often than an older chain until that stuff is gone.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons
 
G.T. wrote:
> landotter wrote:
>> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>>
>>> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
>>> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at
>>> the factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube.
>>> Greasy, thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and
>>> your chain will be black from crud.

>>
>> Sorry, mate, your opinion is usually spot on, but that's straight up
>> ********. The last five chains I've mounted on either single speed or
>> fixed gears, I've simply wiped the excess lube off and ridden as is.

>
> Aye, but therein lies the rub. That **** is so sticky it never just
> wipes off. But, I follow the same procedure, wiping a new chain more
> often than an older chain until that stuff is gone.


Wipe it with a rag dampened with white spirit, or any slightly oily solvent,
and the **** comes off easy. Inside the chain: it's good ****, man.

~PB
 
I agree with Peter! In fact, before group rides, my chain looks so
clean that I'm often accused of cleaning it after each ride.

Remember, chain wear isn't so much metal-on-metal friction but road grit
on metal.

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> Ben C wrote:
>
>>On 2007-01-11, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>Just a quick question. Do you need to lube a new Campag chain straight
>>>out of its plastic bag? I vaguely recall people suggest that the thick
>>>oil its covered with is ideal and should kept. I didn't see any official
>>>comment on this. Anyone know?

>>
>>Here's the official comment:
>>
>>"New chains come pre-lubricated with a grease-type lubricant which has
>>been installed at the factory. This is an excellent lubricant, and has
>>been made to permeate all of the internal interstices in the chain.
>>
>>This factory lube is superior to any lube that you can apply after the
>>fact.
>>
>>Some people make the bad mistake of deliberately removing this superior
>>lubricant. Don't do this!"
>>

>
>
> What makes it 'official'?
>
> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at the
> factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube. Greasy,
> thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and your chain will
> be black from crud...so we clean it off and add a genuine chainlube,
> like Prolink to ALL new chains.
>
> My 'official' statement on chains.
>
 
Pete Biggs wrote:
> G.T. wrote:
> > landotter wrote:
> >> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> >>
> >>> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
> >>> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at
> >>> the factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube.
> >>> Greasy, thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and
> >>> your chain will be black from crud.
> >>
> >> Sorry, mate, your opinion is usually spot on, but that's straight up
> >> ********. The last five chains I've mounted on either single speed or
> >> fixed gears, I've simply wiped the excess lube off and ridden as is.

> >
> > Aye, but therein lies the rub. That **** is so sticky it never just
> > wipes off. But, I follow the same procedure, wiping a new chain more
> > often than an older chain until that stuff is gone.

>
> Wipe it with a rag dampened with white spirit, or any slightly oily solvent,
> and the **** comes off easy. Inside the chain: it's good ****, man.


Hey, don't bogart that lube, my friend...

(I use a bit of solvent on a rag as well)
 
Pete Biggs wrote:
> G.T. wrote:
> > landotter wrote:
> >> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> >>
> >>> Like many FAQs(frequently asked 'QUESTIONS'), not all answers are
> >>> 'accurate' to all people. My experience is that the goop put on at
> >>> the factory is more of a preservative and rust inhibitor than lube.
> >>> Greasy, thick and attracts dirt right now. Ride a few times and
> >>> your chain will be black from crud.
> >>
> >> Sorry, mate, your opinion is usually spot on, but that's straight up
> >> ********. The last five chains I've mounted on either single speed or
> >> fixed gears, I've simply wiped the excess lube off and ridden as is.

> >
> > Aye, but therein lies the rub. That **** is so sticky it never just
> > wipes off. But, I follow the same procedure, wiping a new chain more
> > often than an older chain until that stuff is gone.

>
> Wipe it with a rag dampened with white spirit, or any slightly oily solvent,
> and the **** comes off easy. Inside the chain: it's good ****, man.


On my own chains, I've been leaving the 'factory lube' on the inside of
the rollers and wiping off the outside as throughly as possible with a
rag moistened with odorless mineral spirits. The chain does pick up a
bit more dirt than one that has been dipped in solvent and then
carefully lubed, but perhaps the 'superior factory lube' more than
compensates. Time will tell.