Removing packing grease from Shimano chains

[Mark]

Hi

I fitted a new Shimano chain and cassette to my bike the other night.
I've only done 50 odd mile since installing them but this morning tried
to remove the packing grease so I could lubricate the chain normally (I
seem to remember this was the advised thing to do). After several rounds
of degreasing with everything I could find (Muc-off, fairy liquid,
citrus degreaser) the original grease was still liberally slathered all
over the chain.

I had a poke around here to see if anyone had a sure-fire way of
removing it and discovered that, at least according to previous threads,
the preferred plan now is to wipe off the excess grease and leave the
rest on the inside of the chain, cleaning as normal when it becomes
necessary. As I'd miserably failed to remove the grease I gave the chain
a quick rinse and a vigorous scrub with an old teatowel to remove the
excess, refitted it and put the bike back in the garage where I can
ignore it. I'll ride it until it needs a proper degrease and then
lubricate as usual.

What's the best way of removing the packing grease when the time comes?
I need to get tooled up in advance, it seems.

Thanks!

mark

 

[LSMike]

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

>
> What's the best way of removing the packing grease when the time comes?
> I need to get tooled up in advance, it seems.
>
> Thanks!
>
> mark

http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

The "Sheldon Shake"

I'm converted - I used to use a chain cleaning machine, but this is both
quicker, longer lasting, and more effective, especially now I have
powerlinks on both my bikes.

I haven't tried chucking the chain in my ultrasonic cleaner yet, I might do
that the next time, it's about the best way for cleaning skate bearings.

 

[davek]

Mark wrote:
> What's the best way of removing the packing grease when the time comes?

I find white spirit very effective - but don't throw it down the drain
when you have finished cos it will not be nice for the pretty flowers
and the little fishies. Just let the gunk settle then re-use it next
time.

d.

 

[John Hearns]

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 10:11:01 +0000, LSMike wrote:

>
>
> http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html
>
> The "Sheldon Shake"

I agree. See threads passim.
I found that a two-pint plastic milk container is good for this.
Just cut it apart with scissors to liberate the newly clean chain
after the shake.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Mark
('[email protected]') wrote:

> I fitted a new Shimano chain and cassette to my bike the other night.
> I've only done 50 odd mile since installing them but this morning tried
> to remove the packing grease so I could lubricate the chain normally (I
> seem to remember this was the advised thing to do). After several
> rounds of degreasing with everything I could find (Muc-off, fairy
> liquid, citrus degreaser) the original grease was still liberally
> slathered all over the chain.

And if you leave it there it will probably continue to protect the chain
for a very long time. The leaflet which came with my latest Campag chain
recommended /never/ relubricating it - although I have to admit I
haven't followed their recommendation.

> What's the best way of removing the packing grease when the time comes?
> I need to get tooled up in advance, it seems.

The best way of degreasing a chain is the Sheldon Shake[tm]. A quick
google will find you the instructions.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

:: Wisdom is better than weapons of war ::
:: Ecclesiastes 9:18 ::

 

[dkahn400]

John Hearns wrote:

> I found that a two-pint plastic milk container is good for this.
> Just cut it apart with scissors to liberate the newly clean chain
> after the shake.

Wide-necked Thornton's toffee jar. Recommended by dentists everywhere.

--
Dave...

 

[[email protected]]

Mark wrote:

> I fitted a new Shimano chain and cassette to my bike the other night.
> I've only done 50 odd mile since installing them but this morning tried
> to remove the packing grease so I could lubricate the chain normally (I
> seem to remember this was the advised thing to do).

Not by me!

The original grease is better than any lubricant you can apply after
the fact, it is a Bad Idea to deliberately remove it. It's great
stuff, lasts a long time if you don't muck with it.

Sheldon "Don't Do It!" Brown
+--------------------------------------------------+
| What's not worth doing is not worth doing well. |
| --Don Hebb |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

I submit that on or about 29 Jul 2005 20:36:45 -0700, the person known
to the court as [email protected] made a statement
(<[email protected]> in Your
Honour's bundle) to the following effect:

>The original grease is better than any lubricant you can apply after
>the fact, it is a Bad Idea to deliberately remove it. It's great
>stuff, lasts a long time if you don't muck with it.

Back in the day, my dad used to take the chain off his motorcycle,
place it on a baking tray, smother it with graphite grease, and bake
at a low heat. The grease would run into the rollers by capillary
action. He swore this was the most effective way of lubing a
motorcycle chain.

I wonder if we should be doing this with bike chains, using something
slightly less messy than graphite grease?


Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken