# Should I lube the chain on a new bike?



## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

This newbie thanks you all for the great advice I've gotten on this forum so far!  

One more question... I've read some conflicting info from looking around and am unsure about lubing the chain on my new bike. One thing I read is that the new chain has some waxy anti-rust stuff that should be removed with degreaser and then lubed fresh, whereas another thing I read was that new chains typically come with a very good waxy/grease lubricant that is usually better than what you can put on. I can't figure out which one of these is correct... All I know is that the chain is sticky and leaves a nice gooey residue if it touches anything...

Oh, if it turns out I should clean the new chain, does putting on one of those self-cleaning lubes do the trick, or is it mandatory to use a degreaser first instead?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

milkbaby said:


> This newbie thanks you all for the great advice I've gotten on this forum so far!
> 
> One more question... I've read some conflicting info from looking around and am unsure about lubing the chain on my new bike. One thing I read is that the new chain has some waxy anti-rust stuff that should be removed with degreaser and then lubed fresh, whereas another thing I read was that new chains typically come with a very good waxy/grease lubricant that is usually better than what you can put on. I can't figure out which one of these is correct... All I know is that the chain is sticky and leaves a nice gooey residue if it touches anything...
> 
> Oh, if it turns out I should clean the new chain, does putting on one of those self-cleaning lubes do the trick, or is it mandatory to use a degreaser first instead?


Once you read my post, then subsequent (some contradictory) posts, you can piece parts of all of them together and decide what works best for you.  

That said, here's what I'd do in your situation:
Forget chain cleaning contraptions and degreasers (you'll _never _get a chain _completely_ clean) - grab 2-3 clean rags/ paper towels and ProGold ProLink. Feel free to follow the directions on the bottle , but I hold a rag under the chain while dripping the lube over the chain, cranking backwards as you go. You basically want to flush the chain with the lube. 

Once done, hold the rag around the chain and crank backwards a few revolutions, turning to a clean section of the rag periodically. You want to take up the old lube/ grit/ grease and as you do this you should start seeing a cleaner, freshly lubed chain. If you still feel/ see the old lube and or grit present, repeat the process. Once done, wipe the der. pulley wheels, cassette and chainring (basically, anything the chain contacts) with a rag.

If you keep up with this (I do a quick version every 50 miles or so) you'll get maximum use from your chains. I now have over 2k miles on my present chain with no evidence of stretch.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Everyone is different in their approach to the coating that comes on a new chain.
It will eventually go away with riding and wiping, so I prefer to start by wiping the new chain with a solvent rag until chain is clean. Then I apply my preferred lube, 1 drop on each roller. Let it penetrate, and then wipe with a rag while spinning the chain until no stain on the rag.
I wipe the chain after each ride.
Re-apply lube when chain starts to get noisy or at a preferred interval.
John


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Either way will work. I'm also a big fan of Prolink Gold. It really works well cleaning AND lubing.
You do need to get that thick sticky stuff off though. And the lube only needs to be in the rollers. You don't want your chain collecting grit and dirt to the extent possible.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

MerlinAma said:


> Either way will work. I'm also a big fan of Prolink Gold. It really works well cleaning AND lubing.
> You do need to get that thick sticky stuff off though. And *the lube only needs to be in the rollers*. *You don't want your chain collecting grit and dirt to the extent possible*.


But when you run the chain through the rag to collect the excess, doesn't some lube get on the links??


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

PJ352 said:


> But when you run the chain through the rag to collect the excess, doesn't some lube get on the links??


You're wiping it off. I think what the poster meant, or should have meant, is you don't need lube the links, and you don't want excessive amounts on them, not that you have to keep every molecule off them. Wiping with a towel is just fine to get the excess off. 

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about cleaning a new chain- maybe wipe it if there's a lot of Cosmoline or other rust preventative on it. When you do lube it, if you're in dry riding conditions use a dry lube with Teflon in it, Pedros or Finish Line are fine, one drop on every roller. You do that after you clean the links, if needed. By using dry lube which doesn't collect dirt you cut your chain worries way down.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

California L33 said:


> You're wiping it off. *I think what the poster meant, or should have meant, is you don't need lube the links, and you don't want excessive amounts on them, not that you have to keep every molecule off them*. Wiping with a towel is just fine to get the excess off.


I know. It just struck me as amusing, thus the


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

PJ352 said:


> But when you run the chain through the rag to collect the excess, doesn't some lube get on the links??


Sure, but you keep wiping until no stain on the rag.
You want the lube down inside the roller/pin and not on the outside of the links. The stuff on the links does nothing but attract dirt.
Wipe after each ride and your chain will stay very clean until the next time to lube.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

jmlapoint said:


> Sure, but you keep wiping until no stain on the rag.


I don't. I wipe the excess lube from the chain (which also catches dirt/ grit), repeat as needed - done.



jmlapoint said:


> You want the lube down inside the roller/pin and not on the outside of the links. The stuff on the links does nothing but attract dirt.


Of course your primary goal is to lube the rollers/ pins, but it's an impossibility to NOT get lube on the links, and that was my point. Further when you do (and use a good lube) dirt won't stick, which is _really_ what happens with most lubes.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Prolink makes an applicator with a needle tip so you can lube without getting much on the 
links. Once I've counted 106 rollers, I've gone over the entire chain!
Smart a$$ replies welcome! 


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

MerlinAma said:


> Prolink makes an applicator with a needle tip so you can lube without getting much on the
> links. Once I've counted 106 rollers, I've gone over the entire chain!
> Smart a$$ replies welcome! 


No smart a$$ replies from me. I do the same, albeit without the needle tip. I just wing it with the standard 'spout', but I guess that's because I don't sweat the lube getting on the links.  

FWIW, I subscribe to the belief that once chains are installed and used to any extent, they're basically going to spend their useful life with a level of dirt/ grit/ grease. Not that anyone would do this, but to test the theory I'd love to have someone thoroughly clean/ lube a chain, then totally disassemble it and start wiping the pins/ rollers/ links with a clean cloth and see what comes off. With all the hidden crevices for dirt to hide, that the only _real_ (but impractical) way to have a completely clean chain.

Now my turn. Smart a$$ replies welcome!


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

PJ352 said:



> No smart a$$ replies from me. I do the same, albeit without the needle tip. I just wing it with the standard 'spout', but I guess that's because I don't sweat the lube getting on the links.
> 
> FWIW, I subscribe to the belief that once chains are installed and used to any extent, they're basically going to spend their useful life with a level of dirt/ grit/ grease. Not that anyone would do this, but to test the theory I'd love to have someone thoroughly clean/ lube a chain, then totally disassemble it and start wiping the pins/ rollers/ links with a clean cloth and see what comes off. With all the hidden crevices for dirt to hide, that the only _real_ (but impractical) way to have a completely clean chain.
> 
> Now my turn. Smart a$$ replies welcome!


I do just about the same thing, trying to put just a drop on each roller.
I wipe after each ride.
I use *Chain-L Lube* which lasts me 3 weeks.
At 3 weeks, I wipe the chain with a solvent rag AND spin the chain under my compressor AirGun, which seems to blow most of the grime out from under the rollers, although I have never opened one to inspect it.
Then I lube and I'm good for 3-4 weeks.


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