Best way to get the sticky stuff off a brand-new chain
02-09-11, 12:46 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,456
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 50 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Best way to get the sticky stuff off a brand-new chain
Speaking of chains, I have a brand new KMC road bike chain that's got the requisite layer of sticky-thick coating on it (WTF is that stuff?)
It's literally so adherent and thick that wiping it down with Simple Green doesn't get it off, and even with serious wiping, there's still a noticeable layer of stickiness on the chain that I'm sure will be a dirt magnet.
Anybody got a reliable way to get all this stuff off the chain?
It's literally so adherent and thick that wiping it down with Simple Green doesn't get it off, and even with serious wiping, there's still a noticeable layer of stickiness on the chain that I'm sure will be a dirt magnet.
Anybody got a reliable way to get all this stuff off the chain?
02-09-11, 12:51 AM
#2
Galveston County Texas
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In The Wind
Posts: 33,224
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1350 Post(s)
Liked 1,246 Times
in
624 Posts
Mineral Spirits
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
Last edited by 10 Wheels; 02-09-11 at 06:17 AM.
02-09-11, 01:08 AM
#4
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,870
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12791 Post(s)
Liked 7,698 Times
in
4,087 Posts
The BEST way? Probably a caustic bath. For those watching at home, I'd probably use mineral spirits or the like. I just run my new chains as-is, then lube after the first rain ride (usually within a week).
02-09-11, 01:19 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 6,956
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
5 Posts
Yeah, just lube it with your chain lube of choice, and wipe it down. Repeat until it's de-stickified.
At the bike shop, I'd toss it in an old waterbottle with a few ounces of Finish Line Citrus Degreaser and shake it for a minute, then rinse with hot sudsy water a couple times, then blow it out with the air compressor and re-lube it. But you probably don't have that option.
At the bike shop, I'd toss it in an old waterbottle with a few ounces of Finish Line Citrus Degreaser and shake it for a minute, then rinse with hot sudsy water a couple times, then blow it out with the air compressor and re-lube it. But you probably don't have that option.
02-09-11, 01:30 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: WA state
Posts: 4,809
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Same here, except if I don't ride in the rain the chain doesn't get very dirty anyway and I lube it with cleaning lube after a few weeks - month or so. The factory lube is really good lube.
02-09-11, 02:51 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,204
Bikes: Colnago C59 Italia Di2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Why on earth would you want to remove the best chain lube there is? Just ride it and lube when it starts to make noise (Like your GF)
02-09-11, 04:02 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Perth, W.A.
Posts: 935
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Amen to that. Just wipe any surplus with a rag. Once you've lubed it a couple of times with regular chain oil the stickiness will be gone.
02-09-11, 04:54 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 152
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yeah, just lube it with your chain lube of choice, and wipe it down. Repeat until it's de-stickified.
At the bike shop, I'd toss it in an old waterbottle with a few ounces of Finish Line Citrus Degreaser and shake it for a minute, then rinse with hot sudsy water a couple times, then blow it out with the air compressor and re-lube it. But you probably don't have that option.
At the bike shop, I'd toss it in an old waterbottle with a few ounces of Finish Line Citrus Degreaser and shake it for a minute, then rinse with hot sudsy water a couple times, then blow it out with the air compressor and re-lube it. But you probably don't have that option.
02-09-11, 05:32 AM
#14
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,844
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 929 Times
in
614 Posts
Those degreasers work well for getting that sticky grease stuff off the ball bearings so you can make them nice & shiny.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
02-09-11, 05:45 AM
#15
enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Southern Mississippi for the time being.
Posts: 509
Bikes: 2010 BMC SL 01 Roadracer, 2012 Davidson Tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Those degreasers work well for getting that sticky grease stuff off the ball bearings so you can make them nice & shiny.
Quite right. I also like to pull back the boots on the CV joints on my car and use these products to get all the grease off of the axle joints. Finally, you can get the crankcase of your car sparkling clean by replacing your motor oil with Simple Green.
02-09-11, 06:14 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: England
Posts: 12,948
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
I spray on some GT85 (kinda like WD40 plus some teflon lube, its a genuine chainlube product). Last chain I put in a plastic bag with a few squirts then wiped clean, then applied Finish Line
02-09-11, 07:23 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,501
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 42 Times
in
22 Posts
This is the dumbest thread ever at BF.
As if the factory applies something to their chains that they want you to work very hard at to remove. I would be embarrassed to have asked this question.
As if the factory applies something to their chains that they want you to work very hard at to remove. I would be embarrassed to have asked this question.
02-09-11, 07:26 AM
#18
Klickety-Klackety
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NoVa, U.S.A.
Posts: 1,609
Bikes: Ones with 2 wheels...
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
02-09-11, 07:45 AM
#19
Gluteus Enormus
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 2,245
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
02-09-11, 08:35 AM
#20
Mmmmm potatoes
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,921
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
02-09-11, 08:40 AM
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,456
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 50 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
In contrast, when I had the bike shop reinstall my 1st and 2nd chains, they had removed all the sticky stuff, and that chain was SO easy to clean, and furthermore, stayed clean with minimal wiping. I live in Norcal, and thus do not ride in adverse conditions, and thus do not need thick all-weather chain lube.
I tried wiping it off with chain lube previously, but I must not have used enough - I thought SimpleGreen should remove it, but I was wrong. I'll have to next time try using liberal chain lube and seeing how it goes.
02-09-11, 08:43 AM
#22
Underwhelming
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Mississippi
Posts: 1,263
Bikes: Lynskey R330 Ti, Dean El Vado Ti, Trek 4300
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm guessing it's pretty low-tech, and we'd all be surprised at discovering the "recipe."
02-09-11, 09:17 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,138
Bikes: 2 many
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1266 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
169 Posts
I think it's cosmoline to keep stored chains from rusting. Some chains don't have it on them, the ones I have seen without it were higher end chains that had plating or someting else to keep the chains from rusting. It's not very important anyway.
02-09-11, 10:15 AM
#24
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,305
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1451 Post(s)
Liked 731 Times
in
374 Posts
I saw on Sheldon Brown's website that the manufacturer lube is allegedly the best one, but I speak from direct experience with my prior two chains that I bought and self-installed (KMC) that they were so sticky that they picked up dirt and grease instantly - to the point that I couldn't get the dirt out even with a chain cleaner and lots of degreaser, even after one ride.
In contrast, when I had the bike shop reinstall my 1st and 2nd chains, they had removed all the sticky stuff, and that chain was SO easy to clean, and furthermore, stayed clean with minimal wiping. I live in Norcal, and thus do not ride in adverse conditions, and thus do not need thick all-weather chain lube.
I tried wiping it off with chain lube previously, but I must not have used enough - I thought SimpleGreen should remove it, but I was wrong. I'll have to next time try using liberal chain lube and seeing how it goes.
In contrast, when I had the bike shop reinstall my 1st and 2nd chains, they had removed all the sticky stuff, and that chain was SO easy to clean, and furthermore, stayed clean with minimal wiping. I live in Norcal, and thus do not ride in adverse conditions, and thus do not need thick all-weather chain lube.
I tried wiping it off with chain lube previously, but I must not have used enough - I thought SimpleGreen should remove it, but I was wrong. I'll have to next time try using liberal chain lube and seeing how it goes.
When you degrease the chain to remove the factory lube, you're taking lube out of the inner workings of the chain, and shortening, rather than prolonging, the chain's life.
If you feel compelled, you can wipe "excess" factory lube off the outside of the chain, but you definitely don't want to degrease it.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
02-09-11, 10:28 AM
#25
Medicinal Cyclist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mohawk Valley/Adks, NYS
Posts: 2,807
Bikes: 2003 Klein Q Carbon Race; 2009 Giant OCR-1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts