veneer

out of the package it's kind sticky and looks prelubbed.. now should degrease the chain first and clean it before installing? or just install it and call it a day?

FarHorizon

I, personally, wash them suckers clean and brite. Your chain - your choice.

OC Roadie

The factory "lube" is more of a protectant, to keep your chain nice and fresh. You can leave it on as a lube for a couple of rides (it doesn't last much longer than that) and then start using your lube, or degrease it and lube it now. I clean and lube mine first.

veneer

ok.. what kind of lube should i get? i heard white lightening.. and finish line.. so any recommendations?

sydney

WL blows.Prolink is good.

OC Roadie

So many to chose from. Personally, I use White Lightning. It's probably not the best, but it's easy to use and it clean and lubes at the same time. I use it about every 100-200 miles, so it doesn't really have to last me that long anyways. You may search this forum for threads on this topic, different lubes work differently in different riding conditions/climates.

Al1943

I would clean the chain with mineral spirits or kerosene then lube with Purpleextreme, one drop on each link pin. Wipe off the excess. I've tried most of the popular chain lubes and think this one is the best. https://www.purpleextreme.com

Al

LittleGinseng

Another vote for ProLink.

Raiyn

Another for Prolink

BEFORE the debate on wether or not you need to remove the Cosmoline from a new chain happens AGAIN. It's been done
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=79012
search under "Cosmoline" for more examples

EagleEye

ProLink user here.

Avalanche325

I have used Prolink and White Lightning. White Lightning stays a lot cleaner, but you have to apply it more often.

Yes. Take the preservative off of the chain. It is sticky, therefore a dirt magnet.

veneer

now.. can i just use Oil Eater Degreaser to remove the preservative on the chain and just let it soak then rinse? or should i use a specific kind of degreaser?

F1_Fan

Damn straight.

I know people who thought it was designed to be left on the chain. After about a week the resulting gooey mess was a nightmare to clean up.

MudPie

Personally, I use Simple Green to remove the oil/grease from new and used chains. That new chain grease seems to be more of a protectant than a lubricant. After soaking/scrubing in Simple Green, I rinse well with water to remove the residual Simple Green. As a final step, I soak the chain for a few minutes in hot tap water. I then lay the chain out, preferable in the sun to help dry. Then, apply my favorite lube, Prolink.

I've never seen Oil Eater Degreaser, but I assume it would be fine.

veneer

Oil Eater is for car stuff... i got them from Costco. can't do it just yet.. ordered prolink from performance.. so have to wait for it to get here.

bison33

Clean the chain first. Simple Green works well. Or your fav degreaser. And here's some advice (I'm an aircraft mechanic, so I know what kind of protection is needed for various items), you don't need the wee bottles of overpriced lube. If you can get a hold of this stuff, try it. It's LPS 2, a lubricant that is non drying and provides good protection. I've been using LPS products for over 20 years. It can be bought in auto specialty stores(and Ace hardware) for about 8-12$. LPS1 is a drying version that offers good protection also. They also have a silicone based lubricant. Also another product called Chainmate but more expensive. These products come in an aerosol can and other sizes. Here's the website:

https://www.lpslabs.com/Products/Lubr...Penetrants.asp

Again, what the bike shops charge for PL, WL and so on is crazy....the LPS products are a better deal and there are other items from the auto stores (Gunk's Liquid wrench super lubricant is one, around 5$)that will aslo work and are way cheaper than the "bike" lubes. And work just as well, as long as you clean and lube your chain on a regular basis. If you need to carry lube on your ride, then pay the $$ but for home use, save your money and buy a lube that will work just as well. I have over 20 years in the aviation industry(maintaing my bikes for over 30) so when it comes to corrsion/lube, I know what I'm saying. But this is my opinion and this is just advice. But with experience, good advice usually follows.

veneer

well, the prolink i order is only 4 oz. so i don't think it will last me too long. besides.. how long before you have to degrease and grease again?

operator

Prolink users : do you get black junk off your chain?

RiDE

What about the ball and needle bearings in bottom brackets? Do you clean it off too and grease it? It's full of that stuff.

MudPie

I've been using Prolink for about 5 years, and probably go thru three 4-ounce bottles a year. I'll admit on a per ounce basis, it is expensive stuff.

I use it on my mountain bike and ride mainly dry, Southern California hardpack/clay (this year was exceptionally wet). I apply it after every two or three rides. A typical ride is 2 to 2.5 hours long. If the ride is wet, I'll probably apply it after each ride.

Before I apply it, I use a brush to knock off all the dust and dirt. In general, Prolink dries, so it doesn't attract a lot of dust, and because it's dry, any dust can be easily knocked off the chain, cogs and chainring. Using the bottle, I place a drop on each roller/pin. This sparse use applies the lubricant where it counts and is not wasteful. And I'm done! This whole process takes maybe 7 minutes.

Your mileage may vary, so you'll need to experiment initially with your riding style and conditions. One indication of when to apply more lubricant is when the chain starts to get noisy.

I remove my chain and give it a good soaking/cleaning once every 3 or 4 months. (I also have the SRAM brand chain with the Powerlink feature, so chain removal is easily done using my fingers - no tools needed.)