Should I clean a new chain before fitting.

[Brucey]

I'd love to know exactly which chain lube that was; it seems to me there is some sort of chain lube out there which reacts with grease in the way you describe and this can destroy hub seals and even hub bearings. For I while I have suspected that it may be a finish line wet lube but I have not proven that.

cheers

[MikeDee]

The grease that comes on new chains is an effective lubricant, but it acts as fly paper for dirt. I remove it by soaking in mineral spirits and apply my favorite lube after drying.

[Mick F]

Spot on!
I don't trust the "stuff" they use a chain lube as it's sticky and greasy ...................... and why wouldn't it be? That's what they put on the chains to extend the shelf-life.

[Marcus Aurelius]

There will more than likely be a waxy lube applied to it at the factory. I would leave it as it is. However it does act as a dirt magnet, so you may want to clean it off, then lube it with whatever you want.

[Mick F]

Yep.

[andrew_s]

There was a set of posts somewhere, probably on here, from someone who'd decided to check out whether is was better to clean and lube a new chain, or just to ride it.

He rode fixed, and his metric was the mileage at which he had to adjust the rear wheel position to retension the chain. He'd been recording this for several years before deciding to depart from his previous clean and lube practice, and try relying on the sticky new chain lube.

He found that he did something like 3 times the mileage between install and first adjustment that he'd previously obtained, and he gained a little on the second adjustment too.

[Gattonero]

I’m pretty sure this has been ask many times before but search brings up not a lot for me.

I am about to fit a new SRAM chain and wonder if I it’s a god idea to clean off the sticky coating first and lube it properly with my lubricant of choice, purple extreme.

Any thoughts on that one please?

If is a Sram chain, the answer is "yes", for other chains the answer is; "depends"

-old Shimano chains use to come with a sticky lubricant (better removed) up to the 10/deore range
-the higher 10sp Shimano range (XTR and D.A.) would come with a very light lubricant that wouldn't need removing
-the newer Shimano chains use a lubricant that is "so-so" and may get a bit tacky, especially the "OEM" chains with integrated pin. That lubricant is stickier and is best removed
-same story for Izumi chains: their medium and lower range has a sticky lubricant that must be removed, while the high range (like the Super V, also true for the D.I.D. NJS chains) comes with a very light lubricant that can be left there
-worth to note that newer batches of Izumi chains come with a very "oily" lubricant that is not sticky but has a strong smell, and seems to stay forever on your hands, I think it only needs a quick wipe form the chain as it's not sticky as used to be
-Sram chains almost always need to be wiped-off
the Campagnolo chains often benefit from a wipe off with a rag, there were some batches of Potenza chains that were massively over-lubricated and the thick lubricant was completely filling the male links those should have been fully degreased then re-lubricated. Lots of faffs, in fact I'd ask for refund
-KMC chains are often coated with a sticky lubricant, to be wiped off. Some of their high range models (like the gold ones) use a thinner oil that is ok to leave in place.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Chains either need a high pressure lubricant or an oil bath / forced feed depending on speed.
The former tends to be sticky.
Ideally you would use a drip feed of oil.

But we compromise for aesthetics.

I don't believe in deep clean whilst there is lubricant inside, but the subject will run and run....