New chain - degrease or not?

[freeflow]

Another insight in this matter comes from the thread on Chain Wear and the references to Molten. Speedwax. In the testing done by the manufacturers of speed wax they indicate that a significant amount of damaging metal particles ( from the chain manfactring process) are released during the first 100km or so of riding. For this reason they suggest a good strategy is to ride using the manufacturers lube for the first 100km and to then thoroughly degrease the chain and relive with a lube of your choice .

This sounds like a reasonable strategy if you are keen on managing chain wear and keeping your drive Hain clean.

[rmurphy195]

Never bothered to degrease new chain. I run 2 or 3 chains in rotation, the new chain goes on as it is supplied, then gets cleaned/lubed in rotation, more often in winter (sometimes weekly, or when ridden on wet salty roads!) than in summer. Lasts thousands of miles.

[Sweep]

I leave the original grease in place, and add a little oil as I hear that it is required.

There was a set of posts on a thread somewhere (here, yacf, or cyclechat) from someone who'd experimented.
The measure was the mileage at which he'd had to adjust the chain tension on his fixed, and he found that he got about double the mileage to first adjustment if he didn't degease a new chain, compared to the mileage if he didn't.

I think that last sentence needs editing to clarify.

Two "didn't"s

[Brucey]

I've read the same posts and IIRC leaving the grease in place extended the adjustment intervals.

cheers

[NickWi]

The KMC chain on my Orbea lasted about 750 miles before I thought it need any maintenance. A simple degrease and re-oil brought it up like new, but I doubt the Muc-Off stuff I put on will last as long.

Any ideas what OEMs put on in the first place?

[Brucey]

SRAM, KMC and shimano chains are bathed in hot, liquid grease before they are packaged. The surplus runs off and the rest congeals leaving plenty inside the bushings (where it is needed) and a little on the outside.

cheers

[andrew_s]

I leave the original grease in place, and add a little oil as I hear that it is required.

There was a set of posts on a thread somewhere (here, yacf, or cyclechat) from someone who'd experimented.
The measure was the mileage at which he'd had to adjust the chain tension on his fixed, and he found that he got about double the mileage to first adjustment if he didn't degrease a new chain, compared to the mileage if he did.

I think that last sentence needs editing to clarify.

Two "didn't"s

fixed (and the typo)