Do you clean a new chain?

I live in a dry climate and never rider this particular road bike when
it's
wet out. I can't stand the thick coating that comes on new Shimano chains
(haven't tried others) and all the road grit it picks up. I usually take
the new chain and soak and clean it to strip off all of the gunk. After
it's dry I then install the chain and lube each link with some dry lube.



DAMN, i'm so confused at this point.....some people say, "yes, go ahead and
soak your chain in paint thinner, dry and put back on bike." Others
recommend not soaking chain at all, just wipe. ARRRRGGG. I'd like to
follow a regular maintenance schedule on my chain but I have no idea whether
to dunk and swirl or wipe and re-apply.

Any new thoughts to maybe confuse the situation even more?

I live in a dry climate and never rider this particular road bike when
it's
wet out. I can't stand the thick coating that comes on new Shimano chains
(haven't tried others) and all the road grit it picks up. I usually take
the new chain and soak and clean it to strip off all of the gunk. After
it's dry I then install the chain and lube each link with some dry lube.



DAMN, i'm so confused at this point.....some people say, "yes, go ahead and
soak your chain in paint thinner, dry and put back on bike." Others
recommend not soaking chain at all, just wipe. ARRRRGGG. I'd like to
follow a regular maintenance schedule on my chain but I have no idea whether
to dunk and swirl or wipe and re-apply.

Any new thoughts to maybe confuse the situation even more?

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 22:21:25 -0400, "psycholist"
wrote:

It's interesting to me how, if you ask 10 riders how they handle
chains/chain maintenance, you'll likely get 10 answers.

If not 15.

I use a chain
cleaning device with a product called De Solv It that will remove grease
better than anything I've found. A few passes in the chain cleaning box, a
light rinse with the hose, a wipe down with a clean shop rag and the chain
absolutely sparkles.

Possibly counterproductive with an SRAM chain; the evidence suggests
that their recommended regime of lube-and-wipe really is the best
procedure *for theirs*. Whether this is true for other brands has
not, in my opinion, been established. Chains are cheap (unless you're
riding a DA10 or a Campy 10) and not prone to sudden failure when
mismaintained, though, so a factually faulty chain maintenance routine
usually holds little actual hazard either to the economic or physical
health of the rider. I say "Do what makes you happy" and let it go at
that.

As for getting a "chain checker," ... why? A ruler will do fine. With a
standard, 12 inch ruler, there should be a pin precisely at one end and a
pin precisely at the other. Any deviation from this is a sign of stretch.
Anything beyond about 1/8 inch and it's time to fork over for a new chain.

Some people find that a device that is purpose-designed eliminates the
memory errors that can creep into the process. ("Let me see, was that
an eighth of an inch or a sixteenth before I should toss the chain?
Drat, where's that website?")
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 22:21:25 -0400, "psycholist"
wrote:

It's interesting to me how, if you ask 10 riders how they handle
chains/chain maintenance, you'll likely get 10 answers.

If not 15.

I use a chain
cleaning device with a product called De Solv It that will remove grease
better than anything I've found. A few passes in the chain cleaning box, a
light rinse with the hose, a wipe down with a clean shop rag and the chain
absolutely sparkles.

Possibly counterproductive with an SRAM chain; the evidence suggests
that their recommended regime of lube-and-wipe really is the best
procedure *for theirs*. Whether this is true for other brands has
not, in my opinion, been established. Chains are cheap (unless you're
riding a DA10 or a Campy 10) and not prone to sudden failure when
mismaintained, though, so a factually faulty chain maintenance routine
usually holds little actual hazard either to the economic or physical
health of the rider. I say "Do what makes you happy" and let it go at
that.

As for getting a "chain checker," ... why? A ruler will do fine. With a
standard, 12 inch ruler, there should be a pin precisely at one end and a
pin precisely at the other. Any deviation from this is a sign of stretch.
Anything beyond about 1/8 inch and it's time to fork over for a new chain.

Some people find that a device that is purpose-designed eliminates the
memory errors that can creep into the process. ("Let me see, was that
an eighth of an inch or a sixteenth before I should toss the chain?
Drat, where's that website?")
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 22:21:25 -0400, "psycholist"
wrote:

It's interesting to me how, if you ask 10 riders how they handle
chains/chain maintenance, you'll likely get 10 answers.

If not 15.

I use a chain
cleaning device with a product called De Solv It that will remove grease
better than anything I've found. A few passes in the chain cleaning box, a
light rinse with the hose, a wipe down with a clean shop rag and the chain
absolutely sparkles.

Possibly counterproductive with an SRAM chain; the evidence suggests
that their recommended regime of lube-and-wipe really is the best
procedure *for theirs*. Whether this is true for other brands has
not, in my opinion, been established. Chains are cheap (unless you're
riding a DA10 or a Campy 10) and not prone to sudden failure when
mismaintained, though, so a factually faulty chain maintenance routine
usually holds little actual hazard either to the economic or physical
health of the rider. I say "Do what makes you happy" and let it go at
that.

As for getting a "chain checker," ... why? A ruler will do fine. With a
standard, 12 inch ruler, there should be a pin precisely at one end and a
pin precisely at the other. Any deviation from this is a sign of stretch.
Anything beyond about 1/8 inch and it's time to fork over for a new chain.

Some people find that a device that is purpose-designed eliminates the
memory errors that can creep into the process. ("Let me see, was that
an eighth of an inch or a sixteenth before I should toss the chain?
Drat, where's that website?")
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

ARRRRGGG. I'd like to
follow a regular maintenance schedule on my chain but I have no idea whether
to dunk and swirl or wipe and re-apply.

Any new thoughts to maybe confuse the situation even more?


The biking life is a long one, my son. Try one method this month, another next
month, etc., and find what works best for you. :-)

Joe

ARRRRGGG. I'd like to
follow a regular maintenance schedule on my chain but I have no idea whether
to dunk and swirl or wipe and re-apply.

Any new thoughts to maybe confuse the situation even more?


The biking life is a long one, my son. Try one method this month, another next
month, etc., and find what works best for you. :-)

Joe

ARRRRGGG. I'd like to
follow a regular maintenance schedule on my chain but I have no idea whether
to dunk and swirl or wipe and re-apply.

Any new thoughts to maybe confuse the situation even more?


The biking life is a long one, my son. Try one method this month, another next
month, etc., and find what works best for you. :-)

Joe

Remember, lube on the outside of a chain and on the cogs/chainrings i
only good for catching dirt. A chain does not slid on its wheels, th
rollers roll in the chain. There is no sliding motion over thes
contact pairs.

Lubing a dirty chain can cause external dirt to be transported INTO th
chain where it could do harm. And some light oils can "pump" externa
dirt into the chain

--
Weisse Luft

Remember, lube on the outside of a chain and on the cogs/chainrings i
only good for catching dirt. A chain does not slid on its wheels, th
rollers roll in the chain. There is no sliding motion over thes
contact pairs.

Lubing a dirty chain can cause external dirt to be transported INTO th
chain where it could do harm. And some light oils can "pump" externa
dirt into the chain

--
Weisse Luft