Strip new chain grease before lubing with Rock N Roll Gold?

stompandgo said:
I ride the factory chain grease until it starts to get noisy. That can be around 100 miles. Then I wipe it down with Finish Line citrus degreaser on a rag, followed by a dry rag, followed by R&R Gold, followed by a dry rag. Repeat once the chain gets dirty or noisy.

In the pit at today;s race, I was speaking with a team mechanic. They are all on board with wax. They know the chain lengths of every rider's bike. They strip new chains, wax them, and put them in a bag with the rider's name on them. When the chains get dirty, they change them out with a new one.
Click to expand...
What mileage do you regularly get out of a well cared for chain?
 
Upway Certified Pre-Owned E-Bikes Upway E-Bikes Mobile
Urtopia E-Bikes Urtopia E-Bikes Mobile
stompandgo said:
historical. Remember, I currently ride a low power 300W max e-bike, where most of the time, I'm riding with 90W max assist.
Click to expand...
Yup, understood. That is why I asked.
Riding and shifting style makes a massive difference IMHO and experience, be it hub drive or mid drive.
 
I would never strip the factory grease from a new chain unless I was going to go the paraffin route. Aftermarket lube won't penetrate like the first factory application. If you do want to strip it though, soak it in mineral spirits (paint thinner). You can save it and reuse it.
 
RunForTheHills said:
I would never strip the factory grease from a new chain unless I was going to go the paraffin route. Aftermarket lube won't penetrate like the first factory application. If you do want to strip it though, soak it in mineral spirits (paint thinner). You can save it and reuse it.
Click to expand...
What do you feel is your average mileage per chain?
 
PedalUma said:
I have a $13 mini crock pot with wax. The unwashed new chain goes in and cooks.
Click to expand...


You don't clean the factory grease off the chain before you put it in the wax?


I started with hot water and Dawn detergent in the sink, then dried it, then rinsed it in Naphtha, then Dawn again and dried again, then Acetone and dried again, then a final hose down with Brake cleaner outside on the back porch.
 
New tire rear tire = new chain and gears. I just had this conversation:
Patrice,
I just ordered the new KMC e-chain. It is pricy yet fits the need. It arrives sometime Monday. I will boil it in wax and ship it. The number of links should be just right with no cutting. You may be able to Insall it yourself. You will need to break the existing chain and that takes a special tool, a type of plyers you may already have on your multi-tool. Or I will send it ahead to a shop.
Patrice,
As Josh knows, I boiled your original chain in wax. All the bubbles come out between the pins and rollers. It stays smooth and clean for its entire life when wiped. Chains new ship are covered in shipping gunk. The last bike shop in Grand Rapids replaced it with that gunk as a lazy standard. You don’t want to touch it. Gross. Yucky. Your needs for this ride are not standard. You are on an epic continental ride. Can I make a chain that is just right for you and ship it ahead to any designated bike shop? Give me about four days lead time. Automotive brake cleaner can remove the gunk, but it is smelly, makes a mess, and the residual gunk can foul the breaks. It does not penetrate the pins and rollers like boiled in wax. I would love to create a chain that is exactly correct for you needs. I only wish that I were there to install it and meet with you.
Hi,
I have an issue with my chain. I wipe it down every night. Usually there is a bit of dirt on my rag, sometimes more or less, but never black grease. The chain stayed nice and shiny. Since I had the chain replaced the “new” chain looks dark and there is quite a bit of black grease on my rag when I wipe it. Is this a problem? I liked my other chain so much better. I’m a bit pouty about it. Should I still put Muc-Off on it every 100 miles? All is well. Tomorrow is supposed to be a scorcher and I have a 50 mile ride. What’s up with you? -patrice
 
PedalUma said:
I have a $13 mini crock pot with wax. The unwashed new chain goes in and cooks.
Click to expand...

PedalUma said:
,. I will boil it in wax and ship it. ,
As Josh knows, I boiled your original chain in wax. All the bubbles come out between the pins and rollers,..
Click to expand...

Sure,..
I boiled my chain in wax, but I cleaned it REALLY Good before I put it in the hot wax.

Wax won't bond to metal unless it's completely parched of all grease and oil.

And I pulled it out at the proper temperature this time,..
 

Attachments

  • 20260705_173421.jpg
    20260705_173421.jpg
    307.8 KB · Views: 3
Jeremy McCreary said:
Go to, mainly because that's my mechanic's preference.
Click to expand...
I was a long-term R and R gold user before I switched to Squirt. Squirt advises, for what it is worth, removing the factory lube before the first use of Squirt.

www.squirtcyclingproducts.com

Squirt Long Lasting Chain Lube

The best wax chain lube of them all. Long lasting, clean and biodegradable.
www.squirtcyclingproducts.com www.squirtcyclingproducts.com
 
Aushiker said:
I was a long-term R and R gold user before I switched to Squirt. Squirt advises, for what it is worth, removing the factory lube before the first use of Squirt.
Click to expand...


It says in the video you can clean the chain with a dry brush.

This is my waxed chain on my freewheel with 7th gear completely covered in dust,..



The dust just rinsed away easily.

If I had been using any kind of oily type lube, the dust would have turned into a black oily paste all over the freewheel and especially the derailleur cog wheels.

I'm installing dual chain wheels on my mid-drive motor with no derailleur.
I'm just gunna grab the chain with my hand, and feed it onto whatever chain wheel I wanna use.

I'd never do that with an oily chain.
I remember trying to find a stick to use to feed the chain back onto the chain wheel when I dropped the chain on all my previous bicycles.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20260705_203340_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20260705_203340_Gallery.jpg
    371.1 KB · Views: 2
  • Screenshot_20260705_203311_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20260705_203311_Gallery.jpg
    360 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
PCeBiker said:
It says in the video you can clean the chain with a dry brush.

This is my waxed chain on my freewheel with 7th gear completely covered in dust,..



The dust just rinsed away easily.

If I had been using any kind of oily type lube, the dust would have turned into a black oily paste all over the freewheel and especially the derailleur cog wheels.
Click to expand...
"When applied to the chain it dries, leaving a microfilm of wax that is dry and water repelling. It does not attract dust or debris and stays clean. Unlike oil-based lubricants, Squirt does not form a black paste that causes long term damage to a drivetrain. It stays clean in all conditions, ideal for road, TRI, gravel, XC, trail, enduro, commuting and cyclo-cross."
 
RunForTheHills said:
I would never strip the factory grease from a new chain unless I was going to go the paraffin route. Aftermarket lube won't penetrate like the first factory application. If you do want to strip it though, soak it in mineral spirits (paint thinner). You can save it and reuse it.
Click to expand...
Why would that be?
I use Boeshield T9 and it's a wax in a solvent designed to flush out old lube/grime and dry with a new layer internally. Using it for a few years now that description seems to be accurate. Like I said earlier.. My experience with not cleaning the chain first leaves a lot of old lube to flush out that remains messy. That factory lube is thick and tacky and hard to wipe down.
I was getting 3000mi on a X8 chain.. and I have +7000mi on an e8 chain now. (1000w mid drive)
ymmv
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back