New chain on a new bike, how do I look after it?

Eau Rouge

I bought a brand new bike to replace the previous ones I'd used to confirm I wanted to cycle to work. I cleaned and lubed those old chains regularly.
However, I've seen people saying that the very best lube on a bike chain is the one that the manufacturer puts in their when it's brand new, and this is just giving me some pause for thought about what to do with my new chain.

Do I just wipe it with a cloth/degreaser then relube like I did on the old chains, or is there a better method to use at first?

nicklouse

you dont really need to do anything for the first few weeks, other than normal.

If wet dry and lube etc..so carry on as normal.

Bhima

Eau Rouge wrote:

the very best lube on a bike chain is the one that the manufacturer puts in their when it's brand new,

No. It's nothing special. The only reason it's smoother than normal is because they've managed to lube it as they've made it, so the lube reaches all the inner depths of the chain. You can replicate the "good as new" smooth feeling by leaving the chain soaking in oil overnight, to get the oil right inbetween all the small gaps. The thicker the lube, the longer it'll take to achieve that. Make sure to wipe off excess oil though, otherwise the whole chain will be black within 500m of leaving the house! You really don't need much oil on the outside of the chain, it's the pins where the chain bends than really need the attention.