What do KMC use on their chains?

Johnny Napalm

I put a new KMC chain on the bike a couple of days ago, which subsequently required cleaning after my grimey ride yesterday.

I have used KMC chains before, but I forgot about that un-earthly grease that they apply to their chains. While I can appreciate this phenomenal product, and I do love the feel of new chains (I can play with them for hours :? ), I forgot how bloody difficult it is to get this stuff off.

There was no doubt that the chain needed cleaning, the grease had attracted its fair share of grit/grime during my ride, but it took aeons to get the bloody thing clean due to the super-powers of the KMC grease.

Does anyone know what this stuff is...and what is the best stuff to use to get it off?

Pork Sword

Chain Degreaser!

Johnny Napalm

I used Fenwicks degreaser, which usually does the trick, but it wouldn't touch this stuff! :?

scale20

if that didnt shift it, it must be ninja stuff.

I use neat fenwicks on my chains to clean them before re-lubing them and it shifts everyhting.

Johnny Napalm

I use neat fenwicks on my chains to clean them before re-lubing them and it shifts everyhting.

Yep, me too...which is what I did with this chain. I like the fact that the grease is good stuff, but it's a pain when it comes to cleaning!

Northwind

Paraffin in a jam jar, and give it a shake, that does it. (and cheap, too, £5 for 5 litres last time I got a bottle)

Uncle Peter

Disc brake cleaner.

Vegeeta

The grease that comes on chains is just for packaging so no wonder it picked up a lot of dirt!

Juice Lubes Super Gnar is another good product, works like the FS1 in that you get it neat and then dillute it. I've been trying it out in the workshop and I'm extremly impressed!

ravey1981

petrol, best degreaser ever. not very eco friendly though

chrisinleedsuk

I think the stuff on new components is either a deliberate corrosion inhibitor or residue from evaporated machining coolant (rocol ultragrind leaves a very similar sticky residue). It should be easilly removed with fs1 or similar and this should be done before use as dry
lubricity and film strength are not design features of such things.

Steve_b77

Cillit Bang Grease & Grime, best chain cleaner in the world

supersonic

The stuff you get on new chains is the best chain lube there is. Just clean it off the outsides of the plates and leave it where it is needed.

Soak a rag in degreaser or a solvent and pull the chain through it.

mrfmilo

supersonic wrote:

The stuff you get on new chains is the best chain lube there is. Just clean it off the outsides of the plates and leave it where it is needed.

Soak a rag in degreaser or a solvent and pull the chain through it.

On these it isn't a lube. It's a thick sticky grease.

biff55

mrfmilo wrote:

supersonic wrote:

The stuff you get on new chains is the best chain lube there is. Just clean it off the outsides of the plates and leave it where it is needed.

Soak a rag in degreaser or a solvent and pull the chain through it.

On these it isn't a lube. It's a thick sticky grease.

you're both correct.
the grease acts as heavy duty lube from the factory that wont rub / drip off in the time it takes for the bike to reach the customer.
left the original lube on my chain for 6 weeks when i bought the bike in the summer before it dried out and needed oiling , its top stuff , leave it on as long as poss

Northwind

When I got my last chain, a KMC, I left the standard grease on, but after the first ride it was so covered in crap, it needed a clean anyway. So I figure it's pretty academic whether I clean the lube off immediately or after a couple of rides, it has to come off sooner or later.

supersonic

mrfmilo wrote:

supersonic wrote:

The stuff you get on new chains is the best chain lube there is. Just clean it off the outsides of the plates and leave it where it is needed.

Soak a rag in degreaser or a solvent and pull the chain through it.

On these it isn't a lube. It's a thick sticky grease.

Same thing! A thick lubricant lol. Either way, it is top stuff.