Anybody watch on YouTube Global Mountain Bike Network?

[Jesper]

(07-19-2024, 03:17 PM)enkei Wrote:  

(07-17-2024, 06:13 PM)Jesper Wrote:  

(07-17-2024, 04:33 PM)enkei Wrote:  I watched one of their videos yesterday testing a dirt-cheap groupset from AliExpress.

He fitted the chain without stripping off the factory grease and then complained about the chain not performing....

The chain should not have to have the factory grease removed, but it does need to be conditioned and broken in which is easy to do, but you do not want to be shifting with until that time. Many quality chains come "pre-conditioned", but I would expect cheaper ones not to be and thus are a bit stiff at the outset. A little oil on it usually helps act as a solvent and thins out the thick preservative grease (wipe off excess grease with cloth dampened with petrol). I usually only have to put some oil on a new stiff chain to loosen up the links and cycle it through the drivetrain by hand for a minute or two, and then cycle it under load for a very short period (a mile or so) before it shifts easily.

I always take a new chain and check for tight links. It does not matter what the grease is or not. A tight link generally will only loosen up under a load, and sometimes not even then depending on how bad it is. Also happens when reinstalling the pin after having broken a link for chain removal and then upon pressing it back into the outer plate. In that case pressing the pin slightly from the opposite direction will readily loosen the link.

I am not talking about chain conditioning to remove "rough" surfaces to help polish it and reduce friction and cog wear. That is a different conditioning step.

Sorry, mate. I have to disagree. The factory grease used to protect chains while in storage makes for terrible chain lubrication, for several reasons.

Maybe, it's okay for a reviewer to slap the chain on and add some decent lube for a quick test, but long-term, the factory grease is a nightmare. And, he didn't even add any further lubrication, making his complaints rather idiotic IMHO.

Note: I have no idea what the mtb guys did or did not do, but I guarantee I could have made their chains perform properly given my techniques.

Ascto the "Zero" guys; I do not disagree, but I do not fully agree either. I do not use the factory lube as the end all lubricant (as I previously noted). I do not use a wax in this situation. The oil that I use essentially acts as a solvent to "liquify" the grease and thus works fine after cycling the chain sufficiently before normal use. As I stated you need to wipe of excess lubricant in order to avoid the mess you would have if you just left it as is (something I do for any chain service). The "Zero" guys are all about the "nth" degree of chain performance. I do not have special mock-up test equipment to chart performance loss, nor do I care to. I am all about maintaining your chain regularly (including inspection of entire drivetrain) which even if done with "lesser" lubricants would never have enough of a negative effect for the majority of cyclists to notice. I am not saying that what the "Zero" guys are doing or saying is wrong and should not be used by others, but just like aerodynamics in higher end bikes, the end result is negligible for most cyclists who are not competing or do not put 10000 miles or more per year on their bike. I have somehow cycled for over 50 years (touring, commuting, training, competing, recreating, etc.) without having premature chain wear, or failures, nor even one broken chain under the most extreme uses that I have subjected a bike to (I do not count chains from used bikes that I cannot account for their maintenance history/mileage). If folks want to get technical with their chain maintenance that is fine. I can buy new chains for what others spend to maintain just one chain. None of my chains are overly dirty, gummed up, tight, slinging lube, or showing any rust. They all in good repair regarding any excessive "stretch"/wear given the 1000s of miles each one has. If folks want to clean grease/lube off of a new chain then that is fine; but I know through decades of experience that it is not necessary if proper steps are taken to "break" it in before normal use.

I can understand people's desire to use super slick low friction special lubricants, but I wonder if they have done a controlled test to see how much faster they are when compared to using "lesser" products. I will lose no sleep realizing that I have not conformed to the technical advances until I know it actually caused me to definitively lose a competition (at my age, and within reason, it is more about the body than the equipment). I'll just soldier on riding at a negligible decreased chain performance efficiency, while on my 45 year old "overwieght" steel framed bike while never realizing it. I maintain my peace of mind on service I have provided to others over the years. If I had someone ask my opinion regarding this topic I could just link them to the "Zero" guys also and let them make their own decision based on their particular needs and budget; most would not care in the least; and those who would really would reap no benefits other than as a placebo effect after seeing that their chain lube might be second or third tier compared to those being tested.