New chain

[lingus75]

Just about to fit a chain on each of my bikes, and wondering whether the grease/oil they arrive in should be left on or cleaned of? Also, if left on should I also use my normal oil on top?

[Vladimir]

Hmmm - they don't usually arrive in oil. Maybe some packaging silica or something?

Wipe anything off and apply a dry lube one link at a time then wipe the chain again - you need very little lube on modern chains. Too much as crud will stick to it and wear out prematurely.

[Greenwich Ross]

Left on and no extra oil required (immediately).

[itsnotarace]

Leave it on. Nothing else required until it starts making noise

[Gooby]

The lubricant supplied on new chains is closer to glue than lube, it just attracts all the crap like a magnet. It isnt good for the sandy riding that I do. I usually lube a new chain with my usual stuff, do a couple of rides then give it a damn good clean.

[itsnotarace]

The factory stuff that Shimano use is better than any aftermarket, it's like a thin wax based stuff.

Here you go, from Sheldon Brown>>>

Factory Lube
New chains come pre-lubricated with a grease-type lubricant which has been installed at the factory. This is an excellent lubricant, and has been made to permeate all of the internal interstices in the chain.

This factory lube is superior to any lube that you can apply after the fact.

Some people make the bad mistake of deliberately removing this superior lubricant. Don't do this!

The factory lubricant all by itself is usually good for several hundred miles of service if the bike is not ridden in wet or dusty conditions. It is best not to apply any sort of lube to a new chain until it is clearly needed, because any wet lube you can apply will dilute the factory lube.

[lingus75]

The new chains are Sram, which I guess use something similar to Shimano. I will leave it on this time and just re-lube with the usual stuff when needed.

[BOR]

I replaced an SRAM chain last night, and after reading this thread, thought about leaving the factory grease on.

But it's far to sticky. Anything that touches that grease will stick to it and form a grinding paste. I washed it off.