04-20-2015, 09:59 AM
You definitely want to get that gritty paste off the chain. My last two O-ring chains went just over 20K miles without any cleaning. When I pulled the last one off I could see that the O-rings failed because the grit wore them away. My riding buddies kept their chains meticulously clean and were getting more the twice the mileage out of their chains, so I bit the bullet and decided to join the clean chain crowd.
It's dusty here in the desert and I notice that the grit starts to accumulate about the same time the oil needs to be changed, so now I just do both at the same time. I give the chain a good soaking with kerosene and wipe with a rag. It comes out looking like new. Follow up with a light spritz of DuPont Silicone (doesn't attract as much dirt) and she's good to go.
It's dusty here in the desert and I notice that the grit starts to accumulate about the same time the oil needs to be changed, so now I just do both at the same time. I give the chain a good soaking with kerosene and wipe with a rag. It comes out looking like new. Follow up with a light spritz of DuPont Silicone (doesn't attract as much dirt) and she's good to go.