New Shimano ‘Sil-tec’ chain, clean before applying wax lube?

I know that new chains are typically supplied with a pretty good lube to begin with, but I’m putting this on my summer road bike which I have been happily using Squirt lube on for a couple of years.

Typically I would immediately clean and regrease the new chain before applying Squirt, just wondering if I’m making a silly/expensive mistake removing Shimano’s fancy trademarked ‘Sil-tec’ plating.

They describe it as “an advanced plating process that improves system performance through the use of embedded fluorine particles. SIL-TEC products run smoother and wear longer in all conditions.” Wonder if it’s the same tech they used to plate the jaws of their XTR SPDs…

How do you propose to remove it? Does it prevents wax sticking? Even if it does, won’t wax still fill the internal cavities around the pins where we need it?

Yes, remove the issue grease. It’s very, very poor for your watts. Bath of white spirit is the trick.

You won’t remove the actual face plating!

Don’t be daft. It’s the best lube you’ll get.

I wouldn’t remove the factory lubrication, and I wouldn’t add any additional lubricant. I would just fit the chain and ride.

I think shimano know what they are doing. Just ride it, then lube it when it needs it.

Yeah, I know it’s good lube, but I’ve always considered the stock lubes to be like sticky wet lubes, just assumed it would end up a sticky black mess.

…but since I was planning on cleaning it anyway I guess I can wait until it’s actually dirty, so question answered!

No harm in giving it a quick wipe with a WD40/GT85 soaked rag, just to remove some of the outer stickiness.

Factory lube is ace , just wipe off any of it on the outer plates with a rag and white spirits and away you go.

I get close to 2 months riding out of the stuff when using a new chain before it starts to dry out..