CHA is not the wax ritual. No deep cleaning required.
If you have used hot-wax lubricants before, you will know the process: strip the chain completely, degrease, rinse, dry, then immerse. That process exists because wax only bonds to a perfectly clean metal surface. CHA works differently.
Graphite does not require a bare chain to adhere. It migrates progressively into the pin, roller, and bushing interfaces through chain articulation as you ride. A complete strip and degrease is not just unnecessary — it adds work with no benefit.
New chain: Apply CHA directly. No cleaning needed. Factory anti-corrosion coatings are thin and do not prevent graphite transfer. The graphite will work its way in from the first application.
Chain switching from oil: A wipe-down with a microfibre cloth to remove excess surface oil is enough. You do not need solvents, degreasers, or an ultrasonic bath. Residual oil inside the rollers is displaced progressively by graphite over the first few rides.
Chain switching from wax: The same — a dry microfibre cloth wipe is sufficient. Old wax residue does not block graphite penetration.
The single most important detail: on a completely dry chain, you need more pressure and more turns than you would expect. Light contact transfers almost nothing. The capsule is not a touch-up tool. It is the primary lubricant, and the first application is where you load the chain.
This page shows you what a successful first application looks like, and how to get there with each formula.
Verify with your fingers, not your eyes
This is a photo of CHA Core after a first application on a clean chain. Notice that the Core graphite capsule itself is visibly worn down from contact with the chain. That wear is graphite that has moved from the capsule onto the chain. Graphite is dark grey on dark grey metal. It does not coat, it does not shine, it does not look like anything.
Touch is the test, not sight. Run a clean cloth, a piece of paper, or your finger along the chain after applying. If grey transfers onto it, the chain has graphite on it. If nothing transfers, keep applying.
Cloth, paper, or finger comes away grey. That is the confirmation. The chain is protected. The graphite is where it needs to be.
Nothing transfers to the cloth. You have not applied enough. More pressure. More turns. Test again.
Three steps, in order
Skipping any of these is the single biggest cause of a noisy first ride. Do them all.
Press firmly. Not gently.
Place the open capsule against the lower run of the chain. Push the capsule into the chain with steady, firm pressure so the graphite tip is deforming slightly against the rollers. The contact patch matters more than anything else.
If you can lift the capsule away with no resistance, you are not pressing hard enough.
Backpedal slowly. Many turns.
With pressure held, rotate the cranks backwards. Slowly. Fast rotation gives the capsule no time to deposit material.
On a dry chain, you need significantly more turns than a top-up application. The cleaner the chain, the more you need to apply. A factory-new or fully degreased chain has nothing on it to mix with, so more graphite must transfer before the chain is loaded. The exact number of turns depends on which formula you are using. See the next section.
Touch test, then ride
Run a clean cloth, a piece of paper, or your finger along the chain. If grey transfers, the chain is loaded. If nothing transfers, you have not applied enough. Press harder, add more turns, test again.
Then ride. The first 1 to 5 km is a break-in phase. The graphite migrates from the surface into the pin, roller, and bushing interfaces through chain articulation. The drivetrain settles in during this ride.
Core is harder. By design.
Each formula is engineered for a different job, and the hardness reflects that. Adjust your first-application effort accordingly.
Core is the base of the system. Its proprietary graphite formula is the firmest of the three because it is designed to last the longest on the chain.
That hardness is a feature. It also means Core needs the most pressure and the most turns on a dry chain. Do not be shy with it.
30+ slow backpedal rotations, firm pressure
Storm is formulated to be hydrophobic and to deposit faster. It is softer than Core, so it transfers to the chain with less pressure and fewer turns.
Storm goes on top of Core. It is a wet-conditions add-on, not a replacement.
15-20 slow backpedal rotations
Trail is engineered for grit-heavy conditions. Like Storm, it is softer than Core and transfers to the chain quickly.
Trail goes underneath Core. Apply Trail first, then Core on top, before mud rides.
15-20 slow backpedal rotations
The break-in ride
Graphite reaches its working position through chain articulation. The first ride is part of the application, not separate from it.
The break-in distance. During this ride, graphite migrates from surface deposits into the pin, roller, and bushing interfaces where it does its work.
Once. Reapply CHA Core once after the first break-in ride. This locks in full coverage. After that, you are on a normal application cadence.