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Vital Bike Chains
United States
Registrace 15. 09. 2022
Fun stuff on bicycle chains
Video
Chain waxing time
zhlédnutí 223Před 2 měsíci
Some ideas for you to think about when determining how long you should keep the chain in hot wax.
3 services for waxed chains
zhlédnutí 209Před 2 měsíci
This covers three scenarios to get a wax chain serviced.
Two pot chain waxing
zhlédnutí 460Před 3 měsíci
A look re-servicing waxed chains with a two pot setup.
Options for melting chain wax.
zhlédnutí 141Před 3 měsíci
Here are some things to consider when looking for something to melt your chain wax. Half bags (250 grams) of Silca Secret hot melt wax can be found here: vitalbikechains.weebly.com/store/p32/1/2_Bag_Silca_Secret_Wax.html#/
SRAM 12 speed chain options
zhlédnutí 205Před 4 měsíci
A look at road and mountain bike 12 speed chains from SRAM.
I’m not the guy!
zhlédnutí 454Před 4 měsíci
I’m a big fan of CZcamsr Justin on the “I know a guy bicycles” channel. He has recently achieved a milestone…so I decided to mock him.
Foundation master link pliers
zhlédnutí 67Před 4 měsíci
My recent experience with master link pliers made by Foundation.
What in the world is a Duathlon?
zhlédnutí 15Před 6 měsíci
Help! I entered a Duathlon and I don’t know what I’m doing.
Gravel bike on a jump line
zhlédnutí 1,1KPřed 7 měsíci
I follow a gravel bike rider through a jump line. Trail is Lost Meadow at Alafia River State Park.
My pot only gets to 80°celcius. Is this sufficient to activate the properties in the initial new chain wax blend (biscuit)? I've read you need 123° C but that seems extreme for an at home appliance.
If you’re talking about Silca’s strip chip, I’ve heard it is critical to achieve 125C. Waxkiss makes an inexpensive pot that will hit this temp.
I don't think the reviewers on the ' jungle named site ' like it, with quite a few people saying it has poor accuracy. At least 1 reviewer didn't get a response from Progold so your not alone 😞New chains can read as a couple of 1/10ths of a % worn when tested with an accurate measuring tool. Really you need a tool like the KMC ones that ZFC uses and also check those with some calibrated gauge blocks ! Metrology is an expensive business. You can always check the Progold tool with digital calipers and add the roller diameter it's designed for to get a value between centres. It should be 152.4 mm + whatever % extension point you measured along the gauge ' curve ' e.g. 0.76mm for the 0.5% wear mark.
The KMC digital gauge is definitely the standard and what I use when servicing customers chains. But still trying to find a more cost effective solution.
This is a weird video. Why are you so hung up about 0.1 or 1?? Those aren't important numbers. The chain is good until you get to .5, which it clearly can measure. Plus it shows enough wear to warn you you're getting close to .5 and any gradation after that for anyone to make a decision to change the chain. Also, who cares about part number, not like they're making a significantly different tool. I think I answered why ProGold ignored your email.
@@newttella1043 I was shooting for weird! Sorry to waste your time. It was an item I was looking to carry, but I think it could be confusing to some. And I wanted to make sure I had the right part number if someone wanted to get the actual item I showed and not the other version.
Don't drop the gauge or it might bend and never be right again.
That’s a great point. Also one of the reasons why I don’t care for the style with the swing arm & pins.
The superB TB-3323 Trident 2 in 1 master link pliers are in my opinion the best on the market, faster and easier to use than Park's or KMC. Got mine from Amazon. I hot wax my chains often so they were worth getting.
Thanks for the tip on the SuperBs. I'll put it on my list of tools to try and maybe carry in stock.
@@vitalbikechains Just seen Shimano TL-CN10 QUICK-LINK tool WP-Y13022000 is a similar design but with a wire latch to hold handles together when not in use.
My pliers are the Birzman BM15-ST-LR01-K pliers. They are similar to the ones at 2:02 but have smooth but grippy handles and are 6.5 inches long. Stubborn links can be closed by placing them in the top chain span and pushing on the pedals whilst holding the front brake. It sometimes helps to squeeze the link side plates together between your fingers whilst doing this, but you may pinch your skin as the pins slide in the slots ! Use of the wipperman connex or sram powerlinks make chain pliers obsolete, but you can pay a high cash price for the convenience. I use master link pliers with new chains that come with standard quick links , at least until they become too loose and wear out.
I often wonder if the Shimano SIL-TEC treatment adds any value if chain waxing ? The Dura-ace chains are supposed to be fast , so maybe ? In terms of longevity , the chromizing treatment ( surface hardening ) , especially on the rollers and pins is likely more important. I like the ' Silca Waxed ' stickers at 5:05 🙂
I agree with questioning the benefits on some treatments when it comes to waxed chains. KMC and SRAM brands included. Stickers, that was version 1.1 and the improved 2.0 sticker now comes on the chains.
An interesting experiment would be to ride all 3 chain freshly waxed chains for say 5 miles each under power, then take them apart and compare ! On the inside they should all look similar. Personally I've immersive waxed chains at about 60°C for a couple of years then for a couple more years at around 90°C and can't tell the difference after the initial break in period ( when the wax is being squeezed out of the chain internals ). I don't know who started the chain in cold water trend but it was a classic Ozcycle technique. I departed from his wisdom years ago after I realised the inconsistency of his advice. Some of his drip lubes with a gel like quality would have definite penetration issues ( struggle to get inside the chain to the pins where it matters ).
I’m right with you on this. I’ve tested out some of Oz’s ideas, and they don’t always pan out for me. I am designing a second chain machine that will run chains with a slight load, then I could have something with more control than my riding.
What's the mass of wax in the pot and the power in watts heating the wax, or is it a model that puts variable power in via a PID controller ? Ideally you would put the chain on top of the solid wax and turn on the pot so the chain heats up with the wax. Stirring the wax will also speed up heating the chain and it evens out any friction modifiers as they start to sink to the bottom of the pot after a few minutes ( depends what they are ). Will that pot go up to the 125°C ( 257°F ) needed for StripChip ? I came to your channel via your ZFC comment on chain checkers !
Thanks for visiting my channel! Regarding the pot questions, the amount of wax varies due to each chain pulling out 8-10 grams of wax. So the day might start at 300 grams, then end up being 250 grams at the end of the day. I've never weighed it, but I think these numbers are in the ball park. I do not know how the power is controlled in this unit. As for starting up the pot with the chain on top, this would work for the first chain of the day, but not really practical for each chain waxed in a day. I would actually like a stir pot / wax pot combo but I think I'd have to make that. Possibly a hot plate/stir plate exist, but I just swish a few times. The pot says it goes to 257F, but I haven't tried that much heat. Keep in mind, adding a chip and then a chain will temporarily drop that temp. If you're thinking about getting this pot, let me know and I'll try it out to see if the actual wax gets that hot. I think this pot was $35 US.
@@vitalbikechains I think your pot model is FHC-E2052 which is rated at 100w , 500ml capacity , 30-125℃, but that pot seems to have variable power usage so it's difficult to compare your wax warm up times to any other pot. A 15 minute temperature recovery time is probably reasonable for most people because they will likely have a bigger pot ? ( will shorten the time from a larger hot bowl mass ) . 8-10g of wax per chain seems a lot. I would expect about half of that , unless your chains have hollow pins and you are pulling them out of the wax at almost the skinning over temperature ? . I tried to send you a ZFC link but youtube is deleting comments with links from me today ( a massive issue you may be aware of ? ). I was just curious from a versatility perspective if your pot would get to the stripchip temperature. I am thinking of going to the 2 pot system so I might consider one for that. Thanks for offering 🙂 Hot plates with stirrers tend to be expensive compared to small slow cookers ( not Silca's ! ) . Any temperature sensors in the pot would likely read more realistic values, depending on where they actually are.
@@vitalbikechains Regarding your 8-10g wax per chain and temperature please see czcams.com/video/ZEfi2HOfqpM/video.html . I questioned Silca's advice as it creates a barrier for people and is unnecessary .
The 8-10 grams is not what actually gets on the chain. It’s probably half that. If I do a 138 link chain, it will pull 10 grams but a lot of that is waste due to a clip that holds a master link or ID tag as well as some drips that don’t make it back into the pot. Then after shedding you knock off a whole bunch more. I do have a video planned for actual wax weight on a chain.
Adam does a great job getting to the point on the temp thing. From my perspective, I have to do everything I can to have at least as good a product as ZFC and Silca. Maybe I waste some virgin wax in the process, and it does take longer to get the wax to my optimal temp, but it’s worth it to me. And I also use the shed wax for pot#1 on re-service chains, so it’s not really wasted.
I am using paraffin... Very good results. If you want you can apply liquid wax between waxes.
Great insights! Thanks for sharing.
Great insights as always.
The wax must be laboratory grade .You can add teflon powder or tungsten disulfide powder to "seal" the surface around the chain rollers .
Absolutely. I looked at doing a DYI wax years ago, but after you buy all the stuff, it made sense to leave the wax blending to experts like Silca, molten etc. Cost per chain with a bag of Silca is like 40 to 90 cents, depending on a lot of factors.
@@vitalbikechains It is actually about $5 per chain in Australia .
What about degreasing and final cleaning with isopropyl alcohol ? Adam Kerin from Zero Friction Cycling has mentioned this when the chain is very dirty .
I have seen people have luck with boiling hot water rinses. I feel like I’m just driving grit from the outside to the inside of the chain when I’ve tried this. Maybe I just need a different technique. I do an alcohol cleaning as regular maintenance with the chain on the bike. But not a bath. If I’m cleaning it that much, it’s just going be a full strip down. Remember, pot 1 is sacrificial wax.
@@vitalbikechains You rinse the chain in degreaser two or three times initially until the degreaser is clear first . The isopropyl is the final rinse .
Correct. But that’s for new chains. And sram chains can be more like 4 degreasing baths. If you only do a few chains a year, the stripper products by Silca and CeramicSpeed make that one step. If you do hundreds of chains a year, those strippers don’t make financial sense.
Fantastic insights!
Cheap and easy to find, I like Wipperman and YBN more but KMC are fine. Prefer the silver or ti ones, the grey is a bit dull and corrodes more easily.
I’ve been using a Connex 808 for years. Recently started selling the 11SX and had forgotten how brilliant the finish is.
@draugmithrin Might be an idea for you to put a comment on Bills video czcams.com/video/0oVsgPf_cvM/video.html about your superB TB-3323 Trident 2 in 1 chain link pliers ? I had a look at them and they don't look expensive.
@@dawn_rider Thanks, have done.
Great point about the road bicycle bar tape .
I use Boston degreaser followed by methylated spirits followed by isopropyl alcohol to sterilise the chain . Then I can wax .
This happened to me using a few wax related products . Sand is a problem no matter what you use . Some attract sand less than others .
I appreciate your content and giving things a go .
Some trails in my country have closed due to indigenous people's land claims .
How did you degrease your chain?
Great question. For a degreaser I use Mineral Spirits. 3 baths, first in just a jar, then two cycles in ultrasonic. I prep a lot of chains, so this makes sense for me. And I can recycle the mineral spirits. But you can buy specific degreasers from Silca or Ceramic speed.
@@vitalbikechains I bought small bottle of muc off dry. Chain has 500miles. Was hoping to just add product without degreasing
@@pauly51 It's not recommended. I think it actually says that on the back of the bottle. But, if you do add on top of the grease, just wipe off as much as the excess lube as possible. And let it dry overnight if possible. After you ride, wipe the chain off real good. I image you'll have a mucoff/grease mixture. keep me posted.
not EVERYBODY knows what PVD means, some of us hoped places like this would help explain, since this is a video "explaining" the Sram 12 speed options...
I was joking around, I didn’t know what it was. So I googled it- it’s Physical Vapor Deposition. Which really doesn’t mean anything to me, but apparently it’s some type of coating for metal surfaces to add a layer of protection.
@@vitalbikechains ohh i didnt realise that
Very funny!👊🏼
Very witty mate…great video
What an absolute mad man. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
OMG. That was brilliant! I can't believe you nailed it so hard 🤣. Well done!
😂😂😂😂 You’re not the guy 😂😂😂😂😂😂 He’s not the guy 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Who knows?! 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Nobody knows 😂😂😂😂😂😂 They know 😂😂😂😂😂😂 What’s his real bikes 🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉 What are you really thinking?! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Kick stand?! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 …you will die 😂😂😂😂😂🙈🙈🙈🙈 Wearing another man’s bra 🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉
For 200$ it's a bice. BTW plastic caps are much lighter than aluminum, you get 200 watt more when you pedal with plastic valve caps 🔥
That bike is old school gold. My buddy has one and I might pick one up too. It’s a great looking casual rider.
For 200$ it looks surprisingly decent, you can't build a high end wheel with that money...
absolutly tube'uller
I absolutely love it! I'm going to share it everywhere. Laugh loudly, laugh often, and most importantly, laugh at yourself! Bonus points for the Cutters shirt. I have that as a cycling jersey kit. (which I have outgrew)
Mate I love this idea. Similar ideas to what I'm running. She's a beauty
Common, for 6 dollars! You like groves on the outside? Put them in! Can it take more than 30 seconds per side on a grinding wheel?
I have one of those cutting bits that’s about the right diameter.
this is not a quick review at all
For Silca SS chain lube to work, you need a 100% stripped chain.
The shoe lace method worked just great!
Hi there. Do I need to get a different power link for Shimano 12 speed and sram 12 speed and sram 11 and sram 10 speed?
I would say Yes. Shimano, SRAM, KMC and others make a different master link for the different speed chains. SRAM even has two different master links for 12 speed depending if you have an eagle or flattop.
Ouch! Just seeing this made my knees hurt. Get a body double to do the run part.
Ugh i wanna try taking my gravel bike to the dirt jumps but im afraid ill snap a chain stay!
I think that’s a valid point. Pretty sure this was a S-works Diverge STR which does have some suspension in the headset. I saw him even wreck once…I was sure he would have folded a wheel or something. But nope, the bike was fine.
i'd be worried about derailleur getting mangled or the brake lever snapping. some of those shifter levers cost more than a used dirt jump bike. you need a "tossable" bike for this
Shows a lot. This rider really proved that its not the bike, its the rider
Throwing some mini whips too.
Any perks or downsides to it? Other than weight?
Halflinks stretch crazy fast - removed 4 half links within 3 months - thats 2" of stretch!!! Totally wrecked my cogs and chainrings - tried a few brands - ALL did the same.
@@mattvanderwalt6220 Dang, so nothing but downsides. lol. They look cool at least.
@@BigBeezyBtown Yeah they sure do. I thought they'd be awesome for my SS builds... But for me the insane stretching is a definite fail
Most bmx specific chains come with just one half link now. Best of both worlds.
@@unkepthurdle3233 Or literally inserting the weak link... ;-P I get the reason - but not going down that rabbit hole again. I've used esp. reg KMC Z chains and yet to notice any stretch. I'd rather fiddle with cog teeth for chain length than use a HL chain.
Your crazy for hitting this on a 20"! My buddy and I were just talking about we've only met 1 person on a single speed off Gwazi, He was cleaning all the features on moonscape (putting us to shame), but on a hardtail 29".
I have to walk a few spots, but it’s worth it. The drops and the lunar flow section are super.
lol... that was my first bike too. well, i had the evil knevil version. 1976.
Knevil was my hero! Funny thing is I rode that bike until I moved, the came back to those old trails 5 years later and THEN got hooked on BMX
never rode bmx. just got a fixer fat bike. i run a bullit cargo bike now so my dog axel is always with me. gonna put a sidecar on the fatbike.@@vitalbikechains
Izumi Jet Black single speed track chains are the best. Fairly inexpensive price for what you’re getting. Look great too.
He seemed like a genuine guy, what a gent!
Looks sick. Great race footage. Shame about the bolts, just a new company?
it's self published
After surfing around for reviews I'm finding a lot of high end testing saying Muc off is some of the worst lube around and to stay far away from it. I've been using the MucOff dry lube for a couple months and it seems to attract a lot of dark grime. I guess Muc Off offers big margins to LBS shops to sell their products so that's why we see it around so much.
Yep, your story is what keep hearing. A lube I’m anxious to try is Mariposa Flower Power. Tested well at zero friction cycling. Cost is decent.
Not immpressed not alot of info about whats in it or how long it works for or general info