Correction: I put my chain on the wrong way round in the video. Seems I can't multitask at all, filming and working on that bike at the same time is too much for my little brain! Suffice to say it is on correct now and I'm off to see how good it hopefully rides.
I recommend you thoroughly clean the drive train before using a waxed chain for the first time. The drive train will be full of grease from the previous chain or if a brand new bike it will still be a greasy drive train because of the grease from the factory chain. So cassette, jockey wheels and chain rings off an put through the same cleaning process that you did for the chain at the shop. Otherwise your new waxed chain will just get covered in grease and it defeats the purpose of waxing .
@@StayInTheWord I was curious so I looked it up, Shimano chains have their logo on the drive side which should be visible and the right way up... though this still means you could install a chain so the logo reads the right way up at the bottom or the top of the chain line, so I'm still confused
One tip for home waxers - avoid water during all steps of the cleaning process. A stripped chain that is exposed to water will flash rust very quickly. Cleaning is really easy. Shake the chain in a jar of Mineral Spirits (white spirit) for about 2 minutes. Pull it out and wipe it clean. Repeat in a new jar with fresh mineral (white) spirits. Your chain will be clean. Now put it straight into a jar of denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) or acetone. This will remove the residue from the previous step and it flashes off very quickly so the chain will be dry seconds from removing it from the jar. While that is soaking, pour your used mineral (white) spirits into another container through a coffee or paint filter. That way you can use it again. Job done! No degreaser, no water. A new chain is harder to clean than one that has been used and degreased a few times, so keep that in mind. There are one step chain stripping chemicals available from UFO and SIlca that supposedly work really well although I have not tried them so I can't speak to that first hand
I've been doing chain waxing for 15 years and have never had a problem with water at all. My process is: 1) Shake in a plastic tub with boiling water & generous amounts of washing up liquid 2) Rinse off 3) Shake in a plastic tub with boiling water to remove any final soap 4) Shake the water off, then leave on the radiator to dry for a few hours Note that you can dunk the chain into the wax when wet and the wax will displace the water quite quickly, but to guarantee this you have to get the wax uncomfortably hot, to the point where it could start spitting as it occasionally boils the water. Just moving the chain around in the wax for a bit will normally get 99% of the water out.
Been waxing my chain ever since Silca started making wax. I use waxed chains on all my bikes and will never go back to dripping oil on chains ever again. Waxing chains is the best way to add life to your drive train and improve the way you bike feels.
ive been considering going waxed chain for a while now. in winter i ride my MTB in the worst conditions; 3 hrs in sticky sticky mud. would you still go with waxed chain? just a rince after the ride and some liquid wax, or is there more to it ?
@@thsaintful I don’t have any experience with really extreme conditions other than splashing through streams and getting a little bit of mud. I do need to wipe down and add some liquid wax to my mountain bike every couple of rides and re-wax more often than my gravel bike that seldom gets wet and muddy. I hope that helps
When the wax bubbles violently like it does in this video, it indicates the chain still had water residue inside of the links. A dry chain dipped in wax has very little bubbling.
More likely this was the 1st ever application of wax for that chain, and there were air gaps inside the rollers. When you re-wax on subsequent applications, there will be residual wax inside the rollers, and you won’t really see this bubbling.
Ah yes, I experienced the same by leaving a little water on the chain. It bubbled like crazy. I then let my second chain dry off overnight and voila, little baby bubbles.
Till last spring, I‘m a passionate waxer 😅 using silca secret hot wax and the refreshing drip on wax. This system suits very well. So, rides in wet and mushy conditions are also possible, when instant drying the chain afterwards and rewax it! No rust no rattles. Kudos!
I have a home set up. Got an ultrasonic cleaner and wax heater. I use Silca too. It’s very easy. Takes a bit of getting used to it but it’s no big deal and clean. The downside is that the cassette and chain will get a little rusty when you go out in wintry conditions. But that all cleans up in the ultrasonic. So the key to success in my view is to have two chains that you swap over and to use an automotive dryer (like a large hair dryer) on the cassette when the chain is off after a wet ride. Other than that, a waxed chain is fantastic. In dry conditions, there’s no maintenance or cleaning - other than a quick wipe - for a month or more. And in the wet, or even in cyclocross, it works well if you have the right process I’ve found. Good luck David!
I've used Squirt since I started riding 7 years ago. Much better than wet lube. As for applying it, around 150-200miles in dry and if wet I reapply after ride.
@@kimwarner6050 honestly I have not used hot wax. Only Squirt. Although my understanding is hot wax doesn’t really last more than a few hundred miles anyway, so for the sake of convenience, I just haven’t bothered with it. I wipe the chain well with a towel and reapply once a week or so. About 150-200 miles for me. Very easy.
You're lucky to have Ride 24/7 as your local bike shop. I don't imagine any of my local bike shops would have the equipment or the inclination to wax a chain for me! Handy that R247 sell pre-waxed ones.
Many people use a 2 chain system so they always have one waxed. Um the total time to re wax the chain, using hot melt wax is less then the time it takes to boil a cup of water.
Been through an extensive test / trial process with lots of products and eventually settled on the Silca on as the best. Scottish weather means I largely have to apply after every 2nd soaking 🤣 but the quiet, smooth clean drive train is a think of beauty. Not sure I’ll ever go back to a lube again 🤷♂️
Been trying wax (Silca / Silca SS) last few months. I love having a clean chain - just never get oily hands, and bike washing is much quicker. I hot waxed initially, and have been using drip-on every 250km since. Initially I found it a bit more noisy, but actually drip-on makes it quieter for the first 100km or so, as some goes on the cassette when you rotate through. I’ve found it fine for 100km rides in U.K. rain / deep puddles etc, but tend to top up with drip-on wax (overnight) after maybe 150-200km if it’s been really bad. Time will tell if it makes my chain last longer, or is cheaper overall… Tracking it across the winter to see…
@@kayasper6081 still loving chain wax, with a couple of observations: 1) it is a great, as long as you wipe the chain with microfibre cloth after a wet ride, and store the bike somewhere dry. Left in the rain overnight / stored wet it will start to rust (unlike oil) 2) Did a long weekend bike-packing trip: it lasted about 500km in March including two days of torrential rain / wind, but started squeaking on the fourth day. Luckily we had an overnight where I could drip on some wax and keep the bike in a room to let it harden. Again - if I was doing 3+ days camping in the wet then oil might be better. 3) my chains seem to be lasting about twice as long (4000km+) - and that’s cycling through British winter. So I’m definitely a fan - works for me, but not for a commuter you leave out in the rain, or if you have a cold/damp garage. I use Silca Chain stripper to prepare, Silca hot wax initially and about every 1000km, and drip-on about every 250km in between, and it is clean, silent and shiny silver!!
@@Bike4Coffee-Cake Thank you so much for your complete opinion, I really apreciate it! There is a lot about chain waxing on CZcams, but it is you who make me decide to give it a go. I live in the innerlands of Spain (Extremadura), so humidity won't be a hugh problem here, I guess. Remain all the advantages you mention. I own a tandem, a trekking bike (my favourite, I also love to go out for several days with a tent) and a racing bike. Next week I will buy online the wax you speak about and also a drip on wax, and treat all the chains at once. Thanks again for your long and cristal clear answer!
I waxed my road bike chain recently and it’s very quiet. I’m also using a waxed chain on my 10 speed Defy that is on my turbo trainer which is great as it is much cleaner. A few flakes of wax, drip on wax is used to top up.
One thing that is the downside and why I don't wax: all the equipment you need. I use a PTFE impregnated lube and have for years. I get between 15 to 20 km on a chain. Wipe it or use a degreaser and dry. Put the lube on and wipe it after the first ride. Put kube on when the chain gets noisy. I don't have to deal with flaking or wiping after getting it wet (and when it gets wet here it gets WET). As to waxing, if it's sloppy where you are and you have the space and time, do it.
100% proponent of hot wax. Little learning curve the first time, but thats no big deal. I use mineral spirits to degrease and denatured alcohol to completely clean. Hot wax in parafin with PTFE powder (1.6 micron). The chain stays much-MUCH cleaner than bottled drip lubes... no more black marks on my right leg.
Too many steps, and water usage could cause some rust (specially with air), I'd prefer just using white spirit or any other organic solvent on the chain, then leave it to dry and apply wax
Waxing with Silca hot wax for 12 months. HOW did I not come to this earlier? Barely need to wash my bike anymore as the drive train is always clean. No more grease and crap everywhere. Just the occasional quick wash of frame. Never ever going back. Can't see how the wet lubricant makers can survive this once everyone cottons on to hot wax.
Yeah, that was my initial reaction. The ZFS guy says that's a no no and destroys the wax. The whole process isn't that difficult once you figure it out. Just did one this last weekend. This video relying on the bike shop gives the impression that it's not that easy when in fact it is. Plus now that you can get the UFO bike chain cleaner it looks to be even easier based on ZFS's instructions.
"should free off after a few gear changes" - took my new chain around 150 miles to become as flexible as a normal wet/dry lubricant. However, I don't miss having to regularly degreaser and relube.
Really nice video!! Some good humour aswell! Not hard to wax a chain when somebody else do it for you :D Your wheels are looking supergood? Any wax and detaling on them? Cool video looking forward to next one!
I have to agree with everyone who advises against using water, because of the possibility of flash rust developing before the chain's had a chance to dry off. Perhaps a blow dryer or heat gun might prevent this but why chance it? All the wax companies recommend either mineral spirits and alcohol, or one of the newer bio degreasers (that they conveniently make and sell). I've always degreased and cleaned my chains with water and either dish soap or auto degreaser, and never had a problem with rust, but either I was lucky or the PTFE coating that my dry lube left on the chain prevented rust. Not sure, but I'm about to try waxing for the first time and will follow the recommended procedure.
In 55 years of cycling I have not heard of this. Sounds like a marketing dream to extract more spend of want vs needed. Or I I’m missing the point and some chains are covered in pubes ? I assume it coats the sprockets and keeps it cleaner. But the price ??? Total utter madness !
wax is not sticky and does not catch the dust that oil catches and wears the chain. that's why the chain on wax lasts at least 6 times longer if it is waxed every 100 km, you can use a normal candle in combination with engine oil to adjust the temperature hardness: in winter more oil to soften the wax, in summer less because the warmer the wax becomes softer. you should not buy super secret waxes
Wax is completely unsuitable for lubricating a moving metal component like a bicycle chain, as it is a solid, not a fluid. There's hundreds of years of industrial science to back up my statement, so it's not debatable, but if people want to wax their chains then go for it 😂
David. I've used Silcas hard wax as well as Super Secret on its own. With both systems cleaning before application is essential and I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner for that too. I tried hor wax once and I personally found d the whole procedure a TITA. And on the bike, you really need a lot of kms before the clunkiness of the hard wax is gone. There may be a few kms of good riding before reapplication is required. On the other hand, applying Silca SS only is a superbe system for my riding. For my riding it genuinely is the best of both worlds, ie no dirt. Quite. Low rolling resistance, ease of application. I've used the SS for about 2 years. It's fantastic. You can even use it as a room temperature immersion process for a cleaned chain. Just my experiences here. For my kind of daily use, it's Super Secret all the way
Interesting Bill thanks for sharing. I've been using the Secret costing for a couple of years now and to be honest I've found it to be easy to live with and it's partly why I haven't gotten around to waxing the chain. Not sure I want to invest in the equipment and have space to set it all up, so getting a bike shop to do it seemed an interesting option
@@davidarthurone issue is that ideally you want to re-wax after every ride in the wet - otherwise waxing will not extend the drivetrain life due to abrasives getting in the chain and grinding the metal
Silica hot waxing and drip waxing is an absolute dream combination. There's definitely an art to applying the drip lube to really maximise it though. Also, I find it to be really noisy on KMC chains when compared to Shimano chains.
You should be using a temperature sensor to remove the chain from the wax at around 55c. I noticed too much wax dripped away. I've been waxing for years and recommend
This summer I tried Squirt aqueous wax. I had been contemplating the whole melted wax route but I thought I would try this first. I also tried the latest oil Silca Synergetic on another bike. I am pretty much a convert to Squirt now. It is as easy to apply as an oil lube but it is so much cleaner. Depending on the ride I will rewax every 50-100km (sometimes every ride, sometimes every 2nd or 3rd) depending on whether it has been damp or if I can hear any chain noise. Every 500km (ish) I'll take the chain off and run it through my cleaning routine (which takes ten minutes, tops). The final step of that is to dip the chain in alcohol which means it dries pretty quickly. I don't follow the instructions to the letter but it is by far the simplest and cleanest method I have found for lubing a chain. The rest of the drive train barely needs cleaned now whereas with oil it is always grimy. I use Squirt on road and gravel. The expensive Synergetic oil is now relegated to the shelf!
I didn't find cleaning and waxing chains to be too much more work. I tried running three chain rotations on two bikes for a year and every chain I used rusted within a few months. I've never had a chain rust previously. That's a deal killer. Back to carefully applied wet lube.
Use KMC EPT chains (unless you’re SRAM flat top like me). They’re plated and don’t rust. Otherwise just run the chain through an old microfibre cloth after the wet rides to removes the surface water, works for me.
I’m still not convinced. I’ve (drip) wax on some bikes, and lube on others. On my CX bikes it’s great, as they have to cleaned after each race weekend anyway, and I don’t need to do a full degrease. However, on my summer road bikes, it’s just far too noisy, and sounds awful after just a couple hours. No matter how clean it is on that, I can’t stand a bike sounding like it’s just been pulled out of the canal ! If you think you’re ‘never’ going to have to clean the drive train again, you’re dreaming. You’ll still get road grime accumulation on it. It’s just easier to clean off than oil.
I'm in Canada, Manitoba. This was my first year winter cycling, and after a month of salty slush and way too much cleaning and lube, I decided to make my own wax recipe and wax my own chain, and I'm a believer 100%. All I needed all winter, was a bottle of water to pour on my drive train, and a few old hand towels to dry it. When it was time to give it a proper cleaning outside in the spring, I found only a few spots of surface rust that were gone after a very basic dish soap wash and - no lube afterwards, just some water displacement spray. I'm don't know when it will need re-waxing but it's still clean, smooth and quiet. My new mission is to find a reusable master link.
Think i will keep running my normal lube for the time being with regular cleaning! A lot of hassle! And whats not to like in summer with my free chain tattoo on my right calf? 😉 Total coolness! 😎😂
Love the videos David. Please keep the content coming! I wax all my chains (even for my MTB) for a couple of years now and I won't go back to oil based lubes. I don't think I've felt much gain in smoothness and efficiency when riding out on real world terrain but I certainly feel the difference on my indoor trainer. Silky smooth! The best advantages are a) not having dirty, sticky black oily residue in your gears, splashed along you chain stay and up the inside of your calf, and b) just wait until you clean your chain in seconds using boiling water before rewaxing, its a breeze! Three things I'd like to mention to anyone giving it a go for the first time are 1) Don't be fooled by the term 'wax'. It's not just wax, it needs the special ingredient of PTFE. I mix my own but would highly recommend any of the pre-mixed products available on the market. A popular brand was the one briefly shown in the video. 2) Once the wax has cooled off and the chain is then as stiff as a board, I break the wax bond on each link by hand so that it rolls around the crank, cassette and pulleys with ease and it's immediately good to go! The chain settling in within a few meters of riding isn't strictly true in my experience. Previously I had ridden many kilometers with what seemed like indexing issues but turned out that the chain still resembled Lego (haha). 3) Not so noticeable when riding outside, but if you plan to use a waxed chain for your indoor trainer, have a dustpan and brush at the ready. For the first few (indoor) kilometers you'll be firing wax dust all over your mech, trainer and floor. Don't let that put you off though. For the benefits gained, I don't mind cleaning a bit of mess.
Great video, David. This is on my to do list next season. Question, you say you relube after xxx km., how often should you relube, before rewaxing ? I only ride cleanish roads in good (not raining) weather . Thanks so much . KB
Getting a bike shop to get the factory grease off is all very well, but are you going to take the bike/chain into the shop every time you need to rewax? You haven't thought this through. You might as well buy a slow cooker and a lump of wax and then you can do it yourself whenever your chain needs it. Even better, buy two (waxed) chains and swap one out while the other re-waxes. It's quick and easy once you are set up. BTW a hairdryer is a better way of drying the chain than an air compressor.
I am lazy and have the initial work done by the bikeshop. So that is degreasing, ultrasonic cleaning and the first hotwax with Molten Speed Wax. Cost is €20. After the first application, I do it myself in a similar crockpot. No cleaning, just a wipe with a cloth. I use three chains in rotation. Chain wear for the past year (over 7000K) is still at 0% when measured with the chain checker. Wax lasts 250-450 km per application, depending on the weather. You will know that it is time to change chains when they start to squeak. Shimano chains work better than KMC, which seem to have a coating that makes it difficult for the wax to adhere to. KMC lasts noticably shorter than Shimano.
I use Squirt on the gravel bike and it works great. I'd use Silca but with the amount I'd have to reapply due to wet conditions it wouldn't be cost effective for me.
Used a perfectly prepped wax chain on my indoor trainer bike and it flings dark bits of dried wax everywhere. It is only quiet for 100 km before I have to rewax. It is messy, dirty, and coats all drivetrain components in dirty grey wax. I don’t recommend it. For reference I use runaway bike chain wax in a crock pot. Not nearly as clean as reviews make it out to be
Nice, but WAY too much work and equipment to deal with. And face it, most of us are too f*cking lazy to do this anyway. I'd just order a pre-waxed chain, or check if your local Bicycle mechanic has pre-waxed chains already. I'll try the latter first because I live near a huge metropolitan area, so SOMEONE'S gotta have them in stock lol. But if you live in the middle of nowhere , order them from the link above. Ride safe everyone!
Depends on what winter means to you. I am in the northeast United states. I wax my chains year round. In winter here we have a lot of road salt, which will kill anything metal quickly. It doesn't stick to a waxed drivetrain. I do have to maintain my chain more often due to wet conditions, but with products like Squirt and the drip on Silca super secret, its super easy. No drivetrain cleaning other than wiping down with a dry rag. If winter to you means a lot rain/wet conditions, I might stick to a traditional clean running lube. Wax holds up better than most people think in the wet, but by the last 1/3 of a 100km ride in the rain your chain will be screaming at you.
For me, this is my first autumn/winter with waxed chains here in northern Finland. Autumn was quite wet but the waxed chains held up surprisingly well. I rotate two chains in my commuter bike and have always a freshly waxed chain waiting in a jar. Reusable quick link helps a lot when swapping chains regularly. A used chain is cleaned just with boiling water and then dried before re-waxing. My commute is about 20 kms per day and I usually swap the chains every two weeks so that makes around 150-200 kms per waxing in typical Finnish wet autumn weather (not everyday rains though 😅). I use Rex Black Diamond hot wax, tested by ZFC to be more wear-resistant than all other hot waxes. After a wet ride I just rinse the bike, drivetrain and chain with water and then wipe dry with a cloth. No degreasers needed ever. Now that we’ve had a proper winter weather (-10 degrees Celsius and sometimes colder) for a while, I’ve also found out that waxed chain also works in cold conditions. No problems whatsoever, chain stiffening or anything like that. I just ride a couple of weeks with one chain and then swap to another.
Check up Zerofriction. He's an Aussie engineer who does extensive wet/dry testing of all wax/lube products. Answer is wax chains are far superior to lube in wet scenarios.
Too burdensome for me. And I guess that changing a chain earlier still is cheaper than having it waxed by a professional from time to time. A big doubt: how can the chain keep clean if I cannot avoid that the gears get dirty riding outdoor, especially in winter? How comes that dirt and mud do not affect the chain?,
That's because wax is a solid lubricant that flakes off; it means that any contaminant can't affect the chains inner workings, unlike with a wet lube where any contimination will stay and eventually find its way into the rollers and pins.
Silca velo's CZcams channel explains rather more precisely how one might wax a chain. I believe they suggest 200-300 miles (depending on riding conditions) before a re-wax. Alcohol can be used to drive off any remaining water (check out their video). They also suggest working the chain BEFORE installation, in order to avoid wax getting flung over the bike frame as well as making installation easier. Then there is the issue of re-using links (which in case of scram can be done a few times - even though they suggest a new replacement every single time). Waxing is easy (The silica pouch can be rested within a large saucepan of simmering water, alleviating the need for a dedicated crock pot).
I tried waxing chain but ended giving up on it.. too much for my commuter bike. What I use is Tru-tension all weather tungsten drip lube. Works great even on wet for me. But I normally clean my chain on ultrasonic before each application. 200 miles a week, do it once a week.
@@jsva8661 Not exactly. You still need to do the initial deep cleaning, which is the hardest part. Hot melt waxing is easiest when you do it once, top it up during the season, and then hot melt wax it at the end of the season.
@@neutronpcxt372 Initial cleaning is relatively easy for me, i do have an ultrasonic cleaner that works really well, so ultrasonic w/degreaser, followed by a jar with white spirits then by a jar with IPA. I find that rewaxing chains just doesn't worth the effort for me. i do about 200-300 miles a week (depends on weather), so every week or thereabouts i would be waxing, nope... But my chain costs £20/£25, so i just do about 800-1000 miles and replace it anyways. (about 0.3/0.5 wear on them or 3/4 months) Cheaper to replace a £20 quid chain than a £140 quid cassette.
I don't trust waxed chains anymore. The only chains I have ever snapped have been waxed. I am suspicious that on thin modern 11 and 12 speed chains, that the expansion and contraction of the rivets and links during the hot waxing process can cause the rivets to loosen their grip partially. I can't prove this of course.
nonsense, the outer chain plates and pins are riveted so strongly that no amount of temperature can affect their connection. the chain breaks for 3 reasons: changing gears under load, poorly connected chain if it broke on the connecting pin, fault in the chain
One wonders how the wax actually provides lubricity to the chain pins where it’s actually needed. It would nicely coat all the surfaces and then be quickly worn off of the contact parts.
That's kind of the point. Essentially it lubricates by shedding. Which is why it doesn't attract dirt as the dirt falls off with the wax. It also means the chain gets a bit noisy as the wax wears off.
that's why the wax must not be too hard for the given temperature, so that it does not crumble, so inside the chain it behaves like grease, but a little goes outside the chain, and if there are no additives, then the chain begins to wear, so it should be waxed every 100 km
I believe wax is a superior lube but it really doesn't seem to be lower maintenance. The biggest reason I'm not switching is the periodically adding expensive drip wax. I'd rather just lightly clean the drivetrain after ride or 2, plus it's always on fresh, cheaper lube.
Or just don't use drip wax. I only hot dip, once every 300 dry miles, more often if it's been wet, and only every 800 miles on the turbo trainer. No measurable wear on any of the chains. The turbo one has done over 10000 miles, the outdoor one 4000. If you've got your own slow cooker it's quicker to just re dip than to faff around with drip wax, and also drip wax allows some contamination to stick, whereas hot dip doesn't, so your chain will wear out quicker, and get slightly grubby, albeit a million times better than oil based lubes, but still not clean and dry like a hot dipped chain.
there is no easy cleaning of the chain(oiled), dirt must be removed from the inside of the chain, if the chain is waxed, then there is almost no dirt in it, so it should be rewaxed 1-2 times at once to remove external dirt
I put about 700 miles on mine. Re-waxing is much easier. No need to strip it down, just wipe off surface dirt and drop in the pot again. Road grid and dirt that made its way into the chain will bubble out and settle to the bottom. I leave the wax in the rice cooker (since it can't be used for food again anyway). You can also top off the chain with Super Secret drip on wax every few hundred miles. According to Silca, it will maintain just as well as doing a re-wax.
This video over-complicates things - a lot of those cleaning steps are unnecessary. You don't need an ultrasonic cleaner. You can just put the chain in a bottle of solvent and shake it to get it clean, and if you use a non-water-based solvent, you don't have to be so careful during the drying stage. Just let it evaporate dry without worrying about rust.
yes and no, I only use wax, I heat the chain on the bicycle with a battery induction heater, touch the chain with a wax stick, wipe it with a cloth, dirt comes out, heat the chain again, wipe it with a cloth, and the chain is cleaned, waxed and all in 10 minutes
The important thing to know about waxing your chain is that once it has been waxed you need to oil it as usual, otherwise you can expect big problems (unless you live in a desert).
@@makantahi3731Wax plus oil is a reasonable option in a wet climate, with a 300km interval. Wax alone can cause the chain to seize up overnight if you occasionally ride in the rain - and then you need a new chain.
@@davidarthur I do wonder about the cost. As someone posted in another thread, mineral spirits, acetone, a couple of jars and then heating the wax in a double boiler on the stove (i.e. a metal bowl sitting over a small pot) seems like it might be enough. I don't think it necessarily needs to be expensive. Also you can just go with pure parafin instead of fancy bicycle wax. I haven't done it, though. Living in Japan, I've got no idea how to buy mineral spirits or acetone (or what they are even called...)
This all works well if the ONLY riding you are doing is in the dry. I'm using an expensive brand of wax and following ALL instructions to the letter. I can still only get ONE wet off-road ride per waxing. Wax. Ride. RUSTY chain. Pointless exercise.
I cannot understand why people use bike shops for minor(and even fairly major) maintenance work. OK, fair enough for this as an example but for 99.9% of people, do it yourself. At end of day it's a bicycle not a formula 1 car.
David, you shouldn't show people this stuff. If they start waxing their chains the bike industry will lose millions in oil lube sales and people will lose their jobs. 😡 We're trying to increase the profitablity of the industry, not decrease it.
The industry will not lose much in oil sales but components. A waxed chain elongates much later in life and thus starts destroying the chainring and cogs much later. I got a waxed chain with +4k under its belt with no stretch. And I got a oil lubed chain with about the same mileage which is due for replacement.
@@SrFederico Good point. The solution to maintain a high level of chain turnover and sales then, is to convince consumers that waxing a chain is a complicated process requiring ultrasonic cleaners and other equipment shown in this video. The cat may be out of the bag about waxing, but as long as consumers believe they need a mad scientists lab in order to do it they'll be intimidated and lining up to buy $100 prewaxed chains. 🙂
@@UraniumMilk Actually, the regular cleaning of an oiled chain in a city appartment and then getting rid of the chemicals is great fun. Waxing takes away all of it!
@@UraniumMilk everyone sells that story about the kitchen for waxing the chain, and all you need is an inductive heater and a battery, so you can hot wax the chain on a bicycle, almost as easily as oiling the chain
Recently switched to a waxed chain and love how clean the setup stays and once you did the hotwax session maintenance is like with regular lube without the need for degreasing 🫶
Correction: I put my chain on the wrong way round in the video. Seems I can't multitask at all, filming and working on that bike at the same time is too much for my little brain! Suffice to say it is on correct now and I'm off to see how good it hopefully rides.
Lol, was just about to highlight this !!! 🤣
haha, I was just about to comment on that!!
I recommend you thoroughly clean the drive train before using a waxed chain for the first time. The drive train will be full of grease from the previous chain or if a brand new bike it will still be a greasy drive train because of the grease from the factory chain. So cassette, jockey wheels and chain rings off an put through the same cleaning process that you did for the chain at the shop. Otherwise your new waxed chain will just get covered in grease and it defeats the purpose of waxing .
@@StayInTheWord TEXT FACES OUTWARDS
@@StayInTheWord I was curious so I looked it up, Shimano chains have their logo on the drive side which should be visible and the right way up... though this still means you could install a chain so the logo reads the right way up at the bottom or the top of the chain line, so I'm still confused
One tip for home waxers - avoid water during all steps of the cleaning process. A stripped chain that is exposed to water will flash rust very quickly.
Cleaning is really easy. Shake the chain in a jar of Mineral Spirits (white spirit) for about 2 minutes. Pull it out and wipe it clean. Repeat in a new jar with fresh mineral (white) spirits. Your chain will be clean. Now put it straight into a jar of denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) or acetone. This will remove the residue from the previous step and it flashes off very quickly so the chain will be dry seconds from removing it from the jar. While that is soaking, pour your used mineral (white) spirits into another container through a coffee or paint filter. That way you can use it again.
Job done! No degreaser, no water. A new chain is harder to clean than one that has been used and degreased a few times, so keep that in mind. There are one step chain stripping chemicals available from UFO and SIlca that supposedly work really well although I have not tried them so I can't speak to that first hand
Note that acetone will leave residue if it’s stored in plastic container
This is the exact cleaning process I followed. The chains get super clean this way.
I've been doing chain waxing for 15 years and have never had a problem with water at all. My process is:
1) Shake in a plastic tub with boiling water & generous amounts of washing up liquid
2) Rinse off
3) Shake in a plastic tub with boiling water to remove any final soap
4) Shake the water off, then leave on the radiator to dry for a few hours
Note that you can dunk the chain into the wax when wet and the wax will displace the water quite quickly, but to guarantee this you have to get the wax uncomfortably hot, to the point where it could start spitting as it occasionally boils the water. Just moving the chain around in the wax for a bit will normally get 99% of the water out.
Mineral spirits how clever its like ducttape everyone should have Mineral spirits in garage or under kitchen sink ❤
Nice. Wanting to do this
Been waxing my chain ever since Silca started making wax. I use waxed chains on all my bikes and will never go back to dripping oil on chains ever again. Waxing chains is the best way to add life to your drive train and improve the way you bike feels.
ive been considering going waxed chain for a while now. in winter i ride my MTB in the worst conditions; 3 hrs in sticky sticky mud. would you still go with waxed chain? just a rince after the ride and some liquid wax, or is there more to it ?
@@thsaintful I don’t have any experience with really extreme conditions other than splashing through streams and getting a little bit of mud.
I do need to wipe down and add some liquid wax to my mountain bike every couple of rides and re-wax more often than my gravel bike that seldom gets wet and muddy.
I hope that helps
When the wax bubbles violently like it does in this video, it indicates the chain still had water residue inside of the links. A dry chain dipped in wax has very little bubbling.
More likely this was the 1st ever application of wax for that chain, and there were air gaps inside the rollers. When you re-wax on subsequent applications, there will be residual wax inside the rollers, and you won’t really see this bubbling.
Ah yes, I experienced the same by leaving a little water on the chain. It bubbled like crazy. I then let my second chain dry
off overnight and voila, little baby bubbles.
Waxed chain for life, not just from a performance perspective, but also from a cleanliness aspect it can't be beat!
I would be interested in an update video after riding in the UK wet winter
Till last spring, I‘m a passionate waxer 😅 using silca secret hot wax and the refreshing drip on wax. This system suits very well. So, rides in wet and mushy conditions are also possible, when instant drying the chain afterwards and rewax it! No rust no rattles. Kudos!
I have a home set up. Got an ultrasonic cleaner and wax heater. I use Silca too. It’s very easy. Takes a bit of getting used to it but it’s no big deal and clean. The downside is that the cassette and chain will get a little rusty when you go out in wintry conditions. But that all cleans up in the ultrasonic. So the key to success in my view is to have two chains that you swap over and to use an automotive dryer (like a large hair dryer) on the cassette when the chain is off after a wet ride. Other than that, a waxed chain is fantastic. In dry conditions, there’s no maintenance or cleaning - other than a quick wipe - for a month or more. And in the wet, or even in cyclocross, it works well if you have the right process I’ve found. Good luck David!
Chains on back to front always have the writing on the outer plates and blank on the rear as shimano Chains are directional
I just read the title as "I waxed my chest for the first time" - this version isn't as exciting 😁
Ha ha that's for my other channel ;)
Been using squirt drip on wax for a while now. Total game changer! Minor hassle to degrease at first, but WELL worth it.
Do you think it's just as good as waxed chain? Also how often do you apply it. I bought some squirt, but haven't used it yet
I've used Squirt since I started riding 7 years ago. Much better than wet lube. As for applying it, around 150-200miles in dry and if wet I reapply after ride.
@@kimwarner6050 honestly I have not used hot wax. Only Squirt. Although my understanding is hot wax doesn’t really last more than a few hundred miles anyway, so for the sake of convenience, I just haven’t bothered with it. I wipe the chain well with a towel and reapply once a week or so. About 150-200 miles for me. Very easy.
Try Silca's waxing system, even cleaner than Squirt's slack wax.
Welcome to the gang!! Enjoy the watts and clean drivetrain!
You're lucky to have Ride 24/7 as your local bike shop. I don't imagine any of my local bike shops would have the equipment or the inclination to wax a chain for me! Handy that R247 sell pre-waxed ones.
Many people use a 2 chain system so they always have one waxed. Um the total time to re wax the chain, using hot melt wax is less then the time it takes to boil a cup of water.
£100 to get a new waxed chain is mental. You could buy all the gear u need to wax ur chains for the rest of ur life for about £60.
Been through an extensive test / trial process with lots of products and eventually settled on the Silca on as the best. Scottish weather means I largely have to apply after every 2nd soaking 🤣 but the quiet, smooth clean drive train is a think of beauty. Not sure I’ll ever go back to a lube again 🤷♂️
Been trying wax (Silca / Silca SS) last few months.
I love having a clean chain - just never get oily hands, and bike washing is much quicker.
I hot waxed initially, and have been using drip-on every 250km since.
Initially I found it a bit more noisy, but actually drip-on makes it quieter for the first 100km or so, as some goes on the cassette when you rotate through.
I’ve found it fine for 100km rides in U.K. rain / deep puddles etc, but tend to top up with drip-on wax (overnight) after maybe 150-200km if it’s been really bad.
Time will tell if it makes my chain last longer, or is cheaper overall… Tracking it across the winter to see…
By now your comment was left here eight months ago. Has your opinion about waxing changed now you have more experience with it?
@@kayasper6081 still loving chain wax, with a couple of observations:
1) it is a great, as long as you wipe the chain with microfibre cloth after a wet ride, and store the bike somewhere dry. Left in the rain overnight / stored wet it will start to rust (unlike oil)
2) Did a long weekend bike-packing trip: it lasted about 500km in March including two days of torrential rain / wind, but started squeaking on the fourth day. Luckily we had an overnight where I could drip on some wax and keep the bike in a room to let it harden. Again - if I was doing 3+ days camping in the wet then oil might be better.
3) my chains seem to be lasting about twice as long (4000km+) - and that’s cycling through British winter.
So I’m definitely a fan - works for me, but not for a commuter you leave out in the rain, or if you have a cold/damp garage.
I use Silca Chain stripper to prepare, Silca hot wax initially and about every 1000km, and drip-on about every 250km in between, and it is clean, silent and shiny silver!!
@@Bike4Coffee-Cake Thank you so much for your complete opinion, I really apreciate it! There is a lot about chain waxing on CZcams, but it is you who make me decide to give it a go. I live in the innerlands of Spain (Extremadura), so humidity won't be a hugh problem here, I guess. Remain all the advantages you mention. I own a tandem, a trekking bike (my favourite, I also love to go out for several days with a tent) and a racing bike. Next week I will buy online the wax you speak about and also a drip on wax, and treat all the chains at once.
Thanks again for your long and cristal clear answer!
You can use a hairdryer to dry the water cleaned chain as well.
I waxed my road bike chain recently and it’s very quiet. I’m also using a waxed chain on my 10 speed Defy that is on my turbo trainer which is great as it is much cleaner. A few flakes of wax, drip on wax is used to top up.
One thing that is the downside and why I don't wax: all the equipment you need. I use a PTFE impregnated lube and have for years. I get between 15 to 20 km on a chain. Wipe it or use a degreaser and dry. Put the lube on and wipe it after the first ride. Put kube on when the chain gets noisy. I don't have to deal with flaking or wiping after getting it wet (and when it gets wet here it gets WET). As to waxing, if it's sloppy where you are and you have the space and time, do it.
100% proponent of hot wax. Little learning curve the first time, but thats no big deal. I use mineral spirits to degrease and denatured alcohol to completely clean. Hot wax in parafin with PTFE powder (1.6 micron). The chain stays much-MUCH cleaner than bottled drip lubes... no more black marks on my right leg.
regular degreaser an ultrasonic is not enough.. white spirits or the new silca chain stripper does a good job
Too many steps, and water usage could cause some rust (specially with air), I'd prefer just using white spirit or any other organic solvent on the chain, then leave it to dry and apply wax
Waxing with Silca hot wax for 12 months. HOW did I not come to this earlier? Barely need to wash my bike anymore as the drive train is always clean. No more grease and crap everywhere. Just the occasional quick wash of frame. Never ever going back. Can't see how the wet lubricant makers can survive this once everyone cottons on to hot wax.
That wax looked like it was boiling.. looked over heated??
Yeah, that was my initial reaction. The ZFS guy says that's a no no and destroys the wax. The whole process isn't that difficult once you figure it out. Just did one this last weekend. This video relying on the bike shop gives the impression that it's not that easy when in fact it is. Plus now that you can get the UFO bike chain cleaner it looks to be even easier based on ZFS's instructions.
I’d like to see your chain after a 5 hrs ride in the wet salty roads of the uk . . .please do an update
"should free off after a few gear changes" - took my new chain around 150 miles to become as flexible as a normal wet/dry lubricant. However, I don't miss having to regularly degreaser and relube.
Really nice video!! Some good humour aswell! Not hard to wax a chain when somebody else do it for you :D
Your wheels are looking supergood? Any wax and detaling on them? Cool video looking forward to next one!
I have to agree with everyone who advises against using water, because of the possibility of flash rust developing before the chain's had a chance to dry off. Perhaps a blow dryer or heat gun might prevent this but why chance it? All the wax companies recommend either mineral spirits and alcohol, or one of the newer bio degreasers (that they conveniently make and sell).
I've always degreased and cleaned my chains with water and either dish soap or auto degreaser, and never had a problem with rust, but either I was lucky or the PTFE coating that my dry lube left on the chain prevented rust. Not sure, but I'm about to try waxing for the first time and will follow the recommended procedure.
In 55 years of cycling I have not heard of this. Sounds like a marketing dream to extract more spend of want vs needed. Or I I’m missing the point and some chains are covered in pubes ? I assume it coats the sprockets and keeps it cleaner. But the price ??? Total utter madness !
wax is not sticky and does not catch the dust that oil catches and wears the chain. that's why the chain on wax lasts at least 6 times longer if it is waxed every 100 km, you can use a normal candle in combination with engine oil to adjust the temperature hardness: in winter more oil to soften the wax, in summer less because the warmer the wax becomes softer. you should not buy super secret waxes
Wax is completely unsuitable for lubricating a moving metal component like a bicycle chain, as it is a solid, not a fluid. There's hundreds of years of industrial science to back up my statement, so it's not debatable, but if people want to wax their chains then go for it 😂
Please post an update after a few months riding in wet UK winter conditions 👍
That's the plan! :)
Oh fancy that. I just got in a bag of silca wax yesterday and have 2 chains soaking in their new cleaner.
David. I've used Silcas hard wax as well as Super Secret on its own. With both systems cleaning before application is essential and I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner for that too. I tried hor wax once and I personally found d the whole procedure a TITA. And on the bike, you really need a lot of kms before the clunkiness of the hard wax is gone. There may be a few kms of good riding before reapplication is required.
On the other hand, applying Silca SS only is a superbe system for my riding. For my riding it genuinely is the best of both worlds, ie no dirt. Quite. Low rolling resistance, ease of application. I've used the SS for about 2 years. It's fantastic. You can even use it as a room temperature immersion process for a cleaned chain. Just my experiences here. For my kind of daily use, it's Super Secret all the way
Interesting Bill thanks for sharing. I've been using the Secret costing for a couple of years now and to be honest I've found it to be easy to live with and it's partly why I haven't gotten around to waxing the chain. Not sure I want to invest in the equipment and have space to set it all up, so getting a bike shop to do it seemed an interesting option
@@davidarthurone issue is that ideally you want to re-wax after every ride in the wet - otherwise waxing will not extend the drivetrain life due to abrasives getting in the chain and grinding the metal
How about for bikepacking?
Silica hot waxing and drip waxing is an absolute dream combination. There's definitely an art to applying the drip lube to really maximise it though.
Also, I find it to be really noisy on KMC chains when compared to Shimano chains.
Yes, the answer is yes. Buy a cheap rice cooker and wax your chains. Just do it!!!! Saves SO MUCH TIME in the long run.
Love my waxed chain. It’s so buttery smooth and quiet.
In 1977 is was using wax and graphite .. on a full Campy Gruppo .. Quavis frame
You should be using a temperature sensor to remove the chain from the wax at around 55c. I noticed too much wax dripped away. I've been waxing for years and recommend
This summer I tried Squirt aqueous wax. I had been contemplating the whole melted wax route but I thought I would try this first. I also tried the latest oil Silca Synergetic on another bike. I am pretty much a convert to Squirt now. It is as easy to apply as an oil lube but it is so much cleaner. Depending on the ride I will rewax every 50-100km (sometimes every ride, sometimes every 2nd or 3rd) depending on whether it has been damp or if I can hear any chain noise. Every 500km (ish) I'll take the chain off and run it through my cleaning routine (which takes ten minutes, tops). The final step of that is to dip the chain in alcohol which means it dries pretty quickly. I don't follow the instructions to the letter but it is by far the simplest and cleanest method I have found for lubing a chain. The rest of the drive train barely needs cleaned now whereas with oil it is always grimy. I use Squirt on road and gravel. The expensive Synergetic oil is now relegated to the shelf!
Squirt is great, same experience for me
That bike shop looks beautiful
I didn't find cleaning and waxing chains to be too much more work. I tried running three chain rotations on two bikes for a year and every chain I used rusted within a few months. I've never had a chain rust previously. That's a deal killer. Back to carefully applied wet lube.
Yeah good old Finish Line green for me,you can't beat the corrosion resistant properties of oil and watts saved.
Use KMC EPT chains (unless you’re SRAM flat top like me). They’re plated and don’t rust. Otherwise just run the chain through an old microfibre cloth after the wet rides to removes the surface water, works for me.
harbor freight 2.5l heated ultrasonic cleaner $60 usd when it goes on sale is fantastic for home use.
OK in summer when it's dry, for everything else, use a decent 2 stroke engine oil.
I’m still not convinced. I’ve (drip) wax on some bikes, and lube on others. On my CX bikes it’s great, as they have to cleaned after each race weekend anyway, and I don’t need to do a full degrease. However, on my summer road bikes, it’s just far too noisy, and sounds awful after just a couple hours. No matter how clean it is on that, I can’t stand a bike sounding like it’s just been pulled out of the canal !
If you think you’re ‘never’ going to have to clean the drive train again, you’re dreaming. You’ll still get road grime accumulation on it. It’s just easier to clean off than oil.
I'm in Canada, Manitoba. This was my first year winter cycling, and after a month of salty slush and way too much cleaning and lube, I decided to make my own wax recipe and wax my own chain, and I'm a believer 100%. All I needed all winter, was a bottle of water to pour on my drive train, and a few old hand towels to dry it. When it was time to give it a proper cleaning outside in the spring, I found only a few spots of surface rust that were gone after a very basic dish soap wash and - no lube afterwards, just some water displacement spray.
I'm don't know when it will need re-waxing but it's still clean, smooth and quiet. My new mission is to find a reusable master link.
Think i will keep running my normal lube for the time being with regular cleaning!
A lot of hassle!
And whats not to like in summer with my free chain tattoo on my right calf? 😉 Total coolness! 😎😂
😅
Love the videos David. Please keep the content coming! I wax all my chains (even for my MTB) for a couple of years now and I won't go back to oil based lubes. I don't think I've felt much gain in smoothness and efficiency when riding out on real world terrain but I certainly feel the difference on my indoor trainer. Silky smooth! The best advantages are a) not having dirty, sticky black oily residue in your gears, splashed along you chain stay and up the inside of your calf, and b) just wait until you clean your chain in seconds using boiling water before rewaxing, its a breeze!
Three things I'd like to mention to anyone giving it a go for the first time are 1) Don't be fooled by the term 'wax'. It's not just wax, it needs the special ingredient of PTFE. I mix my own but would highly recommend any of the pre-mixed products available on the market. A popular brand was the one briefly shown in the video. 2) Once the wax has cooled off and the chain is then as stiff as a board, I break the wax bond on each link by hand so that it rolls around the crank, cassette and pulleys with ease and it's immediately good to go! The chain settling in within a few meters of riding isn't strictly true in my experience. Previously I had ridden many kilometers with what seemed like indexing issues but turned out that the chain still resembled Lego (haha). 3) Not so noticeable when riding outside, but if you plan to use a waxed chain for your indoor trainer, have a dustpan and brush at the ready. For the first few (indoor) kilometers you'll be firing wax dust all over your mech, trainer and floor. Don't let that put you off though. For the benefits gained, I don't mind cleaning a bit of mess.
Great video, David. This is on my to do list next season. Question, you say you relube after xxx km., how often should you relube, before rewaxing ? I only ride cleanish roads in good (not raining) weather . Thanks so much . KB
Wax drip lubes....lasts half as long but 10% of the messing about, great ratio
Getting a bike shop to get the factory grease off is all very well, but are you going to take the bike/chain into the shop every time you need to rewax? You haven't thought this through. You might as well buy a slow cooker and a lump of wax and then you can do it yourself whenever your chain needs it. Even better, buy two (waxed) chains and swap one out while the other re-waxes. It's quick and easy once you are set up. BTW a hairdryer is a better way of drying the chain than an air compressor.
99GBP for a waxed chain? it's absolutely cheaper to start yourself, as for that money you have a new chain, crockpot, cleaning agents and wax.
I am lazy and have the initial work done by the bikeshop. So that is degreasing, ultrasonic cleaning and the first hotwax with Molten Speed Wax. Cost is €20. After the first application, I do it myself in a similar crockpot. No cleaning, just a wipe with a cloth. I use three chains in rotation. Chain wear for the past year (over 7000K) is still at 0% when measured with the chain checker. Wax lasts 250-450 km per application, depending on the weather. You will know that it is time to change chains when they start to squeak. Shimano chains work better than KMC, which seem to have a coating that makes it difficult for the wax to adhere to. KMC lasts noticably shorter than Shimano.
Just a quick question: Has anyone waxed the chain on a Gravel bike? And does it work?? Many thanks 👍
I use Squirt on the gravel bike and it works great. I'd use Silca but with the amount I'd have to reapply due to wet conditions it wouldn't be cost effective for me.
I wax road and MTB. It's the best.
Silca Secret Sause - wonderful stuff!
I use optimize chain wax on gravel and road bike 👍
Used a perfectly prepped wax chain on my indoor trainer bike and it flings dark bits of dried wax everywhere. It is only quiet for 100 km before I have to rewax. It is messy, dirty, and coats all drivetrain components in dirty grey wax. I don’t recommend it. For reference I use runaway bike chain wax in a crock pot. Not nearly as clean as reviews make it out to be
Nice, but WAY too much work and equipment to deal with. And face it, most of us are too f*cking lazy to do this anyway. I'd just order a pre-waxed chain, or check if your local Bicycle mechanic has pre-waxed chains already. I'll try the latter first because I live near a huge metropolitan area, so SOMEONE'S gotta have them in stock lol. But if you live in the middle of nowhere , order them from the link above. Ride safe everyone!
there is an easier way without kitchen equipment, you only need a battery induction heater, a battery, wax, an old towel, hot waxing chain on bicycle
I just wish this was a thing back when I started riding 30 years ago
Are wax chains any good for a winter bike or are they a summer thing ?
I'm also interested in how it performs in a wet environment, and how long before it needs to be rewaxing?
Depends on what winter means to you. I am in the northeast United states. I wax my chains year round. In winter here we have a lot of road salt, which will kill anything metal quickly. It doesn't stick to a waxed drivetrain. I do have to maintain my chain more often due to wet conditions, but with products like Squirt and the drip on Silca super secret, its super easy. No drivetrain cleaning other than wiping down with a dry rag. If winter to you means a lot rain/wet conditions, I might stick to a traditional clean running lube. Wax holds up better than most people think in the wet, but by the last 1/3 of a 100km ride in the rain your chain will be screaming at you.
For me, this is my first autumn/winter with waxed chains here in northern Finland. Autumn was quite wet but the waxed chains held up surprisingly well. I rotate two chains in my commuter bike and have always a freshly waxed chain waiting in a jar. Reusable quick link helps a lot when swapping chains regularly. A used chain is cleaned just with boiling water and then dried before re-waxing.
My commute is about 20 kms per day and I usually swap the chains every two weeks so that makes around 150-200 kms per waxing in typical Finnish wet autumn weather (not everyday rains though 😅). I use Rex Black Diamond hot wax, tested by ZFC to be more wear-resistant than all other hot waxes. After a wet ride I just rinse the bike, drivetrain and chain with water and then wipe dry with a cloth. No degreasers needed ever.
Now that we’ve had a proper winter weather (-10 degrees Celsius and sometimes colder) for a while, I’ve also found out that waxed chain also works in cold conditions. No problems whatsoever, chain stiffening or anything like that. I just ride a couple of weeks with one chain and then swap to another.
Check up Zerofriction. He's an Aussie engineer who does extensive wet/dry testing of all wax/lube products. Answer is wax chains are far superior to lube in wet scenarios.
better than oil but not good as on summer
Too burdensome for me. And I guess that changing a chain earlier still is cheaper than having it waxed by a professional from time to time. A big doubt: how can the chain keep clean if I cannot avoid that the gears get dirty riding outdoor, especially in winter? How comes that dirt and mud do not affect the chain?,
That's because wax is a solid lubricant that flakes off; it means that any contaminant can't affect the chains inner workings, unlike with a wet lube where any contimination will stay and eventually find its way into the rollers and pins.
Silca velo's CZcams channel explains rather more precisely how one might wax a chain. I believe they suggest 200-300 miles (depending on riding conditions) before a re-wax. Alcohol can be used to drive off any remaining water (check out their video). They also suggest working the chain BEFORE installation, in order to avoid wax getting flung over the bike frame as well as making installation easier. Then there is the issue of re-using links (which in case of scram can be done a few times - even though they suggest a new replacement every single time). Waxing is easy (The silica pouch can be rested within a large saucepan of simmering water, alleviating the need for a dedicated crock pot).
I use squirt wax lube excellent 😊 Pete
Did they wax the quick link?
my chain after silca hot wax is louder than on the oil ... When I ride next to some wall I hear crickets ... especially on the last (biggests) cogs
rewax more often
I tried waxing chain but ended giving up on it.. too much for my commuter bike. What I use is Tru-tension all weather tungsten drip lube. Works great even on wet for me. But I normally clean my chain on ultrasonic before each application. 200 miles a week, do it once a week.
Tru-Tension All-Weather is a wax emulsion though...
@@neutronpcxt372 yes, it is indeed, but does not require any hot melt wax stuff.
@@jsva8661 Not exactly. You still need to do the initial deep cleaning, which is the hardest part.
Hot melt waxing is easiest when you do it once, top it up during the season, and then hot melt wax it at the end of the season.
@@neutronpcxt372 Initial cleaning is relatively easy for me, i do have an ultrasonic cleaner that works really well, so ultrasonic w/degreaser, followed by a jar with white spirits then by a jar with IPA. I find that rewaxing chains just doesn't worth the effort for me. i do about 200-300 miles a week (depends on weather), so every week or thereabouts i would be waxing, nope...
But my chain costs £20/£25, so i just do about 800-1000 miles and replace it anyways. (about 0.3/0.5 wear on them or 3/4 months)
Cheaper to replace a £20 quid chain than a £140 quid cassette.
I don't trust waxed chains anymore. The only chains I have ever snapped have been waxed. I am suspicious that on thin modern 11 and 12 speed chains, that the expansion and contraction of the rivets and links during the hot waxing process can cause the rivets to loosen their grip partially. I can't prove this of course.
nonsense, the outer chain plates and pins are riveted so strongly that no amount of temperature can affect their connection. the chain breaks for 3 reasons: changing gears under load, poorly connected chain if it broke on the connecting pin, fault in the chain
The process has not to be that complicated
Especially with a new chain
But wax ist no doubt the best chain lubricant
How often do you have to wax a chain? If you ride about 150-200 miles a week/10 hours or so?
Depends on the weather ( and the brand, do not use KMC). somewhere between 200 miles and 300 miles should be feasible.
for pure wax 100km, for wax with additive 200-300km
How much time/distance between waxing do you get?
Squirt wax, 70-80 km/ 2-3 h.
One wonders how the wax actually provides lubricity to the chain pins where it’s actually needed. It would nicely coat all the surfaces and then be quickly worn off of the contact parts.
Wrong
That's kind of the point. Essentially it lubricates by shedding. Which is why it doesn't attract dirt as the dirt falls off with the wax. It also means the chain gets a bit noisy as the wax wears off.
@@FT__Bicycling_____-sc7yv wow, what a detailed and well reasoned response
@@FT__Bicycling_____-sc7yv
Right
that's why the wax must not be too hard for the given temperature, so that it does not crumble, so inside the chain it behaves like grease, but a little goes outside the chain, and if there are no additives, then the chain begins to wear, so it should be waxed every 100 km
Probably good for road bike, definitely not for mountain biking.
I believe wax is a superior lube but it really doesn't seem to be lower maintenance. The biggest reason I'm not switching is the periodically adding expensive drip wax. I'd rather just lightly clean the drivetrain after ride or 2, plus it's always on fresh, cheaper lube.
The drip wax bottle lasts a long time so you get a lower cost in the long run.
Or just don't use drip wax. I only hot dip, once every 300 dry miles, more often if it's been wet, and only every 800 miles on the turbo trainer. No measurable wear on any of the chains. The turbo one has done over 10000 miles, the outdoor one 4000. If you've got your own slow cooker it's quicker to just re dip than to faff around with drip wax, and also drip wax allows some contamination to stick, whereas hot dip doesn't, so your chain will wear out quicker, and get slightly grubby, albeit a million times better than oil based lubes, but still not clean and dry like a hot dipped chain.
there is no easy cleaning of the chain(oiled), dirt must be removed from the inside of the chain, if the chain is waxed, then there is almost no dirt in it, so it should be rewaxed 1-2 times at once to remove external dirt
i have been waxing
As none of the pros wax it's likely not worth it. It's a fad and will go away. Hassle and expense.
How often do you need to re-wax the chain?
I put about 700 miles on mine. Re-waxing is much easier. No need to strip it down, just wipe off surface dirt and drop in the pot again. Road grid and dirt that made its way into the chain will bubble out and settle to the bottom. I leave the wax in the rice cooker (since it can't be used for food again anyway). You can also top off the chain with Super Secret drip on wax every few hundred miles. According to Silca, it will maintain just as well as doing a re-wax.
@@matthew.tamasco Thanks!
Watching videos about chain waxing has convinced me that I won't be doing it. Was interested in your take on the topic.
Crap idea. Very much like tubeless tire sealant - the stuff gets everywhere and isnt worth the hassle or maintenance needed. Ceramic lube. End of.
Nah can't be arsed , I did get a new bike though other say red etap dogma F8, and it was cheap ,, people.who.pay 5k upwards are crazy
This video over-complicates things - a lot of those cleaning steps are unnecessary. You don't need an ultrasonic cleaner. You can just put the chain in a bottle of solvent and shake it to get it clean, and if you use a non-water-based solvent, you don't have to be so careful during the drying stage. Just let it evaporate dry without worrying about rust.
yes and no, I only use wax, I heat the chain on the bicycle with a battery induction heater, touch the chain with a wax stick, wipe it with a cloth, dirt comes out, heat the chain again, wipe it with a cloth, and the chain is cleaned, waxed and all in 10 minutes
The important thing to know about waxing your chain is that once it has been waxed you need to oil it as usual, otherwise you can expect big problems (unless you live in a desert).
no oil again any more , rewax after every 100km
@@makantahi3731Wax plus oil is a reasonable option in a wet climate, with a 300km interval. Wax alone can cause the chain to seize up overnight if you occasionally ride in the rain - and then you need a new chain.
Waxing a chain is not new,used to wax my motorbike chain ,s in the 1970,s.
why didn't you tell us before?
£99 waxed chain OMG
Probably cheaper than buying all the equipment and doing it yourself unless you're going to do enough chains to recoup the investment ?
@@davidarthur I do wonder about the cost. As someone posted in another thread, mineral spirits, acetone, a couple of jars and then heating the wax in a double boiler on the stove (i.e. a metal bowl sitting over a small pot) seems like it might be enough. I don't think it necessarily needs to be expensive. Also you can just go with pure parafin instead of fancy bicycle wax. I haven't done it, though. Living in Japan, I've got no idea how to buy mineral spirits or acetone (or what they are even called...)
There is no point in waxing a brand new chain from the manufacturer. It does well lubed straight out of the box
Untrue. The lubricant used in factory greasy is sticky AF and quite slow.
and it will collect lot of dirt
This all works well if the ONLY riding you are doing is in the dry. I'm using an expensive brand of wax and following ALL instructions to the letter. I can still only get ONE wet off-road ride per waxing. Wax. Ride. RUSTY chain. Pointless exercise.
yes, on wet nothing works, wax is better but far from ideal, do not ride on wet, i do not ride if is wet, it is cheaper to take car than bike
I wax my chains...
I cannot understand why people use bike shops for minor(and even fairly major) maintenance work. OK, fair enough for this as an example but for 99.9% of people, do it yourself. At end of day it's a bicycle not a formula 1 car.
David, you shouldn't show people this stuff. If they start waxing their chains the bike industry will lose millions in oil lube sales and people will lose their jobs. 😡 We're trying to increase the profitablity of the industry, not decrease it.
The industry will not lose much in oil sales but components. A waxed chain elongates much later in life and thus starts destroying the chainring and cogs much later. I got a waxed chain with +4k under its belt with no stretch. And I got a oil lubed chain with about the same mileage which is due for replacement.
@@SrFederico Good point. The solution to maintain a high level of chain turnover and sales then, is to convince consumers that waxing a chain is a complicated process requiring ultrasonic cleaners and other equipment shown in this video. The cat may be out of the bag about waxing, but as long as consumers believe they need a mad scientists lab in order to do it they'll be intimidated and lining up to buy $100 prewaxed chains. 🙂
@@UraniumMilk There you go! 😁
@@UraniumMilk Actually, the regular cleaning of an oiled chain in a city appartment and then getting rid of the chemicals is great fun. Waxing takes away all of it!
@@UraniumMilk everyone sells that story about the kitchen for waxing the chain, and all you need is an inductive heater and a battery, so you can hot wax the chain on a bicycle, almost as easily as oiling the chain
Recently switched to a waxed chain and love how clean the setup stays and once you did the hotwax session maintenance is like with regular lube without the need for degreasing 🫶