The Easiest and Cleanest Chain Wax Method!
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- čas přidán 20. 05. 2024
- No harsh chemicals, no crock pots, no instant pots. It doesn't get much easier than this! Strip all grease and factory lubricants off the chain, then put the chain inside the bag of wax and immerse in boiling water until liquid wax penetrates the chain internals.
Products used in this video:
Silca Chain Stripper: amzn.to/471jha6
Silca Secret Hot Melt Wax: amzn.to/3s0oe4a
Purchases made through affiliate links send a small commission my way (thanks!)
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This is the first believable video I’ve seen about a SIMPLE chain waxing process. I’ve been on the fence for over a year about this. Seeing this, I’ll give it a try.
Haha I wasn’t aware of any unbelievable videos
Yeah, the worst part of waxing is the initial prep of a new chain - it's a lot of pfaff. The Chain Stripper makes this step so much easier.
doesn't seem that hard, use mineral spirits then alcohol and its ready for wax
I did the bag method just twice before buying a second instant pot liner and just using that. The second time you melt the wax a lot of the particles have settled, and it takes forever to remelt the wax nugget to assure you have an even mix (or even enough to get the chain submerged into). Then I had the bag seem start to come apart, and I was done with that hassle.
With a 3L Instant Pot I set it to "Slow Cook" 30 minutes, set the chain on top of the hard wax and walk away (usually to wash the bike and take a shower after a ride). When I have checked, there is usually still a little solid wax at the 25 minute mark, so I am confident I am not overheating the wax. When I hear the timer beeping I can go swish chain for a little bit and pull it out to cool. A piece of parchment paper is a good place to drip over, and then lay the chain down on before walking away again. After breaking the links loose over the parchment you can pour the wax bits back into the pot, and fold up the parchment for re-use next time. Basically it takes about 3 minutes of total effort, and no boiling water or bag of hot wax to accidentally spill all over you, or your house.
The other things I i would suggest is to really clean the rest fo the drivetrain before reinstalling the waxed chain. Lots of stuff stuck on the jockey wheels, chainring, and cassette that transfers back to the chain.
💯
So true and to me the only really annoying part of the whole process. Its really missing in this video!
@@CL-dh2mfdefinitely. Here in SoCal everything is dry and dusty so we don’t get that gross caked on crud on the jockeys and cogs. A thorough wipe down is all they really needed. I should’ve mentioned it
As I don't have anywhere to store the factory grease stripping solvents, so Silca's Chain Stripper allowed me to convert and I absolutely love the results. I purchased a $25 slow cooker which is used exclusively for immersion wax. Making things just a bit easier is implementing a the multi-chain method (an cost saving KMC 11 speed chain) so I always have one ready when I need one. That also means I don't have to rush a chain whos' wax needs a reset.
Where a wax chain really shines is of course cleanliness but a side benefit is that I more frequently wipe down my bike as there is no chance of getting black marks on my hands with an accidental chain or drive train contact.
I don’t even care if my chains last longer, it’s all about the clean touch four me. No more ruined shirts and socks.
This video was a big help. 4 minutes and covers everything. Thanks!
I jumped on the wax train this week and so far I like it. Cleaner and quieter
Thanks a lot for this video ! I've been watching GCN and Silka videos about chain waxing for a while and did not want to go through the process of preparing the chain before waxing because of the same reasons you mentioned, it is painful and full of chemicals. Also having to buy a dedicated cooking tool for waxing my chains felt like a pain. This is exactly the kind of content I was looking for to just give it a try as chain waxing looks cool !
Been waxing for years and really believe in it, but this is the first time I've seen waxing from the bag. Great idea if you travel with your bike a lot. Thank you.
Appreciate you bringing some simple thinking to this topic.
Great video
I have been using Secret Chain Wax but did not know about the stripper
Thanks
I find the waxing part as you demonstrated with the bag right in the pot of boiling water is the easy part. The first time I did my chain I let the wax cool slightly (maybe 2 minutes) before removing the chain. There was so much solidified wax between the links that I couldn't break it away by flexing the individual links. So I went into the wax a second time, this time removing the chain immediately before the wax had a chance to cool. Once the chain had cooled I still had to flex every individual link numerous times to get the chain flexible enough to run on my drivetrain. The next challenge was connecting the missing link on my KMC chain, because there was wax between the plates and rollers on the end links, making them too wide for the missing link to properly engage. So I had to remove the excess wax between the plates and rollers with a razor blade. All in all, the wax application is the easy part - everything after that is a complete nightmare.
It's just way too much manual labour. The Silca guys make it seem as if you let the chain cool, pop it on your bike and any excess wax just comes off by running the chain through the drivetrain. Maybe they have a secret, it sure didn't work that way for me.
I have been waxing chains with Silca since it came out. I hot wax and then never take my chain off again as Campy chains are still pinned on.
I just use Silca’s drip on wax every 125-150 miles, a two minute job the night before a ride.
My chain now has 9000 miles on it and I check it every couple of weeks. It finally is showing some wear on my KMC digital chain gauge, .20 mm wear at 9000 miles.
I will change it at .50 mm wear.
Very happy with Silca products, as easy as it gets !
Absolutely love waxed chains. I grabbed a small crockpot from Goodwill for $2.50.
Goodbye chain lube expense, greasy clothes and hands, and pre-ride lubing.
Thanks for pointing out the stripping solution! I’ve been using Simple Green And alcohol, but this should reduce prep time.
And just to echo another commenter, while the process is up and running, wax an extra chain for later.
Thanks for the video!
Looks tempting! Thanks for sharing!
I decided to switch to wax sometime soon specifically because the Silca stuff looks so simple while also being quality. I was literally researching this a few days ago, so you’re right on time to confirm this for me.
However, rather than dealing with degreasing my chain (which has only 300 dry lubed SoCal miles, meaning it would likely be just fine), I’m tempted to use this as excuse to other a pre-waxed chain from Silca, mostly so I can get one in gold. 😂
I have not tried it yet , but this makes it look pretty simple, clean and quick. I think I am going to jump on the waxing bandwagon! Thanks
Did you already tried hot waxing ? How it went ?
did the stripping excately the same but used CeramicSpeed Drivetrain Cleaner… worked alright as far as I could tell… Didnt bother the immersive chain cooking though and simply applied UFO Drip according to the munufacturers guidelines…
Happy with the performance and not planning on going back to oil based live✌️👍
I’ve never tried Silca’s chain cleaner. The next time I need a new chain, I might give it a try.
Once the chain is clean, if you have the space, a used crock pot from a thrift store makes re-waxing such a breeze. I don’t even bother with drip waxes because I can just take the chain off, drop out in the pot, take it out an hour later (or whenever I remember) and it’s done.
To break the links free, I use a handle on my rolling work bench. It’s basically a pipe.
Good video. Thanks. :)
I'm digging that. I have not tried it yet. When I do it will be with a new chain.
Picked up a candle making pot on Amazon for $12 that I use to melt and store the wax works great.
I just wanted to follow-up incase it helps others. A week ago, I purchased the 3 products (cleaner, wax in a bag, and the small bottle of "super secret..." (used your affiliate links). The job of prepping our 2 mtb's, one with 1yr old drive, and one that had a brand new cassette and chain, was nearly as fast is what it was typically taking to clean all the oily packed in grit, ultrasound the chains, and lube with "dry lube." We rode today (trails here are powdery grit over hard pack) and were shocked by how smooth and quiet the pedaling and shifting was. CRAZY!! We ride a 10mi route that's a 5mi climb, and then 5mi descent, and normally, by the end of the ride, if not before, the chains are making so much noise that they need more lube. Today, they were 100% smooth and quiet for the entire ride. At the end of the ride, the chain, front sprocket, cassette, and jockey wheels were so clean, that they could literally just be wiped off with a tissue, and be clean. Just shocking. Normally, I have to bring the bikes home and blast the drive train with a garden hose and pressure nozzle, and once dry, scrape and use a tooth brush and large paint brush, to get them the rest of the way clean.
I can't thank you enough!! What a complete change to the riding experience.
For those others out there: The key with waxing is it seals IN the lubricant, and seals OUT the dirt, as best I know. :) I'm lookiing forward to my first try soon!
One tip - I wax the quick link also - when you dont it sometimes makes a clicking noise. Before installing it get in with a pick and de-crust the quick link and the ends of the chain. Doing this makes it go together much smoother and makes a freshly waxed chain dead quiet.
Do this too, but not sure if it matters. Clicking noise seems more likely a sign the quick link was not 100% "in".
I wax my chain in a closed loop.
I am finding the easiest wax maintenance system is to use two small cheap amazon ($15.00-ish) 1.5 quart crock pots as suggested by Zero Friction Cycling. One pot has the old used wax (after 30 uses) and one pot has the new Silca wax (less than 30 uses). The new wax pot is only used for newly cleaned chains or re-wax after they've gone through the old wax pot first to remove the dirt. The waxes live in the two crock pots in the work area. Always use the crock pots on low so as not to overheat the wax. I used a block of paraffin wax in the old pot for system startup.
Agreed these wax bags are expensive. I mix my own wax and a slow cooker it the best for me. I got mine for free on Facebook.
yeah the chain stripper is a gamechanger. way easier of a process now. I would say buy a crockpot from a thrift store for $5 and leave the wax in there.
In your example, I do think you need to take it out when the wax is hot, not as it is cooling down. Judging by the color and excess on yours you could have taken it out sooner for a cleaner result.
Thank you for putting together this video. I'm using your affiliate links to purchase the cleaner and the wax. Cheers!!
I’ve been waxing my gravel bike chains since Covid and watching Path less Pedaled channel and taking advantage of his Silca discount with Patreon membership.
I just recently started waxing all my chains and love it! wipe clean and sometimes just pour hot water over really dirty chains and apply the Silca drip wax in between the deep cleaning process.
Please tell me you're not deep cleaning between waxing? Just wipe off excess dirt and re-dip. The hot wax leeches in and pushes out all the dirt which settles to the bottom. Just when you get really low on wax, toss the old and start a new bag.
@@fa1coner I seldom deep clean with solvent or other methods. Usually a wipe down or hot water bath works.
I only deep clean new chains or chains that im stripping off other oil I’ve tried.
Personally I like the fact that I can boil a waxed chain and clean it off then dry and re-wax.
Its nice that wax is not made out of crude oil products
@hardmtnbiker sorry, I mIsunderstood. Honestly though, boiling it is more than you need too.
Thanks for the video, mate!
You can bye chain wax for dirt bikes, comes in a metal pot that you can put on the stove directly, throw in your chain and take it out again to let it harden.. the wax is also a little less hard when dry and works great on bike chains.
The other product that works amazing to clean the factory lube off is UFO clean. I ended up buying an ultrasonic cleaner for chain waxing using Silca wax, but it's also the best way to clean parts including the cassette.
Dude that was nice and to the point. I like to additional tips like using the spoke (man I can't see doing it without that) and putting the chain in the bag and then dropping it into the water. Well done and thanks.
Its the Chain Prep that makes SUCH a difference. I've been using Silca's drip wax since it was released (a few years now?). Cleaning the chain was... annoying. This summer I went to prep the chain on the new bike, and used their Chain Prep. So easy, and so clean, and the drip wax lube was sucked right into the links instead of kinda staying on the outside. I use the triple-application method for the drip wax to get almost as good as the submersion wax (Silca has a great video about doing that, another super easy way to do waxed chain, and don't have to heat _anything_ up on the stove).
How long does one pack of silica melt wax lasts ? In km / miles
Excellent - thanks - you've convinced me
Just dropping a quick comment that I jumped into the wax cult specifically because of this video. Enjoying my first waxed chain and how clean it is!
1. If you buy the Silca pre-waxed chains, you won't have to go through the chain stripping process.
2. I have a length of 1 inch wooden dowel for loosening the chain after waxing. Just start at one end and wrap the chain around it. Do it over a clean surface and you can reuse whatever flakes off. You end up with a compact barrel of chain so you know the chain is waxed and ready to use.
3. I have a couple Connex reusable master links that I have used for 20K+ miles which makes swapping chains a breeze. The only trick is that there is a right-side up and an upside down with these. The chain will skip on the smallest cog if upside down.
4. If I want to get a few more miles before re-waxing, I'll apply Silca Super Secret drip wax.
5. I also use a Park Tool chain checker every time before removing the chain to re-wax. Chain gets binned if it doesn't pass. I have multiple chains ready to go so that there is no reason to ride a worn chain. I've gone through a number of chains but no rings or cassettes since starting this process.
You don't cover this in the video, but one of the biggest hurdles people seem to have with waxing a chain (beyond the initial cleaning) is the secondary cleaning/re-waxing process. I originally had a process of hot waxing and then using the drip-on "top off" wax every 100 miles or after really wet rides. It's a bit conservative from Silca's intervals, but it prevents rust. I would then re-wax with hot wax after every 1000 miles. However, given the price difference between the two products, I'm now just using the drip wax every 100 miles for the first 200 after the initial hot wax. I then re-dip into hot wax after that (the 300 mile mark). No cleaning, just a really good wipe down and re-dip since the wax will "shed" any residual dirt over time if any exists.
The idea is to save money not using up the drip-on wax while simultaneously giving the chain more run time with the "better" wax (i.e. the hot wax).
Some people mentioned having multiple chains and that's a good strategy as well. I won't knock Silca because they have a great product, but there's a large price difference between the hot wax and drip-on versions and while the drip-on is great for in-between intervals, you get so much more bang fo your buck using the bag of hot wax. I think I've dialed in the hot wax re-dip to about 30 minutes or less now so it's not that bad after every 300 miles.
Food for thought if you take this video series or project further. Welcome to the cult.
Haha thx. It is a bit of a cult I’m finding. Lot of strong opinions floating around
I only use drip wax when out on long bikepacking trips. For in-town riding I just wipe the chain down with a microfiber cloth with a spritz of rubbing alcohol to get dirt/dust/mud off when it is in the 100-200'ish mile range (depending on how mucky the rides have been, and how long I expect the next ride to be), and redo the hot wax each time. It takes 30 minutes of wall-clock time to rewax a chain, but only 3 minutes of active effort for me.
@@123moof 100% - I'm starting to think Silca planned it that way with the drip-on being the "easy out." The reality is when hot wax is dialed, it's a piece of cake all day every day.
You should clean a dirty chain even if waxed. Just pour over with boiling water (and a drop of detergent if super dirty). Takes 1 min. to do and 1. min. to cool and 1. min to dry (and you can skip this last part). When you re-wax any residual water is pressed out by the wax because the molecules are smaller - and the water evaporates from the wax. Good luck!
I use a waxed chain on my commuter bike but when it's rainy if you don't want rust you'll need (as you said) to re wax with drip pretty often if you don't want to spend 30min-1h every 2 days cleaning with hot water and de rusting with boiling white vinaiger.
Just found your page , very enjoyable . I like to do 3 chains at a time . Mainly cause I live in Puerto Rico and ride in wet conditions quite often and I like to be able to switch a chain out quick when I want to and having back ups allow me to do that . And now I shouldn’t need to buy a chain for a good while . I also use the drip wax by silca to add if I feel like I need to. To get a few extra days out of it before switching
Riding in wet condition, how much km you make out of one chain before rewaxing it? Something like 200 km, then top up super secret for another 150-200 km?
I went to a craft store (Michael's or Hobby Lobby type thing). I found a candle wax melter that fits a chain and use that instead of the stove or crockpot. It was about like 30 bucks or so.
I use an old metallic coffee tin with a screw-on lid instead. It conducts heat better and the wax melts really quickly. Once melted, you can pull it out of the water, using winter gloves, then shake it up for a few seconds so there's no need to wait for the wax to work its way inside.
Hey thanks for the video! How many times can you re-use the Silica bag and the wax that remains inside?? Or is it just a single use?
Personally have been waxing all my chains on all my bikes for past 8 years,using Parafin wax and an old saucepan over camping stove. Costs pennies. Works great.
I've been contemplating giving waxing a shot as commuting in Seattle can often be rainy and the downtown roads are full of nasty grit that really gets chains dirty fast. Dry lube works okay (Muc off dry ceramic....yes I know its sorta crap, I didn't know when I got it, marketing works, sadly...) when you're certain theres no water, but its sort of only good for a few months in summer. Wet lube works well enough (Dumonde tech Classic) but the chain gets pretty nasty. Wax seems like the best of both worlds, but it needs some basic equipment and a bit more prep. Ultimately I've not done it due to the chemicals involved in the cleaning, as my household is pretty sensitive to that stuff.
I like how this video really takes a simple approach and the fact that the chain degreaser is evidently not super toxic (and so likely doesn't smell horrific and destroy your hands) is a huge bonus. The fact that there is basically no cleanup due to the wax staying in the bag is awesome too. Convinced me to pull the trigger.
Now do a video on maintaining the chain through the different seasons!
GREAT VIDEO! I have been on the fence for some years just because of all the mess and hassle with toxic degreasers i can't easily dispose of, the idea of using cooking implements for chain wax. Silca seems to be leading the way in the wax crusade and this latest development you show here takes convenience to new levels! I must have a look if it's available in my country. I think I would prefer to have a second chain ready waxed waiting to go, so I am not under time pressure to get my only chain waxed and back on the bike. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
The factory greese and oil from the chain is probably NOT biodegradable. So its not safe to just pour it away.
I just did the same thing and it came out perfect. Dont have to lube my chain all the time now 😁
remember the factory grease isn't bio degradable, so you can't dump on your sink drain without thinking! imho, small crockpot is a lot easier than melting the wax in the bag in boiling water, but that's just me
I keep 4 bikes going w waxed chains, 2 road bikes and 2 hybrids. I use old jars and gasoline for cleaning and one old pot for applying diy 20:1 (first dip) 50:1 (maintenance dips) paraffin:ptfe. A broken broom handle in a vice to soften the wax before installation.
If you own an InstantPot just buy a new stainless steel liner and pop that in to do your wax and cover it in closet when not in use. Then you can use your pot for cooking AND wax and it’s a lot less finicky than the bag.
Wax is the way. I added an ultrasonic to the waxing flow, it truly helps with cleaning & degreasing
How did you go about cleaning your cassette, derailleur and crankset?
Questions does the rockhopper 29 fit the Rockshox Recon Silver RL Solo Air D1 Fork 120mm travel?
oh the bag from Silca is so nice :D But one question from me is: how do you clean the chain and how often do you rewax it ?
This is the way. When we bought a new crock pot, I turned the old one into a wax melter. Now silca makes a wax melter and the strip chip makes it even easier
What about quick link ? Shimano and SRAM claiming that quick links are not reusable
BTW how much miles can you make on one pack of silica hot wax?
Get a dedicated liner for the crock pot or you can use two regular pots one inside the other with water in the bottom pot. So much easier than the narrow opening of the bag
I've used Squirt wax (from a bottle) for a couple of weeks now and it finally kinda worked. My Giant TCR comes with a KMC chain and they are notorious for their factory grease. I had to use quite extreme methods to remove that, otherwise the wax wouldn't stick. I will probably use Silca in the future, as this seems to be super easy and clean.
It works perfectly, and is ECO friendly as well. And I don't need to go to the recycle park for chemical waist.
@@TheVorst Thanks! I'll definitely use that whenever I get a new chain,
I think having a $10 crockpot with wax in it ready to go is kinda easy too. What I think is the best part of this is the silca chain cleaner. No more process of using 3 different solvents to clean the chain. Which was pretty daunting. Just a few minutes, follow instructions and done. Then wax with your preferred wax. If someone wants less hassle and like 95% of the performance, then try flowerpower wax. From effeto Mariposa.
Going to this winter
Interesting been thinking of doing it but held off, currently using rock n roll lubes for years over ordinary chain lubes.
Frankly I just bought a banged and scratched pot for 2eu and use it to carry the wax and for putting it in the boiling water. It is less of an hassle than the bag.
I just use an old cooking pot and a thermometer for meat to check the wax temperature. No need to buy a new crock pot if youre not using the Silca stuff. In my case I just had the Molten Speed Wax laying around for years and now I finally use it. Works great but only use it for the "sunshine" bikes, not the cheap daily commuter or winter bike.
I’d like to do this and your video really does bring out the simplicity of it.
This may be a bit of a noob question but are you using a new quick link/master link every time you do this? I feel like this would end up costing as much as a new chain over time. Or are their links you can re-use several times before it’s end of life?
A search for the following will show you the reusable links ( usually 5 times )
zerofrictioncycling Master-Link-FAQ-Guide
The connex wipperman ones have unlimited uses and require no tools but get expensive at >9 speeds.
I like it, thank you, Bike Sauce! I've subscribed! :) First, Silca's biodegradable Ultimate Chain Stripper looks like an excellent extra investment. Effective chain cleaning was a hurdle for me. I had invested in a simple 1-quart crock pot; I found small "slow cooker liners" at Walmart, to match. I later finally got the Silca bag, then found their bag is boilable (bypassing the crock) AND the wax is re-usable. I'm about ready to do my first waxing hopefully this weekend. Next, your tip to hang the chain on the bent spoke (or wire) is an *excellent* idea!! On immersion timing, I had thought 24 hours in the crock pot was necessary, but your boiling times and cooling and cleaning excess looked much simpler = do you think they're as effective? Finally, if you're willing, would you do a follow-up video of your thoughts and/or results of effectiveness of riding efficiency, how many miles you can ride before that wax application wears off the chain, and any changes on short vs longer immersion times? -jc
That's a great video idea. I'd need some time to put it together and find a way to quantify the outputs, but thanks!
Awesome~!!!!!!!! How many minutes should I leave in a wax plastic bag???
You missed one of the most important thing, if some of that sweet wax will flake of and get into brake discs or caliper then you will be screwed. For re-waxing one could use saturated wax solution in extracted gasoline 2-3 drops per link and couple hours for solvent evaporate.
Use a bar or table leg to break the chain in. Run it back and forth like a handsaw for a bit and presto ur all set, no hurting ur hands to try and break the chain loose
I have a tiny crockpot that I use for this. I just left the chain in the wax for a few hours. Yes, now this crockpot becomes dedicated for this process, but I got it at Goodwill for $5, so 🤷.
That Silca wax is way better than using the paraffin wax I had been using. I just apply some of their super secret wax in the drip bottle occasionally to keep it "topped off". Definitely love not having a greasy chain any more.
Don't leave it in for hours! Waste of energy/money. 10 min. and its 100% waxed according to Silca.
Ted, I have not ever waxed a chain, but i am considering it. How can you tell that the Silca wax is way better than ordinary paraffin?
It’s not a better lube than paraffin, but it sticks better to your chain parts - especially on the inside, where it counts. This is because of additives, which you can also add yourself, however its a hassle to do so IMHO.@@billinhouston3291
@@billinhouston3291 because I've tried both. The paraffin wax lasted a few hundred miles before it was time to rewax. During that time I noticed that the was soft and actually held onto the dirt creating a gritty feeling that was most likely wearing away at the drivetrain. When I put on the Silca wax, it was hard. It was harder for me to peel off things that I had accidentally dripped the molten wax onto. Much more durable. After a season of both, I'm sold on the Silca wax and now all my lube that I used to use is used on bikes that I fix up for people. Sometimes I give leftover bottles of it away to friends who don't want to do the wax thing.
Thanks! @@teddgram
Wow, this really looks very simple and non-messy. Now all i need to get over is the price of Silca products, but i guess it's well worth it, if one can afford.
I'm with you on the sticker shock with Silca, but waxing is a money saver - the drive train longevity is amazing. I have about 12000km/8000 miles on my chain, and still within the wear limits. When you extend this to cassette and chain ring wear, the savings are huge.
You can make your own;
1lb paraffin pellets (Hobby Lobby)
3 ozs Triflow (amazon)
1tsp heaping tfle powder (amazon)
$5 goodwill crockpot
Melt and mix well.
Immerse the chain and stir around-flip it-stir-repeat for 5 minutes or no more air bubbles.
@@awesomexistence what is the purpose of the triflow in your mixture? I'm a fan of it, and use it to lube my chains, but had not heard of people putting it into wax.
@@billinhouston3291, commercially available formulated wax lubes contain “proprietary formulations” of paraffin containing lubricants both being petroleum based and ptfe is commonly added. Additives thin the viscosity of paraffin allowing better penetration of chains.
Triflow had previously been my “go to” lubricant and served me well so I prefer it as an additive and it contains ptfe. I have no scientific evidence behind my mix but I have doubled the life of my chains (12,000 miles+) using my mix.
@@billinhouston3291, commercially available wax is a proprietary mix containing petroleum based additives to thin the viscosity of paraffin helping penetration into the chain. Triflow was my go to lubricant prior to wax and served me well for many years so I prefer it now as an additive. I have no scientific evidence and just the experience of 12,000miles+ on my last chain using my own mix.
After the initial chain treatment, to periodically treat my chain I scrape flakes of my “proprietary”mix from the cold hardened mix, put that into a small squeeze bottle 1/3 full, then add 90% isopropyl alcohol. Melt the mixture by setting the squeeze bottle in a cup of water and microwave until near boiling, shake well to blend, and immediately apply by dripping onto each chain link. 4oz bottle will last about 3 treatments.
I “drive” the drip mix into the chain with a hair dryer. This whole drip process of treatment takes about 15 minutes but saves the big mix chain off re immersion treatments.
Always watched videos on how to do this. Some called for kerosene and other chemicals not apartment friendly, and it seemed like too much trouble. This method looks 1000% easier. Thank you. I am interested in a follow-up video on your thoughts. Is wax just hype or worth it?
Definitely on the list, but so far, it’s been nice. Drivetrain is silent. Chain stays clean. No more grease, etc
Trust me - if you do this you will never even consider going back. Get 2 or 3 new chains to rotate between re-waxing - makes it much less time consuming. Happy cycling!
Totally worth it. Cleaner, quieter, smoother, less maintenance and your chain will last a lot longer. I'm getting 10,000 miles from a chain now where I was only getting maybe 3000 with a good oil-based lube.
Would you reuse the wax in the bag for further applications or is it toasted after being heat cycled?
You reuse over and over again until there's no enough left. Any dirt that gets introduced just settles to the bottom
Hypothetical:
a) I successfully strip and wax a chain. Top it off every ~100 miles or so using the liquid wax.
b) I ride the waxed (and topped-off) chain for whatever the 'appropriate' amount of miles are.
c) When it gets to the point for a re-wax, would I go through the process of stripping the existing wax? Or would I rinse with water, do a light cleaning and just do another wax bath over this existing coat of wax?
Thanks!
You don't need to deep strip the wax. If your chain has gone through mud and rain do maybe 3 boiling flush cleans of about 250ml a time. The first flush will warm the chain and melt the wax and the other 2 strip most of the dirt out. Do this in an open container and wear eye and hand protection.
If you only ride in the dry with not much dust you can just wipe the chain with a microfibre cloth with some isopropanol to help lift the surface dust off. Then rewax back in the pot.
You must dry the chain well before rewaxing as water will stop wax sticking to the chain metal. A couple of minutes under a hair dryer or on the washing line for an hour will help. I submerge and shake my chains in methanol for a minute or so before doing this ( methylated spirits is a suitable substitute ) . It just helps pull any water out and speeds drying up. As long as you store it in an airtight container you can reuse it many times.
I am assuming your initial wax is immersive and not drip and it is paraffin wax.
I've found that for me, hot waxing is unnecessary. I use Silca SS drip wax. I get in excess of 10,000 miles from a chain, which is to me, cost effective enough to skip the hot wax. I don't need to remove the chain a bunch, which is also a benefit. I do all road riding in dry conditions with no sand, so your mileage may vary. I do a thorough cleaning of the chain every 5,000 miles but just wipe it down prior to the application of the Silca SS drip wax. For context, a 4oz bottle lasts me almost 5,000 miles, I think. Boiling water, then shaking the chain in a jar containing rubbing alcohol seems to do the trick at the 5k cleaning mark. Drive train is super clean. I previously used Rock N Roll Gold but that left the drive train VERY dirty. 👍
I got the Cyclowax kit, a bit expensive, but really intergrated and long term potentially less faff. Have to say I am impressed, however I do not know if I want to go whole hog and wax the winter bike chain too 🤔 I have read that you have to rewax when you cycle in wet / raining conditions, which will be most often during the winter here (Ireland).
Right. The recommendation now seems to be was first, then apply a normal wet lube after a couple hundred miles in nastier conditions
@@TheBikeSauce Please never use an oil based lube on a waxed chain. Otherwise, you need to fully clean/degrease the chain and drivetrain again. But you can top-off with a liquid wax.
Hit us up if you want to test the Starter Kit!
@@cyclowax_support agree it’s not ideal, but it’s the official Silca recommendation when wax is not available
I believe Silca say to use a *wax-based* drip lube (namely their super secret drip lube).
Do not use normal (oil based) lube and then put in your wax pot! You will need to degrease first.
Right, no one’s saying lube with oil then wax. Recent marginal gains podcast was talking about super long endurance rides. Riders start the race with a fresh waxed chain, but after 200miles or so, the effects can start to diminish. At that point, the recommendation is to drip a regular wet lube on top to get through the race, which is better than nothing
Big Question though:
Can you re-use a master link? Can we just pop it off, re -wax chain and re -install? (lot's of re's there)
Shimano and SRAM etc. quick links are not made to be reused, however some have luck using them maybe 5-10 times before recycling them as metal waste.
HOWEVER, as someone else has already remarked here in the comments: You can buy the Wippermann Connex quicklinks that can be fitted by hand and lasts (at least) as long as the chain. Just make sure to position it the right way when mounting (the “banana” shape must follow the curve of the cassette).
Try it. It has been a game changer for me, also just to make it much easier to clean the rest of the drivetrain with the chain off the bike.
Its easy to hear when quick link does not "click" any longer. I get 7 to 10 times with mine before I chicken out and change. 😁
Does the leftover wax melt well if you wanted to wax another chain?
Yes.
How often do you need to re apply the wax and how many applications is the bag good for?
300 for first re-wax and afterwards every 500 km. Silca says around 50 "dips" - I wrote to ask - I think its probably more than that looking at my own 5 chains and still using the first bag. Worth every penny as it saves your drive train which is much more expensive.
Ones you use to Silca wax you will never to back to traditional lube. Great and cheap upgrade to your bike and drivetrain
Just tried this, and it was a really simple process. Thanks for the recommendation.
A lot of the reviews for the wax on the Silca website have indicated that the bag split or failed when using this method. So be very careful.
I've watched a couple of videos on the benefits of waxing and I'm thinking of giving it a go. I feel the cheapest and easiest way to do this would be buy some ptfe powder, cheap candles, and aluminium disposable food containers.
Does anyone wax mountain bike chains too? I'm wondering if it would actually work out less maintenance for a more efficient chain. From what I've read the process only needs to be carried out every 200 miles / 320 km.
Not worth the effort to make your own IMHO. Silca makes a great, proven product. Enjoy the huge savings on chains and especially your drive train and rest assured that bag of wax will last you "forever". I'm doing 5 wax chains and there's hardly a dent from my first bag of wax.
I make my own;
Paraffin pellets 1lb (Hobby Lobby)
Triflow 3ozs
Tfle powder (amazon)
$5 small crockpot (goodwill)
Make a drip bottle for periodic retreats;
4oz squeeze bottle
1/4-1/3 full of same mix scraped from cold mix of Same mix as above.
90-95% Isopropyl alcohol to fill the bottle.
Suspend the bottle in a cup of boiling water till the wax melts, shake well and apply to chain immediately with chain on the bike. Use a hairdryer to drive it into the links. 15 minutes total retreat time.
Pre Cleaning the chain is paramount for the initial treatment even if it’s new!
Do you think you could fit 2 chains in the bag at the same time?
You can easily. 3 is difficult but doable if you are desperate. 😅
I’m skeptical of Silca’s chain stripper and how biodegradable (or safe to pour down the drain) it is. How can it be so effective when other more harsher solvents require so many steps of agitation in fresh chemicals? Even Simple Green Aerospace requires a few rounds to completely degreaser a new chain.
Anyway, I’m one of the suckers that got into waxing years ago and have the ultrasonic cleaner plus crockpot. I think the best way is to just buy a pre-waxed chain from Silca or ZFC and top off with drip wax.
check the SDS, 100% do not put down the drain. also it is contaminated with everything from the chain.
the big question is how long does it last compared to not waxing it? I have been going 2 seasons on a chain thats seems to be fine
Buy a chain measure tool. The key is to protect your drive train as its very expensive. Zero friction cycling have videos that will convince you - check them out!
You can measure with a ruler or tape; 12” ctr to ctr is new and 1/32” or more is worn out.
Waxing beats any lube by far. And Silca instant stripper makes it simple. I rotate three chains - so only re-wax every 1.500 km. Much cheaper too as it saves your drive train. No wear so far with the chain measure. The 3 chains and drive train will outlast my gravel bike at this rate! I stripped the 3 the hard way. Once the instant stripper came I got a few of these sets for my friends and we did 8 chains together in a couple of hours (including cleaning the drive trains, stripping, waxing, "breaking" and remounting). Only have 2 chains on my new road bike btw as waxed chains are "indestructible" if you do not ride in serious grime.
I like how people talk about waxing being cheaper while it's only rich roadies who wax chains... why would a rich roadie care about saving money?
You don’t know a lot about road bikes it seems.@@difflocktwo
@@meibing4912 I know they're a UCI abomination for rich kids.
@@difflocktwo as I said - you don't know a lot. There's a great docu on Vingegaard - the twice TDF winner who used to work in a fish factory. You should see it one day.
My method: degreaser (parts cleaner liquid) // Squirt. Lasts anywhere from 150 to 500 km. I use it on all my bikes and don’t stress too much about the process. I use follow the durianrider philosophy: it doesn’t have to be sterile, it’s a freaking bike chain….
But your drive train is not just a chain - it costs a lot. I'd be more careful of the first cleaning. YMMV.
The factory greese and oil from the chain is probably NOT biodegradable. So its not safe to just pour it away. The best would be if there are ungreased or prewaxed chains to buy.
I use jar with ordinary wax, and just immerse it into boiling water. Same effect, zero cost (just buy some candles).
Candles can contain stearic acid or oils. This can make the wax flakey and not stick to the chain metal well or soft so dirt will want to stick to it. For DIY your much better off buying food grade wax from a reputable source. Even then it may not have the correct properties for your climate which is why the commercial products like Silcas use blends of highly refined waxes.
One question, is the wax reusable?
Yes just wipe as much off the chain as you can before you reinsert. Using the same wax last 2 seasons.
Yep. I dumped 3 bags in an old crock pot and use it over and over. I have a few spare chains and when I put the last clean one on I re-dip all the dirty ones. That way I'm always ready to go.
Dumb non-waxer question: can you re-use/re-melt the Silca wax? And if so, how many waxings will that bag yield? Thanks.
not sure how many waxes I'll get, but the bag is certainly reusable. I've done 3 chains so far.
Silca wrote around 50x to me. I think that easily sticks based on my experience. Its difficult for them to say 100% because some people reduce the temp before pulling out and this may leave a lot of excess wax on the chain. However, Silca says there no reason not to lift the chain up "hot" and let the excess run off. You can find waxers on youtube who claim that letting the wax "cool" will keep more wax inside the chain - that will of course deplete you bag faster.
A great video and a super great idea with the bag. However, the importance of completely stripping all of the factory grease on a new chain or oils from a used chain, couldn't be
emphasized enough. The darkness of the melted wax in your bag, shows that the Silca Chain Stripper didn't do the job after two cleans. Perhaps it required several more cleans
before the waxing process in the bag. A great bag idea nevertheless.
I think I could've gotten the chain more clean, but the wax in the bag starts black. The melted wax is black from start to finish.
Anyone recommend waxing chain on MTB?!
Sure, no reason not to
🎉
lol, I did this like fifteen years ago.
I have to comment about the color of the chain wax while it was in the bag and the wax was completely melted. It appears the wax is gray, which in my mind is not clean. Not sure if that is the normal color, but it looks like a grimy dirty chain color. Having said that, I believe that the process of completely cleaning the chain is the most cumbersome and time-consuming tasks when prepping the chain for the wax. Not criticizing, but I believe it takes at least two or three times, or more to completely get the original chain solvents removed. If you dry the chain and rub your finger on it, there should not be any residue or discoloration on your finger, which indicates the chain should be as close to completely void of the original solvent. Also, I believe that regular paraffin wax that is high quality is the best wax for a chain. Paraffin is less expensive and easy to use in MHO. Forgot to add that PFTE should also be added with the paraffin wax.
The wax color is dark to begin with. I believe it’s the tungsten disulfide, but it could be something else.
Are you watching my google metrics?? How did you know I was looking at chain wax this weekend?? 😂😂
Always watching.. 😆
Biodegradable sure but you really gonna drop chain grease down your house sink??
What do you do with the residue when you wash your greasy bike and drive train components?
This! The cleaner may he biodegradable but that doesn't make the resulting liquid safe for pouring down the drain. Fortunately, the small quantity required should allow you to collect quite a few cycles worth in a small container to eventually properly dispose of.
I’m a bike mechanic and I own 12 bikes that all get ridden fairly often. Some I wax the chains, some I lube the chain with TriFlow, and some I do nothing but leave the manufacturer lube on & refresh occasionally. I can honestly say I see no difference in wear & tear on the chains or components. I believe it’s all marketing hype. Which is cool. As long as you are maintaining & servicing your bike & components somehow, you should be good. You do you!
The difference in noise between a waxed and lubed chain is night and day. More noise = more wear. I don't need to see wear which happens over 1000's of miles to know it's better.
Fortunately, we have Adam @zerofrictioncycling992, who in his very thorough tests has shown that the difference in drivetrain longevity can be HUGE depending on the lubricant used. I recommend relying on data, not impressions!
@@fa1coner you will only encounter chain noise if you have a cheap rd and cassette like Deore for example. I don’t wax my chain and I don’t hear any noise coming out while pedaling. I have Force 1 mech, Rival AXS and GX AXS.
@madzonic16 I run ultegra or grx so definitely not budget options, with kmc chains and yes you can hear chain noise. Not a lot granted, but yes you can notice the difference between lube and wax.
I wish I’d known this months ago, I’d skip the crockpot. Thanks.
To be honest, I don't see what's "easy" about this method. It is easier to do it in a slow cooker - no need to worry about the plastic bag falling over or wax spilling around. Soft plastic bag in general is a bit hard to handle. I think the original method in a slow cooker is the best one. The only "difficult" part is finding the place to store the slow cooker, but you need space to store wax anyway, so why not store it in there?
My experience: I think the biggest problem is wax contamination from the chain. You would not want to clean the chain with chemicals every time you re-wax it, time consuming plus chemical residue may prevent stiction of the wax to the chain. So then you are left with boiling water method, which still leaves some contaminants on the chain when you drip it. Naturally, the wax would take the contaminants away, but eventually will become so contaminated that it will lose it's cleaning and lubrication abilities. My solution to that is to use the minimal amount of wax so that the contaminated batch could be replaced more frequently, plus possibly use two slow cookers - first drip for cleaning the chain and second for final lubrication with the wax. Cleaning can be done with any cheap paraffin wax.
Most contaminents (99%) will drop to the bottom as the wax molecules are so small. Just let them settle as the temp drops. You can then "lift" the wax from your pot and "shave" anything off the bottom. I looked once after a while and there's so little in mine that I don't care. I do the boiling water thing with a drop of detergent. YMMV.
@@meibing4912 Yes, thought about that. But if you shave off contaminants from the bottom of the solid wax you will also lose additves (Tungsten disulfide, PTFE etc).
Don't think so as its bound into the wax - otherwise Silca would recommend you to stir the mix. @@Hard_Work_Is_Rewarding
@@meibing4912 Tungsten Disulphide does make it's way to the bottom of the pot. It has a density of 7.5 g/cm3 which is close to that of steel. The wax has a density of about 1/10th of that.
No bags for me. Slow cooker is the best in my opinion and it is cheaper.
WIFE: Honey what are you cooking? What is that smell?!
ME: Uhm; It’s a new recipe…😬
😆
I think this method is for people with little patience, who are okay with wasting their money on over-priced products. Perhaps people who, while out riding, would never repair a puncture with a bike pump...as one self-absorbed bike shop owner once said to me, "No one uses bike pumps any more"...of which I said, "I do", of which he had no response.
Convenience is not free...and is typicaly expensive.
I bought an old electic fry pan for a few bucks.
The waxing is done in my tool room.
I have a three step cleaning process ( as per YT's Oz Cycle), using petrol, bio-degradable degreaser, and lastly, iso alcohol.
I clean and wax while doing other things, thus zero concern about how long it takes.
My priority is a good clean and wax, without costing me an arm and leg each time.
I’ve got patience and I don’t like wasting money. I also don’t like wasting time, which to me has become more valuable than money. I also use a floor pump. Call my a mystery 😆