Excellent video! I'm jumping on the waxing train and have watched about a dozen videos and yours is easily the most complete with easy to understand explanations and not a lot of hype. Love that you show exactly how to build your own waxing station - wish I would've seen this before pulling the trigger on one of those $99 Silca waxing systems; yours looks exactly the same, maybe even a bit sturdier. Keep up the great work!
This is amazing advice! I come back to your channel every now and then to discover your latest enhancements. I’ve been waxing my chains for a couple years now, and I love it! Thanks a lot for sharing.
I watched your first video about waxing and tried it on and off without being a fan. Then the "absolute clean" chain before waxing made a difference but not totally convincing since a waxed chain ended up being a squeaky chain after a 100K dirt road ride. So I went back to oil. Then I found out the KMC chains I thought were good have a coating that wax doesn't adhere to so much. So then it was basic Shimano hg chain, clean, clean, clean and wax. Since I was setup for chain waxing I rewaxed every 3-4 weeks or after a couple of wet days. Nearly 8,000K's later the Park tool chain gauge dropped in at .75. Very impressed. Now a total convert primarily thanks to Steve and these videos.
@@andyboxish4436 Certain KMC chains don't have it. I watched a video where a guy put coupled half a Shimano hg and KMC basic chain on his mtb. Using oil at that time the HG chain wore much faster. I still use KMC or YBN when I can get them.
Love it! Just a few basic hand tools and a trip down to the local hardware store. Keep up the great work everyone should be waxing their chain love your videos
I remember hearing about waxing chains way back in the 80's but it was your videos that I came across a few years ago and finally made the plunge and have never looked back. In terms of total time spent waxing the chain and never needing to de-grease the rest of the drive train I'm already far ahead and my chains and everything else lasts longer. Just tonight while I was working on other non bike tasks I plugged in my little crock pot and once up to temp I removed the chain, gave it a very quick clean and popped it into the wax. Once I was done my other chores I pulled the chain out, turned off the crock pot and re-installed the chain. The total amount spent on working on the chain once the wax was up to temp was at most 2 minutes and now I should be good for a couple weeks or more as it's been quite rainy here for Alberta Canada so I thought it was about time.
I recently found your channel and love the fact that you are from South Australia and ride a lot of the roads that I used to ride and race on in the late 80s (formerly from Myponga). I used to wax my chains back then and am about to re-start waxing the chains of my bikes again. Thanks for the channel :)
Absolute hero to cyclist everywhere. I have no idea how I first ran into your original waxing video but following your advice changed everything. All my bikes, even my e-bike are on waxed chains. The non-greasy hands alone is a good enough benefit
i did exactly same mate tried it as experiment on vintage road bike id restored coz only 7 speed chain really cheap to replace and loved it so did it on mountain bikes too id never go back oiling chains now
id like know how it works on e bikes im just about buy bafang mid drive for specialized stumpjumper to use as commuter please respond let me know how it is
This man is a complete scum bag and is no ‘hero’ of mine. He was convicted of kidnapping his neighbours dog before returning a few days later and murdering it. Disgusting excuse for a human being
I like the chain hanger. I've been using my repair stand, but the added convenience seems very worthwhile to go to the trouble to make something more portable.
Thanx very much for Your explanation and the easy waxing stand you have constructed. What I changed from your recipe is that I heat up the cleaned chain with a heat gun before I put it into the hot wax, this reduces or avoids a temperature drop of the wax when you put in the chain that is much cooler than the wax itself. I believe that this helps penetration of the liquid wax into the small rollers of the chain and you don't have to leave the chain as long in the wax to make the wax penetrate everywhere. After taking out the waxed chain I hang it up and help again with the heat gun to let the wax penetrate and let drip off the excessive wax on the chain. Thanx again and keep on rolling. Kind regards from Switzerland!
Regular guys still riding bikes with derailleurs are like guys with 60's era Jaguars who LOVE to work on them. While the Jaguar XKE lover is adjusting his vales every 6 months the derailleur lover is adjusting his cables and springs, cleaning and waxing his chain monthly. I got over that when I bought a Turi from Priority Bicycles in Manhattan 3 years ago. It uses a Gates toothed belt, not unlike the toothed belt on many automobile engines that are used to drive the camshaft or motorcycles to drive their rear axles. The rear axle is an Enviolo 300, aka NuVinci with a 300% ratio. I put 7000 miles (11265.41 Km) on mine before it started to make a creaking sound because the plastic cog had a tiny bit of cupping on the torque side of the teeth that was silenced with a bit of corn starch. Rain or shine, all I've had to do with my Turi is wash it. Rainy conditions actually wash off the belt, cleaning the cogs as well. I've never gotten grease (or wax) on my pants or on the upholstery in my car. I loved it so much I got a 600 from them last May. It uses the same drive belt system only it has a Pinion 12 speed gearbox on the crankset that has a 600% ratio. I still have my old Schwinn Le Tour hanging up in my garage, and I remember how much time I spent fixing and adjusting it, but unless I get an offer from somebody to buy it, that's where it's going to stay. Like any prisoner who has escaped, I'm NEVER going back to those chains.
This is a great video. You explain the process very well. I just made my first attempt and it went well except my pot only got up to 70C. The PTFE feels very slippery
Such an educational video! The number one reason for me to wax is water pollution. A drop of mineral oil can contaminate 600-1000l of water. So all the nice shots of gravel riders going through rivers... well tens of thousands of liters contaminated. Same when going through heavy rain. Also lots of waste water when chain cleaning. So waxing in that regard is way better - and apparently saves the drive train as well.
I’m using his recipe for more than 2 years. I’m happy with the performance of my drive train. Though I’m planning to go back using oil lubes due to availability of ingredients and weekly preparations.
Great advice! The only thing I have been doing different is not letting the chain cool off. I just install hot and let it cool as I run the chain through the gears on the stand ( or just ride around the driveway for the few minutes it takes to cool. Much more to the point. It can be a hassle to thread the chain through the rear derailleur so next time I plan on installing an old chain first without the master link and then just hook up the hot chain to the old chain and just pull it through.
Good idea but the problem is by doing this the wax barrier between the metal sliding surfaces will thin out. This reduces the usability between rewaxing.
Perfect video! I changed because of you and its a life (chain) saver. Also mixed graphite powder (very fine for lubrication) into it, it improves the performance threefold, especially in wet conditions (just rag your chain often and get it your room to dry). I put the waxchain into boiling water and swirl it around. I use wax melter like yours with a little water in the bottom and do a lot of chains in row. I use it for cables too, its the best. For bearings i mix up graphite with simple grease, they last! Instead of throwing the wax away you could scrape off the dirt on the bottom if it has settled down and became solid.
Could you help me by telling the ratio of paraffin and graphite powder? I don't want to use PTFE since is hard to get and very toxic. Thanks in advance.
Of course. You can put very much in it. When the wax is gone, the graphite will lubricate instead of the wax. The wax should stay liquid, because it has to get into the links. My guess is that 1/2 is ok, just see for yourself. You cant to much wrong here, just make sure you have very fine powder for lubrication purposes. Choose the finest powder available. If its flaky or something, its not fine enough.@@ssenssel
Thanks Steve for the testing and advice since your first video Ive never looked back , Trial and tested ,,,,,,,waxing is the way Thanks for such good info and videos.
I'm running two waxed chains, one on the bike and the other waiting to be waxed when I have the time. They've done >11,000 km between them and the stretch gauge still shows under 0.5%. The cassette, chain rings & derailleurs have done >11 thou as well and everything's running smoothly. At present I swap chains and re-lube every 700 km. I have run one chain up to 1000 just to see how it would go but over 950 it got rattly and the front derailleur got a bit cantankerous. Waxed according to your method, of course, for which many thanks. As an aside, I get my paraffin wax for nothing. Every year the village council distributes a nice thick candle to burn in a window on Christmas Eve. Might actually do that this year because the wax bath is full ATM.
love waxing followed your first vid on waxing iv waxed all my chains ever since thank you for your info and if people say its not water resistant i live in wettest part uk and it works great on my road bike and my mountain bikes
Sir, you were the inspection, once I've done it, I can never go back to the oils again. I never been faster nor smoother, people who hasn't experienced it yet won't know what are they missing out.
Steve, I want to congrat you for the amazing job you've done through all these years for all cycling enthusiasts around the globe (I'm from Portugal :D).
Btw, Steve, the formula for the wet wax is Paraffin + PTFE + Paraffin oil? Or is it Paraffin + PTFE + Benzine (because I can't find Shellite in Europe). ?
I had researched various chain lubes and decided waxing was the way to go. The first time I tried it it was a very lumpy mass until I found your original video about adding paraffin to thin down the mixture. Your latest video with the waxing stand and chain hanger is going to be an excellent improvement to wrestling with a full length chain while trying to hang it up. Thank you.
Steve, you are a legend ! I started waxing shortly after your first CZcams posts a few years back and never looked back. I have 2 chains per bike that I swap which helps to do it more frequently, especially every time after a wet or muddy ride (mountain bike, road or gravel bike alike). I can't find Connex links for 12 speed chains though... Also great tip about reducing the proportion of PTFE after the initial batch, the learning never stops 👌👍. Many many thanks from Belgium!
I truly admire your engagement in something such unimportant as chain waxing 🙂 No sarcasm here, I have converted recently and enjoying clean chain in my bike. And whole hassle in preparations? Well, it turned into a kind of ritual every other week (as I wax and rotate two chains). Cheers 👍
Thank you! Add PTFE is interesting idea! Also, beeswax can be added to improve adhesion. The missing link also needs to be lubricated. I do this after the chain is put on, I dip part of the chain with the lock into a cup with melted paraffin.
Im a convert , i have been using this method for a couple of years now and never looked back. Im currently running 3x chains and waxing them as a bundle . My idea is using cycling through the 3 chains will give even wear on the chains and cassette , and at the end of the chains life it will be time for a new cassette .
Exhaustive guide on how to come over to Wax Side! If I'd be running those $50+ chains I'd definitely join you. Otherwise, I just comfort myself putting oil drops on rollers instead of updating diary with "July 28, 2023 and I'm addicted to bikes, cycling and stuff".
Hi Steven, I'm subscribed to your CZcams channel and watching all your bike videos. thank you so much for all your DIY videos especially the ones on making your own chain waxes as the good factory waxes plus shipping, duties, taxes is way more then I can afford in retirement. I made the switch to chain waxing last night following all your great video info. My question is how do you remove the wax from the pan after it cools? I used one of my wife's 2.5 ltr casserole bowl and would like to keep in her good graces by cleaning out her bowl 😅 Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Steven and hope you keep up the great work you have been doing for many years to come JP
Glad you like the vids 😁. You can pour out then wipe with paper towel the bowl whilst it's hot. Or if the bowl separates from the cooker turn it upside-down and give it a few bashes on a rag or towel whilst bowl is cold.
It would be preferable to make a short u-bend on the horizontal piece of that chain stand so that the chain does not easily slide off and down the back;) Good explanation! Thanks!
I think the chain and drivetrain are in such good condition after all those km is that the bike is ridden in dry aussie conditions on nice roads. Unlike here in the UK where country roads have all manner of junk and we ride 12 months of the year! The conditions are a big factor. But I like the video! :)
Followed your instructions Steve and it has been fantastic. Very smooth and quiet drive train however i am having rust spots appearing on my chains. Mixed up a batch with some paraffin oil today, see how that goes. Also applying the liquid mix often to maintain the exposed surfaces might help ? Been a couple of years but still learning, could never go back to a sticky black chain 😱
@@stevenleffanue Or, better, dry it off with a blower? :) Would a silicone spray affect the wax? Back when I haven't heard of chain waxing, we used silicone spray after drying washed chains prior to storing to protect against moisture, and we applied lube the night before the next ride. I'm wondering if I can spray it on the waxed chain after a ride (and after wiping off some superficial dirt). What are your thoughts on this?
Sensational. I started doing it some time ago and since then I only use this wax on my bicycle chains. This smaller pot idea is very interesting, but I keep making it in a larger pot using twice the amount and with that I can make at least 2 chains at a time. Last but not least I have a question: In the video "Ultimate Chain wax - make it yourself", you instruct us to keep the chain for 15 minutes in the wax and now you instruct us to keep it for 30 minutes. How long does it take to lubricate the chain anyway? Once again, congratulations on your work and thank you for sharing with us. From Brazil, Aurelio
For a water-resistant chain, you can add engine oil to the paraffin in different proportions; they’re completely miscible. This is the old-school recipe that goes back to the 1990’s (we used double boilers then because these excellent cheap crock pots didn’t exist). Dry paraffin just doesn’t cut it in terms of corrosion protection in my conditions. I use engine additive oil (sold under her brand name “STP” here in the US)-this product contains a high dose of ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate), which is an anti-wear oil additive used to reduce wear on the engine timing chain, etc. ZDDP reacts with the steel surface to produce a phosphate tribofilm on the wear surfaces. To make the wax more tacky so it makes a film on the outside of the chain, add a small amount of beeswax.
always grateful for more content. I've been waxing from your videos for about a year now, but I just did a triathlon that was super rainy during the bike portion and had to throw my bike in my car for awhile while driving home. After pulling my bike out of my car, I noticed some slight rusting on my chain. Any tips on how to clean this rust off without having to do a full chemical clean or should I do a full clean and rewax?
The rust will be superficial so carry on with boiling water and rewax. If you want to completely get rid of the rust use a rust removal chemical ,rinse with water then rewax.
I had the same problem - I just scrubbed off the rust with a green nylon scourer, rinsed chain well with boiling water then rewaxed. I’d be reluctant to use a rust removal chemical due to the potential to cause hydrogen embrittlement to the chain links- breaking a (weakened) chain under power is not fun.
Having made a liquid wax lubricant to use in between hot vat waxing, I find that the liquid congeals in the bottle at colder temperatures. That can be a problem in the winters here in Northeast US. My solution is to put the bottle in a container with warm water, occasionally shaking it till the liquid thins and flows easily. However, when applying the warm liquid to a cold chain it causes the wax to harden on the chain, so my solution for that is to warm the chain using a hair dryer before applying the liquid. Experimenting with temperatures, you'll find you can get the wax to flow into the rollers before setting up. The cooler temps can actually work in your favor. Thanks for all your waxing tips!
I am a believer in chain waxing, and did use your method (parafin mixed with ptfe) initially. However, I had some problems with corrosion on the chain after occasionally riding in wet conditions. Now I am using the MSW which is marginally dirtier, but overall provides better corrosion protection and is more durable, you don't need to wax it as often.
one advice, you can skip slow cooker. Just use jar with wax and immerse, half of it in the boiling water. Then when melted put chain into jar.Wax melting temp is around 80C. This way you don't contaminate any kitchen dishes and you don't need slow cooker.
after I started use wax, my chain lasts a lot, now it has more than 15,000km and still good, I use this last wax cooker, very supper mega ultra power.😃😁😎🥳🤠👍👍👍
Ive been using a 15 year old can of castrol moto chain wax , chain still feels great shifting is great evwn after about 4 months of commuting Ill try a proper wax someday soon , after gettig all the tools needed to properly disasemnley drivetrain
I am using this method for some time now and I am strugling with lubricating direarioul wheels and avoiding contamination of the chain at the same time.
You can take it out at a lower temperature but doesn't seem to make much difference with performance. If riding in wet muddy conditions it would be good to take it out at lower temperature to retain more wax on the outside of the chain.
Six months ago I switched like a bee to wax. Yes, the chain looks like from a store, it doesn't get dirty BUT it wouldn't hurt to compare the resistance and friction on Shimano on oil with the same performance on wax. In the heat or at professional speeds, probably even cold-pressed olive oil :-) It will not give advantages, but in the cold with oil you will see less friction. We need an experiment that is blind and randomized😊
Hey! I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended). Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk. Let it dry for a few hours. Apply once more. Let it dry. Go ride! I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?) Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike… I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
Great video so easy to follow your instructions, if using parrafin to make a wet lube do you still need to add the PTFE ? and will it attract dirt like wet lubes do?
Sweet video! I understand how to clean the chain and jockey wheels, but how do I go about cleaning the cassette and chainrings? Do I take them off`f the bike?
Hi Oz and big thx for keeping us Up to date with good information. I'm using a waxed Chain according your recommondation and Like it very much. Have you heard about the PTFE discussion from eg the European Union which might lead to an import Block. So nevertheless if it make sence but in case it will get blocked, can you recommend an alternative? Thx
Had my first ride last week on my waxed chain. Used the wax heater and it worked a treat. Do you know if the quick links you use can be used on SRAM flat top 12 speed chains?
Hi Oz, amazing video as usual! The waterproof wax, with paraffin, have you got any alternative to paraffin? Also, does it get more dirt sticking to it compared to uiur normal mix? Thanks, Alex
Wax is waterproof by nature. By adding paraffin oil to the wax it becomes a wet lube...better for riding in wet conditions. Without paraffin oil it attracts almost no dirt.
I've been chain waxing since I watched one of your first videos years ago. Great videos through the years. One thing I'm a bit confused on is the ptfe... following the initial dip, are you adding 3g to replenish the existing paraffin? Or are you making an entirely new batch? Discarding the original batch after only one dip?
New batch. Use 20:1 ratio for the initial dip (first waxing session of a chain). The 80:1 ratio (3g PTFE) is used for the succeeding waxing sessions/batches of the same chain/s (rewaxing).
i appreciate all the effort you are making this tuttorial and edit the video, but when i hear i need to rewax each 300km ride, basically every 2 weeks i need to redo all these process. looks like a lot work. but i've been enjoying all your videos! THIS CHANNEL ARE GREAT!!!
When using the DIY paraffin wet wax, it tends to leave a bit of dirt gum. How often should you change that out during the wet season. Presently I wipe the chain to dry and clean after every ride and reapply with your DIY bottle mix every ride for 300 km then redip? Or should I go through the strip and clean again every 300. Only during Winter riding this is.
Excellent video! I'm jumping on the waxing train and have watched about a dozen videos and yours is easily the most complete with easy to understand explanations and not a lot of hype. Love that you show exactly how to build your own waxing station - wish I would've seen this before pulling the trigger on one of those $99 Silca waxing systems; yours looks exactly the same, maybe even a bit sturdier. Keep up the great work!
I watched all of OZ's wax videos and love to see his evolution of recipes and techniques.
and me
And me😊
+1
Me too!
This is amazing advice! I come back to your channel every now and then to discover your latest enhancements. I’ve been waxing my chains for a couple years now, and I love it! Thanks a lot for sharing.
I watched your first video about waxing and tried it on and off without being a fan. Then the "absolute clean" chain before waxing made a difference but not totally convincing since a waxed chain ended up being a squeaky chain after a 100K dirt road ride. So I went back to oil. Then I found out the KMC chains I thought were good have a coating that wax doesn't adhere to so much. So then it was basic Shimano hg chain, clean, clean, clean and wax. Since I was setup for chain waxing I rewaxed every 3-4 weeks or after a couple of wet days. Nearly 8,000K's later the Park tool chain gauge dropped in at .75. Very impressed. Now a total convert primarily thanks to Steve and these videos.
I use KMC chains with wax and they work great for me
@@andyboxish4436 Certain KMC chains don't have it. I watched a video where a guy put coupled half a Shimano hg and KMC basic chain on his mtb. Using oil at that time the HG chain wore much faster. I still use KMC or YBN when I can get them.
Love it! Just a few basic hand tools and a trip down to the local hardware store. Keep up the great work everyone should be waxing their chain love your videos
I remember hearing about waxing chains way back in the 80's but it was your videos that I came across a few years ago and finally made the plunge and have never looked back. In terms of total time spent waxing the chain and never needing to de-grease the rest of the drive train I'm already far ahead and my chains and everything else lasts longer. Just tonight while I was working on other non bike tasks I plugged in my little crock pot and once up to temp I removed the chain, gave it a very quick clean and popped it into the wax. Once I was done my other chores I pulled the chain out, turned off the crock pot and re-installed the chain. The total amount spent on working on the chain once the wax was up to temp was at most 2 minutes and now I should be good for a couple weeks or more as it's been quite rainy here for Alberta Canada so I thought it was about time.
I recently found your channel and love the fact that you are from South Australia and ride a lot of the roads that I used to ride and race on in the late 80s (formerly from Myponga). I used to wax my chains back then and am about to re-start waxing the chains of my bikes again. Thanks for the channel :)
You prolly know me from racing back then... I was in Holdfast Bay- Marion club. Our coach was Jim Nestor.
Watched your video tutorial way back when on making and waxing chains and haven't looked back! Thank you and keep 'em coming. Enjoy your content Steve
Went waxing route years ago after watching your original video - never looked back, good stuff, thanks for sharing.
Loved the video, and really loved the idea for making chain wax set up. 🙌🏾❤️✌🏾
This is great! I'm sold! Thank you for the lesson.
Been using this formula for years. It works. Thanks OZ.
the best YT tips. your video about waxing chain change my life. life become more simple.
Great instructional video!!! I also watched the other one that covers the making of liquid wax chain lube. Perfect!
Absolute hero to cyclist everywhere. I have no idea how I first ran into your original waxing video but following your advice changed everything. All my bikes, even my e-bike are on waxed chains. The non-greasy hands alone is a good enough benefit
Nice to hear 🙂
i did exactly same mate tried it as experiment on vintage road bike id restored coz only 7 speed chain really cheap to replace and loved it so did it on mountain bikes too id never go back oiling chains now
id like know how it works on e bikes im just about buy bafang mid drive for specialized stumpjumper to use as commuter please respond let me know how it is
@@ianwilde1800 yeah its the exact same process. It last much longer than 300km though since it depends how much you pedal.
This man is a complete scum bag and is no ‘hero’ of mine. He was convicted of kidnapping his neighbours dog before returning a few days later and murdering it. Disgusting excuse for a human being
just done this today for the first time. cant wait to get it on my new gravel build and have hassle free riding!
When I was a kid my dad raced motorcycles and this was my job 40 years ago. It was a lot of fun waxing the motorcycle chains.
I like the chain hanger. I've been using my repair stand, but the added convenience seems very worthwhile to go to the trouble to make something more portable.
Thanx very much for Your explanation and the easy waxing stand you have constructed. What I changed from your recipe is that I heat up the cleaned chain with a heat gun before I put it into the hot wax, this reduces or avoids a temperature drop of the wax when you put in the chain that is much cooler than the wax itself. I believe that this helps penetration of the liquid wax into the small rollers of the chain and you don't have to leave the chain as long in the wax to make the wax penetrate everywhere. After taking out the waxed chain I hang it up and help again with the heat gun to let the wax penetrate and let drip off the excessive wax on the chain. Thanx again and keep on rolling. Kind regards from Switzerland!
I did this when oz first did his video. I have never looked back. Much obliged Mate!
You’ve sold me. Gonna give this a shot!
That was a cool bush bike at the end. I'm going to try the paraffin & Graphite method soon, we'll see how it goes. Thank you & Cheers.
Regular guys still riding bikes with derailleurs are like guys with 60's era Jaguars who LOVE to work on them. While the Jaguar XKE lover is adjusting his vales every 6 months the derailleur lover is adjusting his cables and springs, cleaning and waxing his chain monthly.
I got over that when I bought a Turi from Priority Bicycles in Manhattan 3 years ago. It uses a Gates toothed belt, not unlike the toothed belt on many automobile engines that are used to drive the camshaft or motorcycles to drive their rear axles. The rear axle is an Enviolo 300, aka NuVinci with a 300% ratio. I put 7000 miles (11265.41 Km) on mine before it started to make a creaking sound because the plastic cog had a tiny bit of cupping on the torque side of the teeth that was silenced with a bit of corn starch.
Rain or shine, all I've had to do with my Turi is wash it. Rainy conditions actually wash off the belt, cleaning the cogs as well. I've never gotten grease (or wax) on my pants or on the upholstery in my car. I loved it so much I got a 600 from them last May. It uses the same drive belt system only it has a Pinion 12 speed gearbox on the crankset that has a 600% ratio.
I still have my old Schwinn Le Tour hanging up in my garage, and I remember how much time I spent fixing and adjusting it, but unless I get an offer from somebody to buy it, that's where it's going to stay. Like any prisoner who has escaped, I'm NEVER going back to those chains.
Great video. Imma wax all my chains. Even non bikes ones.. Cheers from Brazil! 🚲🚲💛💛💚💚
This is a great video. You explain the process very well. I just made my first attempt and it went well except my pot only got up to 70C. The PTFE feels very slippery
Such an educational video! The number one reason for me to wax is water pollution. A drop of mineral oil can contaminate 600-1000l of water. So all the nice shots of gravel riders going through rivers... well tens of thousands of liters contaminated. Same when going through heavy rain. Also lots of waste water when chain cleaning. So waxing in that regard is way better - and apparently saves the drive train as well.
I’m using his recipe for more than 2 years. I’m happy with the performance of my drive train. Though I’m planning to go back using oil lubes due to availability of ingredients and weekly preparations.
Great advice!
The only thing I have been doing different is not letting the chain cool off. I just install hot and let it cool as I run the chain through the gears on the stand ( or just ride around the driveway for the few minutes it takes to cool. Much more to the point. It can be a hassle to thread the chain through the rear derailleur so next time I plan on installing an old chain first without the master link and then just hook up the hot chain to the old chain and just pull it through.
Good idea but the problem is by doing this the wax barrier between the metal sliding surfaces will thin out. This reduces the usability between rewaxing.
@@stevenleffanue It thins out anyway while riding
Perfect video! I changed because of you and its a life (chain) saver. Also mixed graphite powder (very fine for lubrication) into it, it improves the performance threefold, especially in wet conditions (just rag your chain often and get it your room to dry). I put the waxchain into boiling water and swirl it around. I use wax melter like yours with a little water in the bottom and do a lot of chains in row. I use it for cables too, its the best. For bearings i mix up graphite with simple grease, they last! Instead of throwing the wax away you could scrape off the dirt on the bottom if it has settled down and became solid.
Could you help me by telling the ratio of paraffin and graphite powder? I don't want to use PTFE since is hard to get and very toxic. Thanks in advance.
Of course. You can put very much in it. When the wax is gone, the graphite will lubricate instead of the wax. The wax should stay liquid, because it has to get into the links. My guess is that 1/2 is ok, just see for yourself. You cant to much wrong here, just make sure you have very fine powder for lubrication purposes. Choose the finest powder available. If its flaky or something, its not fine enough.@@ssenssel
Thank you! I’ll also gone use this tech for lubeing my cnc trapezoidal thread screw.
Thanks Steve for the testing and advice since your first video Ive never looked back , Trial and tested ,,,,,,,waxing is the way Thanks for such good info and videos.
You have tempted me over to the dark side of waxing. great tip with the ebay beauty wax pot, only cost $19 inc postage
Absolute legend steve !!!
Thanks for your tips and advice legend!
I'm running two waxed chains, one on the bike and the other waiting to be waxed when I have the time. They've done >11,000 km between them and the stretch gauge still shows under 0.5%. The cassette, chain rings & derailleurs have done >11 thou as well and everything's running smoothly. At present I swap chains and re-lube every 700 km. I have run one chain up to 1000 just to see how it would go but over 950 it got rattly and the front derailleur got a bit cantankerous. Waxed according to your method, of course, for which many thanks.
As an aside, I get my paraffin wax for nothing. Every year the village council distributes a nice thick candle to burn in a window on Christmas Eve. Might actually do that this year because the wax bath is full ATM.
Same here. Runs really well. I went back to oil on the commuter as rain is very common where I live.
love waxing followed your first vid on waxing iv waxed all my chains ever since thank you for your info and if people say its not water resistant i live in wettest part uk and it works great on my road bike and my mountain bikes
Love it! great tips!
Thank you.
More hints that make waxing an easy process.
Sir, you were the inspection, once I've done it, I can never go back to the oils again.
I never been faster nor smoother, people who hasn't experienced it yet won't know what are they missing out.
Steve, I want to congrat you for the amazing job you've done through all these years for all cycling enthusiasts around the globe (I'm from Portugal :D).
ditto: wales, uk
Btw, Steve, the formula for the wet wax is Paraffin + PTFE + Paraffin oil? Or is it Paraffin + PTFE + Benzine (because I can't find Shellite in Europe).
?
Paraffin wax , ptfe , Paraffin oil
thank you so much for the great Video. I’m starting to wax as well and i found great tips! Greetings from Germany.
Simple and super good. Never done that. Will try as the season is starting today for me 😂
I had researched various chain lubes and decided waxing was the way to go. The first time I tried it it was a very lumpy mass until I found your original video about adding paraffin to thin down the mixture. Your latest video with the waxing stand and chain hanger is going to be an excellent improvement to wrestling with a full length chain while trying to hang it up. Thank you.
Very good and instructive video 😊
Steve, you are a legend ! I started waxing shortly after your first CZcams posts a few years back and never looked back. I have 2 chains per bike that I swap which helps to do it more frequently, especially every time after a wet or muddy ride (mountain bike, road or gravel bike alike). I can't find Connex links for 12 speed chains though... Also great tip about reducing the proportion of PTFE after the initial batch, the learning never stops 👌👍. Many many thanks from Belgium!
Connex have not started making 12speed links yet....hopefully soon
@@stevenleffanue they seem to be available on Amazon now FYI!
Not ready for shipment till April 2024 tho.
I love it!
I truly admire your engagement in something such unimportant as chain waxing 🙂 No sarcasm here, I have converted recently and enjoying clean chain in my bike. And whole hassle in preparations? Well, it turned into a kind of ritual every other week (as I wax and rotate two chains). Cheers 👍
Everyone who ends up here is a devoted hobby-ist. We're all about the minute details, and waxing is the cherry on top of all of them :D
His whole procedure is too much. You can simply it by a lot.
Thank you!
Add PTFE is interesting idea!
Also, beeswax can be added to improve adhesion.
The missing link also needs to be lubricated. I do this after the chain is put on, I dip part of the chain with the lock into a cup with melted paraffin.
Bees wax presents a lot of stiction compared to paraffin. No need to wax the removable link but you can if you want.
Excellent! Thankyou
Thank you for the tips
I will do exactly as you say!!
Avoid the use of PTFE if you can - it's a well known pollutant.
Thanks for these videos
Im a convert , i have been using this method for a couple of years now and never looked back.
Im currently running 3x chains and waxing them as a bundle . My idea is using cycling through the 3 chains will give even wear on the chains and cassette , and at the end of the chains life it will be time for a new cassette .
I learnt how to do this from the old OZCycle video. its great, really recommend anyone thinking about doing it to make the switch
Exhaustive guide on how to come over to Wax Side! If I'd be running those $50+ chains I'd definitely join you. Otherwise, I just comfort myself putting oil drops on rollers instead of updating diary with "July 28, 2023 and I'm addicted to bikes, cycling and stuff".
Thank you for this very informative video.
Hi Steven, I'm subscribed to your CZcams channel and watching all your bike videos. thank you so much for all your DIY videos especially the ones on making your own chain waxes as the good factory waxes plus shipping, duties, taxes is way more then I can afford in retirement.
I made the switch to chain waxing last night following all your great video info.
My question is how do you remove the wax from the pan after it cools?
I used one of my wife's 2.5 ltr casserole bowl and would like to keep in her good graces by cleaning out her bowl 😅
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks Steven and hope you keep up the great work you have been doing for many years to come
JP
Glad you like the vids 😁. You can pour out then wipe with paper towel the bowl whilst it's hot. Or if the bowl separates from the cooker turn it upside-down and give it a few bashes on a rag or towel whilst bowl is cold.
It would be preferable to make a short u-bend on the horizontal piece of that chain stand so that the chain does not easily slide off and down the back;) Good explanation! Thanks!
Thank you verry much for sharing this!
I think the chain and drivetrain are in such good condition after all those km is that the bike is ridden in dry aussie conditions on nice roads. Unlike here in the UK where country roads have all manner of junk and we ride 12 months of the year! The conditions are a big factor. But I like the video! :)
We have wet winters here in southern Australia.
Followed your instructions Steve and it has been fantastic. Very smooth and quiet drive train however i am having rust spots appearing on my chains. Mixed up a batch with some paraffin oil today, see how that goes. Also applying the liquid mix often to maintain the exposed surfaces might help ? Been a couple of years but still learning, could never go back to a sticky black chain 😱
After riding in wet conditions quickly dry chain off with rag before storing your bike. This should stop the rust.
@@stevenleffanue Thanks Steve, I have never done that but I will in future.
@@stevenleffanue Or, better, dry it off with a blower? :)
Would a silicone spray affect the wax? Back when I haven't heard of chain waxing, we used silicone spray after drying washed chains prior to storing to protect against moisture, and we applied lube the night before the next ride. I'm wondering if I can spray it on the waxed chain after a ride (and after wiping off some superficial dirt). What are your thoughts on this?
After seeing your videos a few years ago and doing it. I can say this process is still the best for all the advantages you've said!
Consider me convinced. I will wax my chain now.
Nice one bro
Sensational.
I started doing it some time ago and since then I only use this wax on my bicycle chains. This smaller pot idea is very interesting, but I keep making it in a larger pot using twice the amount and with that I can make at least 2 chains at a time. Last but not least I have a question: In the video "Ultimate Chain wax - make it yourself", you instruct us to keep the chain for 15 minutes in the wax and now you instruct us to keep it for 30 minutes. How long does it take to lubricate the chain anyway?
Once again, congratulations on your work and thank you for sharing with us.
From Brazil,
Aurelio
Immerse until no more bubbles come out of the chain.
For a water-resistant chain, you can add engine oil to the paraffin in different proportions; they’re completely miscible. This is the old-school recipe that goes back to the 1990’s (we used double boilers then because these excellent cheap crock pots didn’t exist). Dry paraffin just doesn’t cut it in terms of corrosion protection in my conditions.
I use engine additive oil (sold under her brand name “STP” here in the US)-this product contains a high dose of ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate), which is an anti-wear oil additive used to reduce wear on the engine timing chain, etc. ZDDP reacts with the steel surface to produce a phosphate tribofilm on the wear surfaces.
To make the wax more tacky so it makes a film on the outside of the chain, add a small amount of beeswax.
Oil attracts dirt. Bees wax introduces high stiction.
always grateful for more content. I've been waxing from your videos for about a year now, but I just did a triathlon that was super rainy during the bike portion and had to throw my bike in my car for awhile while driving home. After pulling my bike out of my car, I noticed some slight rusting on my chain. Any tips on how to clean this rust off without having to do a full chemical clean or should I do a full clean and rewax?
The rust will be superficial so carry on with boiling water and rewax. If you want to completely get rid of the rust use a rust removal chemical ,rinse with water then rewax.
I had the same problem - I just scrubbed off the rust with a green nylon scourer, rinsed chain well with boiling water then rewaxed. I’d be reluctant to use a rust removal chemical due to the potential to cause hydrogen embrittlement to the chain links- breaking a (weakened) chain under power is not fun.
Having made a liquid wax lubricant to use in between hot vat waxing, I find that the liquid congeals in the bottle at colder temperatures. That can be a problem in the winters here in Northeast US. My solution is to put the bottle in a container with warm water, occasionally shaking it till the liquid thins and flows easily. However, when applying the warm liquid to a cold chain it causes the wax to harden on the chain, so my solution for that is to warm the chain using a hair dryer before applying the liquid. Experimenting with temperatures, you'll find you can get the wax to flow into the rollers before setting up. The cooler temps can actually work in your favor. Thanks for all your waxing tips!
I am a believer in chain waxing, and did use your method (parafin mixed with ptfe) initially. However, I had some problems with corrosion on the chain after occasionally riding in wet conditions.
Now I am using the MSW which is marginally dirtier, but overall provides better corrosion protection and is more durable, you don't need to wax it as often.
If riding in consistently wet conditions add paraffin oil to the wax at 1:1. This prevents corrosion.
What would MSW be? Being from Germany, I appreciate a little explanation for a non-native speaker...
@@leonlowenstadter9223 Molten speed wax... There are others of course that have good reputation, ie Silca secret chain etc
@@leonlowenstadter9223I believe it is referring to Molten Speed Wax
@@leonlowenstadter9223 Molten Speed Wax - a commercially available chain wax
one advice, you can skip slow cooker. Just use jar with wax and immerse, half of it in the boiling water. Then when melted put chain into jar.Wax melting temp is around 80C. This way you don't contaminate any kitchen dishes and you don't need slow cooker.
Very nice vid Oz. Thank you. 👍🏻
after I started use wax, my chain lasts a lot, now it has more than 15,000km and still good, I use this last wax cooker, very supper mega ultra power.😃😁😎🥳🤠👍👍👍
Added benefit, no dirty hands when fixing a rear flat tire.
This video and its title reminded me that "simple" and "easy" are two totally different things.
Ive been using a 15 year old can of castrol moto chain wax , chain still feels great shifting is great evwn after about 4 months of commuting
Ill try a proper wax someday soon , after gettig all the tools needed to properly disasemnley drivetrain
Oil is a mess
I am using this method for some time now and I am strugling with lubricating direarioul wheels and avoiding contamination of the chain at the same time.
Remove jockey wheels to service them then reinstall.
An old fondue pot that was used to melt cheese works well also.
Good one 👍
U are AWESOME .
I’ll be utilising my Dremel drill stand (base and upright) and a wire coat hanger doubled up.
Awesome video 💯%
Thanks for all of your maintenance videos. Keeping chains waxed has allowed me to find much fewer excuses to go out riding on any weather. Cheers!
nice one, good speedy update of ur older videos!
if we hang up the chain 95° hot, isnt there the chance that the wax is running off too much?
You can take it out at a lower temperature but doesn't seem to make much difference with performance. If riding in wet muddy conditions it would be good to take it out at lower temperature to retain more wax on the outside of the chain.
Six months ago I switched like a bee to wax. Yes, the chain looks like from a store, it doesn't get dirty BUT it wouldn't hurt to compare the resistance and friction on Shimano on oil with the same performance on wax. In the heat or at professional speeds, probably even cold-pressed olive oil :-) It will not give advantages, but in the cold with oil you will see less friction. We need an experiment that is blind and randomized😊
The fastest lubricants are chain waxes and very high end wax lubes.
I waxed my chain after seeing you video. Thank you so much. The chain is butter smooth now.
But I just couldn't get the liquid wax lube correct. 😅
Hey!
I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax
I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended).
Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk.
Let it dry for a few hours.
Apply once more. Let it dry.
Go ride!
I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?)
Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike…
I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
@@My_HandleIs_ its expensive for me. That's why I am trying to make my own liquid wax. 🤷♂️
@@My_HandleIs_I am bike Kurier. I am waxing every week😂. And my crappy using liquid wax. I chose acetone instead of xylene. Bad choice😂.
How much time does the wax pot you used take to heat the wax up. Very good video.
It really depends on the ambient temperature and how thick your wax is. Some people buy wax in large ingots, others buy candle sticks.
Great video so easy to follow your instructions, if using parrafin to make a wet lube do you still need to add the PTFE ? and will it attract dirt like wet lubes do?
Any wax lube is more efficient with an additive like ptfe.
This lube does not attract dirt as its carrier completely evaporates leaving just the wax.
Been using your wax/PTFE suggestion for a while now and it WORKS,but, using that wax heater is a brilliant idea ,simpler,easier,cleaner. Great idea.
PTFE is a well known pollutant and you should try to avoid using it.
OMG! Man! Awsome!
Sweet video! I understand how to clean the chain and jockey wheels, but how do I go about cleaning the cassette and chainrings? Do I take them off`f the bike?
on one of the videos he showed it: boil the water and pure on the cassette while spinning and brush it (if I remember correctly) - same with the crank
@@zyghom Thanks a lot!
Hi there, thank you for sharing - Brasil
Hi Oz and big thx for keeping us Up to date with good information. I'm using a waxed Chain according your recommondation and Like it very much. Have you heard about the PTFE discussion from eg the European Union which might lead to an import Block. So nevertheless if it make sence but in case it will get blocked, can you recommend an alternative? Thx
Working on it. Unfortunately ptfe is such an amazingly low friction substance it's hard to ignore, especially in this competitive cycling scene.
@@stevenleffanue PTFE is a well known pollutant - so you should avoid using it.
Great video, to the point and lot's of great ideas. Thank you for sharing 👍🏻
Had my first ride last week on my waxed chain. Used the wax heater and it worked a treat. Do you know if the quick links you use can be used on SRAM flat top 12 speed chains?
Connex do not produce the 12speed yet. When they do , yes it should work with the flat top SRAM chains.
Thanks for the waxing videos. My chains have never been quieter, and smoother gear changes.
Very informative and nicely done video. Has anyone used boric acid as additive? It's also used as solid lubricant.
Hi Oz, amazing video as usual!
The waterproof wax, with paraffin, have you got any alternative to paraffin?
Also, does it get more dirt sticking to it compared to uiur normal mix?
Thanks,
Alex
Wax is waterproof by nature. By adding paraffin oil to the wax it becomes a wet lube...better for riding in wet conditions. Without paraffin oil it attracts almost no dirt.
I should worry more about ptfe
This vid popped up while my chain is in a Pro-Wax 100 wax melter, bought off eBay 😂
I've been chain waxing since I watched one of your first videos years ago. Great videos through the years. One thing I'm a bit confused on is the ptfe... following the initial dip, are you adding 3g to replenish the existing paraffin? Or are you making an entirely new batch? Discarding the original batch after only one dip?
New batch. Use 20:1 ratio for the initial dip (first waxing session of a chain). The 80:1 ratio (3g PTFE) is used for the succeeding waxing sessions/batches of the same chain/s (rewaxing).
Thank you fellow jumbo visma fan .
i appreciate all the effort you are making this tuttorial and edit the video, but when i hear i need to rewax each 300km ride, basically every 2 weeks i need to redo all these process. looks like a lot work. but i've been enjoying all your videos! THIS CHANNEL ARE GREAT!!!
Rewax is just rinse with hot water and put in hot wax.
When using the DIY paraffin wet wax, it tends to leave a bit of dirt gum. How often should you change that out during the wet season. Presently I wipe the chain to dry and clean after every ride and reapply with your DIY bottle mix every ride for 300 km then redip? Or should I go through the strip and clean again every 300. Only during Winter riding this is.