Great video. It is crucial to emphasize that the chain has to be absolutely grease free or the wax will not adhere to the metal on the chain. I recommend about two days immersion in a degreaser, when the chain is new. Change the degreaser once. To be sure I use a little time in an ultrasonic cleaner at the end, then a little alcohol, then let it dry. After that it is ready to wax and you only have to do it once for the life of the chain.
@@neil_down_south Sorry about the confusion. Some bad writing on my part Yes the wax wears off for me in about 250 miles, about 375 km. Then all I do is remove the chain, put it back in molten wax for a couple of minutes, let it cool down, and put it back on my bike. What I meant is you only need to go through this elaborate initial cleaning procedure once, when the chain is new.. But that part is crucial. Also, once you have the stuff yiu need, like a rice cooker, and after you've done it once or twice and get used to doing it, then literally it takes it most about 20 minutes to do a re-waxing and most of that is time where you can be doing something else while you're waiting. So for example, I'll go into my garage and turn on the rice cooker with the wax in it. Go back into my house watch a video or something. Go back into the garage check to see that the wax is melted, remove the chain from my bike, put it in the wax. Go back into my house, watch another video. Come back out take the chain out of the wax let it hang to dry. Go back into the house watch another video, or maybe spend the moment or two cleaning up the kitchen. Come back into the garage put the chain back on my bike and I'm done. I recommend getting the Shimano tool for removing and installing quick links. It costs about $15. I like it better than the park tool one.
@@stuartdryer1352 I use simple sabbath candles and butcher board oil from Canadian Tire, recently started to add some Teflon powder, other waxes - consider high fluoro cross country waxes but they are very expensive and would be very hydrophobic, for clean up i use mineral alcohol and then the ultrasonic bath with some detergent and it routine cleans up chain nicely
@@stuartdryer1352 I still use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the chain (and cassette) in between waxings - you'd be surprised how dirty they still get. I also clean the wax off my chainrings too - shift performance improves if you get rid of the wax buildup.
It's slowly getting around that this messy oil crap is just not up to snuff. Been using this for years. Plain paraffin. Parts last longer and no oil gunk all over the place. Victor! Good job sharing this.
2:24 90-95 deg C most want 93. If you get it too hot it doesn't work as well because too much drips off before it cools sufficiently enough to harden. HTH When washing ALWAYS start at the top, Saddle, Handlebars, Frame then wheels and lastly the drive train.
If you run the stiff waxed chain over something like a piece of pipe or I use the handle to my tool chest it loosens the links up and much easier to install.
I’ve washed a few bikes in my time, worked on Professional and National teams. Would always start with the bar tape with clean sponge. I’ve been waxing my own chain using SILCA hot wax and over 23,000km with 0.25 wear. Your videos are as good as a Belgium Leffe beer.
Fellow wax users, here is my tip for cleaning a waxed chain for re-waxing. After rinsing the chain in boiling water to remove the surface wax and some of the wax within the links I use a steam cleaner on each link. This gets the old wax out of all the pins and rollers. It's surprising how black this wax becomes even after 250-300 KM. A bit time consuming perhaps but it really gives you a super clean chain for re-waxing and doesn't turn the wax in the pot grey.
Thank you for making this video. I use car wash soap. I think it may be gentler on the surface areas. And May want to use a chain scrubber tool first and brush to get cassette clean. I especially enjoyed the faint sounds of the Flemish mourning doves in the background. Ride safe.
Big benefit of waxing besides cleaner bike, less friction and no dirty hands is also that the components last far longer as there is nearly no grinding on Chain and Cassette from dirt and debris.
I see you listened very well to my lessons 😊. And, Exactly, when the bike, the paunt is dirty first rins of the sand etc. Otherwise the lacker will get scratched.
If you're not gonna change sponges, you should definitely do tires and wheels last as those should be dirtiest. you dont want the sponge picking up small rock and then scratching your frame with it.
I use a premixed squirt bottle, wax+lube suspended in 95% isopropyl alcohol (microwave a 1/2 cup water and set the squirt bottle in it to remelt if necessary). Top off the chain w/o removing from the bike. Then use a HAIR DRYER to melt and drive the wax into the links. Takes about 2-3minutes with the hair dryer slow rotating the chain as it melts. I do this after a bike wash about every 250-300 miles. Seems to work well for me bypassing chain removal wax pot process in a time crunch life style.
nice tip. pull the hard freshly waxed chain arround the tube from the repair stand or anything else round like a wood stick , like a saw several times to break the wax bonds, then its WAY easier to put it back on the bike....
I pull the chain back and forth over a broom handle or something round/smooth (fingers if you've got tough skin) to 'break' the hard wax and it's a lot easier to fit on to the bike.
Love your work on the bike Vic and it’s pretty cool to see you making this kind of content. But for God’s sake… can I e transfer you some cash to buy a couple of sponges and you can make a video about throwing the sponges in the bin! :) Cheers
Je kan de ketting gedeeltelijk soepel maken door na het waxen hem over een borstelsteel of dunne plastieken buis heen en weer te trekken zodat de overtollige wax loskomt uit de schakels. En om Engels te spreken, vraag raad aan Theo Francken. 😊
Is Secret Chain wax (immersive wax ) suitable for wet conditions? I ride cyclo-cross in winter and I'd like my chain to stay waxed. Thank you very much
For a professional, chains are cheap so if they really wanted to they could just swap out dirty chains but that doesn't solve the problem. Waxing is done for the benefit of longevity of the cassette and crankset and ease of maintenance. New chain must be degreased and purged fully. A small crock pot is perfect for heating. I have a spoke I bent into a retainer that holds a thermometer to indicate correct dipping temperature. Paraffin with 10 percent PTFE (teflon) is popular but pure wax is fine also. The teflon will sink into the dings and knicks on the chain and maintain the slickness. Over the counter direct application bicycle waxes have nasty chemicals that maintain the wax in a liquid form. Dipping is better, more thorough, more economical, and more environmentally friendly.
Where can I get such steel cable that you were threading in your chain before waxing? Is it a some sort a bicycle cable or from car parts? Such setup looks really neat and clean.
I used hot wax for the first time and like on your bike the derailleur rattles after installation, which is normal. But after 20kms it's still rattling, is this normal? Any tips?
Bro, there is a Dutch graphite infused wax for chains from Putoline. It's for old school motocross chains which were open, like bicycle chains are. I mean, if it's good for motorcycles it's gotta be good enough for bicycles. You can directly heat the can in which it comes to melt the wax and dip the chain(s).
Been Waxing my Chain since 2018 and i do my own home made wax. chain really last for years and save me lots of $$ from chain and drivetrain wear since im no Pro Rider without any sponsor its really good for my wallet. :p
11:44 it is not just like that: big parts of dirt fall down very quickly but small parts like grains of 1000 sandpaper, stay to float long time in wax and you have to keep it warm/liquid for long time what is unpractical(i leave car gearbox oil to rest for 1 year and all dirt falls down )
Hi! I've been waxing my chain for a while. I'd like to have some alternative waxes to try out. Can you provide a listing of waxes available on the market? Thanks!
my recipe for the best chain wax, 450 g paraffin, 50g PTFE, 50g tungsten disulfide. drive trains are so expensive and treating the chain, cassette and chainrings as consumables is dumb. get 15000km -20000km out of a chain, and 4x that out of the gears is worth the hassle.
I do the same recipe. But the wax is white and I get a lot lot of wax flakes on my frame on the first ride after each rewaxing. How do you deal with that? I find it annoying. For sure the drivetrain doesn’t attract any dirt but all those flakes are pretty messy. And how often do you rewax?
@@jasper12785 I agree with this. I'm just using straight paraffin right now, I think I'll try adding some MoS2 or just tungsten disulfide first and avoid the PTFE.
Great video! I've been waxing my chain with straight paraffin for for a while now, the stuff you get from walmart. I think it's ok, however, I find it gets kinda noisy after a couple rides. The flakes also get everywhere, which is annoying, especially indoors.. a simple painters brush and vacuum takes care of that. I've recently tried experimenting with a top of of squirt and I think it's super smooth and running good. Anyone else doing this?
I try not to "top up" but I have used (and carry a small amount on long rides) Squirt and Smoove with no issues. Although some people swear by it I found cheap plain Paraffin wax is too hard especially on cold/wet rides, If you want to keep it cheap and don't care about "watts" try adding a little Liquid Paraffin (the stuff Vets give to animals, not the dirty stuff for burning) to your wax, it makes it slightly softer so it doesn't flake off so easy, the old touring guys sometimes added Bees Wax for the same effect, but you need quite a lot of it (20% if I recall) and that stuff can make it almost as expensive as the branded type these days.
Mix some paraffin oil in the wax. The wax might be too thick to seep into the rollers. There’s a chance that you’ve only been waxing the exterior of your chain.
If you want a cheaper alternative, get a rear bike stand, e.g. Radon Rear Stand for 10$ and a used slow cooker/crock pot. ~25-30$ max + wax, degreasing/cleaning products
Nice to be legitimized by a pro, using many of the same tools too (the quick link tool, esp.). When I started waxing my chain I was often in disbelief at how slowly the chain wore down, my last chain got about 20,000 miles. If for no other reason, waxing is absolutely worth it just for the life of the chain. I've always struggled getting the chain degreased at the beginning though. Anyone have any favorite degreasers? I most recently used Purple Power (might be a US brand).
Silca and Zero Friction Cycling just recommend mineral spirits or acetone to remove the factory grease. If you haven't seen them, both channels have interesting how-to videos.
I used simple diesel fuel for the first stage, leaving it soaked overnight. After that I used some generic degreaser which can be removed by rinsing in water, and pure ethanol as the last stage. Never had any problem with this approach.
Use gasoline for 30 min, wash it down, dry it fully, throw it 24hrs into methylated spirits, wash it, dry it, ready for waxing. Chains I advise Connex Chains, their quick link doesn't require any tools and they are pretty sturdy
Wd40, let it soak and rub the chain off with an old towel or shirt. Gets most of the grease off. Than use brake cleaner or carb cleaner for the rest. No need for all the complicated and nasty products people have been commenting about.
I use shimano chains and wonder which quicklink you can use more than once? One should use the quick link from shimano only 1x.... Does anyone have experience?
@@Knud451 no master link is designed to be used this often. Very unsafe. Reuse it 5 to 10 times max and then replace with a new one. Why take this safety risk for something which will cost you 5 Euro?
Love your videos but…Dish wash soap is fine if you get a new bike every year. Not if you’re a normal cyclist. It’s harmful to the bike in the long term. Real world and winter riding - wash your wheels / drive train and frame with different sponges/brushes so no cross contamination. Sorry but I learned all these the hard way
Victor! I'm going to give you another 3 watts on that waxed chain. All you need to do is add PTFE powder to the wax mix (piano key powder lubricant, also found in teflon) This will make your chain extra smooth and less flakey. 500 grams wax 50g PTFE powder. Let me know what you think.
@@ColdMamba78 I am willing to bet that you have Teflon in your kitchen or home as well as that you have all of the latest gadgets created from things like Lithium and petroleum which are just as bad for the environment. My footprint is probably much less than yours.
@@Leo-gt1bx why wouldnt I apply to myself what I suggest to others? Of course I have removed PTFE from my kitchen, very easy in fact (if you pay attention, there is no PTFE in any kitchen tools of a professional restaurant chief, at least a real one). Petrol is a "natural" product so effects are totaly on a other range, especially when you look at quantities. Put 1L of petrol in a river, nothing happens. Not the same with PTFE. Lithium is a mineral, so no danger. If you are talking about batteries, please just throw it to a specific bin, very easy too. Understand that PTFE in your chainrings will automatically ends in your local environment. I am talking about human and animal/fish health (what can help to us live...) Out of concern to look at impacts of PTFE on eqCO2 footprint. My footprint is quite very good thank you (no owned car, no aviation, I use bikes so that's why I feel concerned about that). But it doesnt matter. What does is your action to reduce global footprint overhall. As individuals we are very limited, but I do a lot of action through my cycling club (as volounteer), to try to balance what our gouverners do not. This little message about danger of PTFE was just an information to think of what to do/change. Not a judgement on deliberate bad behaviors. I dont understand why theses few words initiated such an agressive answer from your side.
@@vocsnor the layup of the carbon fibre is paper thin and clamping the tubes delaminates and splinters the tube on the inside, unseen from the outside, comprimising the strength and failure.... 👎
He’s just using a small sponge. You can buy these anywhere without the plastic scourer bit on top. Nobody is going to use a plastic pot scourer on their bike because that would be stupid.
Except...NEVER clamp your frame in the bike work stand!!! That was cringe!!! Clamp your seat post and even then use a rag between the clamp and your seat post! Better yet... take you seat post out and place another post in the frame that is used for putting your bike in the work stand.
When you re install, run the chain while holding a hair dryer, blowing on the cassette and rear derailleur. Takes 1 minute. No more rough chain when you start riding. You're welcome
I use a premixed squirt bottle, wax+lube suspended in 95% isopropyl alcohol (microwave a 1/2 cup water and set the squirt bottle in it to remelt if necessary). Top off the chain w/o removing from the bike. Then use a HAIR DRYER to melt and drive the wax into the links. I do this after a bike wash about every 250-300 miles. Seems to work well for me bypassing chain removal wax pot process in a time crunch life style.
What if I came back from a long ride on a dry sunny day. The bike is still dusty and covered with some of my electrolyte water. Do I have to take the waxed chain off to give it a good clean or I can just wash it as usual and leave the chain as is?
I switched my bike to wax however it still seems to get dirty almost same as oil. When I got my bike I degreased the crap out of all components (chain, chainrings, cassette/ec) and then added squirt wax. But even after ~1 week of riding (in normal conditions) my chain is super dirty when I touch it. Maybe this means I didnt degrease good enough? I left my chain overnight in degreaser before I waxed... Anyone else have similar issue?
Just submersing the chain in degreaser isn't nearly enough to get all the gritty oil out of the insides of the chain. Try searching ultimate chain clean and you'll see what you need to do
I use the Squirt wax, and with this lubricant, can ride 1000 km, (re waxed 2-3 times) then I clean it the chain and cassette. If I were to use normal oil, I would have to clean it after 4-500 km, because the dirt. So the wax way better, and is much gentler with the chain and the cassette.
@@R0b3ert But so the main benefit then is that its gentler on the components, not necessarily that it stays super clean forvever (at least if you are using wax like squirt lube)
Making your own wax is very easy and much cheaper than this. 500 g of paraffin and 25 g of PTFE powder, 1.6 mm thick. With a slow cooker between 1,5l and 3,5 liters, you have enough wax for the lifespan of your chain. Before you wax after 300 km, you put the chain in a sieve and pour hot water over it so it's clean. See also Oz cycle chain wax youtube video's
Great video. It is crucial to emphasize that the chain has to be absolutely grease free or the wax will not adhere to the metal on the chain. I recommend about two days immersion in a degreaser, when the chain is new. Change the degreaser once. To be sure I use a little time in an ultrasonic cleaner at the end, then a little alcohol, then let it dry. After that it is ready to wax and you only have to do it once for the life of the chain.
Hang on... Let me get this straight... You wax once then that's it? Doesn't the wax rub off over time?
@@neil_down_south Sorry about the confusion. Some bad writing on my part Yes the wax wears off for me in about 250 miles, about 375 km. Then all I do is remove the chain, put it back in molten wax for a couple of minutes, let it cool down, and put it back on my bike. What I meant is you only need to go through this elaborate initial cleaning procedure once, when the chain is new.. But that part is crucial. Also, once you have the stuff yiu need, like a rice cooker, and after you've done it once or twice and get used to doing it, then literally it takes it most about 20 minutes to do a re-waxing and most of that is time where you can be doing something else while you're waiting. So for example, I'll go into my garage and turn on the rice cooker with the wax in it. Go back into my house watch a video or something. Go back into the garage check to see that the wax is melted, remove the chain from my bike, put it in the wax. Go back into my house, watch another video. Come back out take the chain out of the wax let it hang to dry. Go back into the house watch another video, or maybe spend the moment or two cleaning up the kitchen. Come back into the garage put the chain back on my bike and I'm done. I recommend getting the Shimano tool for removing and installing quick links. It costs about $15. I like it better than the park tool one.
@@stuartdryer1352 I use simple sabbath candles and butcher board oil from Canadian Tire, recently started to add some Teflon powder, other waxes - consider high fluoro cross country waxes but they are very expensive and would be very hydrophobic, for clean up i use mineral alcohol and then the ultrasonic bath with some detergent and it routine cleans up chain nicely
@@stuartdryer1352 I still use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the chain (and cassette) in between waxings - you'd be surprised how dirty they still get. I also clean the wax off my chainrings too - shift performance improves if you get rid of the wax buildup.
@@drouleau that was my plan too when I bought my ultrasonic cleaner. I'm just too lazy to do it each time.
It's slowly getting around that this messy oil crap is just not up to snuff.
Been using this for years. Plain paraffin. Parts last longer and no oil gunk all over the place.
Victor! Good job sharing this.
2:24 90-95 deg C most want 93. If you get it too hot it doesn't work as well because too much drips off before it cools sufficiently enough to harden.
HTH
When washing ALWAYS start at the top, Saddle, Handlebars, Frame then wheels and lastly the drive train.
If you run the stiff waxed chain over something like a piece of pipe or I use the handle to my tool chest it loosens the links up and much easier to install.
I’ve washed a few bikes in my time, worked on Professional and National teams. Would always start with the bar tape with clean sponge. I’ve been waxing my own chain using SILCA hot wax and over 23,000km with 0.25 wear.
Your videos are as good as a Belgium Leffe beer.
Leffe is bad.
Exactly start with the most dirty parts of the bike doesn't make any sense.. :)
Did you really have to insult him with one of our worst beers mate?
I used to like leffe… it’s too bubbly
@@2552legoboy Too bubbly? Really? It's almost a flat beer imo. Duvel triple hop is a bubbly beer for me.
Victor, loved your way of riding during the tdf ‘23 👊🏻!
Fellow wax users, here is my tip for cleaning a waxed chain for re-waxing. After rinsing the chain in boiling water to remove the surface wax and some of the wax within the links I use a steam cleaner on each link. This gets the old wax out of all the pins and rollers. It's surprising how black this wax becomes even after 250-300 KM. A bit time consuming perhaps but it really gives you a super clean chain for re-waxing and doesn't turn the wax in the pot grey.
Thank you for making this video. I use car wash soap. I think it may be gentler on the surface areas. And May want to use a chain scrubber tool first and brush to get cassette clean. I especially enjoyed the faint sounds of the Flemish mourning doves in the background. Ride safe.
Big benefit of waxing besides cleaner bike, less friction and no dirty hands is also that the components last far longer as there is nearly no grinding on Chain and Cassette from dirt and debris.
Only using dreft from now on, a lot cheaper than all those fancy cycling cleaning products aswell. Nice video
Dreft ? In my country its called Fairy! Anyway, same product I guess! About the waxed chain you will read a lot of comments about your technique !
I see you listened very well to my lessons 😊. And, Exactly, when the bike, the paunt is dirty first rins of the sand etc. Otherwise the lacker will get scratched.
If you're not gonna change sponges, you should definitely do tires and wheels last as those should be dirtiest. you dont want the sponge picking up small rock and then scratching your frame with it.
I thought the same... it's like washing your ass first, then your face.
Great video. Where you can buy pot to submerge chain and hang it afterwards- the one shown on video? Is it "homemade"?
I use a premixed squirt bottle, wax+lube suspended in 95% isopropyl alcohol (microwave a 1/2 cup water and set the squirt bottle in it to remelt if necessary). Top off the chain w/o removing from the bike. Then use a HAIR DRYER to melt and drive the wax into the links. Takes about 2-3minutes with the hair dryer slow rotating the chain as it melts.
I do this after a bike wash about every 250-300 miles. Seems to work well for me bypassing chain removal wax pot process in a time crunch life style.
Haha, learning from the master himself, thanks Victor!
nice tip. pull the hard freshly waxed chain arround the tube from the repair stand or anything else round like a wood stick , like a saw several times to break the wax bonds, then its WAY easier to put it back on the bike....
I pull the chain back and forth over a broom handle or something round/smooth (fingers if you've got tough skin) to 'break' the hard wax and it's a lot easier to fit on to the bike.
Which chain locks do you use and how often do you use them before changing?
Great job clamping top tube in workstand.!
Thanks for sharing on How to maintains bike
What is the melting pot used in the video? I like it a lot, cannot find it with Goodle.
I learned so much today
How do you handle this on a grand tour?
Love your work on the bike Vic and it’s pretty cool to see you making this kind of content. But for God’s sake… can I e transfer you some cash to buy a couple of sponges and you can make a video about throwing the sponges in the bin! :) Cheers
What's the name of your slow cooker? Where can you buy the Slow Cooker.
Spray with Pledge furniture wax stays on long and prevents dust particles from sticking and looks great
spray what parts of the bike?
@@robertthomson4042 the frame
What master link do you use for your chain? How many times does it last? Thanks
Je kan de ketting gedeeltelijk soepel maken door na het waxen hem over een borstelsteel of dunne plastieken buis heen en weer te trekken zodat de overtollige wax loskomt uit de schakels. En om Engels te spreken, vraag raad aan Theo Francken. 😊
I thought you can't clip the top tube?
Can just pour boiling water on chain to clean old wax each time. Key is totally degreased chain before first wax.
Is Secret Chain wax (immersive wax ) suitable for wet conditions? I ride cyclo-cross in winter and I'd like my chain to stay waxed. Thank you very much
Wich brand of front chainring are you riding?
For a professional, chains are cheap so if they really wanted to they could just swap out dirty chains but that doesn't solve the problem. Waxing is done for the benefit of longevity of the cassette and crankset and ease of maintenance.
New chain must be degreased and purged fully.
A small crock pot is perfect for heating. I have a spoke I bent into a retainer that holds a thermometer to indicate correct dipping temperature.
Paraffin with 10 percent PTFE (teflon) is popular but pure wax is fine also. The teflon will sink into the dings and knicks on the chain and maintain the slickness.
Over the counter direct application bicycle waxes have nasty chemicals that maintain the wax in a liquid form. Dipping is better, more thorough, more economical, and more environmentally friendly.
Anyone know where to buy the melting pot in this video? As good or better than a croc pot.
Where can I get such steel cable that you were threading in your chain before waxing? Is it a some sort a bicycle cable or from car parts? Such setup looks really neat and clean.
Comes with the package wax cleaning pot victor got. To be seen in the background
I used hot wax for the first time and like on your bike the derailleur rattles after installation, which is normal. But after 20kms it's still rattling, is this normal? Any tips?
No graphine, best strip is petrol, mineral spirits, blue dawn soap. Clean and clear.then enfuse hot liquid wax.
What kind of wax are you using?
Where do you get the wax and the wax pot? I can't find it in the regular Dutch online shops.
He is using SILCA Secret Chain Blend as wax and you can just use a slow cooker for melting the wax. Iam using a 25$ one from Amazon.
The setup is from www.cyclowax.com
Bro, there is a Dutch graphite infused wax for chains from Putoline. It's for old school motocross chains which were open, like bicycle chains are. I mean, if it's good for motorcycles it's gotta be good enough for bicycles. You can directly heat the can in which it comes to melt the wax and dip the chain(s).
Been Waxing my Chain since 2018 and i do my own home made wax. chain really last for years and save me lots of $$ from chain and drivetrain wear since im no Pro Rider without any sponsor its really good for my wallet. :p
what wax can stay on chain 1000km, i tested candle wax and over 150km no wax is in chain and it starts to wear
11:44 it is not just like that: big parts of dirt fall down very quickly but small parts like grains of 1000 sandpaper, stay to float long time in wax and you have to keep it warm/liquid for long time what is unpractical(i leave car gearbox oil to rest for 1 year and all dirt falls down )
Hi! I've been waxing my chain for a while. I'd like to have some alternative waxes to try out. Can you provide a listing of waxes available on the market? Thanks!
Molten Speedwax or Silca hot melt
my recipe for the best chain wax, 450 g paraffin, 50g PTFE, 50g tungsten disulfide. drive trains are so expensive and treating the chain, cassette and chainrings as consumables is dumb. get 15000km -20000km out of a chain, and 4x that out of the gears is worth the hassle.
They should ban PTFE products, PFAS is no joke.
I do the same recipe. But the wax is white and I get a lot lot of wax flakes on my frame on the first ride after each rewaxing. How do you deal with that? I find it annoying. For sure the drivetrain doesn’t attract any dirt but all those flakes are pretty messy.
And how often do you rewax?
@@HugoB32 I get rid of most of the excess by running the freshly waxed chain over a pipe. after installation, I'll dry brush quickly
@@jasper12785 I agree with this. I'm just using straight paraffin right now, I think I'll try adding some MoS2 or just tungsten disulfide first and avoid the PTFE.
bro, so when will you give the record another shot
What about those wax in bottle instead of heating solid wax? Is this also useable?
That's for emergency when you're out on a ride and need rewax.
Great video! I've been waxing my chain with straight paraffin for for a while now, the stuff you get from walmart. I think it's ok, however, I find it gets kinda noisy after a couple rides. The flakes also get everywhere, which is annoying, especially indoors.. a simple painters brush and vacuum takes care of that. I've recently tried experimenting with a top of of squirt and I think it's super smooth and running good. Anyone else doing this?
I try not to "top up" but I have used (and carry a small amount on long rides) Squirt and Smoove with no issues. Although some people swear by it I found cheap plain Paraffin wax is too hard especially on cold/wet rides, If you want to keep it cheap and don't care about "watts" try adding a little Liquid Paraffin (the stuff Vets give to animals, not the dirty stuff for burning) to your wax, it makes it slightly softer so it doesn't flake off so easy, the old touring guys sometimes added Bees Wax for the same effect, but you need quite a lot of it (20% if I recall) and that stuff can make it almost as expensive as the branded type these days.
Mix some paraffin oil in the wax. The wax might be too thick to seep into the rollers. There’s a chance that you’ve only been waxing the exterior of your chain.
Yep..been doing my bikes the EXACT same way for past four years. Paraffin wax with 10% ptfe powder(from China!). Fairy liquid.... here in Ireland.
Same here. Except if temperature is less than 9 degrees C outside I add a little (< 5%) paraffin oil to the wax.
Where do you get the hanger that sits above the pot whilst the chain drys?!
Cyclowax
@@vocsnor good luck tomorrow! Thanks!
If you want a cheaper alternative, get a rear bike stand, e.g. Radon Rear Stand for 10$ and a used slow cooker/crock pot. ~25-30$ max + wax, degreasing/cleaning products
Nice to be legitimized by a pro, using many of the same tools too (the quick link tool, esp.). When I started waxing my chain I was often in disbelief at how slowly the chain wore down, my last chain got about 20,000 miles. If for no other reason, waxing is absolutely worth it just for the life of the chain. I've always struggled getting the chain degreased at the beginning though. Anyone have any favorite degreasers? I most recently used Purple Power (might be a US brand).
Silca and Zero Friction Cycling just recommend mineral spirits or acetone to remove the factory grease. If you haven't seen them, both channels have interesting how-to videos.
@@TexasWahoo_ Thanks, I’ll check ‘em out!
I used simple diesel fuel for the first stage, leaving it soaked overnight. After that I used some generic degreaser which can be removed by rinsing in water, and pure ethanol as the last stage. Never had any problem with this approach.
Use gasoline for 30 min, wash it down, dry it fully, throw it 24hrs into methylated spirits, wash it, dry it, ready for waxing. Chains I advise Connex Chains, their quick link doesn't require any tools and they are pretty sturdy
Wd40, let it soak and rub the chain off with an old towel or shirt. Gets most of the grease off. Than use brake cleaner or carb cleaner for the rest. No need for all the complicated and nasty products people have been commenting about.
that wax pot is PRO
I use shimano chains and wonder which quicklink you can use more than once? One should use the quick link from shimano only 1x.... Does anyone have experience?
connex links
😀 when you were inside i belive i spoted one or two hypoxic generators.true?
The more, the merrier
Why do you not use an oversized pulley wheel?
Because it's not needed 🤣
Oversized pulley wheels is the most expencieve gain on your bike. Next to the - very little - watts you gain you have worse shifting.
Cool vid, nice clean and maintained bike :) Is straight parrafin wax ok to use? Or does one need to source ptfe, graphene, or MoS2 etc and mix it in?
Straight parrafin is nearly as good. Tests a bit slower but within the margin of error for the testing equipment. You don't wanna breathe it though
Use Molten Speedwax or Silca hot melt 🙂
A lot of BMC's and one Ridley, must be the girlfriends bike 🤔... don't tell the team sponsor 😁
If you heat the wax inside, make sure you have the room well ventilated. Unless you like a propper headache.
It’s fine to do it indoors if you keep the temperature below 100c. No fumes and no problem.
A PRO cyclist doesn't maintain his/her bike, they have mechanics to do that for them.
Where do I buy that potje? :)
Cyclowax
Use a microfiber cleaning glove to wash your frame, Never with a sponge!
How often do you reuse the same quicklink like that?
I change it from the moment I can get my hands on a new one that i get for free 🤪 or when it stops "clicking"
I have reused one more than 50 times. It might be closer to 100. If you're a pro rider, sure you might want to change it more often.
@@vocsnor YBN master links are good and also the manufacturer has designed them to be re-used around 5 times safely.
@@Knud451 no master link is designed to be used this often. Very unsafe. Reuse it 5 to 10 times max and then replace with a new one. Why take this safety risk for something which will cost you 5 Euro?
@@paddyotoole2058 that's kind of my point, I don't believe it. That said, I only ride indoors so I can easily take the risk.
Love your videos but…Dish wash soap is fine if you get a new bike every year. Not if you’re a normal cyclist. It’s harmful to the bike in the long term. Real world and winter riding - wash your wheels / drive train and frame with different sponges/brushes so no cross contamination. Sorry but I learned all these the hard way
Victor! I'm going to give you another 3 watts on that waxed chain. All you need to do is add PTFE powder to the wax mix (piano key powder lubricant, also found in teflon) This will make your chain extra smooth and less flakey. 500 grams wax 50g PTFE powder. Let me know what you think.
PTFE is a nightmare for health and environment... Marginal gain, mega pollution
I do 5 grams of PTFE and 5 grams of Graphite in 250 grams of wax been my best mix so far
@@Leo-gt1bx have you watched the movie Dark Water?
@@ColdMamba78 I am willing to bet that you have Teflon in your kitchen or home as well as that you have all of the latest gadgets created from things like Lithium and petroleum which are just as bad for the environment. My footprint is probably much less than yours.
@@Leo-gt1bx why wouldnt I apply to myself what I suggest to others? Of course I have removed PTFE from my kitchen, very easy in fact (if you pay attention, there is no PTFE in any kitchen tools of a professional restaurant chief, at least a real one). Petrol is a "natural" product so effects are totaly on a other range, especially when you look at quantities. Put 1L of petrol in a river, nothing happens. Not the same with PTFE. Lithium is a mineral, so no danger. If you are talking about batteries, please just throw it to a specific bin, very easy too. Understand that PTFE in your chainrings will automatically ends in your local environment. I am talking about human and animal/fish health (what can help to us live...) Out of concern to look at impacts of PTFE on eqCO2 footprint. My footprint is quite very good thank you (no owned car, no aviation, I use bikes so that's why I feel concerned about that). But it doesnt matter. What does is your action to reduce global footprint overhall. As individuals we are very limited, but I do a lot of action through my cycling club (as volounteer), to try to balance what our gouverners do not. This little message about danger of PTFE was just an information to think of what to do/change. Not a judgement on deliberate bad behaviors. I dont understand why theses few words initiated such an agressive answer from your side.
very good Flenglish hé
thanks
Do not clamp the top tube to your bike stand! 😨
Why not? Why only seat post?
why not?
@@vocsnor the layup of the carbon fibre is paper thin and clamping the tubes delaminates and splinters the tube on the inside, unseen from the outside, comprimising the strength and failure.... 👎
But a Ridley bike is stronger than any other brand 😤
where do I need to put it?
Should you clamp your carbon bike in the frame, rather in seatpost?
NO! I just commented on the fact the the frame was in the clamp. I guess its okay if you get lots of free bikes.?.? ;)
If you have a bike sponsor then you do whatever you like
as long as you don't clamp it with a lot of force.... looks like it's barely clamped on the top tube... just using the stand to balance the bike.
Can you reúne the quick link? If so, how many times
Most brands will say 3 times to cover their ass. KMC hasn't failed me so far and more than 3 times re-installed.
@@krankedteamcls connex reusable chain link made in Germany .
Used for years not tools needed .
Instead of buying those plastic foam scourers, tear up old tee shirts - ideal for cleaning your bike. Scourers just scratch paint anyway.
He’s just using a small sponge. You can buy these anywhere without the plastic scourer bit on top. Nobody is going to use a plastic pot scourer on their bike because that would be stupid.
oz cycle school: pans and pots, chain kitchen, wax chef
I thought that clamping the top tube of a carbon frame was a no no...
Agreed
Silca
what is the stand you have over your wax pot?
It looks like a headphone stand to me but idk.
I love your videos by the way!
They can let the chain hang to dry from there.
@@Jonas_Willems I know why he has it, I want to know what the stand is so I can nab one myself
it's something I bought from a Belgian website
Except...NEVER clamp your frame in the bike work stand!!! That was cringe!!! Clamp your seat post and even then use a rag between the clamp and your seat post! Better yet... take you seat post out and place another post in the frame that is used for putting your bike in the work stand.
Hi, can you make a video how to become a pro cyclist? Tips and tricks how to be better cyclist and make it to World Tour?
I’ve been using this wax for over 18 months now and I’m very satisfied: clean chain, easy to use and better watts!
It’s a belgian brand btw!
🙏
Did he just put Victor's car on sale? 8:16 if you want to buy good price. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I don't feel bad washing my personal bike with dishwashing liquid soap now lol
it's best thing to do
Ha ive always washed with fairy dish liquid, just easier to do it with that stuff
When you re install, run the chain while holding a hair dryer, blowing on the cassette and rear derailleur. Takes 1 minute. No more rough chain when you start riding. You're welcome
I use a premixed squirt bottle, wax+lube suspended in 95% isopropyl alcohol (microwave a 1/2 cup water and set the squirt bottle in it to remelt if necessary). Top off the chain w/o removing from the bike. Then use a HAIR DRYER to melt and drive the wax into the links.
I do this after a bike wash about every 250-300 miles. Seems to work well for me bypassing chain removal wax pot process in a time crunch life style.
What if I came back from a long ride on a dry sunny day. The bike is still dusty and covered with some of my electrolyte water. Do I have to take the waxed chain off to give it a good clean or I can just wash it as usual and leave the chain as is?
I thought you just grabbed another clean bike from the roof of a car?
If the pro clamped the bike on top tube, should I?
Never! Always clamp at the bottom of the seat post where it meets the frame
the ending xd
13:40 The Deep
What pot is this?
Cyclowax
Bro don't clamp the bike by the top tube.... it's not very strong there... you should be clamping by the seat post
He can get a new one
You need to clean your car next, Victor.
i spend 6 minutes to clean and wax chain in bike, no cooking, backing, chemistry
Who does wheels first with their wash bucket and sponge sure way to scratch your frame. You did not show how you clean your chain before relaxing.
that was weird ahaha you d think that s the last part to wash
ik hoop dat je nooit frietjes maakt met die friteuse
it's not a friteus, it a supersonic machine
@@vocsnor It is ultrasonic. 😉
I think you're talking about something Else
@@vocsnor That "frietpot" is called an ultrasonic cleaner.
@@RFKANGOO supersonic, yes
First of all, I flux my freehub
Clamping the frame tut tut. 🤬
9:55 chain ring stops quite fast?
yeah it does, was just a little push
Thats fine bro !
Victor wash that car its stinking lol
Waxed chains and waxed legs.
I switched my bike to wax however it still seems to get dirty almost same as oil. When I got my bike I degreased the crap out of all components (chain, chainrings, cassette/ec) and then added squirt wax. But even after ~1 week of riding (in normal conditions) my chain is super dirty when I touch it. Maybe this means I didnt degrease good enough? I left my chain overnight in degreaser before I waxed... Anyone else have similar issue?
Just submersing the chain in degreaser isn't nearly enough to get all the gritty oil out of the insides of the chain. Try searching ultimate chain clean and you'll see what you need to do
Dripping wax on your chain is not the same as propperly waxing the chain as briefly shown in this vid
I use the Squirt wax, and with this lubricant, can ride 1000 km, (re waxed 2-3 times) then I clean it the chain and cassette. If I were to use normal oil, I would have to clean it after 4-500 km, because the dirt. So the wax way better, and is much gentler with the chain and the cassette.
@@R0b3ert But so the main benefit then is that its gentler on the components, not necessarily that it stays super clean forvever (at least if you are using wax like squirt lube)
This is proper waxing using full immersion. Not lazy waxing using drip bottle.
The only thing I wax is my ......
instead of the dreft you could use an auto shampoo and a micro fiber sponge.
clamping the top tube.... oh no!
Big No No
Making your own wax is very easy and much cheaper than this. 500 g of paraffin and 25 g of PTFE powder, 1.6 mm thick. With a slow cooker between 1,5l and 3,5 liters, you have enough wax for the lifespan of your chain. Before you wax after 300 km, you put the chain in a sieve and pour hot water over it so it's clean. See also Oz cycle chain wax youtube video's
Waxed chains are not smooth enough for me I prefer oil