Video to make the bottled liquid wax.... • Wax your chain anywher... You can also use plain stearic acid. I bought from here... www.awo.com.au/stearic-acid/
Amazing update. Works perfect like this. Used 15g for 3 chains. For German customers: I got 200g Quickshine deep fat fixer from Amazon for about 10€. Works great
I‘m also a recent waxing convert living in Germany. The Quickshine fat fixer and the PTFE are still on their way. I wanted to also do a 3 chain rotation. Was not sure a small 500ml leg wax melter would do the job. What wax melter did you go for @drama069?
@@MatthewBell-mg7fh Flüssigwachs Emulsion stelle ich mir auch selbst her. Einfach eine recht flüssige Emulsion aus Parafin, Polysorbat 80 (Emulgator der das Wachs mit Wasser verbindet), Wasser und Alkohol herstellen und in Fläschchen abfüllen. Bei Bedarf kann man auch hier PTFE Pulver, Graphit oder sonstige Aditive zumischen. Preis für einen Liter hier niedriger, was sonst ein kleines 100ml Fläschchen Kettenwachs kostet.
@@photooutdoor2574 Wenn du auf PTFE verzichten möchtest, dann solltest du auch mit der fertigen wasserbasierten Wachsemulsion vorsichtig sein. Die gibt es zwar relativ günstig in Chemiehandel, hat dann aber Emulgatoren drin, die auch umweltschädlich sind und zudem Haut und Augen reizen. Polysorbat 80 ist ein biologisch abbaubarer Emulgator, der auch für kosmetische Anwendungen zugelassen ist.
Everybody, please consider wearing a FFP 3 mask when working with ptfe, tungsten or graphite powder. From below 10ug diameter you are handling pure particulates which are prooven to have dangerous effects on your lungs. Especially when adding the powder to melted wachs and stiring it, a cloud of particulates can take off just by the movement of the hot air on top of your wax surface. Apart from that, what a nice idea to try fat fixer for diy strip chips. Thank you oz!
. I've been using your method for a few years now. 460 km in 5 days bike packing including the Brisbane valley rail trail and chain untouched smooth and quiet all the way. Love it. Cheers Les
I have been waxing for 30,000km now. I started with your guide but I have modified a bit to speed things up. First I use a much higher temp for wax (150C), it cause the water stuck in the chain to boil off and it's much faster. I also don't wait for the wax to cool down, I pull out the chain while hot and wipe them right away wearing thick gloves. I then start moving the links before it finish cooling down, so no more stiff link to break. I didn't notice any difference in wear and I still get around 300 to 500km per wax. Plus, you end up with way less wax all over your bike and stuck on the cassette and chainring. All my chains are still below 0.5 on the CC-4. I'm still on the original cassette and chainring. AXS 12 speed.
Thanks for your tip ! How long do you put the chain in het 150C wax ? And you don't let the temp go down before you put the chain out of the wax ? And the last question is if you wipe down the chain with a cloth is there a chance there is to much wax going away from the chain ? Thanks again for you help
@@MHMvanOs-qt9cc I sometime let it come down a bit, but to be honest there is plenty of wax left even if you remove it while very hot. Wiping the chain didn't affect the performance as well. I think enough stay in the roller.
The original waxing videos changed my cycling life, this is a phenomenal update to the process and makes it a total no brainer. Outstanding thanks so much for the continued waxing updates.
I'm responsible for cleaning mine and gfriends drive chain - I just prefer it that way when I know it's done to my standards. You convinced me to try waxed chains and it's an absolute gamechanger. Thanks so much!
Not sure if you mentioned it, but most oil solidifiers require a temp of at least 176f/80c in order to function properly, so it would be pertinent to ensure your wax reaches this temp when using the solidifier. Also, I really wish I had heard that bit about removing wax buildup from the smallest cassette cogs a few years ago. I was fine with 9spd and a 12t smallest cog, but when I purchased a new gravel bike the wax buildup on the 11spd cassette lead to skipping in the 11t cog that took me longer than I would like to admit to diagnose. Lastly, Silca must hate you for this 🙂
> Lastly, Silca must hate you for this 🙂 actually, I think he is bringing customers to them. With Silca the process is bit easier. Also after I started waxing using home made wax, I later also bought squirt drip on wax (Which actually I don't recommend and If I'll not create my own drip on wax formula I'll probably buy silca)
Fantastic update. Thank you for making this process even easier. I am a total convert to chain waxing, as the difference it makes to a ride is profound. In the event of a mechanical or snagging a flat is made easier as there's no grease or dirty oil residue to deal with
I use a cheese grater to scrap away the settled contaminants on the bottom of the wax puck. Also, I use a strong magnet to remove any ferrous metals from the hot wax. You won't believe how much stuff the magnet picks up after rewaxing several chains.
Thank you for sharing all your expertise! I'm dragging my chain through a outside candle fed with old candles. After that, i put the chain into my oven at 90 °C. -Just for the idea of using different methods :)
I bought a Priority Bicycles Turi 3 years ago and it uses an Enviolo rear hub and a Gates belt instead of a chain. *I put 7000 **_MILES_** on it and never did anything other than wash it with soap and water!* Then the crankset plastic sprocket got some cupped wear on it and the belt began to make a creaking sound under torque so I ordered a new sprocket, but in the meantime I put some cornstarch on the belt and the creaking sound went away. I changed the sprocket anyways when it arrived and then replaced the belt with the spare I had bought (and never used) for my road kit, and the old belt looked just as good as the belt that had zero miles on it! Seriously, I know the Derailleur is as efficient as it gets, certainly more efficient than an Enviolo hub (mine is 300%), and more efficient than my new Priority 600 that has a Gates belt as well but uses the Pinion C1.12 - 12 speed (600%) crankset gearbox, but the belts have never cut up my pants, which have gotten caught in the crank sprocket many times, and it looks like they will last orders of magnitude longer than any chain will, will never have cassettes to wear out, AND are literally *_no maintenance!_* Just wash the bike like you would a car and go. Frankly I used to love working on my old Schwinn Le Tour. I was like a bloke with his old '68 Jaguar and how he loved to tinker with the points and plugs every month or two, adjusting the valves and setting the dwell on the points. But now I'm so done with a derailleur and that constant maintenance. Even the way you've found (which is smashing genius) to extend the time between maintenance and the wear of all the components is no temptation for me to go back. I'm never going back to a derailleur, EVER. I have just as much fun and don't care about (or notice) the loss of efficiency since I'm not in any race. I'm just off to the chemist to get my prescriptions, doing my groceries or out for my 20 mile exercise ride. BTW I'm still subbed to your channel after those three years. Partly for other stuff, partly to see if you're gonna change my mind about chains, but I doubt it.
Finally gone down the waxing rabbit hole. Biggest pain is not just prepping chains but cleaning all other moving parts but took my time as wax melted. Loosened chain links around a thick broom and refitted. At firt their was flakes of wax everywhere and felt super stiff but slowly loosened up. Been running DA9100 mechanical and using Finish Line green wet lube for years, and wow now it shifts like DA should. So weird looking and feeling chain after a ride and it, frame and rear wheel is spotless clean😊
To follow up, shifting is magic, driveline and rear remains clean but even after a 32k ride it is very noisy. Chain in right direction and refitted correctly, sounds like a oil lubed chain that has dried out.@@stevenleffanue
I recommend having as many chains as you can tolerate, wax them all at once, and rotate through all the chains. It delays exposing the cassette and crank to a worn chain, which minimizes how much the cassette and chainrings wear, which minimizes how much the chain wears, too. It saves a ton of $ and rides better.
Exactly what I do. I am currently cycling 2 chains weekly. I pour boiling water into them in a pot and agitate them then wax them in PTFE and Graphite wax. I prefer 3.
Hi Steve. Love all you do for us. You are a top rate content producer! Waxing for 3 + years due to your most excellent videos. I have a suggestion regarding measuring the chain. I check my chain wear only after removing the wax using boiling water. Its my belief that measuring with wax in the chain can skew the results. Thanks for the info.
Thanks a lot for your videos, at first I hesitated, then decided to go for your previous method of 3 plastic jars and the chemicals. And now see this update, haha. I wonder whether the new method is *AS* efficient as the chemical deep clean. Because I already prepared myself for a longer journey of cleaning.
250-300km in road hours is basically every 10hrs of riding which for many is weekly. I’d recommend buying 4 chains you can swap every week so you’re only waxing monthly. Don’t discard cassettes and chains in your general water bin, please recycle! There are great pre mixed waxes you can use instead of candles and your own blend of additives.
Amazing! Thanks a bunch! Used to let the wax cool before pulling out the chain, this leaves way less wax, even less flaking and less build up of old wax. Just one question, do you clean the microfiber cloths in de washing machine?
Thanks for sharing; I never went through the hussle of freeing the links - I just mounted the stiff chain and rode about 200 meters; It slipped a lot on the first couple of pedal strokes, but at the end of my street, it was fine.
Really appreciate your in-depth videos and wealth of information. What 'hotpot' appliance would you recommend? Maybe include links to the recommended/used products in your video description? Thanks so much for sharing :)
Glad you are liking the vids 👍. A hotpot with temperature regulator is best...can set it and leave it for as long as you want or lower the temperature to remove the chain at about 75degC to leave more wax fir wet conditions.
Great video! A question about the cassette re-install on the freehub body; I usually put some grease on the body before sliding the cassette on but I noticed you didn't. So no grease is fine? Thanks!
This is brilliant, thank you! One question, should that first mixture be reserved for new chains only, so you wax it ther first and then every subsequent time you wax in the 1:100 mixture?
I do same procedure, really I learnt it from you, but ultrasonic clean new chain. I am surprised how many metal chips and flakes from manufacturing find at the bottom of the machine. Nice video.
From what I Googled, oil solidifiers are stearic acid. So adding a stearin candle in the paraffin wax should do the same job, harden the wax and up the melting point.
Nope, unfortunately not. Wax ist a Triglyceride, i.e. Glyerine C3H5(OH)3 + 3 x CxH(2x+1)COOH (i.e. stearic acid) ----> TG + 3 x H2O. Not all oil soilidifiers are amde the same. Some contain Perlite, which is kind of a fluffy rocklike stuff. I'd buy the silca chips, just to be sure.
I tryed this method on a nbrand new chain, worked almost flawless. I still had some oil/greas in the chain, but only minimal barely noticeable. The wax only lasted around 200km before the chain got louder.
@@stevenleffanue thx for the reply. I soaked it longer than in the vid, there was no bubbles on my first waxing, only on the rewax i had bubbles. Maybe i jsut need more of that oil solidifier?
Is it a must I use the oil solidifier? because, it's the only thing missing now, that last time I watched your waxing video you told us to get only wax and PTFE. Now, as I was about to do it, I heard there's one more thing to get.
For anyone considering this, please note PTFE is a group of nasty chemicals that stays in the environment for hundreds of years without breaking down, hence the nickname "forever chemicals". If possible I'd advise on finding alternatives. Obviously the industry uses this in many applications on a huge scale. But if you want to make a conscious choice, it's better to choose something else. Most outdoor brands are going away from PTFE:s for this very reason. Leave no trace ;)
@stevenleffanue another good update to improve the process. I saw below that you said that you only had Aussie links for where you buy all of the 'ingredients', can you post them in the description anyway, thanks.
The commercially available block that converts grease seems like it's two compounds. I bet that's extra WS₂, the converted grease would have no friction modifier in. Are the amounts mentioned taking that into account? Also I feel like the friction modifier might need some help getting in the converted grease, perhaps the commercially available product has something like that in? That one also needs 125 °C to make the conversion happen, what's different in this method that it needs only 95 ° C?
@@DR_1_1 The Connex link? Not as expensive as replacing Shimano/Sram or Campy quick links over the life of a waxed chain. Buy the Connex chain and it come with it anyway. They cost more as they are built to better tolerances.
I am a fan and have started waxing my chains. However, today I noticed that one of my chain links has seized up. I hadn’t ridden this bike for over a month. It looked like rust had got in there. The chain was waxed from new and prepped as per your instructions. What did I do wrong?
Shimano chains come with oil/grease on them --- so with the new oil solidifier - cleaning the new shimano chain is not required? That doesn't bring contaminants into the wax mix? Will the new ingredient (oil solidifier) allow me to scoop out oil?
Hi, a question, is it one time use only? For example, once I degreased a chain this way, can I degrease another or will I have to do another batch of wax + grease solidifier? Or do I need to add another sachet in the same batch? Thanks for your content, very interesting!
Usually 95degC. Taking it out at lower temperatures leaves more wax on the chain. So, for riding in wet conditions, you could take the chain out at about 65degC.
Hello and thanks for the really helpful and well researched videos. I have a question and hope you'll be kind enough to reply with some advice. Especially as it may help others too. I have just emptied by slow cooker ready for a new batch of wax and PTFE and the candles that I've purchased say "25% plant based wax and 75% premium paraffin". Will these be suitable? The packaging also says they are vegan which I thought would be obvious. Surprised they aren't marked as gluten free too. 🙄 I also have access to bees wax, which is obviously not vegan but wondered how that would work. TIA.
You can use plant based waxes with paraffin wax, but they may attract more dirt depending on their oil content. Plain paraffin wax is best.
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A question: is this oil/solidifier necessary? I have PTFE (got from Ali), paraffin and mineral oil. Is It ok to mix those ingridients? Cheers from Brazil!
It doesn't escape because it is a solid, not liquid. It gets slowly deformed away from compressing surfaces, which, when rewaxed this gap is refilled with wax again.
Can you reuse the wax? Do you just let it harden and use it again without adding the PTFE and oil solidifier? Or is it just the best to trow everything away and use new wax and PTFE the next time you want to wax your chain?
Would you mind a deeper dive share on the Greece solidification powder? I’ve been hot waxing for many years and this is the first time I’ve heard of that helping. How do I know it’s actually helping? Have you done and A B test and can show the difference? Many thanks
Basically the folks at SILCA just did the same thing, repackaged the powder that causes a chemical reaction called oleogelation into fancy wafers, and charge 10x more for it.
I am a bit confused: In the video you mention the ratio for wax and PTFE quite clearly (also for rewaxing) ... what about the solidifier ? Do you add some of it for rewaxing ? Or is it ONLY added to the "initial wax block" ?
@@stevenleffanueIf we add the grease converter for the initial block, then can we reuse that (which contains the grease converter) for latter waxings or should we melt a new one with just wax and the additive?
Keep using it as normal wax. It should last the usual 3,000km. The oil conversion powder is just to clean the chain initially and becomes waxlike itself anyhow.
@oz cycle. When/where/why would you use stearic acid? Is that a substitute for one of the other ingredients? I am in the process of making my own wax dip and would like to be sure what to put into the mix :) Thanks for the informative vid!
If you are going to wax a brand new chain, stearic acid converts the oil in the chain into a harder , wax-like polymer, which then mixes in with the paraffin wax. So, there is no need to degrease the chain with chemicals.You can now continue waxing the chain as per normal waxing.
TY! @@stevenleffanue So for new chains, the Stearic Acid, Paraffin wax and then your lubricating powder of choice? Are there "specific" ratios to use for this option?
Yes , it changes state into a gel or soft wax texture which simply blends into the paraffin wax. If you take scrapings ,put them on blotting paper and squash it with a weight for a day or so , no oil is present on the paper.
In the old method i think it was a ratio of 1/10 pfte when now its 1/20. So can a go to the 1/20 ratio in the old way too? I clean the new chain before use.
1:20 is for initial wax batch. Once the ptfe embeds itself into the metal a 1:80 or even 1:100 will maintain the low friction quality for rest of the chains life.
@@stevenleffanue Ok, thanks. Just bought my a new second hand slow cooker for 20€ and waiting for the pfte to arrive. Paraffine i can buy at a wine making shop for 6€/500gr. Greetings from Belgium.
If you are using a new chain, should you first decrease the new chain form any lubricant from the factory? Or can you use it just like this, out of the box, and put it in to the wax?
Why did you not clean the new chain? I thought they have a heavy grease even if it is n brandnew. I follow your old videos soaking in the gasoline, degreaser and methylated spirits before doing yhe waxing. Is that correct or this is the new method?
@@stevenleffanue ok thank you. I will follow this new step when i change new chain in the future. It is easy and more cheaper since I will not buy cleaning chemicals.
@@stevenleffanue Maybe having the chain in a rolling boil of water with some agitation for a few minutes is enough to loosen up and remove any solid contaminants. Enough for the converter to do the remainder of the work. If it works, it would eliminate the harsh chemical process. (Thanks for the awesome content, you've converted myself and several others in our riding group!)
Hi, I have a question, what do you do when you are bike touring for 3 month or more? No option to do this on the road after 200km. Is it waxing good for that cycling style? What is your recommendation? Thanks!
In that case you could take a liquid form of the wax in a bottle with you. Apply it on the chain every 100km approximately. To make your own bottled wax, click the link in the description or here... czcams.com/video/XY7QI3xfa_4/video.htmlsi=hhYcTpdwhzRvNAPs
@@stevenleffanue Thanks for your answer. What about build-up of wax and dirt? If you clean it in hot water is it enough to clean most of the dirt? Then rewax with the solution in bottle? Thanks!
Waxing isn't like oil , it attracts almost no dirt so your drivetrain will stay extremely clean. When it needs a clean you can use a wax and grease remover the rinse off with water.
I have questions for waxing my bike chain. But watch your video 4 yrs ago about waxing bike chain proceeds it was involved couple more step than this video. If you don’t mind tell me little more details why I should skip those steps or make an other video explaining why those steps wasn’t necessary?
Graphite is black and messy even as a dry lubricant. PTFE is white and much cleaner but comes with some health safety concerns (avoid breathing in the fine powder).
@@ttkb9620Graphite sold in art stores for pencils is a mixture of pure graphite and clay that has been fired together at a high temperature, it is useless as a lubricant. Graphite sold as a dry lubricant has no clay, just pure platelets of carbon.
Had a go a this... Waxed chain, seemed ok in the dry. Stayed clean and seemed to be less noisy, but went out and it pissed it down. Got home dried bike and chain. Next morning rust spots on chain! Not had this happen when I used oil. Any advice out there?
@@stevenleffanue thank you for the answer. So if I understand right, when I clean my new chain with white spirit/alcohol few times before hot waxing - grease converter is not neccessary?
Yep. I also like to use a microcrystaline wax (with added WS2). Of course it costs 1.5 times the price, but does an even cleaner drive train and longer lasting lubrication.
I have a question - after, lets say 300 km, how does your waxed chain look like? Does it have some black/grey residuals? How much dirt is attracted? Concerning mosi2, teflon, etc. - one can add them to the wax lubes as well.
my bikes have aluminum front chainrings and when I wipe the hot chain with a rag the old wax is gray even though it was waxed with colorless wax, my wife at one time had steel front chainrings and the color of the old wax was not gray but depended on the color of the road dust(red, yellow...)
I've not tried that. I would say no , as the lube would be more of a polymer gel than paraffin wax , decreasing it low friction quality. Give it a go if you like and let us know how it goes?
Thanks for your fast response! Your explanation sounds plausible. Maybe i'll give it a try nonetheless and let you know. But first i have to use up my first PTFE waxed chain and three more chains. I hope that takes time. Although my results with graphite wax on my e-bike used in mountain range don't set my expectations very high. But watching your recent videos, i learnt that rewaxing with graphite on an e-bike every 250-300km wasn't the best strategy in the first place...😅 I hope i'll get substantially more mileage in the future than the 1000km from last time. The PTFE i got from aliexpress was very clumpy and statically charged. Weighing it was a messy nightmare. That's why i thought, how long the livespan of that mixture could be expanded...
Steven, thanks again for this content. One question: i did not 100% get the use of the oil solidifier. Is it really necessary? It is not so common in germany and not easy to get. Cheers elmar
Amazing update. Works perfect like this. Used 15g for 3 chains. For German customers: I got 200g Quickshine deep fat fixer from Amazon for about 10€. Works great
I‘m also a recent waxing convert living in Germany. The Quickshine fat fixer and the PTFE are still on their way. I wanted to also do a 3 chain rotation. Was not sure a small 500ml leg wax melter would do the job. What wax melter did you go for @drama069?
@@MatthewBell-mg7fh use any cooker you like. I have Russel Hobbs Slowcooker 25570-56
@@MatthewBell-mg7fh Flüssigwachs Emulsion stelle ich mir auch selbst her. Einfach eine recht flüssige Emulsion aus Parafin, Polysorbat 80 (Emulgator der das Wachs mit Wasser verbindet), Wasser und Alkohol herstellen und in Fläschchen abfüllen. Bei Bedarf kann man auch hier PTFE Pulver, Graphit oder sonstige Aditive zumischen. Preis für einen Liter hier niedriger, was sonst ein kleines 100ml Fläschchen Kettenwachs kostet.
Besser gleich Wachsemulsion kaufen. 5 Liter für 35,-€. Und dann die Additive dazu. AUF PTFE sollte man wirklich verzichten.
@@photooutdoor2574 Wenn du auf PTFE verzichten möchtest, dann solltest du auch mit der fertigen wasserbasierten Wachsemulsion vorsichtig sein. Die gibt es zwar relativ günstig in Chemiehandel, hat dann aber Emulgatoren drin, die auch umweltschädlich sind und zudem Haut und Augen reizen. Polysorbat 80 ist ein biologisch abbaubarer Emulgator, der auch für kosmetische Anwendungen zugelassen ist.
Everybody, please consider wearing a FFP 3 mask when working with ptfe, tungsten or graphite powder. From below 10ug diameter you are handling pure particulates which are prooven to have dangerous effects on your lungs. Especially when adding the powder to melted wachs and stiring it, a cloud of particulates can take off just by the movement of the hot air on top of your wax surface.
Apart from that, what a nice idea to try fat fixer for diy strip chips. Thank you oz!
Good point for sure, something obvious get overlooked way to many times.
Or just do it safely
one more reason to stay on pure wax
Would it still be dangerous afterwards on the chain? If your bike is in a living room?
@@StringerBell50 do not think so as it's attached to wax. Plus in one video Oz try to scrape it off metal and it's stuck hard.
. I've been using your method for a few years now. 460 km in 5 days bike packing including the Brisbane valley rail trail and chain untouched smooth and quiet all the way. Love it. Cheers Les
Great to hear Les and thanx for your experience 👍
I have been waxing for 30,000km now. I started with your guide but I have modified a bit to speed things up. First I use a much higher temp for wax (150C), it cause the water stuck in the chain to boil off and it's much faster. I also don't wait for the wax to cool down, I pull out the chain while hot and wipe them right away wearing thick gloves. I then start moving the links before it finish cooling down, so no more stiff link to break. I didn't notice any difference in wear and I still get around 300 to 500km per wax. Plus, you end up with way less wax all over your bike and stuck on the cassette and chainring. All my chains are still below 0.5 on the CC-4. I'm still on the original cassette and chainring. AXS 12 speed.
150C sounds like a good idea. I'll try that next time I wax a chain.
Thanks for your tip ! How long do you put the chain in het 150C wax ? And you don't let the temp go down before you put the chain out of the wax ? And the last question is if you wipe down the chain with a cloth is there a chance there is to much wax going away from the chain ? Thanks again for you help
@@MHMvanOs-qt9cc I sometime let it come down a bit, but to be honest there is plenty of wax left even if you remove it while very hot. Wiping the chain didn't affect the performance as well. I think enough stay in the roller.
Best and most comprehensive video about chain waxing. Thanks a lot!
The original waxing videos changed my cycling life, this is a phenomenal update to the process and makes it a total no brainer. Outstanding thanks so much for the continued waxing updates.
You converted me to both chain waxing and TPU tubes about two years ago. Thanks
I'm responsible for cleaning mine and gfriends drive chain - I just prefer it that way when I know it's done to my standards. You convinced me to try waxed chains and it's an absolute gamechanger. Thanks so much!
Not sure if you mentioned it, but most oil solidifiers require a temp of at least 176f/80c in order to function properly, so it would be pertinent to ensure your wax reaches this temp when using the solidifier.
Also, I really wish I had heard that bit about removing wax buildup from the smallest cassette cogs a few years ago. I was fine with 9spd and a 12t smallest cog, but when I purchased a new gravel bike the wax buildup on the 11spd cassette lead to skipping in the 11t cog that took me longer than I would like to admit to diagnose.
Lastly, Silca must hate you for this 🙂
> Lastly, Silca must hate you for this 🙂
actually, I think he is bringing customers to them. With Silca the process is bit easier. Also after I started waxing using home made wax, I later also bought squirt drip on wax (Which actually I don't recommend and If I'll not create my own drip on wax formula I'll probably buy silca)
Thank you for all the work that you have done when it comes to waxing , it has saved me many $$.
I have been using my regular QR links on my chains 100s of times with no issues. I've been waxing for a decade.
Shimano's?
Fantastic update. Thank you for making this process even easier. I am a total convert to chain waxing, as the difference it makes to a ride is profound. In the event of a mechanical or snagging a flat is made easier as there's no grease or dirty oil residue to deal with
Would acetone + graphite be a good substitute?
I use a cheese grater to scrap away the settled contaminants on the bottom of the wax puck. Also, I use a strong magnet to remove any ferrous metals from the hot wax. You won't believe how much stuff the magnet picks up after rewaxing several chains.
Magnet is a great idea. Scraping the bottom of the block would also remove a lot of the friction additive tho??
Thank you for sharing all your expertise! I'm dragging my chain through a outside candle fed with old candles. After that, i put the chain into my oven at 90 °C. -Just for the idea of using different methods :)
Excellent video. Very helpful. Thank you.
Great video as expected. Thank you.
Great video as always! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Elmar
Thanks a lot! I have been waiting to try this recipe
Thank you for yet another excellent video. I'm in search for a used slow cooker now 👍
Brilliant update - thank you.
Wow, really useful information for the ratio’s and procedures, thanks. 🙂
2:18 I've been working this way since day one (for the last 5 or more years), I'm glad that you finally understood, maybe zero friction does too
I bought a Priority Bicycles Turi 3 years ago and it uses an Enviolo rear hub and a Gates belt instead of a chain. *I put 7000 **_MILES_** on it and never did anything other than wash it with soap and water!* Then the crankset plastic sprocket got some cupped wear on it and the belt began to make a creaking sound under torque so I ordered a new sprocket, but in the meantime I put some cornstarch on the belt and the creaking sound went away.
I changed the sprocket anyways when it arrived and then replaced the belt with the spare I had bought (and never used) for my road kit, and the old belt looked just as good as the belt that had zero miles on it!
Seriously, I know the Derailleur is as efficient as it gets, certainly more efficient than an Enviolo hub (mine is 300%), and more efficient than my new Priority 600 that has a Gates belt as well but uses the Pinion C1.12 - 12 speed (600%) crankset gearbox, but the belts have never cut up my pants, which have gotten caught in the crank sprocket many times, and it looks like they will last orders of magnitude longer than any chain will, will never have cassettes to wear out, AND are literally *_no maintenance!_* Just wash the bike like you would a car and go.
Frankly I used to love working on my old Schwinn Le Tour. I was like a bloke with his old '68 Jaguar and how he loved to tinker with the points and plugs every month or two, adjusting the valves and setting the dwell on the points. But now I'm so done with a derailleur and that constant maintenance. Even the way you've found (which is smashing genius) to extend the time between maintenance and the wear of all the components is no temptation for me to go back. I'm never going back to a derailleur, EVER. I have just as much fun and don't care about (or notice) the loss of efficiency since I'm not in any race. I'm just off to the chemist to get my prescriptions, doing my groceries or out for my 20 mile exercise ride.
BTW I'm still subbed to your channel after those three years. Partly for other stuff, partly to see if you're gonna change my mind about chains, but I doubt it.
Thanks for your great input about beltdrive...I agree. Maybe one day internal gearing will be super- efficient, then no more external gears 👍
@@stevenleffanuejust ride single speed! haha
Wonderful video, im ordering oil solidifier right now
Finally gone down the waxing rabbit hole. Biggest pain is not just prepping chains but cleaning all other moving parts but took my time as wax melted. Loosened chain links around a thick broom and refitted. At firt their was flakes of wax everywhere and felt super stiff but slowly loosened up. Been running DA9100 mechanical and using Finish Line green wet lube for years, and wow now it shifts like DA should. So weird looking and feeling chain after a ride and it, frame and rear wheel is spotless clean😊
Yep , sounds like you got the waxing process spot on there 👍
To follow up, shifting is magic, driveline and rear remains clean but even after a 32k ride it is very noisy. Chain in right direction and refitted correctly, sounds like a oil lubed chain that has dried out.@@stevenleffanue
I recommend having as many chains as you can tolerate, wax them all at once, and rotate through all the chains. It delays exposing the cassette and crank to a worn chain, which minimizes how much the cassette and chainrings wear, which minimizes how much the chain wears, too. It saves a ton of $ and rides better.
Exactly what I do. I am currently cycling 2 chains weekly.
I pour boiling water into them in a pot and agitate them then wax them in PTFE and Graphite wax.
I prefer 3.
Also 500 gr of wax + all the chemicals sounds like a lot for a chain... probable less than 1/100th of that stays on the chain.
I have had such great results with the original process, I'm planning to just stick with it.
Nice video thanks. Love those SA stobie poles 🤣
Hi Steve. Love all you do for us. You are a top rate content producer! Waxing for 3 + years due to your most excellent videos. I have a suggestion regarding measuring the chain. I check my chain wear only after removing the wax using boiling water. Its my belief that measuring with wax in the chain can skew the results. Thanks for the info.
Yes that should be true , I've often thought that. Will consult with a few here about that and may need to do video about that. Thanx 👍
10:40 while this is a helpful tip on sizing the new chain, if you have old one you can match that instead.
Thanks a lot for your videos, at first I hesitated, then decided to go for your previous method of 3 plastic jars and the chemicals. And now see this update, haha. I wonder whether the new method is *AS* efficient as the chemical deep clean. Because I already prepared myself for a longer journey of cleaning.
Either cleaning process works. You can still use your hotpot.
250-300km in road hours is basically every 10hrs of riding which for many is weekly. I’d recommend buying 4 chains you can swap every week so you’re only waxing monthly. Don’t discard cassettes and chains in your general water bin, please recycle! There are great pre mixed waxes you can use instead of candles and your own blend of additives.
Just one thing...I am always jealous of your beautifull cycling weather overthere! We are on the wrong side of the globe here in the Netherlands. 😉
Yes,we have good weather a lot of the time. But we are jealous of your government giving so much priority to the cyclists.
On the other hand, you're probably less likely to get skin cancer than the typical Aussie.
Amazing! Thanks a bunch! Used to let the wax cool before pulling out the chain, this leaves way less wax, even less flaking and less build up of old wax. Just one question, do you clean the microfiber cloths in de washing machine?
I'm guilty , I throw them out once they get too caked up with wax. You can buy packs of 20 for about $5 here.
Nice you cracked the code
I use a electric stirrer in order to have a better dispersion when soaking the chain
7:27 the grease would combine and thin with the wax through several waxings, so there is no need for additional chemistry
Can't wait for Zero Friction Cycling to test this and Silca's new one step method.
Thanks for sharing; I never went through the hussle of freeing the links - I just mounted the stiff chain and rode about 200 meters; It slipped a lot on the first couple of pedal strokes, but at the end of my street, it was fine.
Hassle hustle. You're looking for hassle.
Yep, same here.
Really appreciate your in-depth videos and wealth of information. What 'hotpot' appliance would you recommend? Maybe include links to the recommended/used products in your video description? Thanks so much for sharing :)
Glad you are liking the vids 👍. A hotpot with temperature regulator is best...can set it and leave it for as long as you want or lower the temperature to remove the chain at about 75degC to leave more wax fir wet conditions.
Great video!
A question about the cassette re-install on the freehub body; I usually put some grease on the body before sliding the cassette on but I noticed you didn't. So no grease is fine?
Thanks!
Not essential but recommended. There was grease on my freehub body from previous.
This is brilliant, thank you! One question, should that first mixture be reserved for new chains only, so you wax it ther first and then every subsequent time you wax in the 1:100 mixture?
No , just keep using the initial block like normal for 3,000km , then change to the 1:100 mix.
I do same procedure, really I learnt it from you, but ultrasonic clean new chain. I am surprised how many metal chips and flakes from manufacturing find at the bottom of the machine.
Nice video.
whut are the stainless steel or titanium chains of popular brands?
To loosen chain I use the plastic dustbin handle, works a treat😄
From what I Googled, oil solidifiers are stearic acid. So adding a stearin candle in the paraffin wax should do the same job, harden the wax and up the melting point.
Nope, unfortunately not. Wax ist a Triglyceride, i.e. Glyerine C3H5(OH)3 + 3 x CxH(2x+1)COOH (i.e. stearic acid) ----> TG + 3 x H2O. Not all oil soilidifiers are amde the same. Some contain Perlite, which is kind of a fluffy rocklike stuff. I'd buy the silca chips, just to be sure.
Yes. You will note on the oil solidifier packet that it melts at 80degC. That indicates it is stearic acid , not pearlite.
I tryed this method on a nbrand new chain, worked almost flawless. I still had some oil/greas in the chain, but only minimal barely noticeable. The wax only lasted around 200km before the chain got louder.
Try soaking it a bit longer...until no more bubbles come out of the chain for maximum wax penetration. That should do it.
@@stevenleffanue thx for the reply. I soaked it longer than in the vid, there was no bubbles on my first waxing, only on the rewax i had bubbles. Maybe i jsut need more of that oil solidifier?
It may be that it will take a few rewaxings to get the ptfe into all the nooks and crannies of the links so it lasts longer?
Is it a must I use the oil solidifier? because, it's the only thing missing now, that last time I watched your waxing video you told us to get only wax and PTFE. Now, as I was about to do it, I heard there's one more thing to get.
Only if you are starting a new chain , otherwise it's the same.
For anyone considering this, please note PTFE is a group of nasty chemicals that stays in the environment for hundreds of years without breaking down, hence the nickname "forever chemicals". If possible I'd advise on finding alternatives. Obviously the industry uses this in many applications on a huge scale. But if you want to make a conscious choice, it's better to choose something else. Most outdoor brands are going away from PTFE:s for this very reason. Leave no trace ;)
can you tell us, good substance to add for waxing that easy to found and not nasty chemicals? pretty pleaseeeeee
That's good, I do not need to worry about PTFE breaking on my chain.
@@dizhamrl4386there’s little benefit adding anything else to the wax
In addition, it makes effectively no difference to drive train efficiency, just use plain wax. PTFE should be banned.
I use plain wax, no need for any additives for the regular rider.
@stevenleffanue another good update to improve the process. I saw below that you said that you only had Aussie links for where you buy all of the 'ingredients', can you post them in the description anyway, thanks.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/265894111561?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=Rb-c1uZOSbu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=-h7k82GPSla&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
The commercially available block that converts grease seems like it's two compounds. I bet that's extra WS₂, the converted grease would have no friction modifier in. Are the amounts mentioned taking that into account? Also I feel like the friction modifier might need some help getting in the converted grease, perhaps the commercially available product has something like that in? That one also needs 125 °C to make the conversion happen, what's different in this method that it needs only 95 ° C?
Connex for the win.
That thingy is as expensive as my chain...
@@DR_1_1 The Connex link? Not as expensive as replacing Shimano/Sram or Campy quick links over the life of a waxed chain. Buy the Connex chain and it come with it anyway. They cost more as they are built to better tolerances.
@@Squizzy05 Mmmh... Connex 11sX is around 60 € I can get 3 x S 105 chains for that.
I'll think of it again when the current chain is worn, maybe.
Steve, coming back to this video what happens to the oil solidifier?
I am a fan and have started waxing my chains. However, today I noticed that one of my chain links has seized up. I hadn’t ridden this bike for over a month. It looked like rust had got in there. The chain was waxed from new and prepped as per your instructions. What did I do wrong?
Shimano chains come with oil/grease on them --- so with the new oil solidifier - cleaning the new shimano chain is not required? That doesn't bring contaminants into the wax mix? Will the new ingredient (oil solidifier) allow me to scoop out oil?
No cleaning required. The oil becomes a wax-like solid and mixes in with the wax.
Hi, a question, is it one time use only? For example, once I degreased a chain this way, can I degrease another or will I have to do another batch of wax + grease solidifier? Or do I need to add another sachet in the same batch? Thanks for your content, very interesting!
1 batch will do 4 chains.
Hello again , what is the tempreture of the wax when you remove the chain from cooker thank you.
Usually 95degC. Taking it out at lower temperatures leaves more wax on the chain. So, for riding in wet conditions, you could take the chain out at about 65degC.
dammmnn that Look MTB looks good!
It's getting old now...about 13 years.
@@stevenleffanue but looks so futuristic doesnt it?!
Yes , it was a good design. It has quick release hubs ..old school 😆
Hello and thanks for the really helpful and well researched videos. I have a question and hope you'll be kind enough to reply with some advice. Especially as it may help others too.
I have just emptied by slow cooker ready for a new batch of wax and PTFE and the candles that I've purchased say "25% plant based wax and 75% premium paraffin". Will these be suitable? The packaging also says they are vegan which I thought would be obvious. Surprised they aren't marked as gluten free too. 🙄
I also have access to bees wax, which is obviously not vegan but wondered how that would work.
TIA.
You can use plant based waxes with paraffin wax, but they may attract more dirt depending on their oil content. Plain paraffin wax is best.
A question: is this oil/solidifier necessary? I have PTFE (got from Ali), paraffin and mineral oil. Is It ok to mix those ingridients? Cheers from Brazil!
The oil solidifier is only for introducing a brand new chain into a wax based lubricant.
Hi, good update, BUT, what about the grease contained in the rollers of the chain. Doesn‘t it escape while riding?
It doesn't escape because it is a solid, not liquid. It gets slowly deformed away from compressing surfaces, which, when rewaxed this gap is refilled with wax again.
Have you tried adding graphite to the mix? I am currently using 2 spoons PTFE to 1 spoon graphite to my pot.
Yes , graphite works well as a dry lubricant but leaves dark grey marks on everything it touches, even when mixed with the wax.
Can you reuse the wax? Do you just let it harden and use it again without adding the PTFE and oil solidifier? Or is it just the best to trow everything away and use new wax and PTFE the next time you want to wax your chain?
One wax batch will last a chain 3,000km . After that, the wax starts to go grey with contamination, so it's time to start a new batch.
Would you mind a deeper dive share on the Greece solidification powder? I’ve been hot waxing for many years and this is the first time I’ve heard of that helping. How do I know it’s actually helping? Have you done and A B test and can show the difference? Many thanks
4 months testing. I have video footage but didn't think anyone would want to see it. I mite upload it soon 👍
Basically the folks at SILCA just did the same thing, repackaged the powder that causes a chemical reaction called oleogelation into fancy wafers, and charge 10x more for it.
Hello there, nice video. Where can I get ptfe, graphite, or tungsten power from Melbourne? Thanks
Aliexpress or Ebay
I am a bit confused:
In the video you mention the ratio for wax and PTFE quite clearly (also for rewaxing) ... what about the solidifier ? Do you add some of it for rewaxing ?
Or is it ONLY added to the "initial wax block" ?
Only for the initial block
@@stevenleffanueIf we add the grease converter for the initial block, then can we reuse that (which contains the grease converter) for latter waxings or should we melt a new one with just wax and the additive?
Keep using it as normal wax. It should last the usual 3,000km. The oil conversion powder is just to clean the chain initially and becomes waxlike itself anyhow.
@oz cycle. When/where/why would you use stearic acid? Is that a substitute for one of the other ingredients? I am in the process of making my own wax dip and would like to be sure what to put into the mix :) Thanks for the informative vid!
If you are going to wax a brand new chain, stearic acid converts the oil in the chain into a harder , wax-like polymer, which then mixes in with the paraffin wax. So, there is no need to degrease the chain with chemicals.You can now continue waxing the chain as per normal waxing.
TY! @@stevenleffanue So for new chains, the Stearic Acid, Paraffin wax and then your lubricating powder of choice? Are there "specific" ratios to use for this option?
Ratios are in the video
Hi, is the grease conversion powder necessary? Your older recipes don’t include it.
It's an alternative to the initial clean.
no
all the grease has been removed from the chain ?? thanks !!!
Converted into a polymer.
What happens with the oil/solidifier substance after? Does it just stay in the wax?
Yes , it changes state into a gel or soft wax texture which simply blends into the paraffin wax. If you take scrapings ,put them on blotting paper and squash it with a weight for a day or so , no oil is present on the paper.
I'm assuming water is added to hot wax to make the (fairy) bottle of drip on for long trips. What ratio of water is needed to keep it liquid?
It's not water.
Would it be possible to use the oil solidifier without the wax to clean a brand new chain?
How would you get the oil solidifier into the chain?
@@stevenleffanueWould it work in warm water or in something else?
Not warm water. Heat the chain up to 700degC mite melt the factory grease out.
Wow this has changed in two years! I want so see what happened to the original drawer knob used for freeing up chains once cooled. (Pls DM photo)
use a birthday candle to drip wax on the chain - simple.
In the old method i think it was a ratio of 1/10 pfte when now its 1/20. So can a go to the 1/20 ratio in the old way too? I clean the new chain before use.
1:20 is for initial wax batch. Once the ptfe embeds itself into the metal a 1:80 or even 1:100 will maintain the low friction quality for rest of the chains life.
@@stevenleffanue Ok, thanks. Just bought my a new second hand slow cooker for 20€ and waiting for the pfte to arrive. Paraffine i can buy at a wine making shop for 6€/500gr. Greetings from Belgium.
If you are using a new chain, should you first decrease the new chain form any lubricant from the factory? Or can you use it just like this, out of the box, and put it in to the wax?
Straight out of the box into wax with the oil solidifier powder.
So no need to decrease the new chain?@@stevenleffanue
So no need to decrease the new chain? @@stevenleffanue
Sensational. Congratulations and thank you for taking the time to teach us.
Looks interesting,were do you buy the aditives? I might give it a try.
Either Ebay or Aliexpress
Thanks for the reply,I'll see what i can find@@stevenleffanue
Great content, do have a link for the grease converter powder.
Only for Australia
what is the link for Australia? Can't seem to find the one he is showing at $1 per sachet@@stevenleffanue
Why did you not clean the new chain? I thought they have a heavy grease even if it is n brandnew. I follow your old videos soaking in the gasoline, degreaser and methylated spirits before doing yhe waxing. Is that correct or this is the new method?
This seems to be the new method with the additive to change the grease/oils straight to wax.
You did correct. However, this is the new method which does away with all that initial cleaning . You can still do it the old way if you like 👍
@@stevenleffanue ok thank you. I will follow this new step when i change new chain in the future. It is easy and more cheaper since I will not buy cleaning chemicals.
@@stevenleffanueDid you test if the new or old method give different results?
You are a legend!
Do you have any suggestions on recommended equipment, i.e. the hot pot? Thanks
Almost any cheapo hotpot,slow cooker , rice cooker will do. Best is one where you can preset the temperature but not vital.
I am using a cheap ladies leg wax melter. There was one in the video. Ok but very small and just fits one chain.
just basic equipment for wax chef
So if I wax for example with 2 chains at the same time, 600km is calculated on the total duration of the paraffin block, right?
Yes.
Would the Grease Converter Powder work on an old greasy chain, or will it only work for new chains?
It will work on the grease/oils but any dirt,etc will contaminate the mixture. Si best to use the three step chemical method.
@@stevenleffanue Maybe having the chain in a rolling boil of water with some agitation for a few minutes is enough to loosen up and remove any solid contaminants. Enough for the converter to do the remainder of the work. If it works, it would eliminate the harsh chemical process. (Thanks for the awesome content, you've converted myself and several others in our riding group!)
Micro contaminants from use are in the grease or oil, and boiling water will not remove the grease or oil.
Hi, I have a question, what do you do when you are bike touring for 3 month or more? No option to do this on the road after 200km. Is it waxing good for that cycling style? What is your recommendation?
Thanks!
In that case you could take a liquid form of the wax in a bottle with you. Apply it on the chain every 100km approximately.
To make your own bottled wax, click the link in the description or here...
czcams.com/video/XY7QI3xfa_4/video.htmlsi=hhYcTpdwhzRvNAPs
@@stevenleffanue Thanks for your answer. What about build-up of wax and dirt? If you clean it in hot water is it enough to clean most of the dirt? Then rewax with the solution in bottle?
Thanks!
Waxing isn't like oil , it attracts almost no dirt so your drivetrain will stay extremely clean. When it needs a clean you can use a wax and grease remover the rinse off with water.
I have questions for waxing my bike chain. But watch your video 4 yrs ago about waxing bike chain proceeds it was involved couple more step than this video. If you don’t mind tell me little more details why I should skip those steps or make an other video explaining why those steps wasn’t necessary?
You can use either the old three steps or the new 1 step method.
The graphite u are using is it the same as the one you can find in Art Store?
Graphite is black and messy even as a dry lubricant. PTFE is white and much cleaner but comes with some health safety concerns (avoid breathing in the fine powder).
@@dogphlap6749 the graphite powder is the one you get from scratching a pencil?
@@dogphlap6749 is the same than the one u get from scratching a pencil?
@@dogphlap6749 what i mean is : does graphite is the same element of carbon that we use for writting. Sry for my english I am French.
@@ttkb9620Graphite sold in art stores for pencils is a mixture of pure graphite and clay that has been fired together at a high temperature, it is useless as a lubricant. Graphite sold as a dry lubricant has no clay, just pure platelets of carbon.
Had a go a this... Waxed chain, seemed ok in the dry. Stayed clean and seemed to be less noisy, but went out and it pissed it down. Got home dried bike and chain. Next morning rust spots on chain! Not had this happen when I used oil. Any advice out there?
Rust occurs with water present. Somehow, there must have still been water on your chain?
I will use this for motorcycle chain that doesnt have the o-rings.
How much difference would it make if we just use wax instead of wax and PTFE, since i dont want to use forever chemicals?
You will need to rewax every 100km instead of 300km
I bought 3 chains and rewax them all 3 at once so I do not have rewax often :)
Hello! I did not understand is the grease converter necessary? What's the outcome/problem if I dont use it? It's kind of hard to get it where I live.
It replaces the initial chain cleaning process.
@@stevenleffanue thank you for the answer. So if I understand right, when I clean my new chain with white spirit/alcohol few times before hot waxing - grease converter is not neccessary?
Yes
Old chain and cassette go into metal recycling here up here. 🇨🇦
i prefer the standard australian recycle facility, the "ocean"
it's even better if you can save the cassette and save money, and in 95% of cases you can do it more than once
Thanks Ozz but i like more rafined, oil free"parafin which has max 2% parafin oil like self standing candles batches are much cleaner
Yep. I also like to use a microcrystaline wax (with added WS2). Of course it costs 1.5 times the price, but does an even cleaner drive train and longer lasting lubrication.
We found microcrystaline wax to be slightly tackier. Attracted dirt and presented more stiction than ordinary paraffin wax.
@@stevenleffanue i like the opposed of tackier the wax îs almost transparent hard as bitumen and it does not melt în my fingers as hard as I rub it
Can I use air compressor to dry ?
To dry the water from the chain?...absolutely
I have a question - after, lets say 300 km, how does your waxed chain look like? Does it have some black/grey residuals? How much dirt is attracted? Concerning mosi2, teflon, etc. - one can add them to the wax lubes as well.
For most riding the chain should be very clean. If riding in mud , do the hot water rinse and rewax.
my bikes have aluminum front chainrings and when I wipe the hot chain with a rag the old wax is gray even though it was waxed with colorless wax, my wife at one time had steel front chainrings and the color of the old wax was not gray but depended on the color of the road dust(red, yellow...)
@@makantahi3731 I have got the same results with Aluminium chainring and the SQUIRT lube.
Can i use the initial wax mixture again after 4 chains, by adding more solidifry?
I've not tried that. I would say no , as the lube would be more of a polymer gel than paraffin wax , decreasing it low friction quality. Give it a go if you like and let us know how it goes?
Thanks for your fast response! Your explanation sounds plausible. Maybe i'll give it a try nonetheless and let you know. But first i have to use up my first PTFE waxed chain and three more chains. I hope that takes time. Although my results with graphite wax on my e-bike used in mountain range don't set my expectations very high. But watching your recent videos, i learnt that rewaxing with graphite on an e-bike every 250-300km wasn't the best strategy in the first place...😅
I hope i'll get substantially more mileage in the future than the 1000km from last time.
The PTFE i got from aliexpress was very clumpy and statically charged. Weighing it was a messy nightmare. That's why i thought, how long the livespan of that mixture could be expanded...
Steven, thanks again for this content. One question: i did not 100% get the use of the oil solidifier. Is it really necessary? It is not so common in germany and not easy to get. Cheers elmar
It replaces the initial clean process on a new chain....degreaser, etc. You can still do it the old way tho.
Where does the grease end up going, though?
Converts into a polymer
Any links to the oil solidifier powder? Have looked everywhere 😬
www.ebay.com.au/itm/265894111561?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=Rb-c1uZOSbu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=-h7k82GPSla&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
If you keep exposing the secrets, that josh guy is going to get grumpy.
no, josh will sell even more top secret wax
Where do you get the ptfe powder? I've only found it on ebay so far.
Aliexpress