Chain WAXing (yes it's that easy) - and other mysteries of this art!

[Jayrob]

I am loving too. No black on my leg, clothes, hand, or the inside of the van. I took my chain and soaked it in Simple Green and water for a few hours, and then scrubbed the chain with a tooth brush. Looked brand new when I was done. I let it air out over night before putting it back on the bike. Then put on the Squirt, twice like directions said. I am about to go out for another ride.

 

[ChaleJake]

Has anyone tried this stuff? You don't have to remove the chain to clean and rewax. You re wax the chain with a stick wax. It looks like a deodorant stick. The video is pretty simple. Seems easier that melting wax in a crockpot.

https://wendperformance.myshopify.com/collections/wend-bike/products/chain-wax-kit

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

I am loving too. No black on my leg, clothes, hand, or the inside of the van. I took my chain and soaked it in Simple Green and water for a few hours, and then scrubbed the chain with a tooth brush. Looked brand new when I was done. I let it air out over night before putting it back on the bike. Then put on the Squirt, twice like directions said. I am about to go out for another ride.

It seems like I remember the cooked-in wax being important since the inside of the chain needs lubrication also. Especially if you use something to remove the pre-existing, petroleum-based lube by soaking it in some type of solvent. Where's Rats when you need him?

 

[castlerobber]

I started using Squirt last summer. I had no idea a chain could be that quiet. I didn't even realize it had been making noise...until it wasn't.

 

[Jayrob]

I think you might be a little confused about Squirt. It does penetrate and lubricate. According to Velonews, it is one of, if not the best. Paraffin wax is the wax that needs to be heated above a certain temp. Paraffin and Squirt both work very well, but when you have a chain over 11' long, you don't want to be taking it off every time you lube it.

 

[ratz]

It seems like I remember the cooked-in wax being important since the inside of the chain needs lubrication also. Especially if you use something to remove the pre-existing, petroleum-based lube by soaking it in some type of solvent. Where's Rats when you need him?

Working away.....busy month.

Ok so Squirt and Heat wax are going to perform about the same watts wise. With Squirt you are re-lubing on the fly and picking up some dirt; that won't get flushed off the chain, there's not enough sacrifical lubricate on the chain to carry the dirt away and while it might penetrate it's not going to get deep into the chain. Net result of those two differences is there will some wear and shorter lifespans. Chains will be good for about 2000-3000 miles and you are going to get wear on the cassette and rings.

Meanwhile With Heat wax you condense your time into the Shop preping the chain to you crock pot sessions; then you put it on and don't think about it again until the chain makes noise around 600-800 miles later. Chain should last for about 5000-7000 miles just less wear because of the way the dirt flecks off with the wax.

So really it's just a matter of drive train life span. Heat Wax, and Squirt will both be fast and clean, Squirt just comes up shortly chain life.

FWIW RAAM team will be starting with a supply of pre-waxed chains for the race. Should have enough to complete the course; our back up lubricate is Squirt; because you never know when a sudden rain storm is going to mess up a waxed chain. Already acquired the squirt because it's darn hard to come by during the riding season; best to hoard some now.

 

[Jayrob]

If I can get over 3,000 miles on a new chain without putting any new lubricant on the chain, just the original lubricant it came with, I think it might be safe to say I will get more than 3,000 miles from the chain using Squirt. The only part of the chain that really needs lube is the rollers in each link, and Squirt will penetrate that far. I haven't put enough miles on my chain yet with Squirt. I will see how long it lasts and then post the results.

 

[ratz]

. The only part of the chain that really needs lube is the rollers in each link,

Technically that's not correct it's the area between that plates that wears; the pins get loose and the chain stretches if friction is high between the plates. The rollers on the other hand with traditional grease you want clean and not sticky so they don't drag dirt into your cassette. Squirt and Wax excel at that because if they get on the Rollers they flake off as they go through the rear derailleur before the dirt gets to the cogs; versus grease which turns it to sand paper.

I've got and article some where on my harddrive about it; I'll see if I can dig it up. No intent to start a debate; just don't want the newbies to think coating rolers in oil/grease is the right thing to do; Squirt and Wax you can get away with it even if it's not optimal... Squirt gets into the plates via perculation; it's got something in it like wd40 that is drawn to and displaces water so by Squirting your rollers and leaving it over night you are actually greasing between the plates; which is also why factory lube is good and it's put on under pressure to get it deep in the chain, then fools like me remove it with the sonic cleaner.

 

[Jayrob]

Here are two interesting articles http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chain-wear.html and http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html.

 

[Bill K]

Ok so I answered my own equestrian. Mineral Spirits will break down and devolve wax without harming plastics or paint. It the wax I'd caked on thick you'll want to use an old Cedit card to scrape off what you can. Soak part of a rag in MS an work it into the wax slowly. There no real way to rush the process and once the wax contaminates the rag repeat the soak and rubbing process again with a fresh part of the rag.

If you have and old Park Tool "cyclone" chain scrubber or something like it (from your pre-waxing days), try using it to remove the new wax from the outside of a newly-installed chain. Don't put any cleaning fluid in it, just spin the chain through it for a couple of minutes (both directions). That should cut down on the amount of wax that later flies off the chain and sticks to other bike parts.
I just tried it and it seems to help a bit.

 

[castlerobber]

Here are two interesting articles http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chain-wear.html and http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html.

You forgot this one. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

 

[super slim]

While at this very informative site, I noticed the Nanodrive system, where you can fit 20 instead of 11 sprockets in rear cassette with the same width!
So a 1*20 simple gear train could be created!!!

If you call today only, then you can buy the whole system for a very special price, as they have put on extra staff for the whole day!

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nanodrive/index.html

 

[ratz]

While at this very informative site, I noticed the Nanodrive system, where you can fit 20 instead of 11 sprockets in rear cassette with the same width!
So a 1*20 simple gear train could be created!!!

If you call today only, then you can buy the whole system for a very special price, as they have put on extra staff for the whole day!

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nanodrive/index.html

Great now I have to wait any entire year for that to be available again.

 

[RojoRacing]

So I've got a 200 mile race this weekend and there's a high chance of rain the night before till the next morning when we start. I doubt I'll have to ride in more then a couple hours of rain or drizzle at the most but I'm wondering about my waxed chain. I have no personal experience using a waxed chain in any rain so what can I expect if I get wet for a couple hours at the beginning of a 12 hour race? I'll be starting with a freshly waxed chain so it'll have as much life going in as I can give it.

 

[ratz]

So I've got a 200 mile race this weekend and there's a high chance of rain the night before till the next morning when we start. I doubt I'll have to ride in more then a couple hours of rain or drizzle at the most but I'm wondering about my waxed chain. I have no personal experience using a waxed chain in any rain so what can I expect if I get wet for a couple hours at the beginning of a 12 hour race? I'll be starting with a freshly waxed chain so it'll have as much life going in as I can give it.

I've done 6 hours in the rain; had to rewax after

I'd get this an put in your jersy pocket incase you need to do a quick relube...

https://www.amazon.com/Squirt-Long-Lasting-Lube-bottle/dp/B00ANNR15G

 

[RojoRacing]

I've done 6 hours in the rain; had to rewax after

I'd get this an put in your jersy pocket incase you need to do a quick relube...

https://www.amazon.com/Squirt-Long-Lasting-Lube-bottle/dp/B00ANNR15G

At the end of 6hrs did your chain sound terrible or not to bad? How bad was it raining?

Dry lubes are meant to go on and with time dry out and leave the dry coating. If you put it on in the rain it'll just wash off. I have mixed feelings about aplying it during a ride and expecting it to dry out and coat properly while in motion, but something is better than nothing I guess.

 

[ratz]

Good point.

The chain was noisy like when I was done; and it was heavy rain but not pouring; sounded like it normally does after 1000 miles

 

[bazzawill]

So Facebook memories showed me my waxed titanium chain is 1 year old still going strong and smooth as butter

 

[RojoRacing]

Good point.

The chain was noisy like when I was done; and it was heavy rain but not pouring; sounded like it normally does after 1000 miles

Well my chain had a couple hundred miles on it when I got poured on for those 30 mins and it sounded fine during the rain. I used compressed air when I got home to dry the chain and then a week later rode it again without adding any wax and it still sounded fine, you couldn't tell it had gotten wet on the past ride.

 

[LarryOz]

So I've got a 200 mile race this weekend and there's a high chance of rain the night before till the next morning when we start. I doubt I'll have to ride in more then a couple hours of rain or drizzle at the most but I'm wondering about my waxed chain. I have no personal experience using a waxed chain in any rain so what can I expect if I get wet for a couple hours at the beginning of a 12 hour race? I'll be starting with a freshly waxed chain so it'll have as much life going in as I can give it.

I rode 12-hours in the pouring rain a year ago at Calvin's challenge. Wax held up great - had to re-wax after, but pretty impressive stuff!