Waxing your chain

[Gattopardo]

Ok cyclists, I have found a small slow cooker, have a 7 speed chain and a 9 speed chain undergoing an initial long soak in white spirits.  The white spirits have not really cleared between shakes....

So once I have measured the chains to see how worn they are to see if there is any life left on the chain and or sprockets.  Then I shall clean them again and then soak them in a paraffin wax bath.  The wax is a paraffin sealing wax used on preserve jars so will see what happens.

[Richard D]

The true believers have a few sets of chains (not "chainsets", of course).  Typically they exchange chains every 500 miles or so, and when they have 3 or 4 which have been used, they get out their thrift-sale "crock pot" slow cooker, add some more wax (which they call paraffin - not the same product as names that in the UK), and let it warm up.  Chains are then immersed for half a day or more; the heat tends to loosen grit up, which falls to the bottom, and wax enters into the various interstitial spaces in the chain.  Chains are then fished out and hung up to cool.  When cool, loose wax is removed by rubbing down.

Mostly captures my routine.  Although "routine" is putting it a bit high.
 I use a cheap Chinese ultrasonic cleaner for about 20 minutes, while the slow cooker is warming and melting the wax (a mix of about 70% candle wax to 30% liquid paraffin; solid at room temperature, but smears rather than flakes).  Chain goes in that for about 20 minutes, then back on the bike.  Rotating chains depending on which one is the most worn.

Sounds like a lot of effort, but really it is not.  Maybe five minutes of human/bike interaction each week, and in return I have a clean chain.

Doesn’t last more than one ride in the pissing wet though.

[Brucey]

Doesn’t last more than one ride in the pissing wet though.

like most wax lubes then....

cheers

[Ian H]

If only someone could bring out an easy-to-use chain lube packaged in a bottle with an applicator nozzle.

[Oxford_Guy]

If only someone could bring out an easy-to-use chain lube packaged in a bottle with an applicator nozzle.

I guess that's the idea of Squirt lube, though I've not tried this myself yet:

http://www.squirtlube.com/our-products/

[TheLurker]

My chains don't get hairy.  Anyway, "according to G" you're  supposed to shave not wax and I'm damned if I'm shaving my chains. 

I'll get my coat...

[Morat]

Anybody do it?

GCN

Red Finish Line and the occasional spin through a park chain cleaner (half price, thank you road.cc) is enough for my chains.
If you charge your time out at £40 an hour, even expensive chains start to look cheap!

However, I do understand that some people regard a dirty chain as roughly equivalent to entering the Royal Enclosure at Ascot hatless and wearing only Speedos.  Feel free to wax away

[Kim]

My chains don't get hairy.

Mine do   

[Bolt]

If only someone could bring out an easy-to-use chain lube packaged in a bottle with an applicator nozzle.

I bought a can of this out of curiosity and it is surprisingly good! 

https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Automotive/d60/Lubricants+%26+Sprays/sd2795/Chain+Spray/p66808


It's really easy to apply to the chain in situ without over spraying and it's good for use as a general purpose grease.

[rogerzilla]

The commercial "dry" lubes (which aren't dry, they're just less wet) work ok and attract less dirt, but are useless in the rain.  Finish Line wet lube attracts dirt like flypaper but doesn't "string" like crappy chainsaw oil-based lubes and lasts for weeks in the winter.

[Gattopardo]

Is this a record for procrastination, as I started this thread I put a chain in white spirit and I think it is still there.

Still not melted the wax either.

Am procrastinating as I am afraid of getting it wrong. 

So what chain cleaning degreasser should I use?  White spirit, kerosene petrol or brake and clutch cleaner?  Then shall I stick the chain in meths to clean the chain pre going in to the wax.
 

[nuttycyclist]

Thread revival!

I used to use White Lightening and I never had the issues people upthread reported.   I just lubed the chain when I remembered, didn't bother de-greasing it beforehand (new or old chains), and I was a huge fan as the chain stayed clean and remained lubed on all rides.    I used to ride in all weathers and in sandy conditions.      I haven't been able to buy it for ages, and other chain lubes don't seem to last as long and they do pick up the grit which shortens chain life.

Chain cleaner, when I bothered, I just used water in an ultrasonic cleaner.  Amazing to watch the dirt coming out of the links.  I also used whatever I found in the garage, whether white spirit, meths, engine degreaser (which then washed off with water), etc.     

I think the key that is being suggested here is to get back to clean metal that the wax will stick to, whereas I preferred the logic of wax in a thinner that you drizzled on the existing chain, spun the chain to evaporate the thinner, and then rode 1000km before remembering that another drizzle of wax to the bike might be an idea.

[freeflow]

Two changes of white spirit.  Put the chain in white spirit and gently shake.  You need to shake for at least 10 minutes.  Then rinse under a hot tap with detergent (washing up liquid) to remove the white spirit.  You need a clean chain with no traces of previous lubricant.  Dunk chain into molten wax and leave for at least 10 minutes - it doesn't matter if the chain is slightly damp, it will just sizzle a little as it goes into the wax.  Its best to thread the chain onto a  suitable bent coat hanger to make it easier to retrieve the chain and hang up to cool.  I usually hang mine above the molten wax so that the excess wax drains back into the slow cooker.  I've found that you don't need a huge amount of wax on the chain.


I've been using hot wax with tungsten disulphide since last august when I got new bike with gears in a can.  I started with two new  8x chains (KMC e1 EPT coated) and rotate the chains after 2-300km (about 1 -2 weeks leisure riding for me).  I measure chain wear using a park tool chain checker (cc-2 which measures % stretch).  After 5000km (approx 2500km per chain) I still can't get the pins of the checker between the links of the chain. With previous bikes with 10 speed derailleurs I'd get through a sram 1051 chain in about 1000km despite fastidious cleaning and lubricating.


For a used wax chain I just wipe with paper towel, or rinse under the cold tap before wiping if I think its a bit grubby, before redunking in molten wax.  The whole process is very simple as you are normally off doing other things while the chain cooks or cools.


The chains run very smoothly and very quietly.


I've yet to have a serious ride in prolonged wet but the chains have had rides where they have been submerged in muddy water (due to roads being flooded) and the wax persisted very well.


I've done at back to back 100km rides and at least one 200km audax on a hot waxed chain without chain lubrication issues.

[Gattopardo]

Still not got any further....but today I might melt some tealights in a rice cooker that has a very scrached non stick pan.

[finch]

Hmm , I used to use C3 green in the summer and pink in the winter - the green stuff is nice and keeps everything manageably clean but the pink stuff is very messy after a few rides

I got some Hagen “ultimate chain wax” pellets and a shake in the bag chain stripper. Strip a new or y’know super cleanable chain and you see all the gunk in the bottom of the bag - 2-3mins while melting the wax

Rinse, dry and stick it in the oven for 5 min - wax has melted by now

Put the chain in the wax and agitate till the rollers are full - 2 mins

Fish it out with a coat hanger and rub it down with kitchen paper - 2 mins

For me it’s near silent - lasts about 2-300 miles between reapplications and means a permanently super clean and shiny drivetrain

IMHO - totally worth it

[De Sisti]

Hmm , I used to use C3 green in the summer and pink in the winter - the green stuff is nice and keeps everything manageably clean but the pink stuff is very messy after a few rides

I got some Hagen “ultimate chain wax” pellets and a shake in the bag chain stripper.

Strip a new or y’know super cleanable chain and you see all the gunk in the bottom of the bag - 2-3mins while melting the wax

Rinse, dry and stick it in the oven for 5 min - wax has melted by now

Put the chain in the wax and agitate till the rollers are full - 2 mins

Fish it out with a coat hanger and rub it down with kitchen paper - 2 mins

For me it’s near silent - lasts about 2-300 miles between reapplications and means a permanently super clean and shiny drivetrain

IMHO - totally worth it

• I give my chain a good clean in the usual way.
• Chain then goes into an old slow cooker that has melted candle wax in it.
• Leave it stewing for a few minutes.
• Take it out with a coat hanger.
• Let it dry.
• Put chain on bike.
• Super-clean and super-quiet.

[finch]

This is the way

[paton]

Some useful information

https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu_Q0cqoKeY

[T42]

Lots of stuff about cleaning & waxing chains on here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oz+cycle

Including making your own squeeze-bottle wax lube. Haven't tried it, don't do multi-day rides any more.

[paton]

Oz cycles
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-05/steven-john-leffanue-jailed-over-killing-neighbours-dog/101209462

[paton]

Jumbo Visma team uses Dynamic wax
at about 3:33 in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPSvx15sitA

[robgul]

Waxed chain process for re-waxing (with pix):

1 Chain off and soaked in boiling water (to melt away wax residue).

2 Chain into ultrasonic cleaner if very dirty/muddy.

3 Chain into slow-cooker with wax and a pinch of PTFE powder (the mix is reused several times) on high for about half-an-hour gving the chain an occasional shake with the hook on an old spoke to get the wax into the rollers.

4 Remove chain and hang up to dry.  Chain will be a "solid rod", just needs gently bending to get the wax moving and flexing in the links.


Tip: I have a short piece of old spoke bent into tight loops at each end -  I hook this "tool" into the middle link of the chain before putting it in the slow-cooker . . . makes it easier to lift the (hot!) chain out and hang it over the slow-cooker to dry.



Hanging up to dry


The "tool"

[T42]

I made a few of these:



The chain, joined up with the quick-link, goes onto the horizontal bit, quick-link first to save hunting for it afterwards when it's covered in wax.  The hook goes over the edge of the wax pot and stays cool enough to handle, so that I can stir the chain about from time to time and make sure the PTFE gets everywhere - it'll settle out if you leave it too long.  For the latest version I used an old spoke and screwed a nipple onto to open end as a keeper.

Oz cycles
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-05/steven-john-leffanue-jailed-over-killing-neighbours-dog/101209462

Bloody hell.

[robgul]

I made a few of these:



The chain, joined up with the quick-link, goes onto the horizontal bit, quick-link first to save hunting for it afterwards when it's covered in wax.  The hook goes over the edge of the wax pot and stays cool enough to handle, so that I can stir the chain about from time to time and make sure the PTFE gets everywhere - it'll settle out if you leave it too long.  For the latest version I used an old spoke and screwed a nipple onto to open end as a keeper.

Oz cycles
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-05/steven-john-leffanue-jailed-over-killing-neighbours-dog/101209462

Bloody hell.

I see a refinement to my hook tool being made tomorrow  - hooking it over the side of the slow cooker makes sense to get the chain out easily.

[Phil21]

I tried waxing a couple of years ago, but I gave it up because it just didn't seem to last long enough. It was rare to even get round a 200km without the chain starting to get noisy.

Reading up, it's possible that I needed to add some paraffin oil to the the paraffin wax I was using.

Q for the experts: can you get round a 600km audax with a waxed chain? In British conditions, of course