Great stuff Dave. I think the video neglects to mention that the cogs and cranks need to be cleaned to the same standard (although it's clear that you are doing that in the background)
Isopropyl alcohol is actually pretty cheap here in the US. Odorless mineral spirits is pretty expensive. Also, this process works best if you have a bunch of chains. It's just as easy to rewax five chains as it is to do one.
I feel dumb, but I didn't realize you can get a pre-prepared chain and then NOT need to mess with the solvents. That has renewed my interest in this process. Thanks!
cleaning the chain is really really really easy. use petrol soak the chain for a few minutes use a toothbrush and some gloves to get debris away then let it dry shouldn't take any longer than 10 minutes and start your waxing process. if cleaning it prevented you from doing this lube method then to be honest maybe you shouldn't be looking into waxing your chain as waxing is harder than cleaning it. Plus you'll have to figure out the right recipe for you. I use paraffin wax paraffin oil and Graphite. Everyone has their own mix and mix proportion. normally you would mix 1 gram of graphite to 10 grams of Paraffin Wax/Oil. A 10 Too 1 Ratio. i just used grams as an example.
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@@fubar1872008 I for exempel live in an apartment where I don’t really have a work area good enough to clean the chain but I have no problem to have a slow cooker for the waxing part so if I can buy the pre-cleaned chain it makes it possible for me to use waxed bike chains.
I have all the materials ready for this job and even bought a new chain so I can switch it with the old one when it gets low on wax. I can't wait to try this out.
more from Dave Rome! this is excellent content. also, please do this somewhere well ventilated. all those solvents can make for a lightheaded evening. a waxed chain is a happy chain.
I tried this method and works great! Just a heads up though, if you ride regularly in wet conditions, the wax will wash out very easily so is not really recommended in these environments. In UK winter/autumn, I won't get 30ks into a ride before noticing most of the wax has washed out and have even had chains rust overnight after a ride. I now use a wet lube for Winter/ fall and wax for summer and late spring when it's mostly dry.
I’ve waxed my chain using candle wax and got 35,000km so far commuting. Never cleaned it, degreased it or anything else. Just plonk it into candle wax inside an old fruit can and straight onto stove top, 15 mins max and you’re done. Hang it up for 10 minutes to cool and then onto bike. Add candle wax to pot as it gets used up. About one small candle per 1000km seems to be plenty. Don’t see the need to complicate it further. Cheers
For everyone who is upgrading their bike: If you install a completely new drive set, this is the perfect time to get started with waxing your bike chain, as your components are free of dirt and even factory grease (only the chain has stock factory grease on it)
A a good way to give life to a beat up old chain is oil the chane from the inside while in a container; first I remove the chain completely then I melted some teflon into some prarfin and put it the oven for 30 minutes then boil it in linseed oil or lamp black graphite. If I use the oven it takes about half hour with kerosene gel. Drip it on with a spunge and wipe it off with a rag. The parafin works as a binder and a lubricant so you can use WD-40 or silicone based cleaner without risking a total wipe off
So the first stage you can use turps or methylated spirits, and then the second stage you can use methylated spirits? So just meths will do then? Following other advice I've used petrol and now meths ....
The most tedious part of chain waxing is waiting for the wax to melt! I'd also recommend you allow the wax to cool to around 55 degrees centigrade before removing the chain from the wax. Then give it a quick wipe with a clean microfibre towel then dump into cold water. Allowing the wax to cool means it won't run out from between the pins and rollers. Check out Oz cycling UA-cam channel for a deep dive into this subject
Waxing is great if you either don't ride often, or don't ride big miles.... At best, I get 350km (200 miles) before the chain is unbearably squeaky.... And that's all dry weather riding. If you do just one wet weather ride, you'll have to do a full clean and rewax. I've tried plain paraffin, paraffin with 10% teflon, and paraffin with 10% PTFE/5% molybdenum. The PTFE/molyb mixture is the best for longevity, but seems to attract the most dirt because of the molyb, and needs a full reclean between waxes. I'm so tempted to just give up waxing and go back to Boeshield T9...
I have the same experience riding 400 - 700 km a week the whole year in all weather conditions. Waxing just isn’t working especially in the rain. My favorite lube is Boeshield T9 because it can handle a bit of rain. It lasts somewhere 250 - 500 km typically 3 - 4 rides depending on the temperature and road / rain conditions. Also the chain stays reasonable clean and is easy to clean and relube.
How do you clean a waxed chain after a ride? For example dry ride but with mud springing up. How do you wash your bike with a waxed chain. Doesn't the water and dishsoap /hoze (not high pressure) that I use remove the wax? Since it is said that wet conditions aren't the best for wax?
You said do not overheat the wax - when would this point be reached and is it just to prevent fire 🔥 or more about braking down the formula and degrading the lubricant?
Google says Parrafin flash point and PTFE temp resistance are both at about 200°C, so both I guess. Just take it easy at first, wait for it to melt, back off a bit at that point and enjoy. Works with many things in life.
Shouldn't you put the chain after the slow cooker waxing directly into cold water? Also is any standard candle wax satisfactory? And what temperature do u keep the wax at in the slow cooker?
I ran mine under cold water right after I pulled it out of the wax. I was told by doing that it freezes the wax up inside the rollers and pins better. It was a big mess though. Took a long time to clean the chunks of wax out
It appears that only paraffin is being used and that's why the chain is so stiff. This leads to unnecessary additional work making the chain flexible again. The proper procedure is to mix a pound of canning paraffin with 9 oz of motor oil. Heat the mixture until it has the consistency of water, then dip the chain. Note the two lubricants work with each other. Used alone, I found that the paraffin flaked off and obviously, using motor oil alone is a disaster. Together, though, the chain is extremely flexible and is dry to the touch. The chain will have a thin uniform coating on the chain that doesn't attract dirt. I use a 300 mile lube interval and when it's time to relube, I just dip the chain back in the hot lubricant and when cool, reinstall the chain. As a strict roadie, the chain almost never needs cleaning. Off-road riders' will usually need to clean before relubing.
@@philhouck3560 with just wax, the chain is stiff until you break you wrap it round a round object - I suggest that using motor oil completely negates all the benefits of using wax in the first place.
@@jamesshepherd9154 I have been using a combination of canning paraffin and motor oil for years. The chain does not get stiff like it will when only paraffin is used, Shifts feel buttery smooth and I haven't cleaned a chain in years since I stick to pavement. The combination of paraffin and motor oil works because they are used in correct proportion to each other: one pound of canning paraffin to 9 ounces of motor oil. It simply works.
@@cracked229 The two balance each other out. With paraffin alone, the chain is too dry but with the correct amount of motor oill, the chain will not be wet.
I’m sure it’s buttery smooth but I’m afraid I simply cannot be bothered doing this. Seems messy and way too time consuming. Will continue to use chain lube and spend the time I’ve saved riding my bike!
You're wrong, lubing the chain is messy and dirty when you touch your chain 😉, i'm waxing my chain when it start being noisy or after rainy ride, at the evening it doesn't take you any time for ride
I don't get it. A new chain is $30, just buy a new one frequently. What is your time worth to you? Use dry lube or wax-based lube like Squirt and a chain stays very clean. Waxing doesn't do well in wet conditions and is a pain to dry afterwards. If you use a ultrasonic cleaner or slow cooker, both are likely both forever more chain waxing implements that you have to buy and store somewhere. People overthink this.
terpentine contains a large fraction of methylated-benzene compounds like xylene and toluene. These are super bad... Kereosene on the other hand, a straight alkane (single Carbon-carbon bonds) is WAY less toxic. Get the low odour stuff. there's a reason why whiteboard & permanent markers say "Xylene free"!
sorry when you say turps 90% of people think cannabis. I can ask 10 people and 9 outta the ten would say cannabis the 10th would say I don't know. As turps are the little hairs on the cannabis. I have never heard anyone call turpentine, Turps.
In the UK Turps is Turpentine - Me & everyone I know have called it that since the early 70's. I don't have anything to do with drugs (except caffeine & alcohol) so don't know about your meaning.
Great stuff Dave. I think the video neglects to mention that the cogs and cranks need to be cleaned to the same standard (although it's clear that you are doing that in the background)
Isopropyl alcohol is actually pretty cheap here in the US. Odorless mineral spirits is pretty expensive. Also, this process works best if you have a bunch of chains. It's just as easy to rewax five chains as it is to do one.
I feel dumb, but I didn't realize you can get a pre-prepared chain and then NOT need to mess with the solvents. That has renewed my interest in this process. Thanks!
cleaning the chain is really really really easy. use petrol soak the chain for a few minutes use a toothbrush and some gloves to get debris away then let it dry shouldn't take any longer than 10 minutes and start your waxing process. if cleaning it prevented you from doing this lube method then to be honest maybe you shouldn't be looking into waxing your chain as waxing is harder than cleaning it. Plus you'll have to figure out the right recipe for you. I use paraffin wax paraffin oil and Graphite. Everyone has their own mix and mix proportion. normally you would mix 1 gram of graphite to 10 grams of Paraffin Wax/Oil. A 10 Too 1 Ratio. i just used grams as an example.
@@fubar1872008 I for exempel live in an apartment where I don’t really have a work area good enough to clean the chain but I have no problem to have a slow cooker for the waxing part so if I can buy the pre-cleaned chain it makes it possible for me to use waxed bike chains.
where did u get yours from ?
I have all the materials ready for this job and even bought a new chain so I can switch it with the old one when it gets low on wax. I can't wait to try this out.
more from Dave Rome! this is excellent content. also, please do this somewhere well ventilated. all those solvents can make for a lightheaded evening. a waxed chain is a happy chain.
Started hot waxing years ago, I grew up hot waxing race skis so It always made sense to me.
I tried this method and works great! Just a heads up though, if you ride regularly in wet conditions, the wax will wash out very easily so is not really recommended in these environments. In UK winter/autumn, I won't get 30ks into a ride before noticing most of the wax has washed out and have even had chains rust overnight after a ride. I now use a wet lube for Winter/ fall and wax for summer and late spring when it's mostly dry.
Add ptfe
@@ahipkiss14 Will the add of ptfe make the wax stick better to the chain and make it more resistant to rainy weather?
nice. so for indoor trainer chains in clean houses you don't even need to boil it in water the second time. gotta hand you a thumbs up for that tip.
I’ve waxed my chain using candle wax and got 35,000km so far commuting. Never cleaned it, degreased it or anything else. Just plonk it into candle wax inside an old fruit can and straight onto stove top, 15 mins max and you’re done. Hang it up for 10 minutes to cool and then onto bike. Add candle wax to pot as it gets used up. About one small candle per 1000km seems to be plenty. Don’t see the need to complicate it further. Cheers
Been using Squirt for years, which is a wax lube.
Love it to death.
Squirt is the go. Got an extra 3000km out of my last chain which had Squirt applied from day one. Just need to apply it a bit more regularly.
Recently started with Squirt and it is, indeed, the job.
I liked it at the start but after a while the chain squeaks.
@@DanTuber seems a bit odd maybe a stiff or dry link
Thank you very informative, followed your process and had no hiccups.
For everyone who is upgrading their bike: If you install a completely new drive set, this is the perfect time to get started with waxing your bike chain, as your components are free of dirt and even factory grease (only the chain has stock factory grease on it)
I spy those PB Swiss screwdrivers back there... Nice choice.
How many watts saved by soaking in Gin?
Soak the chain or the cyclist?
Who are you calling a soak?!?
A a good way to give life to a beat up old chain is oil the chane from the inside while in a container; first I remove the chain completely then I melted some teflon into some prarfin and put it the oven for 30 minutes then boil it in linseed oil or lamp black graphite. If I use the oven it takes about half hour with kerosene gel. Drip it on with a spunge and wipe it off with a rag. The parafin works as a binder and a lubricant so you can use WD-40 or silicone based cleaner without risking a total wipe off
Is this feasible for mountain biking?
Could I use Kerosene to clean the chain? I have used Kerosene for chain cleaning for years for my bicycles and motorbikes.
So the first stage you can use turps or methylated spirits, and then the second stage you can use methylated spirits? So just meths will do then? Following other advice I've used petrol and now meths ....
What brand is that workshop roll holder and shelf in the background? Looks great!
Why not just use a ceramic bowl on the stove using a thermometer?..🤔
You never mentioned where the wax came from initially
Can I use white spirit as the first cleaning solution and methanol as the second one ?
Will going through water affect the wax?
is it needed to wax the quick links?
I don’t and been riding with wax’d chain for over a year now without any issues
Hi. I can only seem to get purple methylated spirits, will that be ok?
The most tedious part of chain waxing is waiting for the wax to melt!
I'd also recommend you allow the wax to cool to around 55 degrees centigrade before removing the chain from the wax. Then give it a quick wipe with a clean microfibre towel then dump into cold water. Allowing the wax to cool means it won't run out from between the pins and rollers.
Check out Oz cycling UA-cam channel for a deep dive into this subject
Zero Friction has debunked Oz Cyclings methods. Look it up. The guy is also an animal abuser.
Waxing is great if you either don't ride often, or don't ride big miles.... At best, I get 350km (200 miles) before the chain is unbearably squeaky.... And that's all dry weather riding. If you do just one wet weather ride, you'll have to do a full clean and rewax. I've tried plain paraffin, paraffin with 10% teflon, and paraffin with 10% PTFE/5% molybdenum. The PTFE/molyb mixture is the best for longevity, but seems to attract the most dirt because of the molyb, and needs a full reclean between waxes. I'm so tempted to just give up waxing and go back to Boeshield T9...
I have the same experience riding 400 - 700 km a week the whole year in all weather conditions. Waxing just isn’t working especially in the rain. My favorite lube is Boeshield T9 because it can handle a bit of rain. It lasts somewhere 250 - 500 km typically 3 - 4 rides depending on the temperature and road / rain conditions. Also the chain stays reasonable clean and is easy to clean and relube.
best place to get a prewaxed chain? 10 speed for my FX3 hybrid
I wax three chains at a time then just change as needed. 🚴🚴🚴
How do you clean a waxed chain after a ride? For example dry ride but with mud springing up.
How do you wash your bike with a waxed chain. Doesn't the water and dishsoap /hoze (not high pressure) that I use remove the wax? Since it is said that wet conditions aren't the best for wax?
Also need to know this!
Just wipe it with a rag. If it’s super dirty you may need to pop it back in the wax again.
What about teflon etc powder? Not just wax was my understanding!
How often can you line and de-link the quick link before it goes bad?
Shimano says one time but I’ve used the same link dozens of times. For a big race I’ll put in a new one.
Wait what, I've de linked mine about 20 times lol and it still goes perfect 👌 if shimano says one time only that's definitely a cash grab
Nice video helpful I just may try this.
You said do not overheat the wax - when would this point be reached and is it just to prevent fire 🔥 or more about braking down the formula and degrading the lubricant?
Google says Parrafin flash point and PTFE temp resistance are both at about 200°C, so both I guess. Just take it easy at first, wait for it to melt, back off a bit at that point and enjoy. Works with many things in life.
Shouldn't you put the chain after the slow cooker waxing directly into cold water? Also is any standard candle wax satisfactory? And what temperature do u keep the wax at in the slow cooker?
I ran mine under cold water right after I pulled it out of the wax. I was told by doing that it freezes the wax up inside the rollers and pins better. It was a big mess though. Took a long time to clean the chunks of wax out
cool clip 🤘
It appears that only paraffin is being used and that's why the chain is so stiff. This leads to unnecessary additional work making the chain flexible again. The proper procedure is to mix a pound of canning paraffin with 9 oz of motor oil. Heat the mixture until it has the consistency of water, then dip the chain.
Note the two lubricants work with each other. Used alone, I found that the paraffin flaked off and obviously, using motor oil alone is a disaster. Together, though, the chain is extremely flexible and is dry to the touch. The chain will have a thin uniform coating on the chain that doesn't attract dirt.
I use a 300 mile lube interval and when it's time to relube, I just dip the chain back in the hot lubricant and when cool, reinstall the chain. As a strict roadie, the chain almost never needs cleaning. Off-road riders' will usually need to clean before relubing.
You lost me at motor oil 😂
@@jamesshepherd9154 I explained this. They work together. I suggest reading my comment again. I've been using this combination for over 20 years.
@@philhouck3560 with just wax, the chain is stiff until you break you wrap it round a round object - I suggest that using motor oil completely negates all the benefits of using wax in the first place.
@@jamesshepherd9154 I have been using a combination of canning paraffin and motor oil for years. The chain does not get stiff like it will when only paraffin is used, Shifts feel buttery smooth and I haven't cleaned a chain in years since I stick to pavement. The combination of paraffin and motor oil works because they are used in correct proportion to each other: one pound of canning paraffin to 9 ounces of motor oil. It simply works.
@@cracked229 The two balance each other out. With paraffin alone, the chain is too dry but with the correct amount of motor oill, the chain will not be wet.
Did he really use Bombay Sapphire to soak his chain?(2:39) LOL. Not what I'd use gin for. Just sayin'.
How does humidity affect the wax?
no real effect unless you're in rain, alternate between 2 chains easy peasy.
Petrol will degrease fast as.
I like my hairy chain
I’m sure it’s buttery smooth but I’m afraid I simply cannot be bothered doing this. Seems messy and way too time consuming. Will continue to use chain lube and spend the time I’ve saved riding my bike!
You're wrong, lubing the chain is messy and dirty when you touch your chain 😉, i'm waxing my chain when it start being noisy or after rainy ride, at the evening it doesn't take you any time for ride
I don't get it. A new chain is $30, just buy a new one frequently. What is your time worth to you? Use dry lube or wax-based lube like Squirt and a chain stays very clean. Waxing doesn't do well in wet conditions and is a pain to dry afterwards. If you use a ultrasonic cleaner or slow cooker, both are likely both forever more chain waxing implements that you have to buy and store somewhere. People overthink this.
Just have 2 other chains on stand by and switch out accordingly
terpentine contains a large fraction of methylated-benzene compounds like xylene and toluene. These are super bad...
Kereosene on the other hand, a straight alkane (single Carbon-carbon bonds) is WAY less toxic.
Get the low odour stuff.
there's a reason why whiteboard & permanent markers say "Xylene free"!
A beginner's guide to waxing a bike chain - Go and watch the oz cycle videos on the subject
It's always good to get your info from multiple sources.
Doesn't seem simple,looks like it's a total pain in the ass🤷
sorry when you say turps 90% of people think cannabis. I can ask 10 people and 9 outta the ten would say cannabis the 10th would say I don't know. As turps are the little hairs on the cannabis. I have never heard anyone call turpentine, Turps.
In the UK Turps is Turpentine - Me & everyone I know have called it that since the early 70's. I don't have anything to do with drugs (except caffeine & alcohol) so don't know about your meaning.
You should get out more. ;-)
No one I've met in my life would think turps is cannabis, you need help.
what do you reckon to "meths"?