I remember hearing about waxing chains way back in the 80's but it was your videos that I came across a few years ago and finally made the plunge and have never looked back. In terms of total time spent waxing the chain and never needing to de-grease the rest of the drive train I'm already far ahead and my chains and everything else lasts longer. Just tonight while I was working on other non bike tasks I plugged in my little crock pot and once up to temp I removed the chain, gave it a very quick clean and popped it into the wax. Once I was done my other chores I pulled the chain out, turned off the crock pot and re-installed the chain. The total amount spent on working on the chain once the wax was up to temp was at most 2 minutes and now I should be good for a couple weeks or more as it's been quite rainy here for Alberta Canada so I thought it was about time.
Absolute hero to cyclist everywhere. I have no idea how I first ran into your original waxing video but following your advice changed everything. All my bikes, even my e-bike are on waxed chains. The non-greasy hands alone is a good enough benefit
i did exactly same mate tried it as experiment on vintage road bike id restored coz only 7 speed chain really cheap to replace and loved it so did it on mountain bikes too id never go back oiling chains now
id like know how it works on e bikes im just about buy bafang mid drive for specialized stumpjumper to use as commuter please respond let me know how it is
This man is a complete scum bag and is no ‘hero’ of mine. He was convicted of kidnapping his neighbours dog before returning a few days later and murdering it. Disgusting excuse for a human being
Hi Steven. I love your videos. Thanks for putting so much work into them. I've been waxing based on your advice since the Covid bike parts shortage. I'm amazed how hard of a sell it is to get people engaged in waxing. I'm still a strong advocate and will not give up. I really appreciate your constant updates to your process. Take care, Steve from Canada :-)
Thanx very much for Your explanation and the easy waxing stand you have constructed. What I changed from your recipe is that I heat up the cleaned chain with a heat gun before I put it into the hot wax, this reduces or avoids a temperature drop of the wax when you put in the chain that is much cooler than the wax itself. I believe that this helps penetration of the liquid wax into the small rollers of the chain and you don't have to leave the chain as long in the wax to make the wax penetrate everywhere. After taking out the waxed chain I hang it up and help again with the heat gun to let the wax penetrate and let drip off the excessive wax on the chain. Thanx again and keep on rolling. Kind regards from Switzerland!
Perfect video! I changed because of you and its a life (chain) saver. Also mixed graphite powder (very fine for lubrication) into it, it improves the performance threefold, especially in wet conditions (just rag your chain often and get it your room to dry). I put the waxchain into boiling water and swirl it around. I use wax melter like yours with a little water in the bottom and do a lot of chains in row. I use it for cables too, its the best. For bearings i mix up graphite with simple grease, they last! Instead of throwing the wax away you could scrape off the dirt on the bottom if it has settled down and became solid.
Could you help me by telling the ratio of paraffin and graphite powder? I don't want to use PTFE since is hard to get and very toxic. Thanks in advance.
Of course. You can put very much in it. When the wax is gone, the graphite will lubricate instead of the wax. The wax should stay liquid, because it has to get into the links. My guess is that 1/2 is ok, just see for yourself. You cant to much wrong here, just make sure you have very fine powder for lubrication purposes. Choose the finest powder available. If its flaky or something, its not fine enough.@@ssenssel
graphite or moly will be MESSY,touch the chain and you get black on your hands,or your clothes/socks,just like if the chain were greased or oiled. PTFE is much better.
I watched your first video about waxing and tried it on and off without being a fan. Then the "absolute clean" chain before waxing made a difference but not totally convincing since a waxed chain ended up being a squeaky chain after a 100K dirt road ride. So I went back to oil. Then I found out the KMC chains I thought were good have a coating that wax doesn't adhere to so much. So then it was basic Shimano hg chain, clean, clean, clean and wax. Since I was setup for chain waxing I rewaxed every 3-4 weeks or after a couple of wet days. Nearly 8,000K's later the Park tool chain gauge dropped in at .75. Very impressed. Now a total convert primarily thanks to Steve and these videos.
@@andyboxish4436 Certain KMC chains don't have it. I watched a video where a guy put coupled half a Shimano hg and KMC basic chain on his mtb. Using oil at that time the HG chain wore much faster. I still use KMC or YBN when I can get them.
Excellent video! I'm jumping on the waxing train and have watched about a dozen videos and yours is easily the most complete with easy to understand explanations and not a lot of hype. Love that you show exactly how to build your own waxing station - wish I would've seen this before pulling the trigger on one of those $99 Silca waxing systems; yours looks exactly the same, maybe even a bit sturdier. Keep up the great work!
This is amazing advice! I come back to your channel every now and then to discover your latest enhancements. I’ve been waxing my chains for a couple years now, and I love it! Thanks a lot for sharing.
I like the chain hanger. I've been using my repair stand, but the added convenience seems very worthwhile to go to the trouble to make something more portable.
Steve, I want to congrat you for the amazing job you've done through all these years for all cycling enthusiasts around the globe (I'm from Portugal :D).
Btw, Steve, the formula for the wet wax is Paraffin + PTFE + Paraffin oil? Or is it Paraffin + PTFE + Benzine (because I can't find Shellite in Europe). ?
I'm running two waxed chains, one on the bike and the other waiting to be waxed when I have the time. They've done >11,000 km between them and the stretch gauge still shows under 0.5%. The cassette, chain rings & derailleurs have done >11 thou as well and everything's running smoothly. At present I swap chains and re-lube every 700 km. I have run one chain up to 1000 just to see how it would go but over 950 it got rattly and the front derailleur got a bit cantankerous. Waxed according to your method, of course, for which many thanks. As an aside, I get my paraffin wax for nothing. Every year the village council distributes a nice thick candle to burn in a window on Christmas Eve. Might actually do that this year because the wax bath is full ATM.
I recently found your channel and love the fact that you are from South Australia and ride a lot of the roads that I used to ride and race on in the late 80s (formerly from Myponga). I used to wax my chains back then and am about to re-start waxing the chains of my bikes again. Thanks for the channel :)
Such an educational video! The number one reason for me to wax is water pollution. A drop of mineral oil can contaminate 600-1000l of water. So all the nice shots of gravel riders going through rivers... well tens of thousands of liters contaminated. Same when going through heavy rain. Also lots of waste water when chain cleaning. So waxing in that regard is way better - and apparently saves the drive train as well.
I truly admire your engagement in something such unimportant as chain waxing 🙂 No sarcasm here, I have converted recently and enjoying clean chain in my bike. And whole hassle in preparations? Well, it turned into a kind of ritual every other week (as I wax and rotate two chains). Cheers 👍
Love it! Just a few basic hand tools and a trip down to the local hardware store. Keep up the great work everyone should be waxing their chain love your videos
Im a convert , i have been using this method for a couple of years now and never looked back. Im currently running 3x chains and waxing them as a bundle . My idea is using cycling through the 3 chains will give even wear on the chains and cassette , and at the end of the chains life it will be time for a new cassette .
I had researched various chain lubes and decided waxing was the way to go. The first time I tried it it was a very lumpy mass until I found your original video about adding paraffin to thin down the mixture. Your latest video with the waxing stand and chain hanger is going to be an excellent improvement to wrestling with a full length chain while trying to hang it up. Thank you.
Sir, you were the inspection, once I've done it, I can never go back to the oils again. I never been faster nor smoother, people who hasn't experienced it yet won't know what are they missing out.
i appreciate all the effort you are making this tuttorial and edit the video, but when i hear i need to rewax each 300km ride, basically every 2 weeks i need to redo all these process. looks like a lot work. but i've been enjoying all your videos! THIS CHANNEL ARE GREAT!!!
Great advice! The only thing I have been doing different is not letting the chain cool off. I just install hot and let it cool as I run the chain through the gears on the stand ( or just ride around the driveway for the few minutes it takes to cool. Much more to the point. It can be a hassle to thread the chain through the rear derailleur so next time I plan on installing an old chain first without the master link and then just hook up the hot chain to the old chain and just pull it through.
Good idea but the problem is by doing this the wax barrier between the metal sliding surfaces will thin out. This reduces the usability between rewaxing.
Having made a liquid wax lubricant to use in between hot vat waxing, I find that the liquid congeals in the bottle at colder temperatures. That can be a problem in the winters here in Northeast US. My solution is to put the bottle in a container with warm water, occasionally shaking it till the liquid thins and flows easily. However, when applying the warm liquid to a cold chain it causes the wax to harden on the chain, so my solution for that is to warm the chain using a hair dryer before applying the liquid. Experimenting with temperatures, you'll find you can get the wax to flow into the rollers before setting up. The cooler temps can actually work in your favor. Thanks for all your waxing tips!
This is a great video. You explain the process very well. I just made my first attempt and it went well except my pot only got up to 70C. The PTFE feels very slippery
Steve, you are a legend ! I started waxing shortly after your first UA-cam posts a few years back and never looked back. I have 2 chains per bike that I swap which helps to do it more frequently, especially every time after a wet or muddy ride (mountain bike, road or gravel bike alike). I can't find Connex links for 12 speed chains though... Also great tip about reducing the proportion of PTFE after the initial batch, the learning never stops 👌👍. Many many thanks from Belgium!
just a FYI,but paraffin oil is kerosene,and it contains a small amount of paraffin wax. mechanics use kerosene to clean their tools because it leaves a waxy film that prevents rust. BTW,WD-40 is mostly dewaxed kerosene. (I checked the MSDS) so no lubricating film after the volatiles evaporate. Paraffin is a byproduct of petroleum refining.
For a water-resistant chain, you can add engine oil to the paraffin in different proportions; they’re completely miscible. This is the old-school recipe that goes back to the 1990’s (we used double boilers then because these excellent cheap crock pots didn’t exist). Dry paraffin just doesn’t cut it in terms of corrosion protection in my conditions. I use engine additive oil (sold under her brand name “STP” here in the US)-this product contains a high dose of ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate), which is an anti-wear oil additive used to reduce wear on the engine timing chain, etc. ZDDP reacts with the steel surface to produce a phosphate tribofilm on the wear surfaces. To make the wax more tacky so it makes a film on the outside of the chain, add a small amount of beeswax.
Exhaustive guide on how to come over to Wax Side! If I'd be running those $50+ chains I'd definitely join you. Otherwise, I just comfort myself putting oil drops on rollers instead of updating diary with "July 28, 2023 and I'm addicted to bikes, cycling and stuff".
A beautiful setup! ❤ For an indoor bike, that approach would be a no-brainer: stays clean, easy to clean, and to dispose of properly. For outdoor use, I’m not a fan of wax personally, though. Solid paraffin wax is petroleum-based, and in its solid form does not biodegrade, unless I’m mistaken. PTFE - or Teflon - doesn’t either. It also tends to bioaccumulate in nature, meaning it has a compounding effect wherever it’s shed, and the human body is no different: PTFE is linked to reproductive cancers and similiar stuff. It’s not really something I’d like to get as fine particulate in my own system, so I try not to introduce it to others either. When I was younger, I didn’t really care about these things, but now that I’m retired and as I grow older, I find that I think more and more of what I leave behind. I mostly like to ride forest paths, and on gravel near waterways and lakes, and I try to leave those places as pristine as I can. Steel and fully biodegradable wet lube on my outdoors / daily driver bike, nowadays. Oh, and thanks for showing that beauty-cooker wax melting pot thingy: that’s a genius idea! 😊
For indoor use wax doesn't make as much sense as outdoors - specks of it will fly all over floor around bike and will need to be cleaned up. Outdoors we just don't notice wax left behind. Lubed chain indoors usually isn't subjected to sand and mud thus it will never get dirty (at least, not SO dirty) and grind itself like outdoors.
@@neutronpcxt372 Hey, you’re right, if it at all behaves in the same way. If you’d then replace the PTFE additive with something more natural like graphite (pencil ’lead’), you could make a fully environment-friendly version of Oz’ wax. Good tip! Mr. Oz - possible idea for a new video? 🙂
after I started use wax, my chain lasts a lot, now it has more than 15,000km and still good, I use this last wax cooker, very supper mega ultra power.😃😁😎🥳🤠👍👍👍
I’m using his recipe for more than 2 years. I’m happy with the performance of my drive train. Though I’m planning to go back using oil lubes due to availability of ingredients and weekly preparations.
Followed your instructions Steve and it has been fantastic. Very smooth and quiet drive train however i am having rust spots appearing on my chains. Mixed up a batch with some paraffin oil today, see how that goes. Also applying the liquid mix often to maintain the exposed surfaces might help ? Been a couple of years but still learning, could never go back to a sticky black chain 😱
@@stevenleffanue Or, better, dry it off with a blower? :) Would a silicone spray affect the wax? Back when I haven't heard of chain waxing, we used silicone spray after drying washed chains prior to storing to protect against moisture, and we applied lube the night before the next ride. I'm wondering if I can spray it on the waxed chain after a ride (and after wiping off some superficial dirt). What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you! Add PTFE is interesting idea! Also, beeswax can be added to improve adhesion. The missing link also needs to be lubricated. I do this after the chain is put on, I dip part of the chain with the lock into a cup with melted paraffin.
Hi, I'm currently using mainly your "cold wax" method - paraffin wax mixed with naphtha, stored in small bottles to reapply without taking off the chain. Working great, maybe only disadvantage is I need to rewax every 100km. How the formula for wet wax should be with old method cold wax? 1:1:1 paraffin wax, oil and naphtha? Should this wet wax stay longer between rewaxing? Thanks for every your guide, really appreciate your work :)
Six months ago I switched like a bee to wax. Yes, the chain looks like from a store, it doesn't get dirty BUT it wouldn't hurt to compare the resistance and friction on Shimano on oil with the same performance on wax. In the heat or at professional speeds, probably even cold-pressed olive oil :-) It will not give advantages, but in the cold with oil you will see less friction. We need an experiment that is blind and randomized😊
Thanks Steve for the testing and advice since your first video Ive never looked back , Trial and tested ,,,,,,,waxing is the way Thanks for such good info and videos.
I'd really like to see an alternative mentioned to using a "forever chemical" (PTFE ) that's more environmentally friendly since this is going to get everywhere in your home and where you ride. The idea of flaking off the PFAs out on the trails we love doesn't sit well with me. Why not add environmental friendliness to the list of reasons to make this yourself?
If you watch the video, he specifically mentions you can use things like graphite or molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)as alternatives. Graphite is simply carbon, so that's likely the cheapest and least harmful solution (though the dust can be an inhalation concern if you work with it regularly). For clarification, the PTFE (Teflon) itself isn't the direct danger, but the surfacants that are required in the production of PTFE are persistent pollutants (forever chemicals), and have a long history of contaminating water near production facilities (PTFE is produced onto a bath of water with the persistent pollutant surfacants allowing it to float atop the water and form a layer). People will argue that PTFE is safe, because the PTFE itself is inert, but the production of PTFE is where the problems arise, so I'd say your concerns have a very real basis. Of course, you can make an argument that even graphite has an environmental impact, but unless you're making that argument in bad faith, it's easy to conclude that graphite has less of an impact on the environment and flora/fauna. He had some videos previously about using graphite, but found it wasn't super effective. I'd imagine that's due to the fact that graphite as a lubricant is usually used straight (you just rub graphite powder on surfaces), and it lubricates because the surface layer of graphite on the surfaces slide across each other. Molybdenum works in a similar fashion, and MoS2 has a pretty good history of use as a suspended lubricant enhancer (the German Liqui Moly brand, for instance). Both graphite powder and MoS2 are used in industrial applications (graphite powder is exceptional at very high temperatures), and both seem to work well. I'm not really sure how you'd add MoS2 to the wax, but I'd imagine buying a bottle of Liqui Moly anti-friction additive might be the easiest way, since that one was developed specifically to be a suspension in a liquid lubricant. For anyone in the U.S., NAPA usually sells Liqui Moly products, now, and it's usually about $10 for the bottle.
I don't use any additives, and currently have 4000 miles on my Shimano ultegra chain and it's not even close to being worn out. Unless you're racing, just consider skipping the additive, and then you don't have to worry about the environmental harm
I think the chain and drivetrain are in such good condition after all those km is that the bike is ridden in dry aussie conditions on nice roads. Unlike here in the UK where country roads have all manner of junk and we ride 12 months of the year! The conditions are a big factor. But I like the video! :)
one advice, you can skip slow cooker. Just use jar with wax and immerse, half of it in the boiling water. Then when melted put chain into jar.Wax melting temp is around 80C. This way you don't contaminate any kitchen dishes and you don't need slow cooker.
Great video. You were the first video I watched about waxing chains a couple of years ago, but I just now started waxing my chain. I also bought a small wax melting pot for a fraction of "Bicycle" specific pots. Question, if you clean the chain with boiling water before you re-wax it, would it still turn the wax black?
Hey! I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended). Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk. Let it dry for a few hours. Apply once more. Let it dry. Go ride! I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?) Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike… I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
Sweet video! I understand how to clean the chain and jockey wheels, but how do I go about cleaning the cassette and chainrings? Do I take them off`f the bike?
Every time I watch these videos I think, «nah, it’s too much fuss!! » and every time I clean my chain I think, « I’m really going to have to wax this thing!!! »😂😂
Hey! I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended). Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk. Let it dry for a few hours. Apply once more. Let it dry. Go ride! I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?) Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike… I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
I like the upgrade here. Now we need the assembly line version of this where multiple chains are processed and hung. XD Great video as always. I still think it's better to boil water and rinse the chain before re-applying wax so you can get more uses from the wax. One of my DIY upgrades was bending a spoke to create a custom digital candy thermometer holder that grips the edge of the crock pot. If interested I can send a link for a photo of that.
Ive been using a 15 year old can of castrol moto chain wax , chain still feels great shifting is great evwn after about 4 months of commuting Ill try a proper wax someday soon , after gettig all the tools needed to properly disasemnley drivetrain
I find that I need to go through the whole process of prepping the chain every time I clean it. The amount of dirt that settles in the prep petrol bath is amazing and confirms the need. I don’t ride in the rain so I’d hate to imagine what it’s be like if I did. The benefit of this is that my wax always stays white and I don’t need to throw it out.
I get some black stuff that collects on the outside of the chain as well, especially if I've ridden in some construction or new asphalt. Usually a wipe with a rag soaked in denatured alcohol is enough. If not, just running a boiling pot of water over the chain cleans it, but then you need to wait for the chain to dry.
I am using this method for some time now and I am strugling with lubricating direarioul wheels and avoiding contamination of the chain at the same time.
Sensational. I started doing it some time ago and since then I only use this wax on my bicycle chains. This smaller pot idea is very interesting, but I keep making it in a larger pot using twice the amount and with that I can make at least 2 chains at a time. Last but not least I have a question: In the video "Ultimate Chain wax - make it yourself", you instruct us to keep the chain for 15 minutes in the wax and now you instruct us to keep it for 30 minutes. How long does it take to lubricate the chain anyway? Once again, congratulations on your work and thank you for sharing with us. From Brazil, Aurelio
love waxing followed your first vid on waxing iv waxed all my chains ever since thank you for your info and if people say its not water resistant i live in wettest part uk and it works great on my road bike and my mountain bikes
I'm interested to learn more about your 'UK' spec paraffin oil wet wax. I've done the slow cooker waxing method on my summer bike in the UK for a few years and found it works relatively well for dry conditions. But I've always had to stick with wet oil lubes for day to day commuting in wet weather, and just take the hit on the increased rate of drivetrain wear. I'm yet to find a better solution for when I ride to work in pouring rain and the bike is then stood wet for 8 hours before riding home again. Dry lubes just don't cut it and the chain starts rusting from my experience.
2 ideas/thoughts: 1. You have very helpful video on how to clean a chain which was using a different lubricant. To prep it ready for waxing. But how you go about cleaning the rear cassette sprockets and front chain rings? 2. I don’t know if you’ve heard about the brand “Cyclowax”. It’s a Belgian based brand that makes a chain waxing unit similar to what you’ve DIY’ed in this video. Pretty handy for the folks who are less keen on making it themselves. Maybe you could reach out to them and see if they are willing to send you their kit for you to test/review. I think they definitely should because in my opinion you are the one who originally made waxing bicycle chains popular. Your video’s introduced and convinced me about the idea of waxing your chain…
Hi Steven, I'm subscribed to your UA-cam channel and watching all your bike videos. thank you so much for all your DIY videos especially the ones on making your own chain waxes as the good factory waxes plus shipping, duties, taxes is way more then I can afford in retirement. I made the switch to chain waxing last night following all your great video info. My question is how do you remove the wax from the pan after it cools? I used one of my wife's 2.5 ltr casserole bowl and would like to keep in her good graces by cleaning out her bowl 😅 Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Steven and hope you keep up the great work you have been doing for many years to come JP
Glad you like the vids 😁. You can pour out then wipe with paper towel the bowl whilst it's hot. Or if the bowl separates from the cooker turn it upside-down and give it a few bashes on a rag or towel whilst bowl is cold.
I am a believer in chain waxing, and did use your method (parafin mixed with ptfe) initially. However, I had some problems with corrosion on the chain after occasionally riding in wet conditions. Now I am using the MSW which is marginally dirtier, but overall provides better corrosion protection and is more durable, you don't need to wax it as often.
Thank you for the DIY instructions. One question: Is it ok to use candles rather than blocks of paraffin. The candles are cheaper by weight but don't they have additives to make them burn longer? Does it matter?
always grateful for more content. I've been waxing from your videos for about a year now, but I just did a triathlon that was super rainy during the bike portion and had to throw my bike in my car for awhile while driving home. After pulling my bike out of my car, I noticed some slight rusting on my chain. Any tips on how to clean this rust off without having to do a full chemical clean or should I do a full clean and rewax?
The rust will be superficial so carry on with boiling water and rewax. If you want to completely get rid of the rust use a rust removal chemical ,rinse with water then rewax.
I had the same problem - I just scrubbed off the rust with a green nylon scourer, rinsed chain well with boiling water then rewaxed. I’d be reluctant to use a rust removal chemical due to the potential to cause hydrogen embrittlement to the chain links- breaking a (weakened) chain under power is not fun.
I bought a slow cooker for waxing, but sourcing regular candles proved trickier than it should have been, so I bought a heap of tea candles from Reject Shop, but I don't think the wax is correct.
Regular guys still riding bikes with derailleurs are like guys with 60's era Jaguars who LOVE to work on them. While the Jaguar XKE lover is adjusting his vales every 6 months the derailleur lover is adjusting his cables and springs, cleaning and waxing his chain monthly. I got over that when I bought a Turi from Priority Bicycles in Manhattan 3 years ago. It uses a Gates toothed belt, not unlike the toothed belt on many automobile engines that are used to drive the camshaft or motorcycles to drive their rear axles. The rear axle is an Enviolo 300, aka NuVinci with a 300% ratio. I put 7000 miles (11265.41 Km) on mine before it started to make a creaking sound because the plastic cog had a tiny bit of cupping on the torque side of the teeth that was silenced with a bit of corn starch. Rain or shine, all I've had to do with my Turi is wash it. Rainy conditions actually wash off the belt, cleaning the cogs as well. I've never gotten grease (or wax) on my pants or on the upholstery in my car. I loved it so much I got a 600 from them last May. It uses the same drive belt system only it has a Pinion 12 speed gearbox on the crankset that has a 600% ratio. I still have my old Schwinn Le Tour hanging up in my garage, and I remember how much time I spent fixing and adjusting it, but unless I get an offer from somebody to buy it, that's where it's going to stay. Like any prisoner who has escaped, I'm NEVER going back to those chains.
why discard the wax from the slow cooker? Can't you reuse it if you put the chain in clean? or just cut off the part with impurities as they will settle on the bottom?
Is rust on the cassette and chainring an issue? I assume that they are getting degreased and cleaned up when switching over to wax, but there's no mention of waxing or protecting those surfaces.
I have watched your ultimate chain cleaning guide. I just have a question, what type of petrol should i use for cleaning my chain? Gasoline? Diesel? Kerosene? Thank you and more power to your channel
Should be fine as oil is a petroleum and all new chains come oiled. To be absolutely sure , if you have a link or two left over if you shortened it from new , soak the link in the petrol for a while as a test.
Went waxing route years ago after watching your original video - never looked back, good stuff, thanks for sharing.
I remember hearing about waxing chains way back in the 80's but it was your videos that I came across a few years ago and finally made the plunge and have never looked back. In terms of total time spent waxing the chain and never needing to de-grease the rest of the drive train I'm already far ahead and my chains and everything else lasts longer. Just tonight while I was working on other non bike tasks I plugged in my little crock pot and once up to temp I removed the chain, gave it a very quick clean and popped it into the wax. Once I was done my other chores I pulled the chain out, turned off the crock pot and re-installed the chain. The total amount spent on working on the chain once the wax was up to temp was at most 2 minutes and now I should be good for a couple weeks or more as it's been quite rainy here for Alberta Canada so I thought it was about time.
Absolute hero to cyclist everywhere. I have no idea how I first ran into your original waxing video but following your advice changed everything. All my bikes, even my e-bike are on waxed chains. The non-greasy hands alone is a good enough benefit
Nice to hear 🙂
i did exactly same mate tried it as experiment on vintage road bike id restored coz only 7 speed chain really cheap to replace and loved it so did it on mountain bikes too id never go back oiling chains now
id like know how it works on e bikes im just about buy bafang mid drive for specialized stumpjumper to use as commuter please respond let me know how it is
@@ianwilde1800 yeah its the exact same process. It last much longer than 300km though since it depends how much you pedal.
This man is a complete scum bag and is no ‘hero’ of mine. He was convicted of kidnapping his neighbours dog before returning a few days later and murdering it. Disgusting excuse for a human being
Hi Steven. I love your videos. Thanks for putting so much work into them. I've been waxing based on your advice since the Covid bike parts shortage. I'm amazed how hard of a sell it is to get people engaged in waxing. I'm still a strong advocate and will not give up. I really appreciate your constant updates to your process. Take care, Steve from Canada :-)
Thanx very much for Your explanation and the easy waxing stand you have constructed. What I changed from your recipe is that I heat up the cleaned chain with a heat gun before I put it into the hot wax, this reduces or avoids a temperature drop of the wax when you put in the chain that is much cooler than the wax itself. I believe that this helps penetration of the liquid wax into the small rollers of the chain and you don't have to leave the chain as long in the wax to make the wax penetrate everywhere. After taking out the waxed chain I hang it up and help again with the heat gun to let the wax penetrate and let drip off the excessive wax on the chain. Thanx again and keep on rolling. Kind regards from Switzerland!
Perfect video! I changed because of you and its a life (chain) saver. Also mixed graphite powder (very fine for lubrication) into it, it improves the performance threefold, especially in wet conditions (just rag your chain often and get it your room to dry). I put the waxchain into boiling water and swirl it around. I use wax melter like yours with a little water in the bottom and do a lot of chains in row. I use it for cables too, its the best. For bearings i mix up graphite with simple grease, they last! Instead of throwing the wax away you could scrape off the dirt on the bottom if it has settled down and became solid.
Could you help me by telling the ratio of paraffin and graphite powder? I don't want to use PTFE since is hard to get and very toxic. Thanks in advance.
Of course. You can put very much in it. When the wax is gone, the graphite will lubricate instead of the wax. The wax should stay liquid, because it has to get into the links. My guess is that 1/2 is ok, just see for yourself. You cant to much wrong here, just make sure you have very fine powder for lubrication purposes. Choose the finest powder available. If its flaky or something, its not fine enough.@@ssenssel
graphite or moly will be MESSY,touch the chain and you get black on your hands,or your clothes/socks,just like if the chain were greased or oiled. PTFE is much better.
@@JayWye52 its expensive and maybe harmful, graphite is not messy, i can touch the chain and its like wax, you can wipe it off, no problem
the best YT tips. your video about waxing chain change my life. life become more simple.
I watched your first video about waxing and tried it on and off without being a fan. Then the "absolute clean" chain before waxing made a difference but not totally convincing since a waxed chain ended up being a squeaky chain after a 100K dirt road ride. So I went back to oil. Then I found out the KMC chains I thought were good have a coating that wax doesn't adhere to so much. So then it was basic Shimano hg chain, clean, clean, clean and wax. Since I was setup for chain waxing I rewaxed every 3-4 weeks or after a couple of wet days. Nearly 8,000K's later the Park tool chain gauge dropped in at .75. Very impressed. Now a total convert primarily thanks to Steve and these videos.
I use KMC chains with wax and they work great for me
@@andyboxish4436 Certain KMC chains don't have it. I watched a video where a guy put coupled half a Shimano hg and KMC basic chain on his mtb. Using oil at that time the HG chain wore much faster. I still use KMC or YBN when I can get them.
brand new chains come with a lubricant/anti-rust coating,so you have to clean/degrease them before waxing the first time.
I watched all of OZ's wax videos and love to see his evolution of recipes and techniques.
and me
And me😊
+1
Me too!
UK checking in, use the "wet" method on a Brompton for a few years now and have not had any issues at all, works a treat - Many Thanks ~Trooper
Watched your video tutorial way back when on making and waxing chains and haven't looked back! Thank you and keep 'em coming. Enjoy your content Steve
Excellent video! I'm jumping on the waxing train and have watched about a dozen videos and yours is easily the most complete with easy to understand explanations and not a lot of hype. Love that you show exactly how to build your own waxing station - wish I would've seen this before pulling the trigger on one of those $99 Silca waxing systems; yours looks exactly the same, maybe even a bit sturdier. Keep up the great work!
This is amazing advice! I come back to your channel every now and then to discover your latest enhancements. I’ve been waxing my chains for a couple years now, and I love it! Thanks a lot for sharing.
Gotta love the 💯 % D.I.Y. approach!!
You have tempted me over to the dark side of waxing. great tip with the ebay beauty wax pot, only cost $19 inc postage
I'm finally switching to wax. Can't wait to test it. Thanks for the recipe.
I like the chain hanger. I've been using my repair stand, but the added convenience seems very worthwhile to go to the trouble to make something more portable.
Steve, I want to congrat you for the amazing job you've done through all these years for all cycling enthusiasts around the globe (I'm from Portugal :D).
ditto: wales, uk
Btw, Steve, the formula for the wet wax is Paraffin + PTFE + Paraffin oil? Or is it Paraffin + PTFE + Benzine (because I can't find Shellite in Europe).
?
Paraffin wax , ptfe , Paraffin oil
After seeing your videos a few years ago and doing it. I can say this process is still the best for all the advantages you've said!
When I was a kid my dad raced motorcycles and this was my job 40 years ago. It was a lot of fun waxing the motorcycle chains.
I'm running two waxed chains, one on the bike and the other waiting to be waxed when I have the time. They've done >11,000 km between them and the stretch gauge still shows under 0.5%. The cassette, chain rings & derailleurs have done >11 thou as well and everything's running smoothly. At present I swap chains and re-lube every 700 km. I have run one chain up to 1000 just to see how it would go but over 950 it got rattly and the front derailleur got a bit cantankerous. Waxed according to your method, of course, for which many thanks.
As an aside, I get my paraffin wax for nothing. Every year the village council distributes a nice thick candle to burn in a window on Christmas Eve. Might actually do that this year because the wax bath is full ATM.
Same here. Runs really well. I went back to oil on the commuter as rain is very common where I live.
I recently found your channel and love the fact that you are from South Australia and ride a lot of the roads that I used to ride and race on in the late 80s (formerly from Myponga). I used to wax my chains back then and am about to re-start waxing the chains of my bikes again. Thanks for the channel :)
You prolly know me from racing back then... I was in Holdfast Bay- Marion club. Our coach was Jim Nestor.
Thanks for all of your maintenance videos. Keeping chains waxed has allowed me to find much fewer excuses to go out riding on any weather. Cheers!
You mean I dont need to buy a $200 home waxed chain from ZFC to save MAYBE 00.1 of a watt for around 100km or less in wet conditions??
Such an educational video! The number one reason for me to wax is water pollution. A drop of mineral oil can contaminate 600-1000l of water. So all the nice shots of gravel riders going through rivers... well tens of thousands of liters contaminated. Same when going through heavy rain. Also lots of waste water when chain cleaning. So waxing in that regard is way better - and apparently saves the drive train as well.
I truly admire your engagement in something such unimportant as chain waxing 🙂 No sarcasm here, I have converted recently and enjoying clean chain in my bike. And whole hassle in preparations? Well, it turned into a kind of ritual every other week (as I wax and rotate two chains). Cheers 👍
Everyone who ends up here is a devoted hobby-ist. We're all about the minute details, and waxing is the cherry on top of all of them :D
His whole procedure is too much. You can simply it by a lot.
Love it! Just a few basic hand tools and a trip down to the local hardware store. Keep up the great work everyone should be waxing their chain love your videos
I learnt how to do this from the old OZCycle video. its great, really recommend anyone thinking about doing it to make the switch
Im a convert , i have been using this method for a couple of years now and never looked back.
Im currently running 3x chains and waxing them as a bundle . My idea is using cycling through the 3 chains will give even wear on the chains and cassette , and at the end of the chains life it will be time for a new cassette .
just done this today for the first time. cant wait to get it on my new gravel build and have hassle free riding!
I had researched various chain lubes and decided waxing was the way to go. The first time I tried it it was a very lumpy mass until I found your original video about adding paraffin to thin down the mixture. Your latest video with the waxing stand and chain hanger is going to be an excellent improvement to wrestling with a full length chain while trying to hang it up. Thank you.
Sir, you were the inspection, once I've done it, I can never go back to the oils again.
I never been faster nor smoother, people who hasn't experienced it yet won't know what are they missing out.
Been using your wax/PTFE suggestion for a while now and it WORKS,but, using that wax heater is a brilliant idea ,simpler,easier,cleaner. Great idea.
PTFE is a well known pollutant and you should try to avoid using it.
Great instructional video!!! I also watched the other one that covers the making of liquid wax chain lube. Perfect!
Thanks for the waxing videos. My chains have never been quieter, and smoother gear changes.
thank you so much for the great Video. I’m starting to wax as well and i found great tips! Greetings from Germany.
i appreciate all the effort you are making this tuttorial and edit the video, but when i hear i need to rewax each 300km ride, basically every 2 weeks i need to redo all these process. looks like a lot work. but i've been enjoying all your videos! THIS CHANNEL ARE GREAT!!!
Rewax is just rinse with hot water and put in hot wax.
Thanks for your tips and advice legend!
Great advice!
The only thing I have been doing different is not letting the chain cool off. I just install hot and let it cool as I run the chain through the gears on the stand ( or just ride around the driveway for the few minutes it takes to cool. Much more to the point. It can be a hassle to thread the chain through the rear derailleur so next time I plan on installing an old chain first without the master link and then just hook up the hot chain to the old chain and just pull it through.
Good idea but the problem is by doing this the wax barrier between the metal sliding surfaces will thin out. This reduces the usability between rewaxing.
@@stevenleffanue It thins out anyway while riding
Having made a liquid wax lubricant to use in between hot vat waxing, I find that the liquid congeals in the bottle at colder temperatures. That can be a problem in the winters here in Northeast US. My solution is to put the bottle in a container with warm water, occasionally shaking it till the liquid thins and flows easily. However, when applying the warm liquid to a cold chain it causes the wax to harden on the chain, so my solution for that is to warm the chain using a hair dryer before applying the liquid. Experimenting with temperatures, you'll find you can get the wax to flow into the rollers before setting up. The cooler temps can actually work in your favor. Thanks for all your waxing tips!
Great video. Imma wax all my chains. Even non bikes ones.. Cheers from Brazil! 🚲🚲💛💛💚💚
This is a great video. You explain the process very well. I just made my first attempt and it went well except my pot only got up to 70C. The PTFE feels very slippery
Steve, you are a legend ! I started waxing shortly after your first UA-cam posts a few years back and never looked back. I have 2 chains per bike that I swap which helps to do it more frequently, especially every time after a wet or muddy ride (mountain bike, road or gravel bike alike). I can't find Connex links for 12 speed chains though... Also great tip about reducing the proportion of PTFE after the initial batch, the learning never stops 👌👍. Many many thanks from Belgium!
Connex have not started making 12speed links yet....hopefully soon
@@stevenleffanue they seem to be available on Amazon now FYI!
Not ready for shipment till April 2024 tho.
just a FYI,but paraffin oil is kerosene,and it contains a small amount of paraffin wax. mechanics use kerosene to clean their tools because it leaves a waxy film that prevents rust. BTW,WD-40 is mostly dewaxed kerosene. (I checked the MSDS) so no lubricating film after the volatiles evaporate.
Paraffin is a byproduct of petroleum refining.
Interesting!
For a water-resistant chain, you can add engine oil to the paraffin in different proportions; they’re completely miscible. This is the old-school recipe that goes back to the 1990’s (we used double boilers then because these excellent cheap crock pots didn’t exist). Dry paraffin just doesn’t cut it in terms of corrosion protection in my conditions.
I use engine additive oil (sold under her brand name “STP” here in the US)-this product contains a high dose of ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate), which is an anti-wear oil additive used to reduce wear on the engine timing chain, etc. ZDDP reacts with the steel surface to produce a phosphate tribofilm on the wear surfaces.
To make the wax more tacky so it makes a film on the outside of the chain, add a small amount of beeswax.
Oil attracts dirt. Bees wax introduces high stiction.
Exhaustive guide on how to come over to Wax Side! If I'd be running those $50+ chains I'd definitely join you. Otherwise, I just comfort myself putting oil drops on rollers instead of updating diary with "July 28, 2023 and I'm addicted to bikes, cycling and stuff".
Loved the video, and really loved the idea for making chain wax set up. 🙌🏾❤️✌🏾
Consider me convinced. I will wax my chain now.
I did this when oz first did his video. I have never looked back. Much obliged Mate!
That was a cool bush bike at the end. I'm going to try the paraffin & Graphite method soon, we'll see how it goes. Thank you & Cheers.
This is great! I'm sold! Thank you for the lesson.
Been using this formula for years. It works. Thanks OZ.
Simple and super good. Never done that. Will try as the season is starting today for me 😂
A beautiful setup! ❤
For an indoor bike, that approach would be a no-brainer: stays clean, easy to clean, and to dispose of properly.
For outdoor use, I’m not a fan of wax personally, though. Solid paraffin wax is petroleum-based, and in its solid form does not biodegrade, unless I’m mistaken. PTFE - or Teflon - doesn’t either. It also tends to bioaccumulate in nature, meaning it has a compounding effect wherever it’s shed, and the human body is no different: PTFE is linked to reproductive cancers and similiar stuff. It’s not really something I’d like to get as fine particulate in my own system, so I try not to introduce it to others either.
When I was younger, I didn’t really care about these things, but now that I’m retired and as I grow older, I find that I think more and more of what I leave behind. I mostly like to ride forest paths, and on gravel near waterways and lakes, and I try to leave those places as pristine as I can. Steel and fully biodegradable wet lube on my outdoors / daily driver bike, nowadays.
Oh, and thanks for showing that beauty-cooker wax melting pot thingy: that’s a genius idea! 😊
For indoor use wax doesn't make as much sense as outdoors - specks of it will fly all over floor around bike and will need to be cleaned up. Outdoors we just don't notice wax left behind. Lubed chain indoors usually isn't subjected to sand and mud thus it will never get dirty (at least, not SO dirty) and grind itself like outdoors.
If you have the budget, you could always use a natural hard wax.
@@neutronpcxt372 Hey, you’re right, if it at all behaves in the same way. If you’d then replace the PTFE additive with something more natural like graphite (pencil ’lead’), you could make a fully environment-friendly version of Oz’ wax. Good tip!
Mr. Oz - possible idea for a new video? 🙂
We tried graphite. 1/ Chain life good but not as long as ptfe.
2/ leaves grey marks on whatever it contacts
Have you ever tried bee wax? I guess you can't get a more natural wax. By the way, what's the problem when using just wax?
after I started use wax, my chain lasts a lot, now it has more than 15,000km and still good, I use this last wax cooker, very supper mega ultra power.😃😁😎🥳🤠👍👍👍
I’m using his recipe for more than 2 years. I’m happy with the performance of my drive train. Though I’m planning to go back using oil lubes due to availability of ingredients and weekly preparations.
Followed your instructions Steve and it has been fantastic. Very smooth and quiet drive train however i am having rust spots appearing on my chains. Mixed up a batch with some paraffin oil today, see how that goes. Also applying the liquid mix often to maintain the exposed surfaces might help ? Been a couple of years but still learning, could never go back to a sticky black chain 😱
After riding in wet conditions quickly dry chain off with rag before storing your bike. This should stop the rust.
@@stevenleffanue Thanks Steve, I have never done that but I will in future.
@@stevenleffanue Or, better, dry it off with a blower? :)
Would a silicone spray affect the wax? Back when I haven't heard of chain waxing, we used silicone spray after drying washed chains prior to storing to protect against moisture, and we applied lube the night before the next ride. I'm wondering if I can spray it on the waxed chain after a ride (and after wiping off some superficial dirt). What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you!
Add PTFE is interesting idea!
Also, beeswax can be added to improve adhesion.
The missing link also needs to be lubricated. I do this after the chain is put on, I dip part of the chain with the lock into a cup with melted paraffin.
Bees wax presents a lot of stiction compared to paraffin. No need to wax the removable link but you can if you want.
Hi, I'm currently using mainly your "cold wax" method - paraffin wax mixed with naphtha, stored in small bottles to reapply without taking off the chain. Working great, maybe only disadvantage is I need to rewax every 100km.
How the formula for wet wax should be with old method cold wax? 1:1:1 paraffin wax, oil and naphtha?
Should this wet wax stay longer between rewaxing?
Thanks for every your guide, really appreciate your work :)
Yes , having the paraffin oil will extend rewax time a little but it's mainly to help prevent corrosion in wet conditions.
Six months ago I switched like a bee to wax. Yes, the chain looks like from a store, it doesn't get dirty BUT it wouldn't hurt to compare the resistance and friction on Shimano on oil with the same performance on wax. In the heat or at professional speeds, probably even cold-pressed olive oil :-) It will not give advantages, but in the cold with oil you will see less friction. We need an experiment that is blind and randomized😊
The fastest lubricants are chain waxes and very high end wax lubes.
Thanks Steve for the testing and advice since your first video Ive never looked back , Trial and tested ,,,,,,,waxing is the way Thanks for such good info and videos.
Very good and instructive video 😊
I'd really like to see an alternative mentioned to using a "forever chemical" (PTFE ) that's more environmentally friendly since this is going to get everywhere in your home and where you ride. The idea of flaking off the PFAs out on the trails we love doesn't sit well with me. Why not add environmental friendliness to the list of reasons to make this yourself?
If you watch the video, he specifically mentions you can use things like graphite or molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)as alternatives. Graphite is simply carbon, so that's likely the cheapest and least harmful solution (though the dust can be an inhalation concern if you work with it regularly).
For clarification, the PTFE (Teflon) itself isn't the direct danger, but the surfacants that are required in the production of PTFE are persistent pollutants (forever chemicals), and have a long history of contaminating water near production facilities (PTFE is produced onto a bath of water with the persistent pollutant surfacants allowing it to float atop the water and form a layer). People will argue that PTFE is safe, because the PTFE itself is inert, but the production of PTFE is where the problems arise, so I'd say your concerns have a very real basis.
Of course, you can make an argument that even graphite has an environmental impact, but unless you're making that argument in bad faith, it's easy to conclude that graphite has less of an impact on the environment and flora/fauna.
He had some videos previously about using graphite, but found it wasn't super effective. I'd imagine that's due to the fact that graphite as a lubricant is usually used straight (you just rub graphite powder on surfaces), and it lubricates because the surface layer of graphite on the surfaces slide across each other. Molybdenum works in a similar fashion, and MoS2 has a pretty good history of use as a suspended lubricant enhancer (the German Liqui Moly brand, for instance). Both graphite powder and MoS2 are used in industrial applications (graphite powder is exceptional at very high temperatures), and both seem to work well. I'm not really sure how you'd add MoS2 to the wax, but I'd imagine buying a bottle of Liqui Moly anti-friction additive might be the easiest way, since that one was developed specifically to be a suspension in a liquid lubricant. For anyone in the U.S., NAPA usually sells Liqui Moly products, now, and it's usually about $10 for the bottle.
I agree. Ptfe however is the most effective additive and it can be used at 80:1 which is a reduction in its usage
The alternative is no additive.
I agree - PTFE should be avoided at all costs, due to the environment harm it does.
I don't use any additives, and currently have 4000 miles on my Shimano ultegra chain and it's not even close to being worn out. Unless you're racing, just consider skipping the additive, and then you don't have to worry about the environmental harm
I think the chain and drivetrain are in such good condition after all those km is that the bike is ridden in dry aussie conditions on nice roads. Unlike here in the UK where country roads have all manner of junk and we ride 12 months of the year! The conditions are a big factor. But I like the video! :)
We have wet winters here in southern Australia.
one advice, you can skip slow cooker. Just use jar with wax and immerse, half of it in the boiling water. Then when melted put chain into jar.Wax melting temp is around 80C. This way you don't contaminate any kitchen dishes and you don't need slow cooker.
An old fondue pot that was used to melt cheese works well also.
Good one 👍
Great video. You were the first video I watched about waxing chains a couple of years ago, but I just now started waxing my chain. I also bought a small wax melting pot for a fraction of "Bicycle" specific pots. Question, if you clean the chain with boiling water before you re-wax it, would it still turn the wax black?
I waxed my chain after seeing you video. Thank you so much. The chain is butter smooth now.
But I just couldn't get the liquid wax lube correct. 😅
Hey!
I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax
I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended).
Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk.
Let it dry for a few hours.
Apply once more. Let it dry.
Go ride!
I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?)
Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike…
I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
@@My_HandleIs_ its expensive for me. That's why I am trying to make my own liquid wax. 🤷♂️
@@My_HandleIs_I am bike Kurier. I am waxing every week😂. And my crappy using liquid wax. I chose acetone instead of xylene. Bad choice😂.
Sweet video! I understand how to clean the chain and jockey wheels, but how do I go about cleaning the cassette and chainrings? Do I take them off`f the bike?
on one of the videos he showed it: boil the water and pure on the cassette while spinning and brush it (if I remember correctly) - same with the crank
@@zyghom Thanks a lot!
Every time I watch these videos I think, «nah, it’s too much fuss!! » and every time I clean my chain I think, « I’m really going to have to wax this thing!!! »😂😂
Hey!
I still think it is way too much hassle with hot wax
I have tried the Squirt liquid wax. You clean your chain really well (start with a new and clean it is recommended).
Then apply the Squirt onto the chain . Looks like watery milk.
Let it dry for a few hours.
Apply once more. Let it dry.
Go ride!
I have used it for a few weeks now, seems to work well. Easy to reapply (I wipe off with baby-wetwipes and hose it well. Boiling water may also work?)
Then just two layers as above while Chain still on the bike…
I hope the wear is fine, time will tell. The drivetrain has never been this clean before!
Added benefit, no dirty hands when fixing a rear flat tire.
Thank you for this very informative video.
I like the upgrade here. Now we need the assembly line version of this where multiple chains are processed and hung. XD
Great video as always. I still think it's better to boil water and rinse the chain before re-applying wax so you can get more uses from the wax. One of my DIY upgrades was bending a spoke to create a custom digital candy thermometer holder that grips the edge of the crock pot. If interested I can send a link for a photo of that.
Any time I use water of any kind on my chain it rusts. Is there any way around this?
Dry the chain as soon as possible. To help prevent chain corrosion add paraffin oil to your wax mix
Do you target 95-100 C for the whole waxing process?
@@mcndjxlefnd I agree. I washed my chain with water and got rust within 2 or 3 minutes plus chain developed cracks. On next ride the chain broke.
Ive been using a 15 year old can of castrol moto chain wax , chain still feels great shifting is great evwn after about 4 months of commuting
Ill try a proper wax someday soon , after gettig all the tools needed to properly disasemnley drivetrain
Oil is a mess
I find that I need to go through the whole process of prepping the chain every time I clean it. The amount of dirt that settles in the prep petrol bath is amazing and confirms the need. I don’t ride in the rain so I’d hate to imagine what it’s be like if I did. The benefit of this is that my wax always stays white and I don’t need to throw it out.
I get some black stuff that collects on the outside of the chain as well, especially if I've ridden in some construction or new asphalt. Usually a wipe with a rag soaked in denatured alcohol is enough. If not, just running a boiling pot of water over the chain cleans it, but then you need to wait for the chain to dry.
@@craigsmith5134 you’d be amazed at the crap that gets inside too, as my chain picks up what you describe on the outside as well.
Repeated petrol soaks won't be good for your metal.
@@batesadywhy do you say that?
I am using this method for some time now and I am strugling with lubricating direarioul wheels and avoiding contamination of the chain at the same time.
Remove jockey wheels to service them then reinstall.
Sensational.
I started doing it some time ago and since then I only use this wax on my bicycle chains. This smaller pot idea is very interesting, but I keep making it in a larger pot using twice the amount and with that I can make at least 2 chains at a time. Last but not least I have a question: In the video "Ultimate Chain wax - make it yourself", you instruct us to keep the chain for 15 minutes in the wax and now you instruct us to keep it for 30 minutes. How long does it take to lubricate the chain anyway?
Once again, congratulations on your work and thank you for sharing with us.
From Brazil,
Aurelio
Immerse until no more bubbles come out of the chain.
Great video, to the point and lot's of great ideas. Thank you for sharing 👍🏻
Thank you.
More hints that make waxing an easy process.
love waxing followed your first vid on waxing iv waxed all my chains ever since thank you for your info and if people say its not water resistant i live in wettest part uk and it works great on my road bike and my mountain bikes
Thank you! I’ll also gone use this tech for lubeing my cnc trapezoidal thread screw.
I'm interested to learn more about your 'UK' spec paraffin oil wet wax. I've done the slow cooker waxing method on my summer bike in the UK for a few years and found it works relatively well for dry conditions. But I've always had to stick with wet oil lubes for day to day commuting in wet weather, and just take the hit on the increased rate of drivetrain wear.
I'm yet to find a better solution for when I ride to work in pouring rain and the bike is then stood wet for 8 hours before riding home again. Dry lubes just don't cut it and the chain starts rusting from my experience.
2 ideas/thoughts:
1. You have very helpful video on how to clean a chain which was using a different lubricant. To prep it ready for waxing. But how you go about cleaning the rear cassette sprockets and front chain rings?
2. I don’t know if you’ve heard about the brand “Cyclowax”. It’s a Belgian based brand that makes a chain waxing unit similar to what you’ve DIY’ed in this video. Pretty handy for the folks who are less keen on making it themselves. Maybe you could reach out to them and see if they are willing to send you their kit for you to test/review. I think they definitely should because in my opinion you are the one who originally made waxing bicycle chains popular. Your video’s introduced and convinced me about the idea of waxing your chain…
Use degreaser to clean oils and grease. Use wax and grease remover to clean wax off.
Wasn´t the previous recommendation to let the chain stay 15 min in the hot wax? Has the time to stay for the best result been increased to 30 min?
Until bubbles cease
Hi Steven, I'm subscribed to your UA-cam channel and watching all your bike videos. thank you so much for all your DIY videos especially the ones on making your own chain waxes as the good factory waxes plus shipping, duties, taxes is way more then I can afford in retirement.
I made the switch to chain waxing last night following all your great video info.
My question is how do you remove the wax from the pan after it cools?
I used one of my wife's 2.5 ltr casserole bowl and would like to keep in her good graces by cleaning out her bowl 😅
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks Steven and hope you keep up the great work you have been doing for many years to come
JP
Glad you like the vids 😁. You can pour out then wipe with paper towel the bowl whilst it's hot. Or if the bowl separates from the cooker turn it upside-down and give it a few bashes on a rag or towel whilst bowl is cold.
I am a believer in chain waxing, and did use your method (parafin mixed with ptfe) initially. However, I had some problems with corrosion on the chain after occasionally riding in wet conditions.
Now I am using the MSW which is marginally dirtier, but overall provides better corrosion protection and is more durable, you don't need to wax it as often.
If riding in consistently wet conditions add paraffin oil to the wax at 1:1. This prevents corrosion.
What would MSW be? Being from Germany, I appreciate a little explanation for a non-native speaker...
@@leonlowenstadter9223 Molten speed wax... There are others of course that have good reputation, ie Silca secret chain etc
@@leonlowenstadter9223I believe it is referring to Molten Speed Wax
@@leonlowenstadter9223 Molten Speed Wax - a commercially available chain wax
I've been waxing chain after watching your early videos. I remembered you mixing paraffin with lamp oil. Do you still do that?
No , I just make sure my chain is dry before storing the bike. For continuously wet conditions it helps prevent corrosion.
Very informative and nicely done video. Has anyone used boric acid as additive? It's also used as solid lubricant.
Thank you for the DIY instructions. One question: Is it ok to use candles rather than blocks of paraffin. The candles are cheaper by weight but don't they have additives to make them burn longer? Does it matter?
Candles work fine , most riders get the full 13,000- 16,000km with them + the PTFE.
always grateful for more content. I've been waxing from your videos for about a year now, but I just did a triathlon that was super rainy during the bike portion and had to throw my bike in my car for awhile while driving home. After pulling my bike out of my car, I noticed some slight rusting on my chain. Any tips on how to clean this rust off without having to do a full chemical clean or should I do a full clean and rewax?
The rust will be superficial so carry on with boiling water and rewax. If you want to completely get rid of the rust use a rust removal chemical ,rinse with water then rewax.
I had the same problem - I just scrubbed off the rust with a green nylon scourer, rinsed chain well with boiling water then rewaxed. I’d be reluctant to use a rust removal chemical due to the potential to cause hydrogen embrittlement to the chain links- breaking a (weakened) chain under power is not fun.
You’ve sold me. Gonna give this a shot!
I bought a slow cooker for waxing, but sourcing regular candles proved trickier than it should have been, so I bought a heap of tea candles from Reject Shop, but I don't think the wax is correct.
Some candles have added softeners , fragrance and colours. Try to source as plain candles as you can as they have no additives.
Regular guys still riding bikes with derailleurs are like guys with 60's era Jaguars who LOVE to work on them. While the Jaguar XKE lover is adjusting his vales every 6 months the derailleur lover is adjusting his cables and springs, cleaning and waxing his chain monthly.
I got over that when I bought a Turi from Priority Bicycles in Manhattan 3 years ago. It uses a Gates toothed belt, not unlike the toothed belt on many automobile engines that are used to drive the camshaft or motorcycles to drive their rear axles. The rear axle is an Enviolo 300, aka NuVinci with a 300% ratio. I put 7000 miles (11265.41 Km) on mine before it started to make a creaking sound because the plastic cog had a tiny bit of cupping on the torque side of the teeth that was silenced with a bit of corn starch.
Rain or shine, all I've had to do with my Turi is wash it. Rainy conditions actually wash off the belt, cleaning the cogs as well. I've never gotten grease (or wax) on my pants or on the upholstery in my car. I loved it so much I got a 600 from them last May. It uses the same drive belt system only it has a Pinion 12 speed gearbox on the crankset that has a 600% ratio.
I still have my old Schwinn Le Tour hanging up in my garage, and I remember how much time I spent fixing and adjusting it, but unless I get an offer from somebody to buy it, that's where it's going to stay. Like any prisoner who has escaped, I'm NEVER going back to those chains.
I bought a small $10 crockpot from Walmart,and they sell a 16 ox block of paraffin wax for canning for $5.
why discard the wax from the slow cooker? Can't you reuse it if you put the chain in clean? or just cut off the part with impurities as they will settle on the bottom?
The additive also sinks to the bottom , so you would need to put in more additive. Can be done tho , good idea 👍
Is rust on the cassette and chainring an issue? I assume that they are getting degreased and cleaned up when switching over to wax, but there's no mention of waxing or protecting those surfaces.
This seems to be a lot cheaper than going to the Silca route!
2:15 out of the bottle freshly on the chain this lube actually is quite runny, but leave it on for a week or two and it's like glue.
I have watched your ultimate chain cleaning guide. I just have a question, what type of petrol should i use for cleaning my chain? Gasoline? Diesel? Kerosene? Thank you and more power to your channel
Gasoline is best . Diesel has a lot of oil in it and kerosene isn't very good at disolving heavy greases.
@@stevenleffanuealso, i use a kmc dlc colored chain. Is it safe to soak it in gasoline? or will it ruin the colors on the chain?
Should be fine as oil is a petroleum and all new chains come oiled. To be absolutely sure , if you have a link or two left over if you shortened it from new , soak the link in the petrol for a while as a test.
Try a paperclip if you don't have a dental scraper for between the cogs