How To Wax A Bicycle Chain | Maintenance Monday
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Although it might seem a bit odd, there are a number of benefits to waxing your chain. Jon teaches you how best to do it here.
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The two main benefits to a waxed chain are:
1. That it reduces drivetrain friction and so gives a performance increase
2. The wax is very effective at repelling dirt, and so increases the lifetime of your drivetrain.
To wax your chain you will need:
- A very clean chain, dirt will stop the wax sticking to the chain
- A slow cooker, this is much safer than cooking in a pan on the hob
-Paraffin wax, buy it in granules instead of in a block if possible, this will reduce the time it takes to melt
Once your wax has completely melted in the slow cooker, completely submerge your chain, and leave for around 15 minutes.
Once bubbles have stopped coming from the chain links, hang your chain up to drip dry
When the chain in dry, work it about to remove the stiffness that comes with the wax build up.
Once you have cleaned this excess wax from your chain, simply fit it to your bike, and off you go!
Would you wax your chain? Let us know down below 👇
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How to get a perfectly clean chain gcn.eu/perfectchain 📹
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Leave us a comment below! - Спорт
Looks like we are going to have to send Jon back in with some paraffin oil to see if that silences the chains. Or maybe Jon and Si have just got impressive hearing?!
Global Cycling Network I'll put my apron back on...
Silence can mean friction ;)
by adding a little bit of liquid paraffin to the mix the noise goes away. You're looking for a hard butter consistence. The drivetrain will keep spotless. Don't know about any watt losses.
Don't bother Jones, it's a waste of time ⌚??? 😲
Definitely add in paraffin oil it makes it huge difference. Also wipe off the excess before the chain dries.
I'm 72 and ride my bike every day. Back when I raced in the 70s I did exactly as prescribed and the chain was beautiful. I gave it up because I was too lazy to carry out the drill. But--- compared to today's wet lube when wet, and dry lube when dry, this may have been the best all-around lube. And, for just riding to work and around town, I think it was far and away the best solution, requiring the least amount of work for the benefit. But, this was back when I was capable of rebuilding a wheel from scratch in an evening. Getting old is not all it has been cut out to be. PJT
Can i just use paraffin wax? Cause others add in ptfe and i cant seem to find one
@@edgarcastillo7005 PTFE adds just a marginal benefit. I use food grade paraffin (3€/kg), no paraffin oil added. Opinions are split on the oil. But it is very very important to cool the chain fast in water so the paraffin hardens inside the rollers. Then you clean the excess, the rest would fall off on the street. I am puzzled, however, about a new chain on my hometrainer.. all the excess would be in the living room :))
Also the benefit of PTFE is not so much for lubrication. PTFE is Teflon powder and it’s biggest benefit is protection. PTFE will help keep it from gunking up and will extend the life of the chain.
Jeez this was depressing 😂
Guys, Great video. I’ve been waxing my chains for almost 2 years now, and I concur that it does a better job of lubing the chain, and staying clean longer.
A couple of notes:
1. I use a mix of parafin candles and parafin oil, blended until the wax is a slight creamy consistancy. I think this will solve your noise problem, as my drive train is really quiet with this approach.
2. When I take the hot chain out of the cooker, I plunge it into cool water vs hanging it up hot. This causes the wax to harden immediately, trapping it in and around the rollers instead of dripping out.
3. This goes without saying, that the entire drive train (cassette and chaing rings) should also be cleaned prior to installing your newly waxed chain.
Cheers!
RayK
Can I also use shimano mineral oil as a substitute for the paraffin oil? Paraffin oil is also known as mineral oil
Just tried it using a mix of paraffin and beeswax (80% paraffin). It's as quiet as an oiled chain on my cheap hybrid bike.
i got myself a couple of those scented candles at discount. Now I have the gentle whiff of gingerbread and raspberry icecream permeating the air as my bike chain whizzes around. :D
Wait, you mean everyone behind you gets that scent.
You’re like a unicorn spreading joy everywhere you ride. 😜
just wait to the bees smell that! 🐝
@@phillpauley6672 Those who suffer from hyperosmia and asthma might not like it.
Maxwell Smart: "So 99 he's trying to use aromatherapy to make the rest of the peloton relax and slow down. The old scented bike aromatherapy chain technique! We're onto him now 99!
Ahahahaha, this made me laugh :DD
Waxing chains has been around and was a mystical magic chain treatment back in the 70's. One man I rode with did his waxing in an old metal coffee can, he didn't want to mess up a cooking pot. He heated the can on a gas stove and dipped his chain in the can. He used that can more than once and one time the flame melted the bottom of the can. The magic wax pored onto and extinguished all the flames. The wax plugged all the gas vent holes in the burner. His wife took one look at the situation and said, "You're cleaning all that out!" When we talked about how often he waxed his chains we all said, "one time too many!"
Thanks for this story! got a solid laugh out of me, cheers!
That’s a great story 😂thank you for sharing.. it’s something that most of us would do cheers
That is hysterical. Here's to wives and wax my dude
Thanks for this video, it was something that I was hoping you would do. I've been waxing the chain of all my bikes (Road, Mountain, Fixie) for years, and definitely find it much quieter than traditional lube. I do 2 things differently. 1. I set the chain down flat on the tabletop rather than hanging it since when hanging, i find that the hot wax drips out of the pins and rollers. 2. I don't knock off the extra wax, but place the chain on the bike and let the gears knock it off while riding; I see no reason not to have a thin coat of wax on the gears and rings.
I have been waxing since 1984, I do it differently but essentially the same. I can wax twice a year with 7-8,000mi of riding. when I get any chirp out of the chain, it's 9 out of 10 times the quick link only. That's where a drop of bottled wax comes in handy. Even if you dip the quick link, because of handling it and the fact of it's tight tolerance a lot of the wax gets removed right from the start. It absolutely extends the life of a drive chain.
My wife walked in on me waxing my chain
And she took 100% wax that your chain became stiff.
Till Linderman .... As long as you weren’t yanking your chain😉😉
I want to see the link to that lol !
Pussy on the chain wax!
Hahahahah DEAD
I've been waxing for a year and love it. There's a short learning curve however I am now 95% sure it's a better system. Super easy to clean from chsin and gears ( compared to oil), easy to do initial application and does not pick up dirt as bad as oil based systems. The negative ( last 5%) is because it doesn't work in the winter. Here in canada 🇨🇦 the salt and snow appear to strip the wax off and the chain developed rust. So I now use oil based lubes in the winter and will go back to wax in the spring.
u may want to use added parafin oil, it will not interfear with the wax. check out oz cycles!
@@mythos14 Wax oil will attract dirt and cause it to stick to the chain which undermines the reason for using the wax in the first place. Wiping the chain off after arriving at one's destination or rewaxing should deal with this issue.
When will I be able to buy the GCN crockpot? Looks mint.
Niels Heldens well it looked mint. Now it’s a giant “waxinelichtje”
Wend bicycle chain wax. Good stuff easy to use.
You can’t use straight paraffin wax it goes back to being hard. Which is noise and chain stiffness.
You can also use a cheap rice cooker.
buy a cheap rice coocker and a food themometer.
I've been waxing my chain for the last few months with paraffin. Have found that if you just use only solid paraffin that it flakes off pretty easily. Mixing solid paraffin with paraffin oil about 1:1 will leave you with a bit softer of a wax that sticks to the chain a lot better. Also keeping an eye on the crockpot temp helps. Too hot and the oil just runs off. Have found around 50C-55C leaves the wax sticking to the chain just right. Won't go back to lube. Wax is much cleaner and quieter.
I think the bits that flake off aren't the bits doing the lube on the bearing surfaces. So I've stuck with straight paraffin. I've also taken to keeping a candle stick handy and I give my SPD shoe cleats and the pedal clips a quick rub down with the candle ever 2 or three rides to keep them operating smoothly. I get a lot of dirt/dust in AZ. I brush the pedal mechanism well every 6-8 rides to get any accumulated dust/wax out. The pedals operate more smoothly this way and again, no messy oils or grease.
Hey you guys, i tried this recently and it worked well enough. But i used also a little parafin oil in the mix, and i didn't find it so noisy. Congrats from Portugal.
This video was so good it should be immortalized in a wax museum.
Miss Jon on this channel from these older videos. Great personality and informative.
cheers!
I have waxed my mountain bike chain several times and it was amazing. The drivetrain stays cleaner than with any other lubricant or liquid wax I've ever used. I didn't get any dust caking on my jockey wheels at all. That said, it's time consuming. I would clean my drive train with mineral spirits to get all the old lube off first then go through the ordeal of removing the chain, melting wax, letting the chain soak then cool and finally remounting. So, this is something I only do a few times a year when I have time to kill. Also, I didn't notice any additional noise like they mentioned in this video.
I've been waxing my drive system for about one year, I'm very happy with the results. The entire system stays cleaner and the cost is a small fraction of any of the other products on the market. In friction coefficient studies, wax outperforms other products by a large margin. The only thing I do differently than the method in this video is add some parrafin oil to the wax. The right combination of oil to wax is important and experimentation is easy using a piece of metal to test consistency. Somewhere between toothpaste and crumbs is the best. If the mixture is right, there is no noise and no wax falling off the chain. Don't forget to wipe the chain right after pulling it out of the wax bath.
I suspect that softening the paraffin wax with paraffin oil negates the lower friction advantages, as it makes the wax more sticky.
"In friction coefficient studies, wax outperforms other products by a large margin." Which studies?
At last I have a use for the jar of ear wax I have been saving since I was 14.
Michael McDermott you too?
Imagine the super low friction of that fine wax :D
I see your 1 step ahead of the competition, they won't hear you coming.
How much a gram I'm in need?
And it’s biological!
I've been running my bikes on waxed chains for a few years and love them.
Few points.
1. your chains aren't clean. You really need a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to get them clean (even a new chain). But shaken in a jar of solvent will be better than nothing.
2. paraffin wax adheres badly. Much better is microcrystalline wax, cheap on ebay.
3. I normally add a bit of graphite powder which makes it quieter.
4 Wax is washed off really easily so I add a teaspoon of gear oil (very viscous) which isn't enough to attract dirt but fairly thoroughly waterproofs it.
With the above mods, my chains go 500 miles between relubes.
Did you just say that wax isn't waterproof?
Watch oz cycle
how much graphite powder do you add ?
Jfb 0264 about half a tea spoon in 200 ml. Not critical
@@guymansford7123 have you tried powdered ptfe ?
Damn now it's the Global Cooking Network
I have been waxing my chains for a couple of years now and have even added Teflon and molybdenum disulfide as per the original Friction Facts recipe. I wish I could say that I was a good enough rider to tell or benefit from the performance difference, but I its worth it for me not to ever have greasy stains on my calf or fingers as I often did in the past. Regarding the reported increase in chain sound, a combination of some hearing loss due to too much rock and roll in my youth and the creaking of my body parts masks it very effectively. Also, although I may just be lucky, but during the course of many thousands of miles of riding using and reusing a KMC quick link I have never experienced a failure in one.
I saw this when it first came out. Best butcher job on waxing chains on the internet!
I've been doing this for about a year now except equal parts paraffin oil and paraffin wax. Same benefits but runs much quieter. It does definitely extend the life of the chain and cassette. Additionally... I've never had a problem reusing the same powerlink. I'll replace the powerlink whenever I get a new chain.
David Schroeder thanks for your feedback, Jon
How do you remove the wax stuck on the cassette to clean it?
I've been waxing my chains (road and MTB) for almost a year now and I can't see ever going back.
It seems to last 350 or so miles. The initial cleaning is a pain, but once that's done, the whole process is very simple.
When it's time for new wax, the chain goes in my cheap (Harbor Freight) ultrasonic cleaner for a few cycles. Then rinsed with water and hung in the garage to dry. Once it's dry, it gets dunked in the cockpot and left for 15-20 minutes. Then pulled out and hung to dry before being reinstalled. In terms of elapsed time, that's quite a bit longer than using wet lube. But most of that is "leave it soaking for a while" stuff, so it doesn't take my time.
I reuse the quick links and so far haven't had any issues. At some point the quick links start to feel loose...that's when I replace them.
The single best thing about using wax is the whole bike stays much cleaner. You have no idea how much crap gets flung off the chain/cogs/etc onto the bike until you switch to wax.
The word is crockpot I believe.
Waxed chains back in the 80s. Extremely quiet running.
Kept 5 chains. Cleaned in gasoline. Got very clean. Waxed all 5 in paraffin in a crock pot. Good for about 250-300 miles per chain in dry weather. About 10 days of riding for me back then. Chains and drive train stayed very clean, did not hold grit. Extends life of drive train components. Saves $$$.
Been doing this for months now, I mixed wax and suspension mineral oil and it's performing great especially I do mtb and always get mud and grime on my chain.
I live on the UK coast and I've been waxing my chain like this for years. My chains and drivetrain last far longer, repelling salty moisture, collecting much less grit and stays lubricated for hundreds of miles. I used to spend ages cleaning and lubricating my chain with expensive ceramic based lubes after almost every ride.
My only tips to add to this video is to blend your wax with some paraffin oil. You want a dry creamy, not crumbly / flakey consistency when dry. Give your chain a wipe as you pull it out of the crockpot, rather than waiting until it's dry. As mentioned in the video, the wax isn't needed on the outside of the chain links, so taking it off when wet is much easier and cleaner.
Great advice Thankyou
I've waxed my chains for the last year and they've been super quiet, not sure what you lads are on about. I've also re-used quicklinks countless times with no issues. Just replace the quicklink when the whole chain needs to go.
I'm glad GCN has covered this. I read the Friction Facts investigation into is a couple of years ago and have been waxing my chain since. I really like having a clean chain all the time. I no longer ruin a pair of trousers every time I hop on the commuter or have chainring tattoos on my legs. I put that over a silent chain.
A few comments I would make are, the cleaning of the chain is the most important part. A chain cleaning tool is not sufficient to get the dirt out from between the plates and rollers. If you do not get it clean then waxing basically does not work. The way to get it clean is first remove the outer grim with the chain tool and then immerse it in a bath of methylated spirit and shake it about like you're mixing a cocktail. Leave it to soak overnight then shake again.
Then put it in the molten wax and agitate it to get the wax inside the chain. I don't bother cracking the cool wax off before putting it back on the bike. Just ride for 5 minutes and it loosens up - unless it's winter. Wax isn't so good in really cold weather because it hardens too much and the links don't rotate around the rings.
Use KMC quick link because they last multiple chain removals.
Another great video, Jon. Look forward to more tips.
Meanwhile, maybe GCN can sell pre-waxed chains. Reckon a lot of folks would put in an order.
Next try it with the oil to see if that mitigates noise.
Coming from motorcycle off road background I use Putolene chain wax. It comes in a tin which can be heated on one of those cheap camping gas stoves for about £10 the wax is about £25. But it has graphite to help the parrafin wax lubricate. Gets right inside the links.
Hi, I think that I will soon switch to Putoline too. What about noise issues with Putoline ? Thank you :)
@@florianrodot7817 very quiet.
Good video, have been doing this for years. Old candles are a good source of wax.
Yep. I use "emergency" candles purchased at the dollar store.
I have just tested out a new chain waxed with molten speed wax, I have never had a more quiet chain. love it.
Nice one Magnus!
thanks for this video good job if you add some paraffin oil to your mix of wax it will have the same effect and the noise will stop and the treatment will last longer i have already tried and it worked very well
Tip: Do not remove 'excess' was on the outside. It does act as water and dirt repellent. After the procedure bend the chain few times, but do not cross the chain over. [catching up on many hours of GCN].
I have been hot waxing this year. Initial prep to strip the chain is time consuming (and important) but after that rewaxing is fast. I get about 400-600 km between waxing. Drivetrain is still sparkling.
How about chain wear? And consistency of the mix?
I’d suggest a double-boiler if you don’t want to buy a slow cooker or contaminate the one you have with wax. As long as you’re very careful about your setup and don’t spill, a double boiler will prevent explosion or combustion of the wax by keeping it at or below 100 Celsius
I do this in all our bikes. I do reuse the link. The biggest difference in my process is I wipe off the chain while it's hot. Then it goes right back on the bike.
The waxing helps clean the chain after it's dirty. Only muddy chains go through the ultrasonic cleaner.
This method allows me to very quickly clean and lube several drivetrains, and is particularly effective when all the chains are wet.
I just waxed my chain for the first time ever this week. Mixture of paraffin wax and paraffin oil. After it was cool and installed on the bike I dusted it with graphite powder. SO much cleaner and more efficient. I’m not a great climber but today I took a sprint KOM after taking 6 seconds off my PR. No extra training; just changed to wax from wet lube.
NEVER going back to lube!
is paraffin oil same as kerosene?
@@byaheniVan nope. It’s burned in paraffin lamps but it’s a different product.
Have important notes, maybe other guys didn't mention them (my experience: 8 chain paraffinations and quite eager to go on).
Besides, can anybody make powermeter testing if solid lube lowers drivetrain efficiency? Paraffin it is much denser than oil lubes, so it may create some power loss in pin rotations.
(1) Perfectly clean all drivetrain before paraffination - for best effect.
(2) Always melt paraffin in a water bath, no direct cooking on stove, paraffin is flammable! Water bath is just a pan with water, smaller pan for paraffin, and some heater (you don't really need that fancy cookware device from video).
(3) When chain is in paraffin, shake every link so that air bubbles come out and all link insides are filled with paraffin. You can cook it for hours, but bubbles will still sit within links without shaking. If air remains, it significantly decreases time before you get chain creaking
(4) Emergency lubing in long rides, when chain starts creaking: I do it by drops (like oil lube). Just prepare paraffin solution in highly-purified benzine solvent. I use Kalosha benzine (fraction with octane value around 52, evaporates without traces or smell); but its USSR solvent and likely you need to use other organic solvent outside CIS. Take some small container around 50 ml, fill half with parafffin granules and fill with solvent the rest. If this mixture solidifies (below 10 degrees), you can warm it in hot water or by body heat. Drawback of this method: it doesn't clean chain insides like liquid paraffin in water bath
(5) If paraffin gets really dirty and grey, you can clean it with water and re-use. Just after taking out chain, pour some water in paraffin (1-2 fingers high), it will sink below paraffin. Keep water bath hot for 15-30 min, so that paraffin remains liquid, but without boiling. Most of dirt will sedimentate in water layer and on paraffin/water surface. When paraffin cools and solidifies, it will be almost clean (you can scrape away dirt on water side)
(6) Chains on paraffin are more noisy, because it is solid lubricant and it doesn't muffle links clinking as good as oil does. But good thing is that solid lubricant doesn't move inside/outside of bushings in work, so it keeps link insides clean from abrasive dirt and increases chain life (compared to oil lubes by 50-75%, from anecdotal reports of enthusiasts). If you make it more quiet by liquid additives like paraffin oil, you reduce this benefit.
(7) I don't think that paraffin lube lasts longer in wet conditions (as compared to thick oil lubes for wet conditions). When I ride under rains, re-lubing time is much shorter. Real benefit is bike carrying and servicing becomes much cleaner without that adorable oil/dirt mix (remember chainring/chain tattoos on your calfs?). Supposedly you also save on chains as they last longer (other people say so).
(8) There are quite unnecessary actions it description: working out stiff chain (it will happen by itself in few rotations; stiff chain is more convenient to pass though rear derailleur cage), removing excess paraffin from chain (it doesnn't catch dirt like excess oil, so why bother? Worst that happens is some paraffin flakes falling and sticking to chainstay)
Benzene is carcinogenic. No use for it at home
@@fitzt70 I think he meant Gasoline (petrol).
The first time I waxed my chain was in the late 70's. My bike was then a CNC Special I bought in 1973. When I changed Rims and chain I used Paraffin wax as the lube and I have used it since.
Great work Jon, I love your vids.
Gethin D-J thanks. Jon
Whats the parktool model number of the hook your using?
P-OLDHANG. It retails for $172. ;-)
I m looking forward to the GCN special edition
Would the heat of the wax delaminate it if it was carbon though?
Anyone old enough will remember the dry wax lube from the early 2000s. I use to be a cycle courier and we would ride rain or sunshine and the wax lube didn't last when it wore of it didn't prevent rust either. Another tip if it makes more noise it's because their is more friction and that causes wear.
I have used waxed chains. I would do 5 chains at a time, so I had a good supply. Also, for me, wax did not work long in the rain. Hence, keeping several on hand.
Been doing this for a year- road and mtb (wet wales) def add up to half paraffin oil especially when cold/ cold wet as the wax flakes otherwise and get the reusable wipperman connex link ( make sure you fit it the right way) .
Scott's pro tip--when still hot and liquid, wipe off all the excess wax before allowing it to cool down. That way, you don't have to remove the solidified wax afterwards.
Hi Jon you're my favourite GCN presenter! 😀 📹👍
Tomi Saaranen aww thanks
I do something similar, I use putoline chain wax, has graphite and is the right consistency without the need to use oil. For quick top up between full waxes I cut the wax 50/50 with Xylene, keeps the wax liquid to carry into chain then the thinners evaporates leaving the wax in place.
Good video. Only 2 gotchas there -
1. Add paraffin oil 1:1 to the solid paraffin. It works a treat. No noise whatsoever. Will outlast regular lubes by 2x or more.
2. Cleaning the chain. I am using "technical petrol". This removes particles, lube, grease.. from an used chain prior to waxing.
The wax mix temp should be "as low as possible" while it is still liquid. However; be aware those who will do it that the chain itself will cool the mixture so it can start to solidify (just heat a tad more).
I am using Connex chains (the link is reusable and no tools needed - both road and MTB).
Conclusion:
This then is the best lube I've tried.
There is a chance the wax didn't get all the way into the links. Also, when you hang it up to dry, the wax will run out. When you remove the chain, dump it straight into cold water to solidify the wax. This has to be done immediately to prevent the wax running out of the links. You need to add paraffin oil to the wax to make it runny, otherwise it can have trouble getting all the way into the links. Ideally lube should resemble grease when it's dry, but we don't grease on our chains because grease can't get into the guts of the links. It's about a 50/50 ratio of wax and oil. If the wax is too flakey, or too runny, the wax will have trouble staying within the links. It should be a bit like a thick cream when it's dry. Also, you don't need to let it sit for 20 minutes. Once the wax touches all parts of the inside, that's all you need. Letting it touch the chain longer, won't make it adhere better. Just move the chain around constantly, until you are sure the wax has penetrated the links - no more bubbles escaping. I also add 5% molybdenum disulphide and 1% polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Works very well. I live in Australia so I only ride in dry weather, and lube every 400km.
Great video! The motivation to wax a chain is definitely there. I can't find a video of a waxed chain being ridden so I'm not sure what _the sound_ is like, which seems to be the biggest downside. Do you know where or can you vid a waxed chain demo ride? Thanks!
I have been doing this for some time. In dry dusty times, there is nothing better. The chain will repeal some water, but in very cold weather, apparently it didn’t work out so well. I love having a clean drivetrain, so this is something that I can and will do again.
I use Squirt Wax lube, it's must easier. And I use it on road bike and MTB and I never going back to olie.
I live in Denmark, so if it not raining, when it's snowing.
Squirt lube, as far as I'm concerned, is the easy real world version of waxing your chain. Love the stuff.
Squirt and paraffin wax (+PTFE +MoS2) are not comparable. Squirt never fully solidifies and still results in a gummy black mess after a while. Waxed chains run much, much cleaner and require basically zero maintenance of the rest of the drivetrain. Squirt residue tends to build up between cogs, chainrings, behind the DS crank arm, in derailleur cages, etc. Dry wax does not.
A wax based chain lube (like Squirt) seems, superficially at least, to achieve similar results with less fuss.
Same here on both my MTB and road bike
MEC sells it.
That's my go to lube for my sram drivetrain.simple quick performance in a bottle
Friction Facts says Squirt is superior to paraffin wax and ranked 2nd behind "Molten Speed Wax". No degreasing either!
you still have to laboriously degrease the chain before using squirt lube, but it wont penetrate the chain as well as the proper method. also, once you have the wax pot set up, its easy to just pop the chain in every few weeks and it will last for a long time. cheap too. it cleans and lubes the chain with zero real effort and you know its getting into all the pivots properly.
I commend you for getting, pretty much, right to the subject unlike others that go on and on and on before getting to the actual main reason people are viewing.
Sounded worth a try since the factory chain wax always seems to sound nice and quiet so I’m surprised about the noise. However, after using Fenwicks Stealth for long gravel rides with plenty of mud this seems the easier option and it runs silent. Warm a clean chain with a blowtorch and apply warm lube. Sorted.
I tried this at home and now my chain is smooth and hairless and won't get infected after a case of road rash.
Baron von Bullshit 😨
Can I order the matching GCN Steamer, Wok and mixing bowl to go with my official GCN slow cooker?
SAF1981 yes. Send me the money via PayPal ,😉
Hey GCN, i ride with waxed chains for a while now. I think your way won't work so well. I have a super silent drivetrain with wax and reduced wear. Here is the way to go: 1. Degrease the chain completely with xylene. 2. Melt wax together with parrafine oil (sold as lamp oil here in Germany) in a 1:1 ratio. The finished product have to be like a very solid grease, when cooled. This won't come out the chain when moving it. 3. Use ready made wax lubricants for relube. I use Squirt Lube Dry Wax and it works great! No need to take of the chain every time. Best regards Chris
Adding paraffin oil will 1) prevent the wax from flaking off the chain once dry and 2) keep the chain really quite. My newly waxed chain always sound silent and I wax it again when it starts to make noise.
After seeing this video, I tried the lazy paraffin method myself. Cleaned the chain, dry it, and then put algoo chain lube wax-based. Then, light a candle and drop the candle wax in the chain. No noise and is resisting very well clean and smooth, even after 300km
I thought you were supposed to mix in paraffin oil to make it stay longer on the chain and make it quiet. It's no good if it flakes off after a few miles.
Or add Teflon powder to the mix. Makes a major difference
Only the stuff on the outside flakes off, enough wax remains inside the chain where it is needed. Adding oil will make it stickier and defeat the purpose if the dry, dirt repellent wax.
Teflon apparently really helps but it is horrible for the environment.
I've used wax a few times now and have to agree I hated the noise. Also the upkeep/time it takes is crazy. I religiously clean my drive train every 100ish miles (even with indoor use) and 30 or more minutes each time I have to do it is way too long. I also didn't notice any difference in performance over what I normally do. Regular clean and lube every 100 miles and then a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner every 400 miles (about once a month). Also I'm using muc-off c3 dry lube.
Glad I watched 'til the end, because I'm with Simon; I HATE when my bike makes any noise.
Have you waxed a chain? Let us know how you found it 👇
Squirt lube. Easier than this and it's highly effective. Use it on all bikes now, performance is mint
GCN, did Ceramic Speed (or the industry) say how long the wax should last (aside from the noise indicator)?
I used to wax my chains until I discovered Squirt. No going back.
yelpspoon I've heard about 500miles.
I use squirt lube all the time. Drivetrain looks like new on every ride.
What?! Mr. WD-40 himself doesn’t like a noise drivetrain?!
I use motorcycle synthetic chain lubricant and works fabulously.Its sticks like thin white haze.Quiet very quiet
About 50 years ago I made a high-tech double boiler out of one larger and one smaller emptied tin cans. (Parrafin is flammable and shouldn't be over heated). I put the chain and the wax in the smaller can and melt the wax on the kitchen stove. When the wax is melted I bring it outside and remove the chain with a piece of wire and let it "drip dry". I don't bother loosening up the chain. Excess wax just drops away. It doesn't "gunk up" the sprockets.
In rainy, humid New Orleans my bicycle was my primary means of transportation for several years when I worked in the city. It was quicker and more convenient than driving downtown. I never had rust problems, my chain and mechanicals stayed clean with minimal effort.
I have no idea why their chains are noisy, but I doubt it's the wax. Mine is silent, as are the chains of all the riders I know who wax theirs.
You left off the parafin oil add it to the wax. Don't know the ratio I just SWAG it. It makes a difference
I've been waxing my chains for 35 years, so obviously I think it's great. Drive trains last way, way longer than using any wet lubes (the plain steel Wippermann chain I have on my bike has over 8,000 miles on it and still measures less than 0.5% "stretch"). Plus your bike stays clean! You only have to wipe your bike down with water and it's clean. And you don't have to clean the chain each time unless it's really gritty. Just drop it in the hot wax again. I don't let it drip dry though. If you wipe it down with a towel while it's still hot and wet you get off all the excess wax so it doesn't get all over everything as it flings off. Wippermann quick lings are reusable too.
What I do before reapplying the wax/PTFE treatment I will place chain in a sieve and pour boiling water over the chain to remove any dirt before plunging chain into clean hot wax bath
How do you go about the initial deep cleaning process? Petrol?
@@mydearriley I use kerosene because it's safer.
@@billwallace9958 So basically what OZ Cycle told you to do.
How do you know OP?
How do you KNOW they last longer waxed than any other lube?
You just said you spent 35 years waxing chains! Did you also run other lubes along side that?
Cos for sure the only way you could know is if you split your 35 years equally between a waxed chain and a lubed chain.
What a load of biased cobblers folk wil come up with haha.
Great Video, nice and simple.
I need a GCN Crock Pot!
Try the Wipperman Connex quick links. More expensive but you can use them multiple times.
To help with the noise, add a little paraffin oil to the wax. It will make the wax a little softer.
You can also wipe down the outside of the chain after you take it out of the bath. Don’t really need all that wax on the outside of the links.
Since I use to wax my chains like they described I found after a few years of doing that is that the chains wore out faster at around 5,000 miles on the older wide chains I used in the 70's and 80's, which probably explains why there is more noise they spoke about in this video with waxed chains, that noise is coming from metal to metal contact which means the chain is wearing away faster. When I switched to a chain lube in a bottle (when TriFlow came out) my chain life doubled and then some, I averaged about 13,000 miles per chain after I stopped waxing. So while a hot waxed chain maybe a tad faster (I read only about 1 to 2 watts) a non waxed chain will wear longer, so a person has to decide which is more important to them.
like the GCN logo on the crockpot
The wife is always suspicious when I enter the kitchen, yet alone when I ask to borrow the slow cooker. #BannedFromTheKitchen
Have to do it when she’s out . And bribe the kids with candies for them to not say anything. Makes the entire process so time consuming
I picked up my own crockpot from the Goodwill store. Garage sales etc. would be a fine alternative. Paid $5. I buy unscented "emergency" candles from the dollar store. $1 for a pack of six. Maybe use two packs for the initial loading of the crock pot. Yes, you have to fish out the wicks once the candles have melted. Not sure what this guy was on about stirring the wax. It just melts all on its own when it is heated up. Also, I don't wipe the chain down. The chain gets very hot and most of the excess wax just drips off. The non-useful wax will flake off quickly on the first ride. My chains don't seem noisy to me. I wax 2-3 chains ahead of time and just rotate in a new chain ever thousand miles or so before they get noisy. What I really like most about this is the elimination of chain tattoos and that my hands remain relatively clean if I have to touch or grab a chain during any maintenance.
Hi Jon, we have a lubricant here in the states called "White Lightening" which comes in a bottle or tube. it contains both oil and wax in a liquid state and It's generally used on days that rain is in the forecast.
Myself, I am like Sy that likes a quiet bike..... and everytime you do those free wheel spin sound test, I personally gringe when I hear most. I have saved free hubs from several old or damaged wheels just for the sound of silents from the free wheel. There is a sound but you will only hear them when I'm passing you well away from you loud free hub. LOL! :)
the GCN crockpot IS the real cooking revolution.
Oz cycles has better video on how to clean the chain properly before waxing, plus you need PTFE powder in the wax
ptfe is very toxic to the environment
PTFE is the required ingredient to.properly lubricate the chain plus it silences the noise
@@DIA4000 so is gasoline and many other cleaning solventes, its just the way it is
@@billwallace9958 that kind of thought is what slows down progress.have a good weekend
I know pfo's and pfoa's are bad for the environment, due to bioaccumulation. But, unless you're heating PTFE to above 300 degrees Celsius, it is non-toxic, and inert. PTFE is now being produced without an excess of PFOs and PFOAs. So there you have it, progress has been made.
Am I in danger of going blind if I wax my chain too often?
I've done the chains on each of our ten bikes. I first soaked chain in gas, stirred, brushed then dried. Then used an ultrasonic cleaner, say, $80 bucks, with simple green in it. Usually clean for about 8 minutes. It is so great, quiet, not sure why GCN folks think it is loud, perhaps it's my 73 year old ears can't hear the noise. The really cool thing is that it is so clean, really clean. It does not get dirty at all, or seemingly so. I do really think it is great.
Oh, you can get paraffin for canning in your local grocery store and I got my crockpot for $4 at a thrift shop. Cheers.
I've seen somewhere a 'how to make your own *liquid* wax' video.
They mixed some parrafin oil with the initial batch of wax to male it softer first (then did the process you described), then mixed excess of *that* with some kind of solvent that evaporated quickly. The end result was wax applicable from a bottle so they only needed to break their chain if it needed to be deeply cleaned again
That make sense but I am concerned that the mixture will get all the way inside to the pins and rollers.
Is this how Dan styles his hair?
My first thought was "what a hassle". After watching the vid, I changed it to "it's still a hassle, and the chain is noisy".
same here
I've been doing this for a while now. It is admittedly a hassle the first few times you do it. BUT there is nothing like the joy of having a spotlessly clean drivetrain at all times. You could change a puncture with white gloves on and they'd remain spotless. Once you get used to the process it becomes really easy. I'd never go back.
Not really a hassle if you do it as a background process and have an old dedicated crock pot (very cheap). And the payoff is when you have to deal with the chain doing some repair - especially on the road - and you find you can handle the chain without any mess. Major non-hassle.
Also, I usually wax 2 or 3 chains at a time and just rotate in the pre-waxed chains as needed. Also, I don't understand this bit about noisy. My bike is so much quieter than most of the bikes I run across. But then, I'm still running on old 7 and 8 speed gear systems, so maybe it is noisier on thinner chains that flex more.
@@jackglossop4859 Yup. And even if the chain has been on long enough to pick up some road dirt and you get some of that on your hands while handling the chain, its a "dry" dirt that is easily wiped off - usually by just rubbing/brushing your hands against each other. I'm relatively new to chain waxing, but with about 15,000 miles on waxed chains, I don't intend to ever buy chain lube again.
Today I waxed my chain for the first time, I have used the Finish Line Ceramic Wax Chain Lube. Tomorrow I will give a test run and see how much noise is the chain but yes I immediately noticed that odious sound. The instruction says to reapply the wax after the first or second ride, I intend to do after the first ride. I hope my chain is not to much noisy
I've been using molten speed. Love it!!
Lowest friction lube according to Friction Facts report
Parrafin (x) *check*
Crackpot (x) *check*
Paraffin wax + Crockpot + Wife = FAILURE
I have been checkmated.
What you do to yourself before you wreck yourself?...
Don't use the wifey's crockpot... go buy a used one from a Thrift store.
I use a rice cooker I picked up for about 10 USD for melting my wax. Works great and was very cheap!
oz cycle showed to add paraffin oil to make the wax less solid and gunky when it has cooled down, essentially giving it a gel-like substance. Is that something you'd recommend?
Jochem Yes, Oz Cycle goes a bit more in-depth with the topic. I've been using his method for a few good months and am not going back to oil based lubes
Jochem I will add some next time I wax, will report back. Jon
I’ve been experimenting for months. Oz is right about adding paraffin oil. The trick is getting the right ratio. Here where it’s hot 3 or 4 to 1 wax:oil is plenty. In colder climes you may have to go 2:1. Too much oil, and you’re left with goo; too little and it all flakes off leaving you noisy. I suspect insufficient lube *on* chain results in excessive cog wear.
I have also followed the Oz cycle method. Lots more faff to get it right but I live in Scotland and were now into even wetter winter riding and so far so good.
I did the oz cycle procedure in april . Drive train so much cleaner. The guys asked wether I had a new groupset!!
Right, been using wax and parafin oil in a rice cooker for the last two years. Commute through the winter 4-5 times a week through salt infested uk roads and have literally changed my chain 3 times only. I wax my chain every 2 weeks even in the summer as it does wear off, whatever the conditions, and they wear out super quick. Repelenishing the wax every 2 weeks is ESSENTIAL!
I also make sure the chain is absolutely clean within the linkages by Ultrasonically Cleaning them. There are a number of Videos on UA-cam about Cleaning and Waxing Chains. Cheers.
I use SRAM chains with their removable "PowerLock" link. SRAM says they're single-use and should be replaced with a new one each time you remove them. But I've never had to. I typically re-use the PowerLock link until it's time to replace the chain, which for me is 8,000 to 15,000 miles later. I remove my chain and clean it at 300-500 mile intervals. I also remove and clean it after any ride in rain. That means I'll have re-used the same PowerLock link 25 to 50 times before I discard it with the chain. Each time I clean the chain, I carefully clean the PowerLock link also. I don't know why SRAM and the other removable link manufacturers want us to replace them every time and I wonder if this is a legal issue -- an effort to avoid a liability lawsuit if a cyclist does something stupid but tries to blame the manufacturer.
I tried Boeshield T-9, a wax-based chain lubricant, several years ago. It was supposed to be one of the best at the time. I didn't like it because it didn't seem to lubricate as well as my trusty old Park Tool CL-1 synthetic oil lubricant. Nor did the T-9 keep the chain clean as claimed. So I switched back to CL-1. If the "old school" method of waxing a chain (shown in your video) only lasts for about 500 miles before it needs to be redone, I think I'll stay with CL-1. The weather is mostly good here during the cycling season but we do have a lot of sand. Even though I ride on nicely paved highways most of the time, my proximity to the sandy soil around Lake Michigan means sand is blown into my drivetrain by the wind. But I seldom ever need to ride in rain. If I had to ride in bad weather much of the time, I'm not sure what chain lubricant I would choose. I probably wouldn't be a cyclist in that case and would return to swimming and body-building.
Lastly, I think this video down-played the effort required to prepare a chain for waxing. It is not easy to clean all the oil out of the pins and rollers and this is the primary place where you want the wax to adhere. In my experience, the only sure way to prepare a chain for waxing is with an ultrasonic cleaner.
According to the Oz Cycle video on waxing a chain (ua-cam.com/video/gF9nbwsaSHs/v-deo.html), the author says that the chain needs to be rewaxed about every 300 km. That's only 186 miles!!! That's way too short for me. I ride from 5000 to 6000 miles per year (8000 to 9600 km) and I need a lube that will last longer than that. Even if I could go 400 to 500 miles in good weather before rewaxing, that's no better than CL-1.
The one big difference that others have noted in the comments below is that the Oz guy adds paraffin oil to keep the wax soft so it doesn't flake off so easily. That makes it sound like the GCN method will have an even shorter life.
I wax my chain judiciously and honestly it does not take that much longer compared to conventional degreasing, rinse, dry, and lubing a chain.
Out of interest, how long does each waxed chain last? Does the wax work ok in wet weather?
Lastly are you still able to clean your bike with muc off for example without having to rewax your chain
The UK is blessed with mild and wet winters, visit Canada during the end of February, it might change your perspective a little
I have had great results with muc off ceramic dry lube. Quick and easy application.
Simon Richardson came in and asked for his chain to be waxed too huh? Sounds like you'll be cleaning his brake pads and waxing his frame next.
"The Global Cooking Network"
Looks easier than I thought. Thanks GCN! Next time chain wears out, will wax with slow cooker. Than upkeep with Squirt. The issue with Squirt seems to be it's hard for it to penetrate into interior rollers and pins on initial applications. Starting with a waxed chain solved this.
I have been using paraffin, a jumble sale crock pot, and adding graphite powder. The molten wax (give it a stir to mobilize the graphite particles) transports the graphite into the rollers and this seems to help when the wax itself is wearing off. Chains last longer, for sure, with this method. And work better in bad conditions.
Mind telling how much graphite per cc o wax do you use?
How weird - I have just done this on the weekend. Like Oz Cycles I added parafin oil. 50/50 mix and i found it reduced my drive train noise. and doesn't flake as much.
Oz Cycle is the best in term of waxing! I did my mixture probably 30/70 so it is a bit harder than 50/50 and it repel dirt and mud better, but still run quite.
tomuno1 I think this is down to the temperature outside. I'm also on 50/50 right now but next time I'll add some more paraffin oil to it as it's no more that smoth currently.
Are you using the light paraffin (less viscous) or heavy paraffin (thicker) oil?
I would suggest to go for the thicker one. I am in the US and what I have found to be the best is "mineral oil", which is sold as laxative in pharmacies. The light paraffin I think is a synonyms of kerosene that in the US is sold as "lamp oil" . I have tried both of them, but I like more the thicker one since it does not evaporate in time.
As I mentioned before I like to make the mixture as solid as possible. By that I mean that it has to be soft enough to move inside the rollers of the chain, but solid that it flake off on the outside. Having the solid wax on the chain is the key to keep it clean, otherwise it will just behave like grease. The test I do is generally put a small piece of the mixture between two nails and it should compress and move around, but if you scratch the solid mixture with a finger it should flake off.
Another symptoms of too hard mixture is that after a couple of kilometers/miles your chain become is very noisy.
If you’re in the UK you want liquid paraffin - available in small bottles from a chemist or bigger bottles from a vet supply place. 50/50 of that works well.
Am I understanding this correctly? Si did 60,000 miles in autumn and Jon has clocked up 200,000+ miles! That puts Mark Beaumont's efforts to shame!
CnE yep. Bang on
Ohhhhh 60k/ 60 kilometres and 200k/ 200 kilometres. I was misunderstanding. Km's are alien to us imperial folk :)
Great tip! Thanks
I love GCN's Cooking Show