Waxing Bicycle Chains

[masraum]

You guys are giving your bikes Brazilians?

You guys must really LOVE your bikes. TMI

[rwest]

Originally Posted by zakthor

I ride singlespeed all winter in the pnw woods. Golden rule is clean and lube chain before entering house, otherwise chain is rusted the next morning.

By far my best chain lube experience is a ‘cleaner lube’, it cleans and lubes at the same time. Hose chain down with lube, cycle chain 3-5 cycles then wipe it all off with a blue shop towel. Takes about… 90 seconds. Chain is kept shiny and spotless.

Downside is you need to bring lube on longer rides. 30 miles on dusty dry trails, 8 miles if youre litarally riding up a creek. 50-80 miles of dry road riding.

Brands to try: rock n roll extreme, or gold. One ball. The r&r extreme has a pint on amazon for a good price.

Waxing sucks. Never ever will i do that again. Tons of prep but doesnt work in mud. The cleaner lubes are wax in solvents, solvents clean then dries leaving wax.

I would agree that in extreme conditions, especially wet, wax isn’t going to be a good choice.

I used to commute to work practically year round in MN. Lots of salt and snow. I would have a spray can of the cheapest lube at work and at home and just hit the drivetrain at each location. At the end of the winter season, I would just replace all the gears and chain. I was running lower end components, so I could almost replace the whole crankset, cassette, rear derailleur and chain for about $100 using NOS off of eBay.

[rwest]

3rd chain update.

I have been riding several days a week and going about 150-190 miles each week and then after my Sunday ride switching the chain.

We had rain yesterday and overnight and the roads and trails were very wet and by the time I got home, both me and my bike were filthy. Chain was still clean, no oily film on my rims, spokes and chainstay! Quick hose spray and wipe with a microfiber cloth was all it took to have a clean bike again.

Removed the quick link, wiped any moisture off the chain and put it in my used chain box.

The one slight pain is putting the quick link on when I put the fresh chain on- takes several tries as even a slight film of wax on the chain doesn’t allow the link the seat in the slot fully. I suspect I will get better as time goes.

Rutager

[look 171]

Install the quick link. Don't try to tighten with your hand. Squeeze your rear brake, Push on pedal with your foot and it will pop in nice and easy. No effort.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by look 171

Install the quick link. Don't try to tighten with your hand. Squeeze your rear brake, Push on pedal with your foot and it will pop in nice and easy. No effort.

I have the special Park quick link pliers, which work great, the wax just interferes sometimes and the pins don’t go far enough into the slots to engage.

I will try your way sometime as it would be good to know how to do it if I was somewhere and didn’t have the tool. Thanks.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Here's a pic of the crap that came off my frankenbike chain in the ultrasonic. It had about 400 miles? not much on it including a trip to washington dc and gravel. The cup is kerosene and has settled for three days. The chain didn't look that dirty.
The chain is all waxed and sexy now!

Enjoy!!!

[rwest]

Nice!

Well, I went through a month and changed my chain every Sunday; doing between 130 and 185 miles per week.

Today I put all the used chains into a pot of water and boiled off the old wax. I’ve heard that you can also just wipe any surface dirt off and re-wax, but I think a quick boil will make it less likely to contaminate the wax pot.

My biggest lesson learned through this process was that instead of being a cheapskate and buying a $30 crockpot, I should have spent the extra $50 and got the instapot. They heat up in minutes and temp can be controlled. The crockpot takes about an hour and then you have to babysit it during cooling to get the chain out at the right coolness.

I’m absolutely loving the clean driveline. I haven’t ridden in a downpour yet, so can’t say if the wax will hold up, but it should.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by rwest

Nice!

Well, I went through a month and changed my chain every Sunday; doing between 130 and 185 miles per week.

Today I put all the used chains into a pot of water and boiled off the old wax. I’ve heard that you can also just wipe any surface dirt off and re-wax, but I think a quick boil will make it less likely to contaminate the wax pot.

My biggest lesson learned through this process was that instead of being a cheapskate and buying a $30 crockpot, I should have spent the extra $50 and got the instapot. They heat up in minutes and temp can be controlled. The crockpot takes about an hour and then you have to babysit it during cooling to get the chain out at the right coolness.

I’m absolutely loving the clean driveline. I haven’t ridden in a downpour yet, so can’t say if the wax will hold up, but it should.

lol- I think mine was an "instapot" I got it from my bike shop friend, who bought one, but never used it. I went in and inquired about chain wax, and he had the whole shebang ready as he never got around to it. I had the ultrasonic as a hand me down from a dental office, and it has been a godsend. That chain was relatively clean btw.

And the instapot is "instant". The chain / wax/ everything is scalding hot and I'm grabbing the chain like a hot tamale for minutes afterwards!

I've been secretly wondering if I could run a pump through the tank, through a filter (oil filter, perhaps hydraulic filter) to get the crap out and recycle the clean kerosene. Lately, I use clean kerosene, dump it into a secondary can, and then use it to start fires on the back 40. It would be nice to not go through so much though. Another project for next week!

[rwest]

I think you should be able to just pour it through a filter screen and get a few uses out of the kerosene.

From my understanding, you should only need to chemically clean the chain once and since the drivetrain is supposed to last a real long time, there shouldn’t be a lot of solvent needed, well, unless you have a large fleet or are doing it as a business.

Silca is making a special new chain cleaning fluid that is supposed to be environmentally “safe”.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by rwest

Nice!


The crockpot takes about an hour and then you have to babysit it during cooling to get the chain out at the right coolness.

I’m absolutely loving the clean driveline. I haven’t ridden in a downpour yet, so can’t say if the wax will hold up, but it should.

I don't understand . I have a bent coathanger that the chain is threaded onto in a couple spots, and the other end sits on the lip of the crockpot. In 10 years of waxing I've never "waited for the crock to cool"- I pull the chain out, let it drip for 30 sec, then hang to completely solidify. Never a need to allow it to cool.
I do try to put the chain in on top of cold wax, or if not to leave it in for 30 min so its the same temp as the wax.
Wax works ok in the wet, but I'd likely rewax at first opportunity. It doesn't do well with wet and road grit.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by greglepore

I don't understand . I have a bent coathanger that the chain is threaded onto in a couple spots, and the other end sits on the lip of the crockpot. In 10 years of waxing I've never "waited for the crock to cool"- I pull the chain out, let it drip for 30 sec, then hang to completely solidify. Never a need to allow it to cool.
I do try to put the chain in on top of cold wax, or if not to leave it in for 30 min so its the same temp as the wax.
Wax works ok in the wet, but I'd likely rewax at first opportunity. It doesn't do well with wet and road grit.

Hi Greg,

I’m not an expert by any means, but the different online/YouTube stuff I have seen suggest that taking the chain out just before it starts to go back to solid leaves more wax inside the rollers. Taking them out very hot allows more of the wax to flow out.

I don’t know if it makes a difference, but makes sense to my tiny brain. I put them in around 170F for a few minutes, swirl a bit then turn the crockpot off and with my IR thermometer take them out around 150F. Seems like about 145F the chain slots get clogged up with the wax as it has gotten too cold.

Rutager

[fanaudical]

I got a sample of this stuff at a trade show once upon a time; I found it to be the best lube I have ever used on my recumbent chains:

https://www.royalpurple.com/product/max-chain/

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by rwest

I think you should be able to just pour it through a filter screen and get a few uses out of the kerosene.

.

I clean a bunch of things with the ultrasonic. Your idea inspires me to just set a funnel on top of a tube, into a filter, into a catching can, to get clean cleaner fast.

I'm always struggling with the line of silt at the base of the cleaner, which smudges everything I put in. Sure, I can dump out the cleaner, and wipe down the ultrasonic tub, but what a waste of cleaner.

This gets worse based on a video I watched which states the ultrasonic cleaner needs to be full of liquid not to damage it.
True? False? I don't know.

Lately, I fill the ultrasonic with something, but put the item to be cleaned in something like a big gulp cup and kerosene to save on kerosene, and dip that into the bath.

Also, the "fleet" equation comes into play. My gravel bike will get a run through the wax tomorrow AM. No cleaning at all. Straight wax. My MTB needs the chain and drivetrain run through the ultrasonic before a waxing. My trashcan bike has a chain so clean I could eat off it.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

I clean a bunch of things with the ultrasonic. Your idea inspires me to just set a funnel on top of a tube, into a filter, into a catching can, to get clean cleaner fast.

I'm always struggling with the line of silt at the base of the cleaner, which smudges everything I put in. Sure, I can dump out the cleaner, and wipe down the ultrasonic tub, but what a waste of cleaner.

This gets worse based on a video I watched which states the ultrasonic cleaner needs to be full of liquid not to damage it.
True? False? I don't know.

Lately, I fill the ultrasonic with something, but put the item to be cleaned in something like a big gulp cup and kerosene to save on kerosene, and dip that into the bath.

Also, the "fleet" equation comes into play. My gravel bike will get a run through the wax tomorrow AM. No cleaning at all. Straight wax. My MTB needs the chain and drivetrain run through the ultrasonic before a waxing. My trashcan bike has a chain so clean I could eat off it.

I wonder if you used an automobile fuel filter and poured it through your funnel tube setup; maybe a clear one to see when to change?

My ultrasonic cleaner has a minimum fill line marked on the side.

[rwest]

Finally “got” to ride in a good hard rain for about 15 minutes. Such a good feeling not to have n oily film over the ri s, spokes and chain stays.

A quick rinse with hose and wipe down with a microfiber cloth brought it all back to pretty- no degreaser or mess.

After regular rides, I do a quick wipe down with a Silca cleaning cloth before hanging the bike back up.

Here’s the uncleaned bike:

[group911@aol.co]

Coffee filters?

Originally Posted by rwest

I wonder if you used an automobile fuel filter and poured it through your funnel tube setup; maybe a clear one to see when to change?

My ultrasonic cleaner has a minimum fill line marked on the side.

[Baz]

Thank you for starting this thread and posting all your updates, Rutager. And for all others who offered their input.

I like the idea of the Ultrasonic cleaner!

Here's a YT video I just ran across showing a method without the US cleaner.

[herr_oberst]

I'm way too fuggin' lazy to wax my chain. And on a gravel bike? Ha!

But I do have an ultrasonic trick: Put the chain or cogs into sandwich sized tupperware and fill with solvent to cover the parts, put that in the (EMPTY) ultrasonic and then fill the ultra tank with water till the two liquids are at the same level. It keeps the tank clean and it reduces the amount of cleaner.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I'm way too fuggin' lazy to wax my chain. And on a gravel bike? Ha!

But I do have an ultrasonic trick: Put the chain or cogs into sandwich sized tupperware and fill with solvent to cover the parts, put that in the (EMPTY) ultrasonic and then fill the ultra tank with water till the two liquids are at the same level. It keeps the tank clean and it reduces the amount of cleaner.

Good tip.

I’m positive that the total time involved in waxing the chain is much less than keeping a liquid lubed chain driveline and bike clean- just so much greasy slop all over the rear wheel and bike. Which means either a lot of time degreasing or riding a filthy bike that is slowly grinding all of your expensive gears with a dirt paste!

[stevej37]

I have over 4200 miles on this bike and it's never seen any chain lube or chain waxing.