ls01

Wow! That's hot!

eduskator

You must be very enriched if you own plutonium! (see what I did there?)

choddo

I have a bike that I’ve unexpectedly pulled apart, am offended to my core at how filthy the jockey wheels were, and figure since I can’t ride it until I fully reverse that process, and I have a spare chain for it so could start some kind of alternation process, it might be worth trying this waxing business out.

Is there a good intro guide? I have no idea what a crock pot is supposed to be.

P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day

SpedFast

Crock Pot, NOT Crack Pot

tempocyclist

This site - https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wax-instructions/ - has a bunch of resources, ranging from simple instructions right through to deep dives.

choddo

That’s what I said isn’t it?

choddo

Thanks although that page is exactly the kind of problem I’ve got. Written by such an expert they’re not even aware of what the utter newbie doesn’t know. A list of “things you need” that is actually a hell of a stream of consciousnes. What’s metho (methylated spirits?) and mineral turps? Is that mineral spirits? Why do you need both? What does “rip it through” mean? It reads like you need space for 4-5 separate baths? Slow cooker - as in the electric kitchen thing you cook meat in for 10 hours?

and we don’t have easy solvents recycling here which puts me off completely. Maybe if I find somewhere I can do that… local council guidance says “yeah take hazardous chemicals to the recyc centre and ask the staff” - do they have a secret place for it I wonder, I’ll go and ask.

brian416

It’s much easier than ZFCs guide makes it out to be.
-buy Silca Stripper and follow directions to strip a chain
-clean grease off cassette, chaining, derailleurs (a little silca stripper on a brush makes this super easy)
-but whatever wax you want to use (Silca, mspeedwax, etc or plain Gulf wax)
-buy this croc pot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GS8R3K...p_mob_ap_share
-bend a spare spoke to hold chain, turn croc pot on low and put chain in for about 5-10 minutes once liquid and swish around before taking chain out
-break chain links free and reinstall chain
-rewax every 10 hours of riding or after a rain ride

datlas 

I am not a waxer, but that is a very good write-up. Thanks.

My main concern (as revealed by the bold) is that I typically ride 12+ hours/week, so rewaxing weekly is not attractive. I suppose if I were committed, I could get 5 chains and rotate them, do a batch wax monthly. But the hassle factor is high IMO.

TMonk

Re-waxing is as easy as breaking the chain, plugging in the pot and then dropping it in at some point later. Re-installing the chain is a little more meddlesome, but I've gotten quite fast at it over the years. I don't rotate my chains (1/bike) and I also go nearly twice that long before re-waxing.

TMonk

great write up I also just use (fairly concetrated) regular degreaser to strip the chain of new wax. Leave it overnight in a mason jar with a shake or two here and there (if I remember). No special products, no solvents, no ultrasonic baths, Works fine. I also don't do anything special between waxing either.

eduskator

Don't get fooled by these big brand blends who are trying to stay in business; buy paraffin wax instead from your local hardware store or even dollar store candles, and PTFE powder. Blend at 20:1 ratio (I do 500g / 25g).

It costs me 5$ per batch and 1 batch lasts a full season @ 350km waxxxx intervals. It's a lot cheaper than a 40$ bag .

Oz Cycle has done a lot of research on this and it seems to be the most efficient chain wax recipe. I trust the guy!

phrantic09

It’s really not that bad. 2 chains, both go in every 2 weeks or so after a ride. Wax heats up, by the time I shower and eat breakfast it’s melted and ready to go.
Breaking the links takes about 30 seconds over a dowel and installing again another 30.

i don’t ride as much as you though. I top out at like 150 a week in the summer. But… it’s the same effort doing 1 as doing 5 chains.

If you ride a lot in the rain/wet it’s not worth it though IMO.

SpedFast

'
My bad. I forgot you're in the UK

choddo

I'm not keen on using PTFE but I'll give the raw stuff a go.

The safety sheet for Silca Stripper says it's hazardous to skin and eyes - you guys use it ok with a brush, not had any problems?

brian416

use gloves, Silca Stripper is rough on the hands if you happen to forget gloves when dealing with it

Maelochs

I use a double boiler (pot of boiling water with another pot in it) and degrease with either Simple green or mineral spirits. Rewax when you think the chain needs it ... noisy or whatever. Everyone's mileage will always vary. I also recommend doing many chains ... once the wax is hot, doing more chains really doesn't take any longer.

if you try it for a few rounds and don't like it ... only loss is the cost of a couple block of wax. Make candles for your friends and don't tell them the "colorful pattern of spots" is road grit and metal filings.

spelger

re-do every 10 hours? that is almost every week for me. no thanks. i wax but only re-do once a month, about 400mi. i think it is distance/environment that dictates the frequency.

tempocyclist

Grab a coffee and watch the video below. Start from around 5 minutes 45 seconds.


Ignore the chain stand part for now, I just hang mine off my bike stand.

Chain waxing sounds like a bit of work and complicated, which is what put me off for YEARS. Don't get too bogged down though, it's not that hard. Once got my head around the process, and bought the gear I needed (slow cooker, wax, quick links, metho, turps) and gave it a go, I realised it was actually pretty damn easy.

tempocyclist

That's what I do. I switch chains after around 300km, which is likely quite conservative. I then rewax 3-4 chains at a time.

choddo

Well you now have a new addict to the “how clean can I get a chain?” game while I try to prep this properly.

This is a used chain after;
a normal citrus degreaser & rag clean
shake in isopropyl alcohol
20 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner
2 more dunks and shimmies in fresh alcohol
Kind of finally getting there, wipe rag is coming out nearly clean now but thinking I might need to get some mineral spirits

choddo

Right then, been out for a proper ride now. British weather so the roads were caked. Chain came back actually in ok condition but definitely has some filth on it, gave it a quick wipe and the rag was pretty dirty so muck has sprayed onto it and stuck.

So I'm well within the usual 200+ km maintenance window but feels like I should do something about it. What's the recommended "can't just put it straight back in the wax but doesn't need a full clean" approach ? Boiling water? Back in the isopropyl for a swish or two?

SoSmellyAir

choddo Do you have odorless mineral spirits in the UK? Look for the version spelt odourless mineral spirits or white spirits. That works much better than isopropyl alcohol.

choddo

Yeah we do. I thought I had some around but can’t find it so must have used it up the last (long ago) time we used oil based paint. I’ll get hold of some. Think I’ve got this pretty clean to go this time. Bike is remarkably easy to just brush down I have to say.

Much better than my mate who managed to split his bottom bracket shell

Troul 

i'd put it in the hot wax on a screen/mesh tray. Move it around a few times.