geoffs

Here's a link to and interesting talk on the merits of different chain lubes. Considering the forces involved on tandems chains it's well worth watching

jnbrown

Rock n Roll Gold works for me

oldacura

I have mostly used oil-based lubes on my road bikes and wax based lubes on my mountain bikes. I believe that the oil is a better lube but it gets pretty dirty on a mountain bike.

I had another thought (don't know if it is original): If one starts with a new (clean) chain and gears and lubes it appropriately with an oil based lube. Once it has soaked in, wipe most of the oil off of the surface. Then, apply a wax based lube over the top of the oil. My thinking is this: the oil is a better lubricant but does attract dirt. The wax might seal the oil inside the pins & rollers and coat the outside of the chain with wax. Also, as the wax gets dirty, it tends to flake off carrying the dirt with it.

Could this be the best of both worlds? Has anyone tried it?

zonatandem

Have been using the hot liquid wax method for 40 years on our tandem chains and singles. Inexpensive and easy to do and lasts us here in the desert southwest for about 5,000+ miles per year.
Also NO greasy hands/leg from oil!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

PMK

According to the companies that sell the chain wax products (not Maxima spray on product called “Chain Wax”), the chain must pretty much spotlessly degreased in order for the wax to adhere and coat the metal surfaces.

My guess is the wax will simply fall off the oiled surface. However, the heat from applying the wax may flow the oil better into the chain joints.

Alcanbrad

I’ll second Zona’s hot wax method. Velonews did a fairly detailed comparison of power lost in just the chain a few years back. It was interesting in how much difference between various products there was. Their testing showed that hot paraffin wax had the least power lost with the added benefit of not attracting dirt.

I used this method up until about 10 years ago and recently switched back. Rather than set up the whole double boiler on the stove or hot plate, I purchased a 2 quart crock pot on amazon for about $10. All I need to do is plug it in, set it on high, throw the chain in on top of the wax and come back a few hours later and fish it out. I do both the Tandem and the half bike chains together.

It’s a little more effort than dripping sticky lube out of a bottle, but you get a a low resistance, no dirt attraction quiet chain, and your stoker can say goodbye to those pesky chain tattoos.

oldacura

I have used the hot wax method in the past as well. It works well and is easy with a new chain. However, if you do it on an old (somewhat dirty) chain, the contaminants in the chain transfer to and contaminate the wax. I find it nearly impossible to completely clean an old chain. Also, if the wax gets squeezed out of the tiny space between the pins & rollers, I don't see how it can wick back in (like oil).

Alcanbrad

I have good luck cleaning dirty chains in an ultrasonic cleaner (less than $100 on Amazon). Works very well.

Unfortunately, it is very hard to see the space between the pin and barrel, however, my experience is that chain life was not shortened by hot wax lubrication.

That said, I don't yet have enough experience with the (I'm assuming) tighter tolerances of today's 10/11 speed chains.

Thinking about it, maybe using an ultrasonic cleaner with wax would give one a belt and suspenders feeling that the wax was reaching into the barrels.

jnbrown

Maybe this will help:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

Carbonfiberboy 

My tag line . . . Post your results. I get 2K-3K from a drive chain, 10K from a cassette. I changed out my last chain after 2K. In 114 links it had ~5/16" total stretch. I use a timing belt.

oldacura

GREAT!

I had to page to the bottom to see the post date was April 1st!

Thanks.