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Waxing chain vs oiling - not looking back

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Waxing chain vs oiling - not looking back

Old 10-05-18, 10:43 AM
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canyoneagle
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Waxing chain vs oiling - not looking back

In the olden days, degreasing a chain and soaking it in paraffin was a common thing to do for winter conditions.
Seems there is a new awareness of using wax products in lieu of traditional oil, and I'm all for it. One of my pet peeves is a dirty, black drivetrain, and I'm finding the speedwax treatment I've done on my chain to provide the smooth operation and cleanliness I relish. For me, anyway, I am happy to have a smooth running chain that is dry to the touch and, more importantly, CLEAN. No greasy accumulations on idler wheels or chainrings. I'm digging it so far.

Anyone else who has made the switch?
Anyone who has gone back to oil after trying it (and not finding it to their liking)?

Discuss.....
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Old 10-05-18, 10:45 AM
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Old 10-05-18, 11:04 AM
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The clean / quiet / long-life benefits of waxing the chain has been working well for me also.

This reply shows my heated ultrasonic cleaner. I use three jars in the heated bath, the first w/ soapy water, then mineral spirits, finally denatured alcohol.

This reply shows my modified wax warmer that permits me to apply 93°C Molten Speed Wax to my chains.
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Old 10-05-18, 11:37 AM
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I use molten speed wax throughout the dry months, I do love the cleanliness of it, but longevity in wet weather and commuting is subpar. I switch to a wet lube in the fall/winter/spring
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Old 10-05-18, 12:01 PM
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Once you go dry lube you'll never go back. Except when I run out.

Last edited by KraneXL; 10-05-18 at 12:14 PM.
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Old 10-05-18, 12:05 PM
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I've been using this:
https://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Chain-...aver+lubricant
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Old 10-05-18, 12:22 PM
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When I was a teen in Montreal I played with paraffin on my bike (I used to tour a little). But it was awfully messy if I remember right. I have no wet conditions where I live, dry and dusty 99.9% of the time. Guess I should go back to looking at this as an option! Seems like I'm always ruining rags and cleaning my drive train of gunk.
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Old 10-05-18, 12:26 PM
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I've been a fan of Boeshield T-9 for years. A couple of months ago I swore off all oil based lubes for my drivetrain and bought a 32 Oz. bottle of White Lightening Clean Ride. So far so good.

I'll never go back to oil. NEVER!!!!
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Old 10-05-18, 03:22 PM
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Not good in rain. And way too messy and time consuming for this kid. I just try to keep my leg away from my chain. I actually don't care what my chain looks like, just how long it lasts.
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Old 10-05-18, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by canyoneagle
In the olden days, degreasing a chain and soaking it in paraffin was a common thing to do for winter conditions.
Seems there is a new awareness of using wax products in lieu of traditional oil, and I'm all for it. One of my pet peeves is a dirty, black drivetrain, and I'm finding the speedwax treatment I've done on my chain to provide the smooth operation and cleanliness I relish. For me, anyway, I am happy to have a smooth running chain that is dry to the touch and, more importantly, CLEAN. No greasy accumulations on idler wheels or chainrings. I'm digging it so far.

Anyone else who has made the switch?
Anyone who has gone back to oil after trying it (and not finding it to their liking)?

Discuss.....

i converted to mspeedwax and no no changing back. Stuff is awesome, smooth, quite and clean. Love it. Once changed over it’s easy to keep the set up going. 300-350 miles is easy in the dry.
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Old 10-05-18, 07:09 PM
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Took my kid's bike to the shop. The wax chain came back with some sort of oil. Grrr.
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Old 10-05-18, 08:25 PM
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say what you may, but I have been using this for years with good results.
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Old 10-05-18, 08:55 PM
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Agree that on a commuter that sees rain it's probably not going to work out, but otherwise MSW I find is not a big deal to use and the results are very good.

scott s.
.
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Old 10-05-18, 09:09 PM
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Went back. Needed something to last longer then my days planned ride if there is a chance of rain or water around.

Last edited by u235; 10-05-18 at 09:15 PM.
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Old 10-05-18, 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Doctor Morbius
I've been a fan of Boeshield T-9 for years. A couple of months ago I swore off all oil based lubes for my drivetrain and bought a 32 Oz. bottle of White Lightening Clean Ride. So far so good.

I'll never go back to oil. NEVER!!!!
Not sure why anyone would choose otherwise unless they just like being nostalgic?
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Old 10-05-18, 09:39 PM
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Here in the Land Without Rain, wax is the only way to go. I might feel differently if I lived where there's weather, but all of our bikes are on waxed chains (hot wax.)
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Old 10-06-18, 11:35 AM
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I built up a commuter some years ago with a Gates belt drive and Alfine 8 speed hub. Totally maintenance free driveline.

I'm curious about the wet weather performance of wax (I'm mainly a fairweather cyclist, so not really an issue) - I would think the wax would repel water. What have folks found? Sounds like it doesn't hold up as well.
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Old 10-08-18, 12:04 AM
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I use the worst of all worlds. I have an old crock pot with wax, an oil-based substance (slick 50?) that's about 15% of the volume, some teflon, some graphite and some molybdenum sulfide. Every 4-800 miles, I plug the crock pot in, turn it on high and drop the chain or chains in while I go about other activities. If I remember, I may swirl the thing. Eventually I unplug the crock pot, wait fifteen minutes or so for the wax to cool and take the chains out.

They're a bit black, not as pretty as when one just uses wax. However, it lasts longer between cookings and still doesn't put chain ring marks on legs that rub up against them.

Sure, it takes some time from start to finish, 30-45 minutes, but I'm only involved with a few moments of that time so it doesn't take much of MY time.
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Old 10-08-18, 07:40 AM
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I switched to dry lube last year and I'm not ever getting grease or oil again.

You do have to relube the system more often with dry lube, but it's MUCH easier. To the point where doing it more often is a non issue.

I just wipe down the components to get what little grime there is off (and its WAY less grime than grease or oils collect) and reapply the dry lube. 2 hours later it's ready to ride.

It's not messy. It doesn't leave marks on your legs that take 3 hours to remove. It doesn't pick up grit and grime. I love it.

Now this is with the bottled stuff. I don't bake my chain in the crock pot full or wax. That's a more involved procedure. For the amount and type of riding I do, the bottled stuff that wipes on/wipes off is fine.
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Old 10-08-18, 10:06 AM
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For those using dry lube, how often are you using it? I guess it depends on the conditions. I don't ride in the rain (yet), but the roads are occasionally wet/damp, so it's not always completely dry on my rides.
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Old 10-08-18, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
For those using dry lube, how often are you using it? I guess it depends on the conditions. I don't ride in the rain (yet), but the roads are occasionally wet/damp, so it's not always completely dry on my rides.
If I get caught in a downpour, I probably need to relube with dry lube.

But I don't seek out those conditions so it doesn't happen much.

If I'm riding on a wet road, and by wet I mean residual surface water not 2 inch deep puddles, it usually doesn't get soaked enough that it's a problem.
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Old 10-08-18, 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Skipjacks
If I get caught in a downpour, I probably need to relube with dry lube.

But I don't seek out those conditions so it doesn't happen much.

If I'm riding on a wet road, and by wet I mean residual surface water not 2 inch deep puddles, it usually doesn't get soaked enough that it's a problem.
Thanks. That's pretty much what I ride in, either completely dry, or some residual surface water, I try to avoid the big puddles.
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Old 10-08-18, 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by wingless
The clean / quiet / long-life benefits of waxing the chain has been working well for me also.

This reply shows my heated ultrasonic cleaner. I use three jars in the heated bath, the first w/ soapy water, then mineral spirits, finally denatured alcohol.

This reply shows my modified wax warmer that permits me to apply 93°C Molten Speed Wax to my chains.
i’ve have Seen your previous posts & appreciate your attention to detail. I was wandering if getting the temp up to “93C” helps it get into the interior of the chain any better?
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Old 10-08-18, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Rides4Beer
Thanks. That's pretty much what I ride in, either completely dry, or some residual surface water, I try to avoid the big puddles.
Think about how the water gets onto your drive chain.

Either it's falling from the sky or splashing onto it.

The residual surface water is being picked up by the tires and thrown in the direction of the tire rotation, not sideways to where the drive train is. Sure, some will get on the drive chain, but not the vast majority of it.

The front tire will splatter some back at the drive chain, especially when turning slightly left, thus aiming the front wheel at the crank. But again...most of it is going somewhere else.

And how much surface water are you really picking up? If you could manage to collect every drop of it on a long ride I doubt you'd fill a beer can. And then only a fraction of that is being flung into your drive chain.

(Keep in mind we're talking about residual surface moisture after a rain. Not puddles with any kind of depth.)
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Old 10-08-18, 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by masi61
i’ve have Seen your previous posts & appreciate your attention to detail. I was wandering if getting the temp up to “93C” helps it get into the interior of the chain any better?
Thanks for the nice feedback.

The short answer is I don’t know.

My observations are that when I immerse the room temperature chain into the 93C wax, the bath temperature immediately drops. I swirl to mix the wax elements and to help cavity penetration.

With my setup, the temperature returns to 93C in about 15 minutes. During that time I do periodic swirls.

The chain is then yanked, hung and permitted to cool.

Once cooled, I manually flex each of the links, to change it from a rigid sword back to a chain.
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