Originally Posted by
Moe Zhoost
On the friction points, where it counts, the lube is retained by capillary attraction.
Capillary
action is only going to get you so far. Gravity will take over eventually. Any oil in the gaps of the chain will drain out over time. The metal surface has an affinity for polar substances but doesn’t have an affinity for nonpolar substances. The oil won’t really stay there and will drain off the metal over time. This is why you have to constantly wipe the outside of oil lubricated chains. If it chain stops needing wiping, the oil is probably gone.
Originally Posted by
Moe Zhoost
When wiping, the lube only comes off the outside parts, which is good because it then doesn't collect grit.
Yes, but... Wiping off the lubrication that drains out will help it stop from collecting grit but any grit it
has collected because the oil is constantly draining off, will be pushed into the chain. The particles that grind up a chain are extremely small. The large grit that you can see really isn’t a problem. But by wiping, you are forcing the smaller particles into the chain.
Originally Posted by
Moe Zhoost
An exception is wax, which is not really a lube, because it does not penetrate well to the parts that need lube.
Yes, wax is a lubricant. A lubricant is something that reduces friction. Wax reduces friction in the same manner as oils do. The only difference is the mobility. Wax penetrates just as well as oils do especially if the wax is contained in a solvent or if the wax is melted. If you were to just rub canning wax over the outside of the chain, then, no, the wax won’t do much. But melt it or dissolve it and it penetrates just fine.
But wax does lack the ability to flow back into the gaps once it has been displaced. That’s both a plus and a minus. Wax doesn’t flow so it can’t flow back into the gaps but it also doesn’t pump grit into the chain either. Water that gets in the chain can rust exposed metal which results in the need to relubricate.
Oil flows around in the chain all the time. When the bike is pedaled, the oil flows up and down depending on the orientation of the chain. But any grit that sticks to the outside flows into and out of the chain. Grit is the prime driver of chain wear. Oil based chains, by the way, aren’t any better when it comes to water. The ability of the oil to flow just covers the problem that waxes expose. Water that is in contact with oil will phase separate with the water going to the bottom of the mixture. Water
does have an affinity for metals and will undergo capillary action and move into the narrow spaces in the chain, displacing the oil. Corrosion is occurring but sound is just masked by the oil.
Both lubricants result in about the same chain life. Wax has more metal-to-metal wear. Oil has more grit wear. Wax is far cleaner, however.