Originally Posted by
gauvins
I currently rotate chains that I clean in solvent and lube with a thick oil. Works well (commuting & long tours), but last week for some reason I got fed-up with the problem of solvent disposal and decided to switch to citrus-based solvents (and possibly just dish soap). One thing leading to another, I now plan to wax my chains for next season (commuting & short tours).
Chain waxing is a time tested way of fighting chain tattoos and I very much doubt that 50 years ago cyclists agonized about how to clean their chains prior to dipping them in molten wax. Searching for advice, I found a very wide range of opinions, as casual as no prior cleaning (people dipping dirty chains in wax and saying that over time they get rid of oil) to the imperative of several baths in OMS followed by a couple of rinses in denatured alcohol in order to get the wax to stick to the chain (the latter from a site selling high-end wax).
My current thinking is to use a citrus solvent followed by clean hot water rinse, but I'd be interested to read about others' experiences.
I give new chains a couple of soaks in OMS - not big volumes, the chain fits into a pizza sauce jar - then a soak in acetone. Comes out sparkling. Then I wax them in a small slow cooker. I have a small basket that keeps the chains out of the grit and bits that collect at the bottom of the slow cooker. When time to rewax, I remove loose stuff off the chain with a stiff brush and into the wax. I rotate 3 chains - usually wax all 3 at a time