Immersive waxing / it should be more popular
#726
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Expensive?
Zero Friction Cycling tested the cost of these lubricants in use.
Estimated cost of lube over 10,000 km:
Effetto Mariposa Flower Power: $33.64
Rex Black Diamond: $26.98
Squirt: $27.00
Boeshield T-9 Aerosol: $56.23
Everyone's concept of "expensive" is different. But compared to the price of many other consumable road bike things, none of these seems expensive.
Zero Friction Cycling tested the cost of these lubricants in use.
Estimated cost of lube over 10,000 km:
Effetto Mariposa Flower Power: $33.64
Rex Black Diamond: $26.98
Squirt: $27.00
Boeshield T-9 Aerosol: $56.23
Everyone's concept of "expensive" is different. But compared to the price of many other consumable road bike things, none of these seems expensive.
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#727
Senior Member
My paraffin based dry lube costs pennies per ounce. The ridiculous price of chain lubes is what prompted me to make my own. It's very clean, but must be warmed up in hot tap water to change it from a mush to a liquid with water-like viscosity. A cold chain won't work either.
That $20 bottle of Flower Power would cost me more like 20 cents.
That $20 bottle of Flower Power would cost me more like 20 cents.
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Reviving this thread...
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha.
Happy viewing!
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha.
Happy viewing!
#729
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[QUOTE=eduskator;22803284]Reviving this thread...
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha./QUOTE]
I liked his vids on bearing presses and such. He does lots of homemade work-arounds. Knowledgeable guy.
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha./QUOTE]
I liked his vids on bearing presses and such. He does lots of homemade work-arounds. Knowledgeable guy.
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#731
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I will watch this later .... and then do my part to keep this disease spreading.
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#733
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Reviving this thread...
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha.
Happy viewing! Wax your chain anywhere - make it yourself - YouTube
Oz Cycle uploaded his first video in 2 months. ''On the go'' liquid wax with paraffin & naphtha.
Happy viewing! Wax your chain anywhere - make it yourself - YouTube
#735
Full Member
Ok You guys have my interest...
I started reading the entire thread but it's a long one, and it seemed to get into a cyclical back and forth argument re: time. So sorry I didnt read all the things!
I have looked into this before and as I understand it, it's just melt the wax, put chain in wax (and this is plain paraffin wax? like the stuff at the grocery store for 'canning'?), leave for some time and swirl chain around to work in wax, let chain drip after. All that seems fine. What put a hard stop on it for me is what I've read of life expectancy of the wax as a lube. Typical numbers have been 150-180km. That could mean doing it every ride, or when I get into really long rides the wax won't even last a single ride. What then? Carry a second chain to replace part way through the ride?
I started reading the entire thread but it's a long one, and it seemed to get into a cyclical back and forth argument re: time. So sorry I didnt read all the things!
I have looked into this before and as I understand it, it's just melt the wax, put chain in wax (and this is plain paraffin wax? like the stuff at the grocery store for 'canning'?), leave for some time and swirl chain around to work in wax, let chain drip after. All that seems fine. What put a hard stop on it for me is what I've read of life expectancy of the wax as a lube. Typical numbers have been 150-180km. That could mean doing it every ride, or when I get into really long rides the wax won't even last a single ride. What then? Carry a second chain to replace part way through the ride?
#736
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Ok You guys have my interest...
I started reading the entire thread but it's a long one, and it seemed to get into a cyclical back and forth argument re: time. So sorry I didnt read all the things!
I have looked into this before and as I understand it, it's just melt the wax, put chain in wax (and this is plain paraffin wax? like the stuff at the grocery store for 'canning'?), leave for some time and swirl chain around to work in wax, let chain drip after. All that seems fine. What put a hard stop on it for me is what I've read of life expectancy of the wax as a lube. Typical numbers have been 150-180km. That could mean doing it every ride, or when I get into really long rides the wax won't even last a single ride. What then? Carry a second chain to replace part way through the ride?
I started reading the entire thread but it's a long one, and it seemed to get into a cyclical back and forth argument re: time. So sorry I didnt read all the things!
I have looked into this before and as I understand it, it's just melt the wax, put chain in wax (and this is plain paraffin wax? like the stuff at the grocery store for 'canning'?), leave for some time and swirl chain around to work in wax, let chain drip after. All that seems fine. What put a hard stop on it for me is what I've read of life expectancy of the wax as a lube. Typical numbers have been 150-180km. That could mean doing it every ride, or when I get into really long rides the wax won't even last a single ride. What then? Carry a second chain to replace part way through the ride?
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#738
Full Member
I'm actually waxing a chain right now just to give it a try. These numebers are encouraging, I usually go 500km max before the chain (actually the entire drivetrain) is in the ultrasonic parts washer and getting new lube, I'm a princess WRT chain noise and smoothness. Again this is straight paraffin wax you're talking about? Some articles I've read say you need to have some additives like powdered teflon and something I can't remember.
#739
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This is game changing news. I'm a fair weather rider - unless I get caught unexpectedly. I may be a bit odd here but I actually like maintenance and working on my bikes to fuss over the smallest details. I love going to the garage, putting on the game, grab some pints, and try and figure out something to do for a make work project to work on the bikes. Time wise waxing vs. using wet lube is a nonissue here, though I like the idea of batch waxing and having a few chains in rotation. The fact that waxing can prevent prevent gunky dirty messes is a major draw.
I'm actually waxing a chain right now just to give it a try. These numebers are encouraging, I usually go 500km max before the chain (actually the entire drivetrain) is in the ultrasonic parts washer and getting new lube, I'm a princess WRT chain noise and smoothness. Again this is straight paraffin wax you're talking about? Some articles I've read say you need to have some additives like powdered teflon and something I can't remember.
I'm actually waxing a chain right now just to give it a try. These numebers are encouraging, I usually go 500km max before the chain (actually the entire drivetrain) is in the ultrasonic parts washer and getting new lube, I'm a princess WRT chain noise and smoothness. Again this is straight paraffin wax you're talking about? Some articles I've read say you need to have some additives like powdered teflon and something I can't remember.
#740
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I may be a bit odd here but I actually like maintenance and working on my bikes to fuss over the smallest details. I love going to the garage, putting on the game, grab some pints, and try and figure out something to do for a make work project to work on the bikes. Time wise waxing vs. using wet lube is a nonissue here, though I like the idea of batch waxing and having a few chains in rotation.
The fact that waxing can prevent prevent gunky dirty messes is a major draw.
I'm actually waxing a chain right now just to give it a try. These numebers are encouraging, I usually go 500km max before the chain (actually the entire drivetrain) is in the ultrasonic parts washer and getting new lube, I'm a princess WRT chain noise and smoothness. Again this is straight paraffin wax you're talking about? Some articles I've read say you need to have some additives like powdered teflon and something I can't remember.
I'm actually waxing a chain right now just to give it a try. These numebers are encouraging, I usually go 500km max before the chain (actually the entire drivetrain) is in the ultrasonic parts washer and getting new lube, I'm a princess WRT chain noise and smoothness. Again this is straight paraffin wax you're talking about? Some articles I've read say you need to have some additives like powdered teflon and something I can't remember.
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#741
should be more popular
Thread Starter
Haven't been here for a while as all my time was taken up watching the crock pot.
A few more thousand km on my MSW chains by now and still no sign of wear.
And I've seen a few more immersive waxing advocates around the interwebs and realworldwebs.
Some even had rim brake bikes
A few more thousand km on my MSW chains by now and still no sign of wear.
And I've seen a few more immersive waxing advocates around the interwebs and realworldwebs.
Some even had rim brake bikes
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#742
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for no reason other than *because I can* ; I've taken a new chain, cleaned it from factory sticky goo gunk mcgee, hot bathed it in silca's super secret hot melt wax, & after every ride, gave it a fresh clean & bath in the wax again & again.
As expected, it's pretty clean to the touch, even after the nastiest ride using the above method. Not noisy. Shifting not negatively impacted, & the ordeal has kept me more out on the bicycle than messin off breaking other stuff.
As expected, it's pretty clean to the touch, even after the nastiest ride using the above method. Not noisy. Shifting not negatively impacted, & the ordeal has kept me more out on the bicycle than messin off breaking other stuff.
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#743
Full Member
I've waxed a few chains now and I think I'll continue with it. Long term we'll see how it goes, but so far so good
Not sure what the rim brake comment is all about.
Not sure what the rim brake comment is all about.
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#744
should be more popular
Thread Starter
for no reason other than *because I can* ; I've taken a new chain, cleaned it from factory sticky goo gunk mcgee, hot bathed it in silca's super secret hot melt wax, & after every ride, gave it a fresh clean & bath in the wax again & again.
As expected, it's pretty clean to the touch, even after the nastiest ride using the above method. Not noisy. Shifting not negatively impacted, & the ordeal has kept me more out on the bicycle than messin off breaking other stuff.
As expected, it's pretty clean to the touch, even after the nastiest ride using the above method. Not noisy. Shifting not negatively impacted, & the ordeal has kept me more out on the bicycle than messin off breaking other stuff.
Ryan_M just stirring the crock pot with that comment, don't mind me!
#745
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I may just be misinterpreting your words but I hope by 'fresh clean' you do not mean the whole solvent ordeal each time? That's just a one off step for the initial prep to make sure the wax goes on the bare metal. It is sufficient to just wipe the chain with a microfibre cloth to get the dust off, or even skip that step entirely and dip it straight into the wax. Please do not solvent clean it each time, if that is what you are doing. And unless your rides are 200km+ each time, or in terrible weather, dipping the chain after each ride would be overkill.
Ryan_M just stirring the crock pot with that comment, don't mind me!
Ryan_M just stirring the crock pot with that comment, don't mind me!
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#746
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Been following this thread from time to time and reading more about this so decided this week to take the plunge using silca hot wax. I soaked my 12yo's and 10yo's track chains figuring they're the easiest to start with. First soaked both in finish line citrus degreaser which I strained with a coffee filter after, there are a lot of gunk in it even for track chains which surprised me. Rinsed off with dawn and hot water, wiped dry and soaked for 1/2 hour in my new 2qt star wars crock pot, stirring occasionally. Once they were cool enough to touch I tossed them on the bikes and spun the cranks. Seems to be working fine. Won't really know if it'll make a difference with saving watts since they don't have good benchmarks to begin with and this wasn't the only change made to the 12yo's bike before she uses it next.
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#747
should be more popular
Thread Starter
You then later just break the links, which will be stuck solid due to the hardened wax, and only then put the chain on.
That way you can be sure that all internal surfaces remain coated and surfaces wear wax on wax, if you install a chain with the wax still warm and malleable it may squeeze out as you spin the cranks. I don't think this would be the end of the world, but it sounds messier on the hands and drivetrain versus just dealing with a completely set chain.
#748
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Thread Starter
If you play around with a full clean each time, you are not really getting any benefit from that, and will more likely introduce cleaning product or solvent residue into the chain and wax. The initial clean is to strip factory grease or retrogrouch oil, beyond that it has no use since the next wax bath will completely clear out and re-coat the chain.
The only deviation here is that if you have an extremely caked or muddy chain, it can make sense to flush the chain with boiling water first to get the gunk off, then wipe it and immerse it in wax. Any residual water inside the links will evaporate out.
#749
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Sure, I "can" do that too, but it does not make much sense given that the hot wax will flush out the old wax anyway, so all you really have to be concerned about is wiping the dust off the exterior of the chain to keep the wax in the pot cleaner for a bit longer, although there are methods to clean up the wax in the pot periodically if you want to skip that 2 second step. I haven't had to change my wax in a year and sometimes wipe, sometimes don't.
If you play around with a full clean each time, you are not really getting any benefit from that, and will more likely introduce cleaning product or solvent residue into the chain and wax. The initial clean is to strip factory grease or retrogrouch oil, beyond that it has no use since the next wax bath will completely clear out and re-coat the chain.
The only deviation here is that if you have an extremely caked or muddy chain, it can make sense to flush the chain with boiling water first to get the gunk off, then wipe it and immerse it in wax. Any residual water inside the links will evaporate out.
If you play around with a full clean each time, you are not really getting any benefit from that, and will more likely introduce cleaning product or solvent residue into the chain and wax. The initial clean is to strip factory grease or retrogrouch oil, beyond that it has no use since the next wax bath will completely clear out and re-coat the chain.
The only deviation here is that if you have an extremely caked or muddy chain, it can make sense to flush the chain with boiling water first to get the gunk off, then wipe it and immerse it in wax. Any residual water inside the links will evaporate out.
I let the chain dry before its dunked for a wax bath.
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#750
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Yikes. You must be really bored.