Immersive waxing / it should be more popular
05-26-23, 04:21 PM
#801
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Pretty average wear rate from what I have read (not so sure about that, I may be mistaken). What do you think is the problem with my maintenance? I assumed keeping seemingly clean Boeshield on there was the best practice.
My friends toured the world, twice. He was a much stronger rider than the wife, and his drivetrain needed replacing sooner. My weight fluctuates from 170 to 190, I climb a lot as well.
My friends toured the world, twice. He was a much stronger rider than the wife, and his drivetrain needed replacing sooner. My weight fluctuates from 170 to 190, I climb a lot as well.
05-26-23, 04:58 PM
#802
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IOW, he replaced his chain way before he needed to.
Last edited by Lombard; 05-26-23 at 05:33 PM.
05-26-23, 09:05 PM
#803
Firm but gentle
05-27-23, 05:06 AM
#804
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The last few pages of this thread has benefitted from some actual useful information sharing about methods. Many, many snarky, juvenile or just unhelpful sidetracked remarks (mostly from those who feel chain waxing is a waste of time) are wasted making this seem like a troll thread when it does not have to be.
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05-27-23, 06:55 AM
#806
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05-27-23, 09:36 AM
#807
Firm but gentle
Perhaps a new thread is in order:
Ride it till it skips / it should be more popular
Ride it till it skips / it should be more popular
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05-27-23, 05:28 PM
#811
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Immersive waxing.
It's the best thing.
There we have benefits for all the boy racers, retrogrouches, MAMILs, show offs, and compulsive riders.
Some people assume the set up is difficult or expensive to purchase, but it is not.
Other people think oil or toxic solvent based lubes work better, but they are still asleep.
Few people think the wax emulsion drips they use are the same thing, but they are not.
Many people think it is more time consuming than what they are used to, but it is the opposite.
So what's going on?
Shops not wanting to sell fewer bottles of gunky lube and replacement drivetrain components I understand, but among people interested enough to sign up to a cycling forum, this should be so popular.
Let's talk about it.
It's the best thing.
- It so drastically reduces drive train friction across the duration of the application that it saves watts compared to other methods.
- It minimises chain, cassette and chain ring wear and costs so little per application that it offers a significant return on investment.
- It is easy and requires less work than any other method when defined as 'total time spent minding the chain or drivetrain'.
- The wax is as hard and dry as a candle and leaves the entire bike clean to handle, always.
- Two or more chains in rotation provide convenience, even for wet weather, and further increase drivetrain lifespans.
There we have benefits for all the boy racers, retrogrouches, MAMILs, show offs, and compulsive riders.
Some people assume the set up is difficult or expensive to purchase, but it is not.
Other people think oil or toxic solvent based lubes work better, but they are still asleep.
Few people think the wax emulsion drips they use are the same thing, but they are not.
Many people think it is more time consuming than what they are used to, but it is the opposite.
So what's going on?
Shops not wanting to sell fewer bottles of gunky lube and replacement drivetrain components I understand, but among people interested enough to sign up to a cycling forum, this should be so popular.
Let's talk about it.
Fast forward a few months ago I came across OzCycling on Youtube. On his videos I saw the practical reasons for waxing and in fact how easy it was. So I jumped in. This process is so easy and is effortless.
I have my paraffin, PTFE mix puc in the crock pot. When I want to wax I follow this process.
1. Turn on the pot. Then I go off. You don't need to stare at the pot while the wax melts.
I exercise and go for a ride
When I get back the wax mix has melted.
2. I turn off the pot.
3. Heat a kettle of hot water.
4. Take off the chain put it in a colander and pour the hot water over the chain.
5. Throw the chain in the wax, swish for 30 seconds. Come back in 5 minutes or so swish again and pull it out.
6. Let the chain hang for a minute or two.
7. Loosen the links and install.
The total time that I'm actually involved in the process is 5-10 minutes.
I agree. It should be more popular.
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05-27-23, 06:09 PM
#812
should be more popular
Thread Starter
In that time he didn't repeatedly spam threads he is apparently not interested in with misinformed snark either.
It is difficult to be open to new things, I understand. The world of wax remains open to welcome you, always.
05-27-23, 06:27 PM
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I guess referring to yourself in the third person acts like a pseudo sock for people that don't remember you're the OP.
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05-27-23, 06:34 PM
#814
should be more popular
Thread Starter
Now we can focus back on the message, it should be more popular!
That said, it evidently has become ever more popular, both for amateur riders and the pro's they look up to for validation of equipment choices and practices. Even the marketing puppets at GCN are churning out awkward immersive wax content, and checking pro bikes for waxed chains at races, must have pulled a new sponsor to change the tone.
05-28-23, 04:40 AM
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Why not look at dates to note that he posted innocently for many months before bringing the light, instead of making things up?
In that time he didn't repeatedly spam threads he is apparently not interested in with misinformed snark either.
It is difficult to be open to new things, I understand. The world of wax remains open to welcome you, always.
In that time he didn't repeatedly spam threads he is apparently not interested in with misinformed snark either.
It is difficult to be open to new things, I understand. The world of wax remains open to welcome you, always.
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05-28-23, 08:51 AM
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05-29-23, 06:49 PM
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Checking in from Laguna beach. Today I decided to do the deed.
I'm documenting this information for those who are curious.
So I turn on the crock pot on low and go off to exercise and then go for a ride.
This is what the wax puck looks like before heating. The wax just stays stored in the pot.
Wax mix ready to go after exercise and ride. Turn off the pot.
Chain after 250 miles.
Chain ready to clean. To clean pour a kettle of boiled water over the chain.
Cleaned chain.
Pop it in, swish and go do something else for 15 minutes.
Cassette. Never cleaned. I figure it will clean up on it's own.
Same with the crank. There's 15k miles on that big ring. Those 15k were hard using white lightning. I checked the chain when I started the waxing and the checker just slipped right in so I changed the chain. I need to look at that closer.
After cleaning. If you look close you may see some of the holes are covered over with wax. Shows the cleaning removed the old wax.
Ready to go.
Total time I was doing something 10 minutes. No gloves.
Should it be more popular? Yes.
I'm documenting this information for those who are curious.
So I turn on the crock pot on low and go off to exercise and then go for a ride.
This is what the wax puck looks like before heating. The wax just stays stored in the pot.
Wax mix ready to go after exercise and ride. Turn off the pot.
Chain after 250 miles.
Chain ready to clean. To clean pour a kettle of boiled water over the chain.
Cleaned chain.
Pop it in, swish and go do something else for 15 minutes.
Cassette. Never cleaned. I figure it will clean up on it's own.
Same with the crank. There's 15k miles on that big ring. Those 15k were hard using white lightning. I checked the chain when I started the waxing and the checker just slipped right in so I changed the chain. I need to look at that closer.
After cleaning. If you look close you may see some of the holes are covered over with wax. Shows the cleaning removed the old wax.
Ready to go.
Total time I was doing something 10 minutes. No gloves.
Should it be more popular? Yes.
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05-29-23, 07:00 PM
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05-29-23, 07:04 PM
#819
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05-29-23, 07:25 PM
#820
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He rubs the wax on the chain, or else it gets the hose.
That's what I say anyway
That's what I say anyway
05-29-23, 09:26 PM
#821
Senior Member
Next session is in two months so not a bad amount of maintenance for that time period. When I still used oils It'd take me longer to find the cleaning stuff and get all the bikes ready for cleaning. And several times more to then clean and lube them.
05-29-23, 09:41 PM
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With volume comes great time savings. I waxed... Well I have no idea how many chains yesterday, but it was more than 10 and the working time was probably around 10 minutes. How long does it take to lift a chain into a pot of boiling water and then into a pot of wax? Not long I think.
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05-29-23, 10:27 PM
#823
should be more popular
Thread Starter
The same bunch of people still coming in and comparing their lube top up processes as if the results were the same.
Never mind chain deep cleaning and whole drivetrain degreasing, right?
I am not sure if this is due to actual information processing difficulties, or the expression of a bitter psychology that thrives on trolling.
Either way it makes it more difficult for others to benefit from topical bike maintenance exchanges in this thread.
Fortunately, we have still seen plenty of people interested in drivetrain longevity, efficiency and cleanliness sharing their experiences.
But no wonder it took this sport so long to figure out reliable brakes that don't eat your wheels, or wider rims and tyres with lower pressures.
Never mind chain deep cleaning and whole drivetrain degreasing, right?
I am not sure if this is due to actual information processing difficulties, or the expression of a bitter psychology that thrives on trolling.
Either way it makes it more difficult for others to benefit from topical bike maintenance exchanges in this thread.
Fortunately, we have still seen plenty of people interested in drivetrain longevity, efficiency and cleanliness sharing their experiences.
But no wonder it took this sport so long to figure out reliable brakes that don't eat your wheels, or wider rims and tyres with lower pressures.
05-29-23, 10:43 PM
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Chain waxer can't understand why waxing isn't more popular, then complains when others offer reasons why. Brilliant.
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05-29-23, 10:55 PM
#825
Senior Member
Also we have nine regularly ridden bikes so the chains do add up. Though I'll grant you that the ebike has four chains because the components it uses are expensive and I don't want to wear them out needlessly. So it gets the chain swapped more regularly.