Waxing how long does it last.

jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
Hi tribe.

I wax all my chains using a homebrew set up. Paraffin wax and paraffin oil or paraffin wax and ptfe powder . I’ve got a few crockpots on the go.

I get around three to four hundred kilometres on df before I care to rewax.

around 600 on cruzbike

and a 1000 on long chain bikes trike.

All chains have a wipperman link.

I ride oem lube of new chain for around 300 klm. Then it’s a petrol bath followed by degreaser followed by water then into the wax bath.

I find the oil mix lasts better in the wet though I am a fair weather creature. It attracts some dirt. Very little.

the powder leaves a completely clean chain. I prefer the oil mix however.

I could not go back to wet lube. I like a shiny gold silent chain.

for a rewax I just wipe the chain over and pop it into the wax. I remove and wipe off chain and fit hot. With gloves on of course.

So molten speed wax heads or plain candle waxers please what do you use and how far do you get. ? Would you go back could you go back. ?

I use ozcycles recipe.
 
Mathew Fy

Mathew Fy

GRU
I use Molten’s wax but don’t know if it’s any better than home brew. I have three chains that I swap out (by schedule) after about 500-600 miles, maybe sooner if I got caught in the rain.
As for cleaning a new chain, I find the double mineral bath followed by ethanol baths to be effective. Ultrasonic cleaning before rewaxing if I’m not lazy.
https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/clean-your-chain
I must admit, last time I bought a couple chains from Molten I was lazy and had them clean and wax them (for a fee.) They included a new bag of wax, so I’ll probably never run out.
Yeah, Jond, waxing is the way to go.
 
E

ed72

Zen MBB Master
250-300 miles. Can be much less in wet weather.

I will touch them up with Squirt of Smoove once. Then, I throw it into the MSW crockpot maybe at 400-500. I do not clean unless the chain is dirty. More frequent waxing means the chain does not get crap into the pins. I bring a small squirter for long brevets. My last chain went over 10,000 miles and it was still inside specification. I got it filthy on a nasty ride and decided I was too lazy to clean it. I used to get 4-5,000 miles on an upwrong. I always use Dura Ace chains.
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
This is great. As I suspected I could leave the chain on longer between waxing .

getting the chain clean and free of oem oil lube is key. So that the wax can adhere.

I see ozcycle now has refined his cleaning method. Petrol then degreaser then metho.

he also now has a portable liquid version of the wax ptfe powder version.

yes extended chain and sprocket life is the major benefit followed by a clean chain with great smooth friction properties .

thank you Ed and Mathew .
 
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LarryOz

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
I use molten speed wax (moltenspeedwax.com) and am have to redip them about after 2 weeks of riding - that is about 2000 miles or so. Not too bad! :rolleyes:
Of course that mostly indoor miles - if you ride outside and they get rained on, you will need to redip more often.
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
Interesting ozcycle did a comparison test with molten speed wax.

he is totally independent.......

certainly a character.
 
billyk

billyk

Guru
I've been reading these waxing threads for years now and would really like to be done with nasty greasy chains ... cassette ... derailleur.

But my problem is that I'm a year-round commuter in Seattle. Even with my fairing the chain often gets wet. I'd like to hear from someone in a similar situation who gets by with waxing: how many rainy miles/hours I can realistically expect between wax jobs?

Also, does wax stiffen up in cold weather? I'm not talking Minnesota cold, but say mid-30s (F).
 
LarryOz

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
billyk said:
Also, does wax stiffen up in cold weather? I'm not talking Minnesota cold, but say mid-30s (F)
Click to expand...
It is my understanding that the wax bonds to the metal of the chain. When you first dip it and take it out it will be all stiff, and you have to "break" all the joints loose by hand. Once you do that I do not think the temperature really affects how the chain works. I do think wet conditions tend to lessen the life of the wax so you might have to re-dip more often. The guys at the Molten Speed Wax company could probably tell you more. They are avid cyclists and racers and life up in Minnesota. Last I knew, you can pretty much call their number and talk with them. Pretty cool in this day and age.
 
C

cpml123

Zen MBB Master
I now try to wax every 150 to 200 mi. It seems that when I hear more creaking. My last chain lasted only about 3000 mi. I don't know if it's normal or too fast.
 
LarryOz

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
cpml123 said:
I now try to wax every 150 to 200 mi. It seems that when I hear more creaking.
Click to expand...
Everyone's conditions are different. I re-dip mine when I here the chain start "chirping" :rolleyes:
I must be lucky though - I am usuaally getting at least 10,000 miles per chains. Use YBN, KMC, PYC - worst one I had was the most expensive: SRAM - I doubt I got 5K miles out of it. ;(
Right now I have 4 of them and just rotate them through - should last me this year.
 
ccf

ccf

Guru
I re-wax mine when I hear the chain start making a little bit of noise. Just checked chain wear and mileage for three bikes. Here are results:

Cannondale Quick (wet weather commuter bike before the pandemic): 9-speed, 2661 miles, wear is > 0.5% but less than 0.75%
S30 (permament trainer duty during the pandemic): 10-speed, 16,913 miles, wear is > 0.5% but less than 0.75%
Vendetta (outdoor dry conditions only): 11-speed, 8,199 miles, wear is less than 0.5%
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
Well there you go @billyk maybe it’s time to try.

the most important part of waxing is to scrupulously clean the chain.

any hint of contamination and wax fails to adhere. It’s literally start all over.

I’m hoping to inspire waxing and cruzbike riding. ;)
 
benphyr

benphyr

Guru-me-not
jond said:
Well there you go @billyk maybe it’s time to try.

the most important part of waxing is to scrupulously clean the chain.

any hint of contamination and wax fails to adhere. It’s literally start all over.

I’m hoping to inspire waxing and cruzbike riding. ;)
Click to expand...
@jond This may belong in the banter container:

I prefer Esau (a hairy man) on my Cruzbike legs but Jacob (thoroughly waxed) on the chain.
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
benphyr said:
@jond This may belong in the banter container:

I prefer Esau (a hairy man) on my Cruzbike legs but Jacob (thoroughly waxed) on the chain.
Click to expand...

oh you wag you Canadian fun lover.

I do not manscape either. Even avoiding face shaving when possible. I do admire shaven legs of the women. I’ve been conditioned. Ug ug ug

Sadly no luxuriant growth is possible atop the cranium.

therefore without shaving I have aero advantage and never a bad hair day.

slim I have heard every bald joke.

what purports to be my leg hair is like my power becoming spindlier by the day.

this weekends planned 80 klm tt on the v will tell the amount of degradation some of which is covid 19 assigned.

excuses.........
 
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super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
benphyr said:
@jond This may belong in the banter container:

I prefer Esau (a hairy man) on my Cruzbike legs but Jacob (thoroughly waxed) on the chain.
Click to expand...
When I saw you in Adelaide, your legs were hairless!
I assumed you have shaved them for the Nullabour crossing!!!
So you would be thought to be a Wombat!!!
 
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