15,000km on ONE Chain!? // Bike Chain Waxing Success!

[@aarondcmedia9585]

I tried waxing once. Didn't like it. Stuck to shaving ever since.

[@tonyg3091]

😂😂😂

[@galenkehler]

It's not 1998 anymore, Laser is the way 😂

[@manuelgaertner2258]

😅

[@vitalbikechains]

Waxing makes you aero faster. I think shaving still leaves stubble

[@tonyg3091]

@@vitalbikechains Good thinking! Marginal gains, eh?

[@zerofrictioncycling992]

Outstanding video review shane, I am gathering this test went better than that other product i remember you trialling some years ago!!! But what a great wrap up of what waxed life is like. The only part i would still contend with is re wax not suitable for wet - my strong belief is still there is no easier way to reset contamination post wet ride than simply re waxing a chain. Wet riding (especially offroad wet riding) brings a lot of contamination in, and the job to flush that out if running drip lube / wet lube - its a faff to solvent clean a chain (and more cost) vs a re wax. Correct one cannot leave a waxed chain post wet ride for a day or it will start to oxidise, all one has to do when get home though is just pop the chain into pot and turn pot on. From zfc perspective the harsher the conditions one tends to ride in, the ever more suitable waxed life is. Ie those riding offroad gain so much more benefit / wear reduction vs those riding on road where there is much less contamination - the solid wax and flush clean each re wax really make the biggest difference the higher the exposure to abrasive contamination. Wet riding has water bring a lot of contamination deep into the chain, and it will be there on the next rides in the sun unless one removes it. So for non waxers to try to maintain a low friction, low wear chain - it is absolutely a lot more work and cost to do so vs just re waxing. So all one has to do is take into account you cant leave it post wet rides - thats it - the actual performance during wet ride and post re wax after wet ride will still be unmatched vs non waxed life.

[@MrJackie8oy]

Thinking about switching to bike chain waxing for my gravel and road bike. My only concern is about wet conditions on a multi day bikepacking trip. How do you prevent the chain from rusting? Or is it not a problem if the bike is just left overnight and you ride straight on the next morning?

[@zerofrictioncycling992]

@@MrJackie8oy Hey! if its looking like it may be wet, pack some ufo drip, silca ss drip or tru tension tungsten all weather. Add a coating at end of each day. they are wax compatible so you can just re wax then when back home from trip, and the coating at end of each day will protect during trip.

[@tinglydingle]

@@MrJackie8oyI've run waxed for a couple of years now, mostly off road/gravel riding in the UK so quite wet. I generally dry the chain at the end of the day with a clean-ish rag, and add a dot of wax based lube (I like Smoove, but there are others like Squirt) to each roller and try and keep the bike somewhere dry overnight. That's easier said than done while bikepacking, I've used my raincoat as a tarp to cover the drivetrain before!

[@tomalbert3299]

@@MrJackie8oy For bikepacking trips I moved from regular wax to Effetto Mariposa flowerpower wax. It is not compatible with other wax brands so you will have to do a chain reset after your bike trip before applying regular wax again. The other downside is that it does not run as clean as normal wax, but still less of an issue compared to regular oil. You will be rewarded with the benefits of the better wax brands plus good results in wet conditions. You may visit @ZFC test of this particular lube. Btw. It is based on sun flower oil and therefore environmentally friendly.

[@adammillsindustries.]

I’d just like to say the cycling world is better with you and that hot waxing chains is a game changer

[@davidpancerz5820]

I just splurged on the new Silca hot wax kit and it makes life so much easier. No doubt it's excessive and being an older rider, I won't see any performance gains but it doesn't matter. I enjoy working on my cars & bikes and this ticks the OCD box. Another terrific video Shane, my best to you and Von (and Little Lama)!

[@SignorLuigi]

Nice video, Mate! 👏👏👏 I've been using a Silca Hot Wax every 1000km with Silca Super Secret Drip Wax every 300 km protocol for the past 7000 km on my recent chain. No measurable wear. 🙌 I go on cycling vacations at least twice a year. These are on oceanside locations. I never ride on the sand, out anything close to that. 😱 But very fine sand is in the air even quite a distance from the ocean. (100's of meters) Previously, when using wet or dry lubes, fine sand would stick to, and contaminate, my chain. I have hypothesized that the reason for this is that a bike moving through the air picks up a static charge and this charge attracts the very fine sand particles to the sticky chain, even with "dry" lubes. Since changing to wax this problem has disappeared. The sand doesn't stick to the waxed chain and any debris on the chain is easily brushed off the chain at the end of my rides with a ordinary paint brush. Anyway, just one man's experience.

[@mechanicaldavid4827]

This is among the more helpful reviews of chain waxing I've found - and probably the most relevant in practical terms🔧

[@mcsdst]

Been using Squirt lube for the past 5 years or so. Currently at over 15000km on my chain and still going, got to love it. Everyone impressed on how my drive chain looks clean. "Here you go, you've licked your cassette again"😜 Good video has always 👌

[@ElRealista.]

Problem with it is takes so few Km before you clean and reapply.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

The longest part of the hot melt process is waiting for the wax to melt. I run 2 chains in rotation, when the 1st gets noisy, I swap in the 2nd (YBN quick links), and only when the 2nd gets noisy do I rewax both. So far I have 25,000 km over 2 chains, and still not approaching the wear limits.

[@stefanvansteenberge]

do you re-use the chain links?

[@andrewmcalister3462]

@@stefanvansteenberge Yes, you can get up to 6 re-uses from a YBN quick link.

[@allyp7]

great idea!

[@bretthadley2043]

I do the same thing. It’s the only way to go

[@stevecrabb1]

I have not come across an engineering reason why quicklinks need to be replaced. I have used chains for 12000 km plus on the original quicklink with no issues, waxing every 300 km. If you want to speed up waxing then go commando with a pot on a stove but this is highly highly dangerous and not recommended.

[@stevefraser7501]

Hi Shane, I've always waxed my chain and love its cleanliness. I'm so glad I did so straight away. Even my local bike store where I get my bike regularly serviced has remarked on the lack of wear of my drivetrain. Many people I ride with have also converted and wouldn't switch back to oil based chain lubes. It really isn't that difficult or problematic and I think its benefits far outweigh any perceived negatives. Glad you & the rest of the Lama herd have had a positive experience also.

[@r.d.vaughan4541]

I had been hesitant as I don't have a place to store the factory degrease solvents but when Silca came up with their Chain Stripper product (1oz per new chain), I went for it. A simple 10 minutes process, see their KZbin instructions. I'm not looking back due to the amazing clean riding experience of a waxed chain. I don't know how many times I'd been wiping my bike down and ended up bumping the back of my hand against the drivetrain only to get a blackish greasy smudge. Now with waxing I can use a single baby wipe with no gloves to get that new bike look, in mere minutes. Like others I ended up with a second chain which is used in waxed ready rotation. I use a Connex tool less link to add to the ease of maintenance without worrying about reusing master links. Just another waxing convert here.

[@jcsrst]

Been waxing for a few years. I enjoy the process but it does take extra time. Mostly I enjoy the cleanliness of the drivetrain, extended time between cleanings and of course long chain life.

[@LycraLout]

It does take time. I rewax when doing other maintenance, or when doing a Rouvy ride. That time doesn't get in the way then.

[@dh7314]

I also enjoy the process. I don’t agree it’s necessarily more work though, the initial set up takes longer but if you’re maintaining an oiled chain properly and degreasing it, then I find doing a decent job is harder and messier

[@SergioGarcian_n]

As someone who always wanted to have his chain perfectly clean when using oil, moving to wax has saved a ton of time given that as long as I am rewaxing frequently enough, I will never have to clean my chain again.

[@robertthomson9340]

its about time someone said that I agree totally other then heating the wax it takes me all of a minute to take chain off two minutes to give chain a thorough wipe down 10 minutes in wax max 5 minutes to cool and break links and 2 more to put chain on compare that to even dripping oil and properly and then wiping off within a couple minutes of one another but some many advantages with wax no comparison thanks for point that out @@dh7314

[@AirwolfCrazy]

When I returned to cycling 3 years ago I came across information about hot dip chain waxing and decided to give it a go. I was never good at keeping my chains oiled or cleaning them completely. I have not regretted hot dip waxing my bike chain. I has been easy and keeping the gears and cassette clean and ready for a ride.

[@throx]

Just the pure cleanliness of the waxed setup is the killer for me. Whenever I'm changing wheels or putting a dropped chain back without getting mess all over my hands is a win. Yeah, it's a bit of a faff every now and then, but not the end of the world. I did find I had to clean some buildup out of my cassette once (it was causing shifting issues), just something to watch if you don't wipe the chain as well as you should!

[@billeterk]

Yeah, I needed a little toothpick work around the 11 tooth a few weeks ago. That and some streaks of rainy days reducing time between waxes is my only complaint in 4 years!

[@jamest2502]

100% agree. I switched to waxing for the same reason of no mess. I see any watts saved and extra longevity as a bonus. The only thing I would recommend that wasn't mentioned by Shane was when you are prepping your chain, go ahead do a 2nd or 3rd. Then when 1000K or what ever interval you re-hot wax, just swap the chain out - a Whipperman Connex link makes it very easy and trivial. Then you don't have to wait the 20-30 minutes (minimum) for the hot wax to have your bike rideable again. Just put the new chain on and off you go - pretty nice if you for some reason you forgot to re-wax or apply the liquid wax the night before your big ride - not that I have EVER done that... ;) You can re-wax the chain you pulled off when it's convenient.

[@dh7314]

I agree. I ride a white bike and the idea of oily fingerprints and degreaser splattered all over the chainstays is a nightmare

[@goldenretriever6261]

Agree, have no use for degreaser anymore

[@stevebatt9643]

I’m a waxing convert after watching a KZbin video from another Oz cyclist. 3 years on 3 bikes and approx 15000 miles / 23000km and no new chains, cassettes or chainrings required. Well actually a few new chains as decided to get a spare for each bike - they all need different length chains - gravel bike, endurance road (34 cassette and long cage) and aero road ( short cage mech). By having a spare chain for each it enables re-waxing in batches so saving time. I regularly do 3 chains in one pot. Top stuff.! Keep the good content coming from down under 😊

[@stephenlagerquist4315]

Shane, loved your 15,000k wax video. Spot on same experiences. One trick I've been doing for over a decade now, is waxing multiple chains for the same bike (4 mtb, 3 for gravel, etc.) You'll always have one ready to go. I wax all the used ones when I pop the last one on, and I easily get multiple seasons out of my drive trains.

[@saltycycling]

Like many others, I decided to give waxing a try because I was sick of the mess - lube on calves, getting it on my hands with every bit of maintenance, etc. To be honest, my expectations were high, and somehow they got exceeded. It's cleaner, quieter, lasts longer, less time consuming to maintain, and cheaper. Really no drawbacks at all - at least in my use case.

[@nearlee2000]

Been waxing my chains for years, I keep 3 chains on rotation, absolutely zero drive train wear on any bike, and I ultra race so do the miles. The cleanliness of the whole system is brilliant, even during a British winter.

[@5irefly]

I’ve been hot waxing my chains for a decade, well before the current resurgence of interest in waxing. A couple of pointers: For top-ups, Squirt is way cheaper than Silca’s stuff. Apply a tiny amount to a chain that’s been prewet with WD40 and wipe off excess thoroughly. Motorcycle chain wax sprays are also cheap and excellent for top-ups. My only counterpoint would be wet riding. Because wax does not coat a chain like a wet lube does, waxed chains are a little more susceptible to surface rust, which is more aesthetic than anything else and will abrade off with riding and some maintenance. Not a cause for concern at all for the crowd that’s into this channel :) Nothing will prevent dust/grit/grime from eventually wearing down the rollers, the lifetime will depend on the quality of the hard wax base and the kind of riding conditions you typically encounter. Riding in Ontario winters, I can get about 5k out of a chain, max, which is still 2x - 3x longer than an oiled chain under the same conditions.

[@MarquitoRH]

Could you explain why you pre wet with WD40 prior to drip waxing… seems counter intuitive to me TBH. Thanks 🙏

[@ltu42]

@@MarquitoRH that's nonsense. WD-40 displaces water and prevents it from flowing on the metal. Water-based wax lubes depend on the capillary action to get the wax onto the pins.

[@mattszrejter6785]

Amazing! I am on my first waxed chain. Glad to see that I am making the right choice.

[@BurntToast1]

Good summary, thanks Shane! I’m several years into hot waxing the chains for all my bikes (mtb, road, gravel, indoor) and have experienced identical results. For all of my use cases, the positives massively outweigh the downsides (time, short lasting in the wet and mess for indoor). Been mixing my own using paraffin and ptfe, but might go down the super secret route next and see how it compares.

[@robertphillips3078]

Been riding waxed chains since early in the yr Shane ( April approx ) Reason l went this route were 2fold . Your video 1st that l watched 15 /18 months ago approximately. 2nd reason was l upgraded my SL5 to Ultegra Di2 12 Speed Groupset & also my new SL7 S-WORKS Dura Ace 12speed Di2 an early 65th birthday present 2 myself . Have my set up similar 2 urs . Xcellent. The only difference is l am running 2 chains 4 each bike . Much faster change over . One On , One Off . So hats off 2U 4 ur sprooking 4 a better approach 2 a cleaner drive chain. Xcellent

[@ShawnIsBatman]

I am a full wax convert as of this summer (Silca products of course). For me the formula of 1) Hot Melt, 2) a wipe-off after each ride typically with a gear wipe, then 3) a top-off with drip wax after 200+ km, and then 4) a full Hot Melt rewax somewhere typically above 1000km. Works perfectly, it really is not a burden (work) once you have the system setup. As this is my first season on a full wax setup I cannot testify to the chain longevity, however, I am already beyond the point on my current chain where I would have needed to replace. Thanks for the review/update!!

[@4tressed]

What chains do you use, and how often do you replace connection links, if ever?

[@weasellyone2]

I'm 20000km on my road bike and 15k like you on my gravel bike. Never changed anything yet. Waxing for life.

[@philchevrier]

Funny, I didn't want to remove my chain and do a hot wax treatment every 2-3 rides so, at the beginning of the season, I decided on a hybrid method and schedule, which is exactly the same as yours... glad to see it works so well...

[@trevorn902]

You should also mention for those of us in muddy wet climates a second waxed chain ready to go will save so much time and effort and eliminates some of the inconvenience. Quickly swap the chain and dunk the dirty one in boiling water, dry, get around to waxing it when you have the time then that one is ready for a post ride swap.

[@gplama]

People ride in MUD!? What? Can I interest you in a smart trainer for those days? 😉

[@pjgalligan]

You just drop the old one in boiling water to clean it?

[@craigfoulkes]

​@@gplamano interest in trainers. I need to be outside what ever the weather

[@poxcr]

@@pjgalligan Our just pour boiling water on it straight from the kettle. It'll melt the old wax and wash away most of the contamination. Then just dunk it in your wax pot, swish it around and hang to dry! Done.

[@fortunatolara2028]

Thanks!

[@spinthatup3851]

Amazing video! I still remember watching your original video from the build. It’s crazy how when you look after a drivetrain and don’t have debris that gets caught in between the teeth and rollers how I really doesn’t allow for much wear. Cheaper in the long run. I really rate that droop test too!

[@richardharker2775]

Been doing it on and off for ages but with ho hum success until I realised the real prep technique. Riding an ebike the original Shimano chain lasted 1100k's with regular cleaning and oil lubing. Switched over to full wax using Molten Speed Wax and my chains have lasted more than 6000k's and still going. I don't measure distance for re waxing but do so diligently after bad weather or dusty dirt roads. I've also been following Adam at ZeroFrictionCycling and Josh from Silca for better understanding. So far I'm sold.

[@harkat16]

Probably the most convincing waxing video I've ever seen. Might have to finally give it a try or might wait until my next chain replacement.

[@comment_troll]

I'm a wax convert like you Shane. Run all my bikes (road, gravel and MTB) on waxed chains and have done so for the past few years. The resulting lack of wear, cleanliness, quiet function and smoothness far outweigh the slightly more labour intensive maintenance schedule.

[@MrGoodaches]

I started waxing a decade ago just for the cleanliness. I now also confirm many other benefits. the factory petroleum goo before waxing. And now that is easier to do than it used to be. With the 4 chains on my wife’s and my current matched pairs of MTB and expedition bikes I’m surprised by longevity without squeaks or stretch in environments of dirt, sand, and dust. I use nickel plated chains and cassettes just to show off how clean our drive trains are. The chains and drive trains do not need any special attention for cleaning. I merely rinse mud and crud off entire bike with garden hose and spin the chain backwards a couple revolutions with the spray pointed at it. The extra time prepping and immersion waxing the chains is saved many times over in ease of bike cleaning. Anyone who says waxing is too much time or too much bother either hasn’t done it or hasn’t done it correctly.

[@MrGoodaches]

Something happened with my post. In first paragraph, part of a sentence was deleted. My statement was: The key to success is absolutely thorough removal of the factory petroleum goo.

[@buddhahat]

Great review and analysis, I have a new chain running the Silca wax and bought the cheapest slow cooker from KMart for the re-application process. A pair of pliers and a metal coat-hanger makes for a cheap chain hanger so don't bother with the 'chain swizzler' or whatever they sell for $30. I have seen some tiny spots of corrosion appearing in some grooves of the cassette, thanks for the tip on adding the drip wax after the wet rides, it's a step I have been missing! As for the riding experience I have absolutely loved switching to a waxed chain, i enjoy the quietness of a freshly waxed chain, and as others have pointed out it's fantastic to not get filthy hands in the event of a dropped chain.

[@vk2him]

Waxer here, I have 29,000km on an indoor trainer bike with Shimano 105 running gear. One chain, still no measurable wear, MSSpeedwax every 3,000km and Tru tension tungsten All Weather wax lube every 300km . As Lama says, need a drop sheet after the hot wax but no issues otherwise

[@davidh7414]

I tried the silca super secret for 8 months on my Shimano equipped 12 speed mtb. that time involved a lot wet ground and puddles. Sadly despite repeated applications my chain ended up with lots of super fine grit in it that would not shed. There was awful grinding noises no matter how well I cleaned and re-waxed the chain. I eventually completely stripped the cassette and chainring of all the waxy gunk and grit which seemed to be embedded in the metal and went back to oil based lube with a new chain. I really wanted it to work and am a bit disappointed. I'm glad it worked for you and reinforces the legendary reputation of SRAM high end chain life

[@MarkQueitzsch]

Doing an occasional full immersion/hot melt rewaxing might've flushed that grit out and completely reset the wax in the chain. Adam over at Zero Friction Cycling has a lot of info about this.

[@poxcr]

Perhaps you were a good candidate for the two-pot method.

[@grantwilson3105]

What I like about a waxed chain is how smooth and quiet it runs.

[@christopherpike9061]

I ran three chains waxed across Australia last year, switching them out every couple days and then hot waxing them on rest days, never skipped a beat. I love the cleanliness of the setup, and the idea that it'll save on long term maintenance (less cassette changes etc)

[@nhausmam]

Less grease and swapping wheelsets feels so understated from other channels, something I've been doing for awhile now and wondering why my different wheelsets keep working together, thanks for comfirming. Rainy UK will rust a chain quickly so need to be mindful of that though.

[@bradallen8643]

Not surprised Shane. I’ve 8:37 done 45.000Kms on 3 hot waxed chains since 2015. I rotate the chains between my road and trainer bikes with one spare. Reapply Zero Friction hot wax every 300km. One set of chainrings and cassette in that time. Good idea to topup with drip wax between hot dips

[@shred3005]

That’s incredible life for your chains with Zero friction hot wax! Is the 300km recommend re-wax for a hot dip in zero friction? Seems very frequent to have to do that every week or so? How often are you changing your quick link? Just that process of opening and closing the quick that often would be creating a weak point in the system if reusing the quick link a lot of times.

[@shred3005]

That’s incredible life for your chains with Zero friction hot wax! Is the 300km recommend re-wax for a hot dip in zero friction? Seems very frequent to have to do that every week or so? How often are you changing your quick link? Just that process of opening and closing the quick that often would be creating a weak point in the system if reusing the quick link a lot of times.

[@ysarn]

Use a Wipperman Connex link which just slides, doesn't lock in and lasts for ever and works tool-free. @@shred3005

[@bradallen8643]

@@shred3005 I rewax more often then recommended by Zero Friction. I'm a fussy civil engineer and its not a big deal. I also like Lama's idea of drip wax between hot dips when chain starts to sound noisy. I don't ride in the rain by choice. I've reused the existing quick links that came with the 3 prewaxed chains and only replace one if the side plates reengage the pins too easily (that's my sign of wear). I've probably replaced the quick link on each chain once or twice in that time.I don't put out big power (600W max)

[@olbtube]

Hi Lama, great video and this format feels really nice with you in the shop. I've been waxing for 2 years and I would not go back, the cleanliness alone is worth it, and the additonnal faff around a crockpot is as much saved scrubbing a dirty chain breathing degreaser fumes. One excellent resource to look into for wax choices and testing is zero friction cycling, channel hosted by one of your fellow countrymen, could be worth having a chat with him on camera!

[@ianjoseph3432]

Thanks for the insight. I’ve just switched to waxing and am happy with the results so far - I’m riding SRAM AXS on one bike, which was noisy on the old lube; the only downside is SRAMs single-use flat top quick link and no signs of anyone producing a reusable link that I’m aware of. I’ve waxed two chains so changeover will be painless, rewaxing at leisure. I’ve also switched my bike with a Shimano set up to waxed chains

[@theotheroneb1548]

Honesty I reused my flattop link for at least 5 wax dipps, and as long as you make sure the links fully engage, there's no problem. I did happen to bend one, but it happened to be the new one I just put on. I didn't check that it engaged on both sides and learned my lesson.

[@danielrussell9416]

I used Squirt in 2022 and Smoove in 2023. Both work great and I re-apply when I go over 200 miles. This way the chains never make a noise. When I do my annual maintenance, I just throw the chain away and the wear is less than .5% on a park chain checker. The cassette and chainring have very little to no wear. A very cheap way to make the rest of the drivetrain last for a very long time. Squirt and Smoove are so easy to use I don't see why I would go to hot wax. We used to hot wax in the 70's and 80's and it was time consuming.

[@shuangliu1897]

Squirt wax can really last for 200 miles? I normally need to reapply Squirt wax every 100 to 200 km which is 60 to 120 miles, did I do anything incorrectly?

[@danielrussell9416]

Both with Squirt and Smoove I find that they start to make sound after 200 miles. I keep track of my mileage since a re-lube and apply after I cross 200 miles or after a bike wash. I ride 80% gravel but I never ride in the rain. That may help my mileage.

[@mattmckenna623]

I'm about to put a new dura ace groupset on the bike and with the advent of Silca's chain stripper negating the need for the whole hassle of cleaning the chain, I've decided to take advantage of a brand new drive train and move to waxing, so it's good to see your experience was a resounding success!

[@mattmckenna623]

I must say however that I previously used Silca's Synergetic oil and it too elongated the life on my chain massively, got about 10,000 odd miles out of it.

[@mrrodriguezHLP]

I live in Southern California where riding in the wet is not common, so I feel a single waxing lasts longer than the British based KZbinrs recommend. My KMC x11sl is going two years strong, casette and chainset are as good as new, and shifts are perfect.

[@6amerduke]

Best thing I have ever done, my reason for waxing is exactly the same as yours. So much cleaner & much less maintenance & replacing of drivetrain parts. I often wish we knew of & did this back in our racing days regardless of the marginal gains!!! I rotate between 2 & 3 chains depending on the bike. So I always have a prepped chain ready to go. Worse thing is the amount of different types of drivetrains I have these days (10, 11 & 12 spd's across both Shim & SRAM)...

[@tomjordan5182]

just recently opted to Wax and using Silca, couldn’t be more happier. I got tired of kept washing my bike every after 2-3 long 3hr each ride and the grimes, they don’t get easier to remove. The cleanliness, the smooth & silent drive train and plus noticeable speed I gain. Best decision to do if you are OC on cleanliness of your bike and for $$ saving too!

[@markhagen7777]

As a high school kid in the 70s I waxed my chain ….at that point in my cycling adventures it took too much time I started doing it again a couple years ago and have experienced what you described in terms of wear. This past July I rode Ragbrai with a properly prepped and crockpot waxed chain , twice in the week I dripped squirt on it the nightBefore the next days effort it ran silently for the whole 500 miles and continues to Considering durability and the environment I don’t think I’ll ever oil a chain again

[@kpizzle1985]

Do you measure wear at the quick link? The quick link wears a lot faster than normal links for me and putting in a new quick link doesn't seem to help. I'm now experimenting with replacing the rollers where the quick link joins.

[@lawrenceubell9596]

I’m an all in chain waxer, as you stated no real wear and it is clean, no grease marks on your right calf. A few things. 1. I do boil the chain before rewaxing to prevent small road debris from getting into the hot wax in the insta-pot, that could make it’s way into the chain and cause wear. 2. Breaking the chain and cleaning out the links after waxing is tedious and hard on the hands, but it gets the chain up to speed faster and less dried wax everywhere. I do the chain breaking over a garbage can. 3. There can be a build up of wax between first and second cog (11 & 12) that could lift the chain off the cog and cause the chain to slip, so take a dental tool and clean out the wax periodically. Other than those issues I will continue to hot wax my chains. It does make it easier if you have two chains to alternate so your bike is not out of commission.

[@jameswillett118]

Side chain droop test🤔 , genius Shane! Interesting video

[@erikmiller7166]

Love the wax. No greasy tattoos or messy hands. I’m waxing six bikes. Total game changer

[@alwAudio]

I've been waxing chains for a short while now, but not long enough to see the wear benefits yet. The ease of maintenence after the initial clean of factory grease and the lack of leg tattoos from a greasy chain has been the biggest benefit so far, I'm also using Silca hot wax + super secret for top ups, mainly on mine and my wife's gravel bikes. The chains don't pick up dirt and the ease of dropping a chain in the slow cooker for a total refresh is a revelation compared the faff of cleaning a wet lubed chain. I'm never going back to wet lubes, even our folding commuter bikes are waxed now. I run two chains in rotation, so if i need a fresh chain at short notice, or am on holiday with the bikes, I can pop a fresh chain on in seconds and rewax when convenient.

[@WPKSC]

Been chain waxing for a few years now. Like the cleanliness of the chain etc, no more oily hands when changing wheels, fixing flats etc. and also for the extended life of components. Longest part of my process is melting the wax but I wouldn’t go back now I’m hooked on waxed chains.

[@lenolenoleno]

With products like Silca Chain Stripper, 95% of the work of waxing a chain is now a 10min job. Just chain in jar + Silca Stripper, shake. 10mins later, come back and two warm water flushes and you're done! Silca have done wonders for this space - arguably the most important part of bicycle maintenance on a day to day basis.

[@anthonykenway2749]

18 months in and waxing seems like such a time and cost saver. I bought 2 pre-waxed chains coz I was too lazy to do the turps and meths routine. I use re-usable YBN quick link in a contrasting colour to make it easier to find. It takes 3 or 4 minutes to take the old chain off, fit the freshly waxed one and toss the old one in the croc pot and turn it on. A few hours or days later I come back and give the chain a good swish around in the melted wax the hang it up over the croc pot to cool. It takes as long to apply drip wax as it does to do a swap and hot wax so I only use drip when away from home. There is virtually no other drivetrain cleaning needed, even after a dusty gravel ride.

[@jakobthastum9098]

Hot wax forever! I've been running hot waxed chains on all my bikes for a little over three years and I'm never switching back to oil-based lubricants. I live in Scandinavia and commute 50 miles to and from work pretty much every weekday. Reduction in chain, casette and c-ring wear is close to what you've experienced. I run a "tandem" chain set-up with all my bikes (road, gravel, MTB, Winther-road) meaning that I always have a spare chain prepared (waxed) to swap with on rainy days when I get home. I find that waxing also reduces time spent on cleaning and maintaining simply from the fact that oil has not been flung, or washed off the chain. I agree with you that there's a learning curve but once dialled in, I find that it's quicker and cleaner to wax.

[@PeLuK2303]

The way that wax keeps the drivetrain clean is AMAZING.

[@proctermorris6657]

Silca user here too Shame. The initial clean is the toughest part, after that it's great. A wipe down and it's clean. Even on a gravel bike that's been in dirt and mud. I probably should improve my ongoing maintenance a little more, but I think it's great.

[@kestralrider313]

Great Video & amazing results, I ran my last SRAM Red on my road bike for almost 10K miles with 0.5% wear, still shifted great and I was running hand dipped wax at about 200-300 mile intervals. I run the same setup on my gravel that you are running (Red/Eagle mullet) and while I'm

[@stephenringlee9739]

We've been using this technique on our road bikes and tandems for about a year. We're about to depart for France with our tandem to do a 1200km ride. It will have freshly hot waxed chains that we will top off every other day with Super Secret. If things get really wet and nasty for more than a day or couple of days, we'll switch to Synergetic oil lube for the remainder of the ride, then clean everything off when we return and re-wax. So far, our experience has been that for tandems (which eat drive chains), this waxing approach is ideal.

[@peterbeasley4582]

Hi Shane, I purchased a new road bike in May 2020 with Red Axs etap and have rotated chains every week (approx 300km) after waxing and have around 13500km per chain and 27000km on cassette and chain ring and everything still works like new.... Just boil water and soak chain to remove old wax, clean in petrol for 30min then water based degreaser, wash in water to remove degreaser then metho to remove water, dry in sun and back in the pot for 30min and Presto..... and new chain and silky smooth quiet changing.....

[@obikedog]

Definitely agree on cleanliness and wear aspects though I use (arguably slightly faster though more wear-prone) Shimano chains I too get around 8k before I see any wear. A couple practices from my experience have helped negate the supposed downsides many attribute to waxing: - I keep at least two chains in rotation so I never have to be without. - I don't worry about trainer mess from the wax or use towels, etc. Vacuuming does a perfect job after my mat gets flecked with wax. Besides, I need to vacuum my cave regularly anyway just to keep dirt, dust and pet hair in check. - After a bike wash I use the air compressor to blow the drivetrain and bike dry. - After a wet ride, before adding more Squirt (it's better than SSCL ime - certainly cheaper!) I rinse the bike and use my air compressor to blow out the water. - On long, wet rides I will carry some extra Squirt and do a good cleaning when I get home. After several hours wet riding on a chain I will swap on the reserve chain and re-wax the "old" one.

[@icurt06]

I just started waxing my bike chains. The prep is a little time consuming, but not that hard to do. I love how clean my cassette and chain stays. I reapply the liquid wax product that I use after each bike cleaning. Let the bike sit over night and I'm ready to go. I still use a silicon lube on my smart trainer.

[@JezSullivan]

I have waxed all of the chains in my fleet, but then tried Silca’s other oil based lubricant (Synergetic). It’s messier but if you wipe down at the end of a ride it’s ok. I have found it does not need to be applied as frequently as wax. The tech in it is the same as their wax ingredient so builds up over time. My experience with it off road was not as good so the mountain bikes are all waxed, but the road bikes gets either.

[@freeubi]

Thank you mentioning the drying part after a rainy day. Thats a dealbreaker for me.

[@billhulley]

CN-HG701 with Silca Hot Melt lasted 7600 km over six months. I only swapped it out for new as I lost my nerve before a long ride and wanted to be sure. Sure it's a bit of faff but so smooth, quiet and clean 👍 When the Silca wax eventually runs out Rex Black Diamond is on the list to try. Supposedly much better in wet weather according to ZFC.

[@gerflacl246]

This is my first waxing session, after several annoying oily years. I am quite happy right now with the little effort which is needed to clean your bike. Anyhow I also have the issue that it gets noisy after like 100km.

[@dperreno]

I tried waxing my chains around 6 years ago, before Silca came out with their SuperSecret Drip Wax. Having to remove the chain and redo the hot wax procedure every 150-200 miles was just a bit too much work. Now that I can first hot wax the chain and then use the drip wax to top it off, I've decided to give it another go. Oh, and I am now retired so I do have a bit of extra time on my hands as well!

[@samuel8590]

Never going back to lube on the chain. I'm sold on waxing chains. Smooth, quiet, MUCH better shifting. Plus, Plus! With the new Silca wax melting pot, the Strip chip. It could not be easier. I dunk all my chains at the same time. Every 200K. which is once a month. Easy as.

[@leedixon2113]

I moved to waxing the chains on my road bike around 6 months ago and i'm totally converted, have now also moved to waxing on the MTBs. I find it's only a bit of a faff when it's a new chain, reapplication is quick and easy compared to using oils, the problem I have is that I only use 'submersive' waxing so find i'm removing the chain often, the issue with that is how many times can you re-use the quick link. Currently i re-use the link about 5 or 6 times and I find that i'm going through them really quickly, that's the down side for me. cheers Shane, really good interesting video.

[@stuartbird5139]

6000km on my ultegra chain so far with no discernible wear using the silica drip lube. I'm a fan

[@mattmckenna623]

Be interesting to hear whether there's been any significant decrease in the amount of wear on your cassette as well as the chain...

[@goodcompanycoffee]

Thanks GPLama! I find running multiple chains removes some of the faff. Reapply every - 1000km hot melt wax - 200-300km drip wax

[@MrRubberbubber]

I been using this drip wax for long time now . every time I measure the chain u guessed it no wear. Stuff is unreal , I re apply wax every 350km and hammer it on zwift to . I take off chain every 1500km and do full clean. As for clean its spotless. Well worth the extra . I’m at 11000km with mine. All components spot on.

[@thedownunderverse]

Loving the new format. Mix in a bit of bike nerd build stuff to augment the trainer/head unit reviews ❤

[@gplama]

Cheers! Hopefully more outdoor videos soon too as the weather picks up... and the magpies start up for the season. 🚲🦅

[@thedownunderverse]

@@gplama I’m hoping the magpies are done and dusted for this season 😜

[@markjthomson]

I started waxing the chain about 18 months ago, using the el cheapo home made wax mix from Oz cycles as proof of concept. I have 2 chains on my road bike, both have logged 7 000km each with no measurable wear with my cheaper chain checker. I also did my touring bike chain that showed approximately 25% wear within 1000km of use using wet lube, it has now logged 6 000km with no additional signs of wear. When my el cheapo wax runs out I've got some silca to replace it. I re wax about every 300km. For the longer rides and touring I top up the Squirt lube. All in all it works very well for me.

[@chairthrower]

I literally have a freshly waxed chain hanging in my basement now that I'm going to install and ride over this evening. I'm really excited, I totally destroyed a chain and cassette once with bad lubrication techniques.

[@huangteng]

I'm running the same setup - silca immersion every 3 to 4 drip wax application on my SRAM AXS flatop chain. Love the cleanliness and longevity. The only bit I dislike is the need for new powerlock link whenever the chain is taken off for immersion.

[@gplama]

Well... that's only an official "serving suggestion". I reused the same link each time. 🤫

[@onegrapefruitlover]

I use it on my commuter bike, even in rainy seasons. Prolonging the life of the drivetrain is a nice side effect but, for me, having a clean chain is the main benefit of chain waxing. You just got to take care after riding in the wet. Normally I just wipe the chain dry and place it into the “to wax” bin and install a backup waxed chain. When the backup chain needs rewaxing I put them both into the hot wax.

[@bchearne]

Mtb rider here, and wax works great for a mountain bike! It may not last quite as long as on a road bike, but it’s vastly better than other methods

[@gerbryf]

Very impressive. I've converted to waxing as well. I'd keep track of your mileage so as to have a good idea when to re-wax, helps if you use more than one bike (spreadsheet?). I second the indoor trainer area getting messy, after two rides on a freshly waxed chain I still get flakes! At least it's easy to vacuum or get a towel underneath. The inner side wear is probably due to the chain rubbing against the sprockets during shifting, side droop to do with the chainline. Hoping to get many miles from mine now! Thanks for the video..

[@nedt]

Great video thank you. I’ve gone wax, cheap 1L slow cooker from Woolworths and paraffin wax, simply take the chain off every 300- 600km and put it back in the hot paraffin wax. 10/11speed chains wear slowly but the 12sp isn’t wearing anywhere near 11 speed

[@Bajbajoc]

I wax 2 chains and have a couple spare quick links. I put one chain on a bike, then apply finish line ceramic wax every 200-300km, when the chain is too dirty I swap chain. Working with multiple chains cut a bit of time of the process and you always have a spare in case.

[@kubackjeee]

Finish line is shit. Get silca or ufo

[@jonmeek4688]

I'm all in with Silca hot wax. I use an ultrasonic cleaner rather than a crock pot. It's probably overkill but I leave the chain in the cleaner for an hour, turning it over after 30 minutes. I have run those chains for up to 1000 miles with no additional lubricant.

[@Spongeblunt]

I swear it's the Eagle chains man, they're incredible - I'm still running the same chain on my 2016 X01 trail bike that was on it when I bought it and it still hasn't hit the 0.5 stretch marker.

[@HarishChouhan]

I started earlier this year using the cyclowax kit. A bit expensive but the time it saves me cleaning the bike and how fast I can wax the chain and get back to cycling was worth it. For me going to waxing was more about reducing the time it takes to clean a bike.

[@zyghom]

kind of few years ago, based on oz cycle brother videos I switched on all bikes to wax and I have never regretted - probably the most important for me part is: clean everything and possibility of easy swap of the wheels between bikes

[@remcov3253]

Now come over to The Netherlands again, and have a 15k ride throughout the year here. Especially this year has been particularly wet. Sand + water = any form of lubrication/protection stuff goes away in no time.

[@BetterShifting]

Oh yes! I love my waxed chains :). Same experience as you had with the noise, but things seem to be all good now.

[@bogdannicolaecristea2499]

Hi! My last chain(ultegra) had 14000km on the road plus 2700 on the trainer. Muc-off and decathlon degreaser, decathlon oil. Maintenance at 500-600 km. All weather conditions.

[@vitalbikechains]

Super video. Thanks for taking time to put it together.

[@GeorgeD1]

I realized that the most time I was spending on my bikes (besides riding them) was just really cleaning and lubing the drivetrain. Then I decided to start waxing my chains and oh my god I am never going back to oils. I also went with Silca's products - the chain stripper, the hot melt wax and the super secret drip wax. Degreasing a new chain is a breeze with the chain stripper! A big bottle of it (16 fl.oz / 473 ml) will easily strip 15-20 chains, considering how little I used to strip three new chains and a used one! All it takes is 10 minutes and a glass jar. For the hot wax I bought a small rice cooker which warms up the wax to a perfect 68°C on the "keep warm" setting, and just dumped the chains in, waited until the bubbling stopped, took them out, waited for them to cool down, then just bent them a bit to break the initial stiffness. Done. 10 minutes later two of the chains are on the bikes, the other two just waiting to be replaced if I need a newly waxed chain in a hurry. A 500 gram bag of hot wax will last a long time too. I am topping up with the Super secret in between. I've never had such a clean and quiet drivetrain before. I think it is totally worth the effort, and will definitely be worth it in the long term if just for the money saved alone. Those Ultegra 12-speed chains and cassettes are not cheap...

[@robelliott1428]

Hey Shane.. great vid. It’s my first year waxing and began using super secret half way though to eliminate noise after initial ride after hot melt. I struggled with the SS drip application and was dejected at the amount that would end up on the floor $$$. I found a video showing to add the drip wax into a Park Tools chain scrubber (new one) and add the leftover into a jar with lid for next use. Urecka🎉. Not only do I not loose the drip but the application is better and lasts longer….

[@justinliborio6240]

Best move I've made was moving to this drip wax from Silca. Josh knows marginal gains.

[@victrolaman2007]

I was hot waxing using a double boiler on the stove (not the safest) back in the early 1990's and swore by the results. Then kids came coupled with increased job responsibilities and I didn't have the time. I went back to in about 5 years ago and have never been happier. The cost of entry is low and the savings are high. There is a degree of futziness and some mess if riding indoors, but the benefits far far outweigh the downsides.

[@DoNuT_1985]

That's really impressive results. I only went as far as using drip wax, it's really nice that the chain isn't covered in gunk after just one dry after-work ride. But yeah, it 's true... somewhere between 50 and 100k, the chain clearly gets noisier and you need to reapply the product (also to be considered on a 200k+ epic or multi-day tours) , but you can usually get away with 2-3 applications before the chain asks for cleaning, so it is still way more convenient than oil.

[@global_nomad.]

good to hear how waxing works in your situation - bit more marginal with our rainy weather in the UK but I'm also happy with hot waxing my chain - perhaps not as much life as you but very good.

[@rogerheatwole4103]

I switched to Silca Hot Melt a year ago. I have two chains that I alternate between. Each chain has over 5,000 km with no measurable wear. I will never go back to wet oil-based lubricants.

[@targaW3007]

I also use the hot wax from Silca for my KMC chain and I have exactly the same experience. Absolutely now wear after 12k of gravel riding. Ok, it’s some work to do to wax the chain, but it’s done in 10 minutes when you used to the process.

[@joelnace1793]

Those XX1 chains are ridiculously durable. Well worth the extra cost, IMO. I had great results with them even before I switched to waxing. I'm having great results with my dura-ace chain on my road bike, as well.

[@gplama]

Same with the Ultegra Di2 12spd update I did on the Giant TCR. Still as good as new, although I haven't done as many kms on that bike.

[@86309]

Its the UP shifts that wear the anodization off and puts wear on the side links in your droop test, most all the load on a chain is from forcing it UP the cassette with more side load applied then down shifting.