Maximizing Drivetrain Efficiency & Longevity: Deep Dive With Josh Poertner

Marginal gains expert Josh Poertner joins us for a super nerdy deep dive into everything to do with drivetrains. How chains and lubricants actually work? Which lubes are best to use and when? How do you clean and care for waxed chains? What does the future of bicycle drivetrains look like? We discuss all these questions and much more!
00:00 Intro
00:32 Demands on the drivetrain
03:41 Chain lubrication
05:41 Chain efficiency comparison
08:38 Lubricant additives
13:15 Interplay between speed & longevity
14:56 Real world efficiency
19:10 Comparing different types of lube
22:25 Best lubricant for wet conditions
25:07 Best lubricant for off-road riding
26:20 Best lubricant for ultra events
28:42 Future of drivetrains
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[@gcntech]

Do you want to see us make more deep dive videos like this? 🤔 Let us know in the comments below! 👇

[@Jari1973]

Absolutely 👍

[@ainchents]

Yes please

[@TheRst2001]

Josh did a great job really interesting . Learnt alot , at the very least the importance of proper chain cleaning regardless of lube. So yes please

[@nsambafrancis8033]

Absolutely yes, these videos are so educative

[@taburetca]

But wax can't work in wet conditions, Especially drip on wax It is dissolved in water and it will also dissolve in rain

[@MarcusBrito]

Josh is such an awesome guy. I love episodes featuring him. What I got from today’s episode is that the bike chain is a marvel of modern engineering we take for granted.

[@kylieon51ststreet71]

I agree! Unlike that racist liar Adam Kerin aka Zero Friction Cycling. He made racist comments towards Hambini and lies so much on his youtube channel just to sell over price parrafin wax products.

[@frenzalrhomb1]

Which episode does Adam say racist things about Hambini

[@gcntech]

The humble chain! How many adventures have been powered by the chain? 👀

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@kylieon51ststreet71Adam sells a lot of Silca and Josh uses his data

[@Biking360]

One of the best guests ever on GCN Tech 👍

[@jeremynorth]

Probably the best

[@paulagraphr]

And he speaks English! JK love my friends across the pond

[@andrewmcalister3462]

28:15 Ollie's excitement at Alex's suggestion of a 2nd waxed chain. It's like he just won the lottery. 😂 Seriously though, thank you Alex, Josh and Ollie for tackling this topic in detail.

[@gcntech]

You're welcome!

[@iacobogallus2110]

Having more than 1 chain when waxing is a must 😉😉😉

[@jameshmd]

But what about the weight penalty of carrying an extra chain over three Everests 😂… surely heavier than carrying some wet lube.

[@Darth_Firebolt]

I rode 240 miles to a vacation and carried a waxed and ready to go chain with me. I got to my vacation spot, swapped chains, enjoyed my vacation, and rode home. It worked great, and then I waxed them both when I got home. Compared to the clothing and chargers and water and snacks that I took, the weight of the extra chain was literally negligible. Now I know that for the same situation, I could just carry a small bottle of wax lube and apply it once I get there! Even better!

[@Thomas-fy9yc]

Josh is a great addition to this show, I went to listening while doing the dishes to practically taking notes during…keep him coming back.

[@zerofrictioncycling992]

Thanks GCN and thanks Josh, it is so good to see GCN now putting out great information to viewers in this space. The more who see such vids = more cyclists saving a ton of wear on lovely components, which equals cost to run savings, and also cuts down on a lot of general cleaning maintenance using solvents that end up goodness knows where as the top lubricants just need so little maintenance to remain clean and low friction / wear. Having a major channel help save countless thousands of drivetrains from and early death is just brilliant to see!

[@jeremynorth]

This is a brilliant episode. As well as Josh's expertise some excellent questions and input from Alex and Ollie. More of these please

[@gcntech]

Alex who sorry? 😂

[@CatManDoSocial]

Excellent interview. Josh and also Adam from Zero Friction Cycling are just absolutely brilliant and both have integrity that is rarely seen. I know that Silca is now a sponsor (which is great) but this has improved your maintenance content significantly. I've been using Silca Hot Melt on my MTB chain for over a year and just had to replace it because of a large stick in the drivetrain, but it still showed NO sign of wear. Also, the thing that most people don't understand about hot melt waxing, and think it's too much trouble, is that you only have to clean the chain once to get the factory grease off of it and that's it. Never again. It really is amazing.

[@gcntech]

Thanks a lot, glad you found it interesting! Are there any other deep-dive topics you'd like to see us cover?

[@CatManDoSocial]

​@@gcntech Well, I really love the manufacturing videos. I know it's probably not easy to get frame/component manufacturers to open up, and they're all over the world, but it's awesome to see how things are made. And yes, I've watched several on GCN+. I would also like to see a deep and honest look at the carbon footprint of the cycling industry. We all know that cycling is better than driving, but I'm not talking about that. It would be great to talk about materials and manufacturing processes and how it cold be better. It would also be great to look at what some companies are doing to make things better as well as the B Corporation certification. You've done things like this in the past but it hasn't been a deep-dive as you said. Thanks!

[@BRMCaptChaos]

What makes you think Zero Friction has undoubted integrity? The pricing is 'interesting', and I doubt the claims based on R2 and a reasonable test method. It would make a good undergrad study. And a PhD to give it to ASTM.

[@MrGoodaches]

I started waxing about a decade ago merely for the cleanliness. Wife and I were doing fly/bike trips with a small plane and MTBs. No matter which brand of oil lube or efforts I made for cleaning I was inevitably getting chain stains on me or clothes as I loaded or unloaded bikes from plane. With wax I could intentionally touch the chain and not get a mark. That was the start. Since then I’ve noticed much longer chain lives and substantially less time spent on chain maintenance. I’m talking about immersing chains in melted paraffin wax (grocery store wax). The initial time getting the factory petroleum goo off the chains and doing the wax immersion is given back to me many times over with less maintenance fuss over the life of the chains, and it’s a longer life also. Even after a dirty, muddy single track ride I just hose off the bikes. If I notice any wax flakes on the chain I just spin the drive train backwards against a paintbrush and the flakes fall away. We don’t race but the cleanliness, longer chain life, and the silly easy maintenance are plenty reason enough for immersion waxing. I am a fan of Josh and his marginal gains research. However due to price I’m not using his specially formulated chain wax. But I did invest in his The Truth tire pressure gauge. It would be a whole additional posting to talk up the advantages us non racers have gained from figuring out optimal pressures and having an accurate and precise method of setting the optimal pressures.

[@b0jang]

Interesting - I would almost always consider the specially formulated chain wax over a $250 gauge but this has got me thinking about the potential inaccuracies of my floor pump.. is this something more applicable in your MTB scenario or equally important in a commuting/weekend road ride scenario?

[@makantahi3731]

waxed chain maintenance can be more easier if you use battery inductive heater, to heat up chain on bike and wax it on bike, 6-10 minutes

[@MrGoodaches]

I must admit it wasn’t a specific decision to choose an expensive pressure gauge over a lube formulation. The gauge was an impulse buy at an event where SILCA had a booth and an event discount. I most often set our tire pressures based upon dimensionally achieving 15% drop if we’re doing a road ride, or 18% if we are going off pavement. But, setting that way requires a second person to measure while the rider sits on bike. It’s practical enough that we checked and set our pressures that way on many bikepacking trips including Canada to Mexico on the GDMBR. But sometimes I just want to get bikes ready while she is packing our lunch - then I set to PSI. Purchasing The Truth gauge was more about wanting something precise and accurate that I could compare to gauge on my floor pump and help friends check the gauges they have. In the end, the additional benefit I can get from special formulation over plain paraffin wax is less than the additional gain I get from having my tire pressures optimized.

[@bike.mad.kimbos]

The bottom line is 'keep your chain as clean as possible' i've just changed mine after 5500 miles both outdoor and indoor use. I check monthly with the Park Tools CC-2 to ensure i stay on top of wear. A regular wipe down with a (GT85 damp) lint free cloth then a degrease/ relube at regular intervals keeps it tip top.

[@DL-iq5zo]

Yes to more deep dive videos!!! The panel had an educational discussion. The useful information is much appreciated.

[@LostBeagle]

Knife manufacturers have used different types of steel over the years, including but not limited to heat treated steel. Please discuss how chain manufacturers can use different steels to maximize chain life and efficiency

[@nickpatten5263]

Brilliant GCN Tech Show. Always love Josh's vast knowledge and way of explaining things to us non-techy bike people. Really enjoyed this show and learnt a lot, thank you.

[@gcntech]

Thanks Nick! Glad you found it informative!

[@ianlaker9161]

That was absolutely superb. A real revelation about a component we all take for granted and probably don't lube properly. I will now throw my dry lube away. My chain was starting to jump on one particular gear during RideLondon 100 last Sunday and I'll be fitting a new one as well as a new cassette this week. The info from this video will hopefully make this new setup last longer. Fascinating stuff.

[@MikeDeVincentis]

I recently switched to Silka hot wax as I got a new gravel bike and wanted to prolong wear as knew I'd constantly be in the dust. I converted 2 chains and took them to Unbound this year. The 1st chain I converted had about 80 miles of riding before the event, and with the mud, rain and 205 miles, the chain did amazing. I'm a wax fan for life now. It really is not that much extra work either. Just get a dedicated mixing bowl for the instant pot so you can easily dip the chain. Now I just need to convert the other 4 bikes to wax. 😋

[@mickinmerton8053]

What a brilliant episode. I re-waxed my chain today in preparation for an event coming up so this was really useful. Josh was so knowledgeable. Thanks guys!!!

[@richchilds8173]

Josh is a very intelligent and knowledgeable guest. He can explain tech in a way that non-tech savvy people can understand. I love the way he thinks before he speaks, but is so smart, he can put together his dialog quickly to keep the show moving.

That is a really educating and at the same time entertaining show - 10 points for that!

[@redalert2834]

Hot melt wax has one VERY BIG disadvantage not mentioned here - it does not waterproof the chain. If you ride in rain or leave your bike outdoors exposed to dew, beware of links rusting internally and seizing up - not only increasing friction but meaning you need to replace the chain. It can happen very quickly.

[@glennmorgan8691]

I've been using silca ss drip and the hot melt wax for 2 yrs on my electric mountain bikes and watched all Josh's videos with all kinds of tips and tricks and absolutely love it!!! Josh's new wax x is claimed to go 800kms between waxings I think that would be awesome for those ultra mileage races!!! And the new chain striper from josh has your chain ready to go into the wax pot in 10 mins takeing all the fuss out of waxing its brilliant!!!

[@chrisralston2654]

Josh is a fantastic interview. So knowledgeable…and he keeps it interesting.

[@ISWYDTOR]

Been on the fence about hot wax, but the information here is giving me the confidence that it is the right choice for me, great video.

[@flurblewibble7735]

What a brilliant guest - really knowledgeable, but has a knack of explaining things so even mere mortals like me can understand it. Superb insights and explanations.

[@stephendenagy3396]

This was great, definitely helped understand the challenges. And…will work harder to keep chain clean and lubed!

[@gcntech]

Great! It's always nice to have a well maintained bike 👌

[@adam__smith]

I've been using drip wax for a couple of months now, and one thing that I appreciate about it is the fact that the chain / cogs are still super clean. It's a faff at the start, but no cleaning required after that - just lubing.

[@thsaintful]

Josh is a really good guest for the show! Very interesting for bike nerds like me. He has convinced me to switch to hotwaxing my MTB chains from now on. Now on to find a cheap crockpot.... if only Silca sold a simple one

[@chawley52]

Switching from wet lube to hot wax completely changed my gravel bike experience...for the better! And, eliminating the tedious and time consuming greasy drivetrain cleaning is a huge benefit.

[@richardhutchings1980]

Ollie got very excited about the potential marginal gains in track cycling. The mention the UK track team got his attention

[@JSquare1]

Loved this video, and Josh is always brimming with not only great inside information tips and stories, but the ability to convey his technical knowledge in easily understandable -- and entertaining -- bites. Always look forward to videos where he is present. That Silca products such as the wax lubes, cleaners, and protectors are the best I have used only adds weight, for me, to what he says.

[@Stefanosinf]

Such an amazing episode!!! Thanks!!!

[@gcntech]

Thanks! Glad you liked it

[@AlanJeffreyMcClainJr]

Alex is a genius! Even if self supported just stash an extra chain and install! Brilliant!

[@kenneththomas3558]

Great video GCN. Thanks.

[@joegamas1194]

I absolutely love geeking out and learning about this topics, Yes Yes Yes more please, what an awesome video, thanks GCN

[@peterfranzjr.1190]

Bertrand seemed like the 3rd wheel on a date with the way Ollie was staring deep into Josh's eyes 😂

[@_MrSnrub]

I have a Priority Apollo (got a supernice from you lads), with a belt drive, and knowing that the efficiency loss is keeping me back isn't great, but its a killer system and a great bike. The fact that belt drive bikes are great for commuters and just for those too lazy to keep up with maintenance is actually a huge win, just rinse and go basically. But I do respect that they are not racing machines, especially with the added weight that an IGH adds to the system. But they are certainly an interesting option. Would be seriously interesting to see an IGH paired with a chain/derailleur for ultra crazy gearing too.

[@henrybikeman]

That’s been done, but sadly withdrawn by the main igh makers due to lack of demand.

[@peterwillson1355]

BROMPTON do it....Its how the 3 speed becomes a six speed.....

[@Lestat1795]

Great episode. Thanks!😊

[@frankharradence732]

A very enlightening and watchable video; more like this please.

[@gcntech]

Enlightened and watchable... that's GCN tech 😉

[@SirGeorgeRoss]

Josh…the best guest/sponsor on the show - who else gives kudos to their competitors? Great stuff, Josh!

[@gcntech]

We love having Josh with us 🙌 Always smashes it!

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Great in-depth talk that should have a follow-up Q/A.

[@svenmkrause]

Great video! Could you do a short piece on reapplying hot wax. How to pre-clean and potential pitfalls. Thanks

[@ShawnIsBatman]

Congrats to Ollie for getting the shout-out from Josh on the Silca Marginal Gains podcast for "wax shaming" pro teams in a recent video!

[@theprofitmohamhead1268]

I made a lubricant cocktail of Mobile 1 10/30 wt, Teflon powder, graphite, moly lube, and couple others. Seems to work great!

[@ericcoxtcu8037]

I can't believe I watched that whole 30 minute video and was surprised when it ended. Excellent information. I freely admit the only reason I don't do wax immersion is the time involved. One of these days I will have to give it a try.

[@gcntech]

How about a drop on wax? 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/iImti2ONhNdmiac

[@gcntech]

Great to hear you enjoyed it! Would you like to see us dive deeper into any subject?

[@ericcoxtcu8037]

@@gcntech That's what I do - I degrease new chains and use a drip wax. I keep my drive train pretty clean; the drip wax has improved chain longevity and general drivetrain cleanliness. The big difference is on my gravel bike.

[@philstephens1942]

Maybe the world will change for you regarding this aspect very soon?

[@alexanderakins5777]

Yayyyy more Josh !!

[@donschloth5785]

Big fan of SILCA and Josh. Been using their products for quite awhile.

[@brudegare]

Josh tried hard not to call out Muc Off when discussing the "worst" dry lubes lol.

[@nsambafrancis8033]

Hahaha

[@larrylem3582]

I just used mine today. I have to finish the bottle before I can buy anything else!

[@brudegare]

@@larrylem3582 it might cost you more in chain life to finish that bottle than to just buy a good wet lube!

[@sebbelito2975]

Good enough for an indoor trainer

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Zero Friction Cycling from Crafters , South Australia have made a good clear position on Muc Off's products , their claims as well as credibility . I don't use them but have seen them at camping and sports store Anaconda .

[@edwardjednacz1641]

Truly useful information

[@rafaeldegiacomoaraujo8778]

Finally a good episode on chain lube on GCN! No mucoff BS anymore.

[@tonyboughman8050]

Kudos to the hosts for keeping their mouths shut and letting the expert speak. Good job and informative video. I will change my lubing protocol to protect the expensive 12-speed cassette and chain.

[@RobinT346]

Some great science nerdery going on here. I love it!

[@ItsMe-ex2vu]

Josh really is incredible.

[@aleq]

Loved it! ❤🎉

[@KarlosEPM]

Excellent episode!

[@gcntech]

Thank you!

[@thecrazyhatchemist5051]

I love the science! Bring on more videos on the physics of cycling! Funny this is coming from a Chemistry teacher...

[@LarryGraham7]

I'm a bit late, yes please for deep dive shows, and thank you.

[@phenofinder9145]

I keep 3 chains in rotation. I always have a waxed chain on deck.

[@kokonanana1]

Started doing this in the 90s!

[@phenofinder9145]

@@kokonanana1 respect ✊

[@user-rp6zq2og4s]

Great video, need more deep dives for the other internal parts of a bike

[@gcntech]

Where should we head next? Brakes? Tyres? Frames? 🚲

[@kennethward9530]

GPS rerouted me around construction a couple weeks ago taking me right past Josh’s place of business, I waved hello on behalf of GCN watchers.

[@CarlosParadaP]

Watching episodes like this makes me feel smarter hahaha Just like Alex, I didn't understand half of it but is cool anyway !!

[@GilbertTang]

I often wonder if, for potentially easier application, it would be worthwhile shaping the wax beads into a cylinder that would fit in a typical glue gun. The problem then, of course, is the melted wax,has comparatively very low viscosity and it wouldn’t necessarily flow well out of the glue gun. But still, something purpose-built might actually work very nicely for this. And it need not even be glue gun style applicator. I also think a lot about those hand-crank chain cleaners. What about one that heats up the wax and allows you to apply the wax in a similar fashion (that is, hand-cranking it while the chain on the bike)? It’s definitely a more complicated problem than it seems, and there are certainly benefits to removing the chain for degreasing and cleaning. Plus it might not actually be substantially better than existing drip-on solutions (even the best process is only marginally better). But I suspect the heat would allow for deeper penetration overall. 🤷‍♂️

[@4nz-nl]

5:30 it's very well possible to put a chain into a casing. Somehow, we just chose to not do this on our road bikes. One of the nice sides of riding a velomobile is that not only the chainwheel, but also the chain and the cassette have a much longer life due to the whole system being inside the bike. It's biggest enemy is your own sweat in that environment, but 30.000 km on one chainset is not unheard of.

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

I have a lot of bikes, but have started the transition to the Silca drip wax. I ride varied conditions here in Colorado, including winter fat biking, so far so good. Eventually will go the immersion wax route more than likely.

[@gcntech]

Do you think that drop wax is the best of both worlds? 👀

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

@@gcntech I have it on two brand new Borealis Fat Bikes I am testing here in Colorado. So far the Silca drip wax has been good both in some snow riding, and now in the dusty dirt we have. No black grinding paste after many rides! We’ll see how it does when I pop the chains off to thoroughly clean, and then reapply the drip wax. I am about to clean and add it to some others I have been using another “dry” lube on, which does have black residue apparent.

[@janwillemkuilenburg7561]

Hugo, you are so smart!!!

[@AlfieVLOG0]

Super interesting!

[@full-english]

Listening to Josh’s marginal Gains podcast has opened my eyes to what I once thought of as inconsequential to now realizing just how much these little things have real advantages.. Ps. Is it the audio guys day off?

[@johannesschneider2508]

A very in-depth view on drivetrain efficiency and lots of tipps that I took with me. One topic that I was wondering about is: If you start with a hot-waxed chain on an ultra event and you ad some wet lube later on, how do you proceed with chain maintenance after the event? Just cleaning and adding fresh hot-wax? What are your thoughts on that?

[@fredsirvalo1904]

I didn't take my chain for granted yesterday when I somehow broke a it half-way through a 100K ride. Thankfully, a nearby LBS was open and replaced the broken chain. Score one for LBS mechanics. 🎉

[@BRMCaptChaos]

Hands up, i was totally not into waxed chains, until i tried it. Reasons were using a slow cooker, faff and space, surely a wax supplier can offer a boil in the bag solution? But the benefits are blindingly obvious at the next clean. I cant say i've noticed the improvement in watts, or recognise when the chain needs redoing, but its clean. And thats cool.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Abner , Oscar , and Josh...I learned a lot , but I'm OAF . I did get hot wax , a melter like the "A" man , and I've done one chain so far . I think the chain swap is a good idea as well , but...... I did play contact sports .

[@matteo.ceriotti]

A couple of shots at Muc-off there! And yeah, no more Muc-off bottles and tools on the bench behind!

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

I am currently using Steve from Ozcycle's formulation and it is cost effective and has seen good feedback from several of my clients .

[@charlespeters7220]

I use CRC industrial chain and wire lube. The lube has a dry appearance when the drive is stationary and wet when in operation.

[@emmabird9745]

I don't race but I've been riding wax since last october, and I wouldn't want to go back to oil etc. Lower friction means faster, but it also means less effort for your speed so you can go further. As a bonus, there's less mess all round the bottom bracket etc.

[@larsthorderson423]

I would love to see a deep dive on bearing types (steel vs ceramic) and oils vs greases. Seen some data suggesting bearing type is irrelevant but lubrication type is the key.

[@TimWilliamsBikeRun]

I know he's not for everyone, but Hambini has at least one compelling video that sheds light on the nearly non-existent benefit of ceramic bearings for cycling applications. The low rotational speeds that come into play in cycling seem to not bring the benefits of ceramic into play. But do some research on sites that provide factual evidence and settle the matter for yourself.

[@peterago1082]

Silca & zero friction cycling made me a believer

[@davidwilkinson9792]

I absolutely love this nerdy shit with legit nerds. Chapeu 👏 Thank you x

[@gcntech]

That's what this channel's all about, right? 😉

[@pablolopez584]

34 min of a drivetrain efficiency deep dive talk? Let's gooo for it! 😁

[@gcntech]

Did you enjoy? 👀

[@pablolopez584]

@@gcntech As I'd say in Spanish..Like a pig in a puddle! 😂

[@kaltonian]

yeah man...great in depth upload, i'm a bit gutted to here that using dry lube is not as beneficial as one would think, i wax my chains 70 - 80%³ & dry lube the rest thinking less sticky then less pick up of dirt, oh well looks like i should wax 100% of the time, thanks guys very interesting

[@mellissanash7517]

He's right Zero friction' is great, a bit dry but great. Plus, the Zero Friction guy rides road, gravel, and MTB.

[@kylieon51ststreet71]

Zero Friction Cycling aka Adam Kerin is a racist. Did you hear what he said about Hambini? ZFC also links to anti police websites on his youtube channel. He charges 200AUD for a dura ace chain dipped in parrafin wax and 'special powders' lol. He isnt even a good rider.

[@eriklindskog1841]

For racing, yes for now chains are likely to remain. For utility bikes I would not be surprised if many move to e-bikes with belt drive.

[@gcntech]

It'll certainly be interesting to see! Have you seen our 'Reinventing the wheel' doc on GCN+? 👉 gcn.eu/7DA

[@flynnstone3580]

I've been using Lemon Pledge furniture polish on my chains and sprockets for years now. It's also a good lubricant for the cables and other mechanisms. Great cleaner for the frame and tires, just don't polish the seat😮

[@ebikescrapper3925]

I am surprised Shimano and SRAM have not bought a belt drive company or introduced their own version. It would have been a good move with the CUES system and also making the Alfine hub fit thru axles

[@gcntech]

It would be interesting to see in the future! For some more tech innovation, why not check out our 'Reinventing the wheel' doc on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/7DA

[@polyrhythmia]

The use of more compact drivetrains does cause the chain to bend a bit more. Been using paraffin for forty years now. I would run two or three chains switching between them. Narrower chains don't seem to last as long. Lubrication has to be done more frequently, but with master link, it's not that bad. The Crock Pot I have takes a good hour and a half to melt the wax, but the temperature is bound to be much safer than direct melting.

[@chrismadge7292]

Good video. Drive chains have in some ways got more inefficient in the quest for ever larger range of gears. The smallest sprocket on the back has dropped from 13 down to 10 teeth introducing inefficiencies in the highest gears. Ironic given the market for oversize pulley wheels.

[@tasdrouille]

Well Josh, since there are efficiencies to be found with larger surface areas in the 1/8" world I guess Silca has to come up with a chain! Because right now, nothing beats the best 3/32.

[@luugianhut]

I run hot wax, but one often overlooked cost and disadvantage is the need to replace the quick link. Even though I reuse them up top 2-3 times, they are technically single-use. True for SRAM and Shimano chains, at least.

[@richardggeorge]

I have never had any issues with kmc or sram quicklinks lasting the life of my paraffin waxed chains 15,000-20,000km Edit: and I can put down 1500watt-bombs

[@andrewbackhouse5828]

@@richardggeorge The KMC 12 sp chains say they are single use, when the 11sp and less say multi-use. Are you talking about a 12sp system?

[@richardggeorge]

No issues 7,8,9,10 and 11spd Edit: I would only buy Chinese 12 spd, the rest are a rip off

[@SILCAVelo]

I'd recommend using a drip wax like our SuperSecret every 200-300km in between hot waxings. If you only hot wax every 1000km you are getting 4000-5000km per quick link.

[@seppilin351]

I just bought some 50nM Hexagonal Boron Nitride. I am thinking about adding it to my Silca Hot Melt Wax. Any ideas on how much to add?

[@tomglista]

I've been using a Teflon lube for years. What are your thoughts on it?

[@matthewdutton119]

Awesome job. Great questions. Very informative.

[@gcntech]

Thanks Matthew!

[@ericcsaba8779]

Have you seen or used DuPont Multi Use High Performance Lubricant with non-Stick Ceramic. I have heard this is the best lubricant out there. Will you check it out and see what you think??

[@richchilds8173]

#askgcntech How many times can you press a chain pin in and out before you should consider a master link designed to be removed/reinstalled for the process of cleaning and waxing your chain?

[@josiahlomas2111]

Rock n roll Gold chain lube is the best Smooth effortless peddling heaven...

[@TimIrwin26]

Ran my last chain with a wax that doesn't have the greatest reputation for longevity, got 2200 miles (3500km) out of the chain. Currently running long intervals (1000 miles) with Silca wax and topping up with super secret lube along the way (200-250 miles). 2900 miles with no measurable wear yet, and very little hassle.

[@SILCAVelo]

Great to hear Tim!

[@MS-bw7yt]

Flat top SRAM chain on the thumbnail for a video on chain efficiency, well..... :D

[@marcomongke3116]

There are spray based chain wax out there. How good are they?

[@thomasdundon4093]

I guess my 3-pack of Finish Line wasn’t the purchase I was hoping for. 😂

[@Kim_Miller]

If you do a slow run through the 1:40 point, where we see the chain running over the rear cluster, you can see one link that looks to be binding on itself and won't articulate around the sprocket. It's only a fleeting moment, but surprising and ironic to see on this episode.

[@paulridgers4676]

Looks like the rider was changing gear at that point.

[@espenrosenquist6683]

Curious to know more about molten wax in cold and salty environments. Winter commuting eats a cassette and chain per season with wet lube.

[@kevindean9613]

That's it you've convinced me that a gates carbon drive belt& pinion is the way to go ,stuff the chain .😊

[@Frostbiker]

29:22 YES! I am not taking crazy pills. For all-weather low-maintenance commuter type bikes, belt drives are very convenient. I wouldn't use them on a road bike either.

[@russellbaker4256]

When a waxed chain first gets noisy it's not time to add lube on top - didn't know that