How to choose your wax based chain lubricant

My experiences with market leading wax based lubricants:
Molten Speed Wax and Race Powder
www.okrcycles....
Squirt Lube
www.okrcycles....
Silca Super Secret Chain lube
www.okrcycles....
www.okrcycles....

[@brandoncroberts]

Have to say props on your English skills. I'm always super impressed when non-native English speakers speak at a higher level than most native speakers. Busting our vocabulary like 'laborious' :D

[@ronykuba]

Thanks!

[@OFFSHOREDOUG]

I found this the first time I travelled to Denmark in the early 80s. Mind boggling. I’ve always laughed at no uk people apologising fir their bad English when I can only say hello and how are you in a few languages.

[@karstenmeinders4844]

Thanks for the update of chain lubricants! And I am really keen on learning how the Veloflex tyres work out (rolling resistance, compliance, resilience against bad road conditions, ...).

[@ronykuba]

cheers!

[@gion9002]

Thank you for the really useful content about chain lubrificants. It did help me as a newcomer a lot.

[@ronykuba]

Glad it helped!

[@nickkambitis5340]

I use molten speed wax and recently started to use secret chain lube as a top up. You are correct, it’s the best combination. I thought I was overdoing it using both but now I see that you do it, makes me feel good. 👏👏

[@ronykuba]

It's always better to overdo than underdo when it comes to maintenance

[@samuraioodon]

When topping off do you still need to wait for it to dry? In case of a race?

[@nickkambitis5340]

@@samuraioodon No. I drip one drip on the chain barrel moving one link at a time, then ride, it dries super quickly.

[@samuraioodon]

@@nickkambitis5340 oh that's nice thank you!

[@richscorer]

Regarding squirt application makes a big difference to it. Have a look at ride of japans, waxing technique, it makes a massive difference to how messy it is and how it penetrates the chain (IMO - certainly in the UK where it is too cold for it to penetrate naturally.). -The short versions - Put the squirt bottle (lid off) into a mug of warm water (c.50 degrees centigrade). The put on the chain, spin it until applied, then wiggle chain side to side and it will be coming out of all areas of the links. Then let it set.

[@ronykuba]

True! The more modern versions like the Silca or Ufo v2 don´t have those issues anymore though.

[@bunglevic]

Love super secret, super quiet, and super smooth. Didn't know they did wax. Have just used AB wax and have to say loved it. Ride was smooth and quiet. Honestly felt like I was saving watts. P.s great videos as always.

[@ronykuba]

Thanks for sharing!

[@CycoWarriorx]

Just graduated to Squirt from Tri-Flow > Muc-Off Dry (and wet during winter) > Rock’n Rold Gold and a variety of others I started off cycling with. I’m two months in with Squirt and so far, I’m happy with it... my chain is less gunky and cleaner than with TF, lasts longer than MO (obviously), less dirty(!!) and works better than RRG... I thought about trying UFO, but that price point was on the high side of excessive. Lol... great assessment of each Ronald!! 🍻

[@ronykuba]

Thanks. You need to remember that in most cases these lubricants massively reduce drivetrain running costs long term, so the price of the actual lube is not that relevant.

[@CycoWarriorx]

@@ronykuba Understood. 🙌🏽

[@Finx5008]

I've been using Molten Speed Wax for years, with the occasional top-ups from Squirt and Smoove. I've been very happy with this. Recently, I took the opportunity to try the Absolute Black Graphene hot melt wax, and wow, the chain feels so slick and smooth the the touch. I'm only on my first application, so I have no idea how long it will last, or how it holds up to bad weather, but so far, I'm very impressed. One piece of advice from a long time hot wax user, which still applies to the AB Graphene wax, is the put the chain back on the bike before the wax hardens. Shift through the gears a couple of times. Doing this while the wax is still soft will dramatically decrease the flaking of the wax off of the chain. Edit to add: I tried the new UFO drip, and tossed it in the trash. I live in an area where the weather is on the chilly side most of the year, and this wax does not work well under anything except the most ideal, warm sunny conditions. Even at moderately cool temperatures (40F/4.5C) it is difficult to apply as it turns into almost a gel like consistency. I was able to improve this by warming the bottle (something I do with other emulsion waxes too) and using a heat gun to warm the chain, but all of this kind of defeats the purpose of a drip on wax. Especially at the exorbitant cost that Ceramic Speed charges for the stuff. I'm going to stick with Absolute Black hot melt wax with the occasional touchups using the various emulsion waxes (currently using the Silca - so far so good).

[@ronykuba]

Thanks for sharing

[@OFFSHOREDOUG]

I use ceramic speed older version. I’m not a racer but like going fast and it’s a nice clean lubricant which I like.

[@andyg9991]

I use squirt on my bike that sits on a trainer and MSW on my other bikes. Super clean and works well IMO Edit: Dont forget people that you need to clean off the factory grease before applying any of these high performance lubes

[@ronykuba]

Goes without saying 🙂

[@kottelkannim4919]

KMC chain maintenance recommendation: "..We recommend never to degrease the chain completely. Also when changing to wax, we recommend to degrease the chain only on the outside. If you degrease the chain completely, we recommend to soak the chain in wax for 12-24 hours, so that this can penetrate into the inside of the chain. .." I use Squirt Lube without de-greasing internal factory grease. It is not super clean, but it works well.

[@jonathanzappala]

I’ve never had a problem with kmc quick links on a dura ace chain. I never had a problem reusing them too, but that’s a separate thing.

[@jou3708]

Tried AB GRAPHENwax for one circle of 300km with mainly road riding on Basso Palta (gravel is too dirty at the moment). Before I used pure candle parafin without any add-ons. Somehow I found pure parafin to be better - it really feels better friction plus MUCH quiter. Parafin proibabaly lasts not more than 200km, but even on 300km it is quiter than AB wax on 20th km. I do not think I did something wrong appling AB wax, as I am quite perfectionist in everything concerning my bike. Chain always perfectly clean before appling wax/parafin. So in my case 6€ for 1kg of parafin lenses is better option than AB GRAPHENwax 32€ for 350g. PS Yes, pure parafin generates small flakes, but they do not stick as my drivetrain is treated with silicon spray and it stays always perfectly shiny and clean

[@AgingBoy]

I had been using squirt lube for 3 years and have literally just changed to the new UFO drip, with just one 100km ride done last week. Chose these for their ease of application, didn’t want to go through the tediousness of melting wax and submerging the chain in it. Can’t really comment much on the UFO drip yet but am hoping it’s good

[@CycoWarriorx]

HJ, I’d be interested in your thoughts later after you’ve been using UFO... I just started using Squirt and like it as well...

[@AgingBoy]

@@CycoWarriorx will update you after I have more mileage in it

[@CycoWarriorx]

@@AgingBoy Sounds good... Thank you HJ!

[@AgingBoy]

@@CycoWarriorx I’ve ridden 300km (100km avg over 3 rides) since applying UFO drip now. So far so good. It’s silent and smooth. My second ride was done in heavy rain condition, the chain didn’t accumulate much dirt despite it. Just needed a quick wipe and that was it. Purposely didn’t reapply the wax for third ride just to see how it is as CS said the wax is good for use in dry and wet condition and to reapply only after 300km. Seem true that the wet condition didn’t affect it much, at least not perceivable by me. As for whether it uses less watts or is it smoother and silent than Squirt lube, it’s really hard to say as I don’t have a controlled environment to test and compare. So can’t verify any of those claims. But just based on my ‘feeling’, I’m satisfied with it and will continue using. I’m quite sensitive to my bike setup so i will only continue using it if it’s good. Will now reapply the UFO drip for the next 300km. Hope this helps in some ways to you

[@CycoWarriorx]

@@AgingBoy hey HJ... thank you very much for the info... And yes it does help, tremendously! Thank you again!! I’m gonna give it a shot.

[@dejangalun1073]

Hi Ronald! What is the best degreaser for super secret chain lube after a few time re-lube. Take chain of the bike is "must have" or it's gonna be ok to clean with clasic drivetrain degreaser dry and re-lube it again.

[@Ecrireenfrancais]

Veloflex are my favourite tyres by far ...

[@Eirikkinserdal]

Can you compare the "dynamic speed potion wax" to graphenlube? Both dynamic and absoluteblack claim to be sponsoring jumbo visma 😅

[@BeatzarrAudios]

hi ronald, did you get to test the ufo drip? can you tell any difference between the silca super secret and the ufo drip? thanks and best regards

[@ronykuba]

Hi, the difference is minimal

[@eteokles3]

New UFO Drip is amazing. Got 10000km on a Red AXS chain over the winter until it was time to change the chain. With 3 ultrasonic cleanings over the course and regular top ups (200-300km) it has been the longest running chain I have ever seen so far. Dirt can be whipped off with a dry cloth.

[@ronykuba]

Sounds good!

[@michaelheckel9857]

I use AB wax and i relube with Silca wax! Top!

[@ronykuba]

Cool!

[@rasmuswi]

Any plans to try out the Tru-Tension Tungsten (All Weather and Race) lubes? I find them very convenient as top up lubes for Molten Speed wax, they say you can ride after just 10 minutes, and it seems to work in fairly cold weather, which means you can top up your lubricant mid ride if you need. And if it's a training chain, you can throw it straight into the wax pot when you're back home. Also, it's not particularly expensive. Zero Friction Cycling liked them. :)

[@ronykuba]

Probably not, these perform better

[@jeffbrunton3291]

@@ronykuba Friction Facts tested it better than Squirt / Smoove, and only very slightly worse than the best immersion lubes. In practice, not much difference for most of us. It’s a gateway into the immersion lubes!

[@ronykuba]

@@jeffbrunton3291 just like the SSL or UFO v2, only that these are better.

[@meneldil7604]

have you tried absolute black molten wax also, I just use PTFE to dust race chain save a lot of money

[@ronykuba]

Not yet

[@meneldil7604]

@@ronykuba I am curntly testing it seems good about the same as MSW but only had it for a month so no long term oppinon yet

[@rav3nst33l]

Great video as always Rony! 3 questions: 1) could you make a quick insta reel with your current chain lubing procedure? 2) i have the brandblack wax and i like it so far, can the other lube be used to “top it off like your MSW? (Idk if the graphene affects anything) 3) How many kms before rewaxing your chain when training indoors compared to outside? Thanks!

[@ronykuba]

1.) yes but it is a drip lube so not much to it really 2.) yes 3.) same as outdoor/dry conditions cca 300km

[@rav3nst33l]

@@ronykuba sick thanks!

[@gsmd770]

I use Finish Line chain wax. I love it! No more mess or dirty chain.

[@ronykuba]

you should try some of the top performers then :)

[@mellowmiles-r5o]

What do you use to lubricate your derailleurs pivots and cassette? Particularly after washing the bike? As they usually have a bit of factory lube on them already ? Or do you put wax on them as well ?? Thanks

[@ronykuba]

Nothing. The cassette is not supposed to be lubricated.

[@dailowhui]

Any updates on the new ufo drip?

[@nadsim154]

how many km can you get out of that silca lube bottle ?

[@ronykuba]

Hello and thank you for your message. I can assist you with your technical queries on my Discord server: whop.com/ronysclub/

[@alainpfammatter8224]

Thank you for this very interesting video. So far I have only used the squirt lube. I will try the Silca and the UFO wax. How do you clean your chain after a ride? Do you use a chain degreaser like the one from Mucoff or do you just wash it with plain water? I clean the chain every 200km with a degreaser and then apply squirt again. Which wax lube would you recommend for MTBs?

[@ronykuba]

The point is that these waxes don't attract dirt, you never really need to clean the chain

[@christoffertews9792]

Hey Ronald! Did you had the chance by now to test the UFO Drip? How does it perform also in terms of gunk between Squirt and Silca?

[@ronykuba]

Not yet

[@joshdavis8282]

Great info, have you applied wax with a slow cooker "crock pot", or a heated ultrasonic? Also, how many chain removals are the shimano chain links good for?

[@ronykuba]

Slow cooker. Max 10

[@Finx5008]

Use WIpperman Connex 11 speed links - they are infinitely reusable.

[@joshdavis8282]

Great thx guys

[@marcdaniel1]

Does the residue that flakes off and gunks up on the rear derailleur and cassette effect efficiency and performance. I tried waxed based and was in two minds to it’s benefits as it was building up on other components and thought it might be counter productive

[@ronykuba]

No it doesn't

[@jeffbrunton3291]

Tru tension banana slip is a new wax Lube, tested as best drip type. It’s very good, very simple. Friction facts tested it better than Squirt / Smoove

[@ronykuba]

I´ll check it out

[@marcwinther4704]

Recently switched from msw to ab wax via slow cooker. I must admit I’m not that happy, feels very flakey and noisy quite fast. Now for indoor it’s starting to be a bit annoying, especially from flakes on wooden floor point of view. What’s you experience with the drips, flakey too?

[@ronykuba]

No, the drip lubes don't flake off

[@piotrmakowski6400]

Hi, have you ever used Pro Wax by Bike7. Its Belgian manufacture.

[@ronykuba]

Not yet

[@mathieuderouck9787]

What is best for friction loss? Secret chain WAX, I use for now absolute black. No be honest , I feel no difference between squirt , and absolute black, well longer intervals on AB , i ride about more than 20 hours indoor on same application .

[@ronykuba]

You need very sophisticated equipment to measure efficiency, of course you won't be able to judge that on feel

[@mathieuderouck9787]

@@ronykuba very true, I will try in future new ufo drip , still a bit better according sheet I found.

[@DanTuber]

How's the noise levels with super secret and molten? I gave up on squirt cos the squeaking was driving me mad.

[@ronykuba]

The noise is low

[@LRG251]

what about smoove?

[@ronykuba]

I have never used that

[@dvoob]

Ronald what do you think about wax lubes for MTB application?

[@ronykuba]

Just as good

[@danielmcgowan9534]

@@ronykuba I agree with Ronald. Molten Speed Wax works well on my fat tire for winter snow and summer sand.

[@lillowisp]

Why don't you use connex link?

[@ronykuba]

Doesn't play very well with the shimano chain

[@Finx5008]

@@ronykuba I've been using them on Shimano chains for a long time, and never had a problem. On my not-so-racy bikes (commuters, MTB/Gravel, etc...) I use Wipperman chains. They are longer wearing at a slight weight penalty.

[@rav3nst33l]

@@ronykuba 100%, i dont get proper shifting to my 11 tooth cog with my shimano chain.

[@jongminkim9538]

My wife caught me waxing my chain and she wasn't too pleased...

[@ronykuba]

Definitely better than oil stains

[@borangle8585]

Ozcycle (KZbin) Wax + PTFE combination. Cheap and extremely effective. Have you tried it ?

[@ronykuba]

Sorry that's nonsense

[@borangle8585]

@@ronykuba yeah ok nonsense. He’s had literally hundreds if not thousands people leave positive comments on their experience and results with the wax combination- but you keep pushing pricey branded stuff if that’s your thing.

[@ronykuba]

@@borangle8585 just read this: zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/That-Oz-Cycle-Video-v1.2.pdf If you are naive enough to believe that some backyard mechanic with no engineering knowledge can outsmart leading industry experts, then you deserve each other. A package of MSW costs 30€ and will last you a season, plus will make your drivetrain last 3x longer. Yeah very pricy indeed. Just stick to your unrefined oily wax and nonsense application processes then.

[@borangle8585]

@@ronykuba I’m glad you think that ramble by ZFC has any merit, it’s so poorly articulated never mind the technical garbage, he actually sells MSW - but that’s ok he’s ‘fiercely independent’ haha. He, unlike Ozcycle hasn’t even tested this combination despite forming an opinion - very engineering indeed. You wouldn’t know engineering if it hit you in the face.

[@ronykuba]

@@borangle8585 I have an engineering degree, thank you very much. He's applying the same business model as I do - sell what you are comfortable with using yourself, so I can relate. But yeah, feel free to have your brain washed by morons like oz.

[@rorysimpson6050]

Until these comments are backed up by a bit of metrology, aka measuring wear/stretch under controlled conditions, for a given chain type and lubricant, its all just speculation and smoke/mirrors ; which is precisely how the chain wax manufacturers sell us the products. Interesting that the real alternative - making your own wax+Teflon bath - is so studiously ignored. This is a subject where the dozens of these vacuous « Hi Guys » videos have not advanced the science one iota.

[@ronykuba]

Ever heard of ZFC or Friction Facts?

[@selladore]

smoove is where it's at

[@ronykuba]

*where it was at