Most efficient chain wax in the world !

[@ralfhenning-venske6764]

Proud to confirm these numbers (e.g. 45.000km (43.000k for my) waxed Cassette and 15.000km (12.000k for my) waxed chain). I stick with Oz Cycle since early stage of candle wax with petroleum times around 2018.This approach to give HUGE contribution to the world wide cycling community is awesome. The pure attitude to bring us these detailed information of how to do chain wax WITHOUT any commercial interests is very rare these days. It must be - sorry it is: PASSION! Thanks a lot! Best regards, Ralf Venske (Biker) GERMANY. YES.

[@stevenleffanue]

Nice to hear your experience Ralf. You have obviously seen how chain waxing has become popular since 2018. Cheers...Steven

[@ralfhenning-venske6764]

​@@stevenleffanue yes, sure. I see you as the "father" for modern cycling waxing without expensive effort, but passion. Time by time the mixture getting better and better (see the last improvement while ratio of PTFE has been change from 1:10 to 1:20). At least - I was wondering the last appr. 6 years that a good guy from Australia recommended me, home town Hagen (Germany) a chain (Connex Wippermann) produced in Hagen-Delstern, where Wippermann is located since decades. Funny and a clue that our world wide cycling community works great.

[@1vilius]

since the first OZ video about chain waxing, I tried it and can confirm it works better than I expected. I've been using one chain for the third season and I'm so bored with it that I want something new, but I can't change it because I measure it and it's still like new.😂 

[@1vilius]

Isn't it great how a selfless bicycle enthusiast from Australia shared good experience and knowledge with a bicycle fan from distant Lithuania, whose chain has always been heavy, long-lasting, quiet, easy to clean, and costs practically nothing. Best wishes and thanks for sharing 👌

[@1vilius]

I have also been using connex wiperman products for a year now!@@ralfhenning-venske6764

[@johnvanarnold1222]

I have followed your channel for about 4 ½ years. I'm a chemist/ biochemist by training. Started back when you said candle wax worked ok with PTFE at 1:10 ratio (1.6µM particle size ). I run 2 chains, rotate after 300 to 400 km traveled. I'm still using the original wax mixture after some 40+ dippings. Each chain has ~8,500km and well under 0.5% wear. Chain rings and cassett have traveled ~17,000km. Have optimize the temperature melting temperatures. Raise solid wax temperature up to 80 to 85°C, dropping the chain in and agitating gently to observe the displacement of air by the formation of bubbles on the liquid wax surface. Letting the mixture cool to just below 70°C, remove chain and let drain. Very little of the wax chips off as you're getting it ready to ride or during your rides. Flexing the chain links while the wax is still warm makes it very easy to hand move all the links and once again avoid flaking. (zen and art of home chain waxing ). For a while I cleaned chain between waxing with boiling water, but Zero Friction youTube channel revealed this is not necessary if riding conditions are dry on tarmac or asphalt. Which brings me to the environmental aspect of using Teflon. Kudos on reducing PTFE ( PTFE teflon , PFAS polyfluoalkyl substance ) in your waxing mixture. Teflon is a miraculous material. It is use to replace hips, biologically inert and extremely safe for long term exposure. Also great where low friction, durability, are factor also fire resistant. Problem is when it's done and finished. It's horrible in the environment Think freon over the Antartica depleting ozone, asbestos and lungs, lead (Pb) and brains. It literally breaks down into the individual molecules, and there' are no bacteria or fungus that can break it down further. The stuff goes right through cell membranes. It's water fearing or hydrophobic and water loving (hydrophilic)like soap and it dissolved into fats, and just like DTT. It is in the air, land and water every where we looked (Antartica , Himalayas ) Where I live , it is at lower concentration than down east at Camp Lejuene NC. It has actually worked into the water supply, the air and land. The military used PFAS foaming compounds to practice putting out jet fuel fires. Textile industry, which put the PFAS onto fabric to prevent it from staining or making water repellent (ie Gore-Tex ). Also used to coat food packaging, which comes in contact with your food, and you can bet that some transfers in to the food you you eat. It's everywhere in eastern North Carolina. The groundwater is now so badly contaminated that it's not safe to drink. At this time no obvious way reasonably inexpensive way to clean it up for drinking. It's causing cancer in children and adults who live at Camp Lejuene NC NOW. US Department of Defense released report this 31 January 2024 about the extent of exposures and fall out . I would just suggest that you add in your next video that people dispose of their finished wax , chains, chain rings and cassettes carefully. wrap them up . Safe disposal and not introducing more into environment is the safest action. Anything that will prevent more PFAS/PTFE from leaching into environment is good thing. Thanks for your channel.

[@stevenleffanue]

PTFE makes the best chain lube additive .As you say its not good uncontrolled. At this point in time people have the choice to use ptfe or some other additive in their chain waxing. If and when it is banned or stopped production it will be history as the best lubricant. Thanx for your experience.

[@woutervanderdoes5163]

​@@stevenleffanueI would argue that people have the choice NOT to use PTFE as a chain wax additive. Instead of polluting the places you like to ride in, you can just not use it. Why wait for a slow government to finally take action, when you yourself can make difference.

[@Leo-ii8nb]

PTFE is inert and persistent. There are many other PFAS that are indeed toxic, but PTFE isn't part of it. Just through a quick google search, I found many sources stating PTFE is safe to digest. That was mainly stated talking about non-stick pans. As you know, it takes a lot of energy to break the C-F bound and unless you use radiation or high heat it won't break down. There are some good points, but those toxins don't have anything to do with PTFE. Lead, asbestos and DTT are indeed really toxic but nothing compared to PTFE. And even if it gets disposed by burning it in a factory won't make a bigger difference to emissions from burning other plastics. Adding some disclaimer to the use of all the organic solvents for chain cleaning and those disposals would be far more valid. Assuming the PTFE decreases the need for rewaxing your chain and lengthening the lifespan compared to vanilla parafin wax, it could actually be better for the environment.

[@DonziGT230]

Do you know how well this would translate to motorcycle use? There's obviously more power and speed involved, but the chain is substantially larger so the pressures exerted might be somewhat similar.

[@pierrex3226]

@@DonziGT230 Head over to Zero Friction Cycling to ask. The guy running the tests is legit, in fact he is the authority when it comes to comparing bike lubes. He will have an answer for you (idk myself). OZ Cycle was sent to prison for torturing and killing a dog, and what he does is super helpful, but not scientific.

[@richardggeorge]

PTFE is totally unnecessary and terrible for environment. With my 9 and 10 spd bikes i can get 300-400km between rewaxing with pure paraffin wax (starts to get noisy). I can also get 10,000-15,000 km out of chain (0.75 wear with park tool chain checker)

[@mad4461]

Exactly, PTFE is a horrible forever chemical; I suggest people google it, it shouldn't be sold imo.

[@Honir4]

are u sure about that?

[@makantahi3731]

the chain on my wife's bicycle can withstand 15,000 km, and the same chain on my bicycle 6,000 km, and they are maintained the same way, how, why😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@LLF1234]

@@makantahi3731 You could try changing bikes for some time and see if the wear happens on her bike. If so, it's probably weight-related. Are you heavy? Or you have a hella pair of legs, very powerful while she doesn't.

[@makantahi3731]

@@LLF1234 thanks. my comment was aimed at the main comment that on clean wax the chain can last 300km between waxings or 15000km in total. I am a former cyclist (champion...) and after 30 years of retirement I can still produce 500w for a few seconds, or at least 300w for longer, I weigh 82kg, while my wife weighs 52kg and I doubt she can produce more than 250w at a few seconds or over 150w continuously. how long the chain will last with the same (good) maintenance depends on how much it is mistreated with great forces.(for same chain quality)

[@NoKoolaidFourMe]

Converted to this system. Rotating multiple chains. Using the "liquid" wax between hot dips. Love it. The chain prep to remove ALL oils is key.

[@s1ngularityxd64]

Thanks so much, cant even imagine how much money I saved waxing the chain the last 100tkm

[@laneromel5667]

I personally found that molybdenum disulfide is far superior to PTFE, easily get over a 1000Km before rewaxing. As a perk, far safer on the environment without all the horrific production pollution of PTFE.

[@albr4]

WS2 is better than MOS2 though, google the differences between the two, WS2 has slightly lower friction and has better corrosion resistance.

[@goepfert1992]

What ratio do you use?

[@prestachuck2867]

PTFE is one of the most toxic substances, and it’s a forever chemical. Nasty stuff. I wish it would be banned worldwide. So you use it a chain. Then the chain wears out, and ends up in the landfill…along with the PTFE, which then enters the water table. NOT COOL.

[@laneromel5667]

About 1 heaping table spoon of MoS2 per. That is an ordinary spoon, not a measuring spoon. 250g@@goepfert1992

[@laneromel5667]

In certain high temp situations, WS2 is better, but in a bicycle they are effectively the same. Unless of course you ride in 200C temps or higher.@@albr4

[@FuchsHorst]

PTFE super toxic. 👎

[@stevenleffanue]

Working on it. Meantime you can use other additives if you wish , results may be different tho.

[@gregboyd5815]

Kudos for highlighting chain waxing to the community a boon for a clean drivechain As others have mentioned PTFE and its production parent PFAS have known environmental issues/problems - just do a Google search. Many countries are now either in process of banning PTFE/PFAS or have banned. Interestingly, some years back, other commercial chain wax products moved away from PTFE. Just saying

[@stevenleffanue]

Meantime, we all eat from our non-stick frypans. Hopefully there will be a major change soon...keeping an ear to the ground

[@gregboyd5815]

Agreed re non-stick cookware, interestingly a bunch of non-stick cookware has moved to removal of PFOA and PTFE. Likewise, an alternative move toward ceramic non-stick coatings away from PFOA and PTFE. As you say worthwhile to keep an ear to the ground.

[@pierrex3226]

@@stevenleffanue Given that there are alternatives that aren't harmful, shouldn't we use alternatives? Which is what all bike wax sellers have been doing.

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes. Next wax video includes alternatives....approximately same ratios with paraffin wax

[@mattfoley6082]

My bike has 3x7 gearing so chains and cassettes are much cheaper to replace (chain $10 U.S., 7 speed cassette under $25). I've recently switched to wax only, no additives because PTFE is bad for environment. Tip for extending life of chainring: when it is worn (chain skipping) you can remove and rotate the chainring 90 degrees relative to pedals then reattach. This will let you use the relatively unworn teeth that weren't used much during the power portion of your pedaling stroke. Or you can just flip the chainring around 180 degrees so the chain contacts the opposite side of the teeth. These may or may not work depending on how your chainring attaches.

[@meibing4912]

3x7 was really a great combo. Pity weight and constant adjustments made it obsolete.

[@mattfoley6082]

@@meibing4912 Yes! Also, 7 speed requires less dish on rear wheel, a plus for heavy riders (I'm 210 pounds) who break spokes. Also, fewer speeds means the gears and chain are wider/thicker which presumably slows wear. My only complaint is I don't like the large jumps between gears. I would prefer a custom cassette with 28-24-21--19-18-17-16. I'm 62 years old and don't need high gears for speeds over 22 mph or so.

[@dizhamrl4386]

hey i just doing wax and beginners in waxing chain, is it okay just use parrafin and oil setup to waxing ur chain? and after cycling under normal rain is it must to immediately rewaxing ? and can i use wax that i cook for the first time for waxing?

[@mattfoley6082]

@@dizhamrl4386 Sorry, I don't know the answers to your questions.

[@meibing4912]

@@dizhamrl4386 you cannot mix oil and wax at all. Zero oil if you wax. Wiping down chain down immediately after rain is usually enough. I also wipe with mineral spirits to get the last moisture off. If you have been riding in heavy rain for a long time you should either rewax or top up with Silca top up wax or make your own top up vax.

[@bbak01]

I'm interested to see how paraffin with ptfe copares with the branded chain wax Silca. Cheers

[@mikecardwell6497]

I switched to your method of waxing 3 years ago now , you have saved me hundreds of of dollars . Thank you for all your research and time putting in all the work . And at no charge to me wow free good information . Your awesome

[@erhan6095]

I bought Molten Speedwax because my ptfe powder order from China was rejected by customs because it was considered a banned material. I'm waiting the end of the winter to start the waxing. Thank you for sharing detailed informations.

[@galenkehler]

That's good, shouldn't be throwing Teflon power into the environment

[@dextertech6570]

What country banned PTFE?

[@qinshandai5587]

@@dextertech6570most of eu countries

[@danieletognozzi7641]

Just as a reference, I switched from PTFE to micronized graphite (10my) as an additive, mostly because PTFE is environmentally extremely harmful, and I feel like my chain is much happier than before. Maybe I just cleaned the new chain more in depth than I did with the PTFE one, but I just spent a week riding through Australia with 600km of riding, of which at least 150 in the pouring rain, and I made it to the end without the typical squeaking noise I would get after about 250k on the PTFE chain.

[@danieletognozzi7641]

Anyway this technique works perfectly. Thanks OZ for all the precious videos!

[@danieletognozzi7641]

And also, I don´t get dirty by touching the chain... Let´s see how long the chain will go for, but I am happy with it.

[@larsandersen5505]

Interesting! Have been using ptfe for years now. Where do you buy the graphite (10my) from?

[@tomaszmilewicz6570]

How much graphite do you add to wax?

[@danieletognozzi7641]

@@tomaszmilewicz6570 about 100ml to 1,5kg of wax. It gets pretty black of course, but it does not get my hands dirty at all. And it´s basically pure carbon! As environmentally friendly as it gets, and probably on the long run better for your own health as well.

[@TnFruit]

To all people out there watching this video! We all know that PTFE is really bad for the environment, so don't use this stuff! Many of the major companies have stopped using this S**** in their products. So you should stop using it, too. Maybe this guy lives in 2008, but the rest of us still moving forward. Best wishes to all of you.

[@awanowski1]

thanks for your inspiration, just prepared the new bike of my wife with a waxing setup, she will ride only on dry weather. Girls love clean bike 😅. And my traveler with new SRAM mullet setup will be also equipped with a waxed chain. Don’t forget to show your tip with a waxing bottle with mixed wax/alcohol for longer events. I just thinking about to take a spare chain or a waxing bottle for my longer 1000km ultra races this year 👍

[@Fosgen]

I have found out best way to prep new chain is: Batch 1: Clean chain with paper towel from extra oil. Melt pure paraffin, low oil content, candles without smell, melt and leave oiled chain in it for 3 to 4 hours, shake chain every 30 minutes, keep it warm all time, molten. After 4 hours take chain off, let wax drip off, make sure batch 2 a this point is ready, dip chain into batch 2. Batch 2: As above + 5g 1.6micron PTFE, keep it low oil content, lock oil in first batch. 30 minutes and few shakes are enough, take out when mix starts skinning, neary no wax will drop off from chain, quickly wipe it with clean rug and you can mount to bike.

[@andrewhosmer]

Hi, I'm new here but isn't PTFE considered a "Forever Chemical " and bad ?

[@Tntdruid]

Still using my Shimano XTR chain after 20k km using squirt lube and using ultrasonic cleaner 👍

[@mohamedmonem2645]

Great video, i want to add that i usually do drip lube wax and it goes for as far as 400km before it need re-waxing, that's more than enough for me, anyway both PTFE and normal wax are better than normal oil

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

"Within the EU, five member states (Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway) are working on a restriction that aims to ban the use of all PFAS, about 5,000 substances, except for “essential uses”. The definition of PFAS used in this restriction includes fluoropolymers, such as PTFE."

[@georgec2894]

Is Norway a member of the EU then? 😅

[@mariosergiodemarchi3238]

EXACTLY! So I'm not alone asking people not to use this "Forever Chemical". Not only it doesn't react with other chemicals (does not degrade), it causes CANCER! PTFE is the Devil's spit!

[@mariosergiodemarchi3238]

@@georgec2894 He meant EEA! And EVERY country, Eupean or not, should restrict PTFE (AKA The Devil´s spit).

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

@@georgec2894 I quoted from an article without proofreading what they said! 😱 As Mario said, they should have written EEA. Anyway, the point is the safety of PTFE is becoming more and more dubious each day and I am not a big fan of advocating its use in chain waxing. There are other chain wax chemistries that provide enough performance to satisfy the cycling public.

[@firmbutton6485]

Bloody eu, they will ban coffee next! Anyone would think it was a carcinogen!…

[@AirwolfCrazy]

When I returned to cycling I found yor long video about cleaning and waxing a chain. I also found the videos about using different lubrication for dey day, wet days, summer, and winter. That was too much. I felt the waxing would be a good all around use material so I gave it a try. I have never looked back! Easy to take care of. Easy to clean up. Easy to re-apply. Thanks for this close look at the links and the update to the ratios.

[@stephenshoobert5930]

I’ve just started using this on my two bikes. One an Ebike and one a hard tail trail bike. The trail bike has a brand new chain and the Ebike is already stretched. I’m monitoring my mileage so will be interesting to see if this works

[@kalousr96]

I'm really happy that I found your channel. Straightforward, no BS, quality of the information - all on top level. Thank you!

[@Sorgalimluar]

Nice video giving some details/visuals about what is happening at the micro level. Been waxing since I saw your videos years ago and initially found it a bit much but with time you come into the ease of getting it done, realize some great tips about getting several chains to cycle through, and using instant pot pressure cooker for waxing; much bigger footprint even though the wife gives me side eye every time I use it 😀...Several friends have changed their chain rings in that time while still making fun of me "that's an ol' mans gimmick". Well after putting some up front money on extra chains, wax (cheap) everything has worked out for me. The biggest plus is the only I save on soap to clean off the chain tattoos everyone else still get 😛

[@endtimeslips4660]

i try many chain PYC KMC ENLEE TOPREE SHIMANO SRAM. the best durable Chain is Dura ace Shimano and KMC X, the worst is enlee and topree, the middle PYC SRAM.

[@RichardsWorld]

Excellent information. But how about using multiple sizes of PTFE? Perhaps blend in a little bit of smaller and bigger particles to your 1.6 micron.

[@stevenleffanue]

Would probably work well but means buying packets of different sizes. Good suggestion tho 👌

[@cunger29]

hey nice videos and explanations you do - if you're looking for a wire that you can make the chain hanger from, look no further than the spokes in your drawer…

[@pierrex3226]

Or a shitty hanger. I have many more spare hangers than spokes :)

[@romant1127]

Just wanted to leave a thank you comment for properly testing and adjusting your waxing method over the years. I've just switched from chain oil to wax and happily testing the results. I've added a bit of neutral oil and beeswax to the wax mix to make it a bit softer when it dries, to decrease flaking and increase adhesion. The second best part of wax is that you don't need solvents to clean the chain! It was such a pain to let the chain soak, clean it with a toothbrush, rinse it off with fresh solvent once again, etc. Not to mention how *everything* was covered in dirty residue afterwards. Now it's perfectly painless, cheap and fast. Now I only need to make some instant wax for when I'm bike touring and I'll be good to go XD

[@qinshandai5587]

Although ptfe is efficient. I would never use it. It’s harmful for the nature. Especially as we are outdoor cyclist, we should care about the environment

[@dsp4392]

This is such excellent, data-backed content. I cannot overstate how much I appreciate your work here. Plus using hard evidence to prove that the commodity product performs as well (or at least nearly as well) as the expensive, marketed-to-death one (*ahem* Silca), is absolutely commendable. In this case it makes the practice of chain waxing more viable long term (and more accessible) as nobody's dependent on some brand to keep making a product with a proprietary formulation.

[@grott3n0lm]

Thx for the video! Had mixed results with graphite-wax on my e-mtb. Thought graphite would be better for the environment and was easy obtainable. But if PTFE lasts that longer, it might be the better option. I got about 1000km till i hit the 0.5% mark. With oiled chains i didn't note down the mileage, but i think it was about 500-700km per chain. Now i got hope, i could reach noticeable improvements with PTFE. Reaching 1,4-2x the mileage is in my opinion not really worth the hassle. But i'm eager to try PTFE. Have allready ordered it.

[@christophertan3195]

ptfe is really bad

[@ghidfg]

can anyone share a vendor that sells WS2? I cant find anywhere that doesn't require you buy $60 worth. looking for a small amount for about $20..

[@NikolaCruss]

Amazing! I just got new chains (3 for road bike and 3 for Gravel Bike) and will start proper care. Thank you for amazing instructions! Will be doing a Mud Race in the spring, on my gravel bike, 75km. Could you please advise whether is Waxed chain still better option then wet lubed and what is the best way to prepare it for such a condition? Thank you so much for great help!

[@albr4]

So why don't you mix them together like most wax producers do? Molten speedwax use WS2 and MoS2, frictionfacts recipe uses MoS2 + paraffin. Personally I use WS2 + PTFE as I believe that WS2 is better than MoS2.

[@stevenleffanue]

Haven't tried mixing multiple additives yet. Will be trying that in future

[@makantahi3731]

12:16 it seems that all additives except Teflon make no sense, because even my shimano hg70 chain, which lasted 1000 km on oil, lasts over 6000 km on ordinary wax without additives

[@MobileBicycleRepair505]

Thank you for sharing your research and formulas 🎉

[@stephanseifert]

Thank you so much for your contents. A valuable contributtion to all bike lovers. The world needs more people like you. Thank you!

[@dakalla]

Very interesting to see wear under a microscope. I'm riding MSW Wax new formula on a dura ace 11s chain since 10000km. My wearchecker says 0,35 so still plenty of life left till 0,5-0,6. I ride in rain and salty winter roads too, after that it always gets rewaxed. Otherwise I rewax around 150-200km, sometimes a bit more, without the chain sounding really dry. So I'm happy with it, seems to work very well too. I need around half of a msw puck /year, but didn't weigh it exactly. So it takes a while, but if its gone i will try a ptfe wax. Against most advice i don't let it cool down a lot. Just heat the wax till 90°C, wiggle the chain, let it rest for 5min and take it out, let it dry. That way there is not so much wax on the outside that flakes off.

[@negruvalea]

What a great channel❤ Thank you for sharing your fantastic knowledge and experience 🫡🙏🏻❤

[@codystubbs292]

You are a bike wizard!

[@makantahi3731]

you finally admitted that a chain treated only with wax should repeat the process every 100km. You didn't claim that in the old video where you explained how to make chain wax from candle wax and paraffin oil.

[@christophejournoud2773]

Hi from France, Very interesting video. I have done yesterday my first try to waxing chain, with graphite. I have read that graphite is good in presence of water.

[@sportdad32]

Thank you very much!

[@raresdragan4610]

Thank you for the effort you have put into the wax project. I shifted to wax years back thanks to your channel and I am not looking back. I was looking for alternative to oil as I never liked the idea of it, how quick it gets dirty and how dirty you get just from looking at it. I still do candle wax + PTFE as good wax is hard to get in small quantities, but it works perfect.

[@Fosgen]

Thank you for getting me into waxing chains, its brilliant!

[@iknowgood2403]

Happy New Year, mate

[@JohnnyB43]

Amazing work Oz. Thanks so much. But unfortunately if you live somewhere where it rains, and you cycle for getting around from A to B, not for weekend outings, then the whole concept of waxing your chain is just not practical at all 😢. Or is it? Maybe you could do a video on that? But I think the answer is pretty much no, it is not practical. Cheers! JB

[@stevenleffanue]

Wax is waterproof so it's ideal for wet conditions. However after the ride the chain will require a quick wipe before storing the bike.

[@MichaelBischoff-hd7mu]

A chinese scientist in the USA added Silica to PTFE and achieved a further reduction in abrehasion of 40-60% on stinless steel. Does anybody ever added Silica to the PTFE chain wax mixture ?

[@stevenleffanue]

Can you provide link to the proof?

[@BrianMered]

A true believer......"Once you try it, you'll never look back'! Thank you for the service you provide to the cycling communities worldwide.

[@stevenleffanue]

You just made my day. Cheers 🍻

[@svgs650r]

20:1/100:1 weight or volume?

[@stevenleffanue]

Weight

[@mircozelle]

mass

[@stanisawzielinski9888]

@@mircozelle20g parafin 1g ptfe ?

[@makantahi3731]

@@mircozelle weight, because you cannot simply measure the mass, but you can measure the weight. substances of different density of the same weight have different mass due to the hydrostatic buoyancy of air

[@steveindorset]

Mr Steve Ozcycle you need to be careful! As the manufacturers of chainsets & chain lubes may send someone round to “have a word!” 😂 As these excellent vids of yours must be killing their profits?? Though the makers of rice cookers and PTFE must be really happy with you as their profits must’ve soared!! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and information with us. We all really appreciate it. All the cyclists over here are becoming aware of the benefits of PTFE waxing. Great Blessings to you from Dorset, England. 🙏😎👍🏻

[@stevenleffanue]

Nice to hear your experience. Hi to all your cycling buddies 🖐

[@paulfowler308]

Great video as usual. thanks

[@StayInTheWord]

Love your channel. ❤Yesterday I made my 1st bottle of liquid wax using naphtha and following your instructions. WOW was that a lot of work. I think I’ll just scoop out 1/3 of a bottle of liquid wax from my crock pot the next time I need a bottle of liquid wax verses shaving candles and mixing it with naphtha, which seem to take forever. Thanks again for helping out this “rookie” rider improve my cycling while maintaining my bike. Cheers

[@renestach]

Thank you for sharing your valuable experience and the recipes for this great homemade wax. Your waxing videos are really special with all the long-term experience and the details you put into them. Especially in times when others praise and present more products than I can use, a DIY recipe with simple yet effective ingredients is rare and all the more valuable. For the first time I have now prepared two chains using your instructions and am now looking forward to the coming season. I can hardly wait. Thank you so much.

[@mattfoley6082]

Have you done any studies of bike chain materials? Wide range of prices for chains would seem to indicate different metals are used and therefore different wear rates.

[@enrico8655]

High Quality Content thanks for sharing ❤

[@YashpalJangra-n7e]

I have switched to Candle wax 2 weeks ago and so far very happy with the result. Can we use micro crystalline wax instead of paraffin wax as it is supposed to be more elastic, sticks better and less brittle but slightly more viscous?

[@stevenleffanue]

Should be good, yes.

[@sueplummer-x4k]

I will only use wax and ptf powder now thanks to oz cycle

[@MrGarycoww]

Love your work chap😎

[@makantahi3731]

15:24 you chose the wrong tooth, this one is the same shape even when it is not worn

[@renohk]

So, sorry if I missed that part, but how long do you recommend between waxing your chain? And, what do you do regarding powerlink/chain connectors? Manufacturers do not recommend reusing them as far as I'm informed.?

[@stevenleffanue]

Rewax every 300km. Use Connex link , they last the life of the chain.

[@neilhillier7470]

Many years ago I came across a forum post by a mechanical engineer explaining that the pressures experienced by a chain are extreme point pressures, very similar to manual gearbox gears meshing. Being an engineer myself that made perfect sense so I experimented with a 50:50 ratio of parafin wax with Hypoid EP gear oil (I use the highest viscosity available) for the (clean) chain bath. Gently heat the wax and gear oil, submerge the clean chain and leave to cool. Once solidified, remove excess wax from the outside of the chain and refit on bike. Periodically apply gear oil with a toothbrush to alleviate rust. It's not the cleanest solution but it works incredibly well! I don't have the facility to scientifically test it so it would be amazing if you'd be able to compare this method with the others. Cheers!

[@stevenleffanue]

Thanx for your input with oil. Unfortunately, oil attracts dirt, which can eventually make its way inside the chains workings and cause abrasion. That's the main reason additives to chain waxes are usually dry powders.

[@valmorell]

Really enjoyed this instructional video. No bullsh*t about fractions of watts faster, just so about drive train life, which matters much more to 99% of us. I do have trouble getting the PTFE to mix though as it floats...

[@stevenleffanue]

If you put your chain in and swish it the ptfe should mix in well.

[@rushiestube]

Steve, where is the best place to buy connex chains if based in Oz?

[@stevenleffanue]

Badger wax

[@donavonlewis1039]

Amazing work as always!! THANK YOU!!!

[@colbyau2645]

20:1 initial ratio, then re-wax at 100:1 - does this ratio apply irrespective of how thoroughly you clean the chain? Or is the assumption to re-wax once the chain is cleaned only using the hot water method? Great info, data collection/analysis. We appreciate you blazing this trail for the home brew chain wax crew.

[@stevenleffanue]

1st batch you make with 20:1 lasts 2,000-3,000km. Next batch and all following is 100:1 . Rewax is with hot water only , yes.

[@zzhunt3254]

what does chain wear mean? 0.5 or 0.75? Did you use the chain 15000 km until the wear of 0.5?

[@stevenleffanue]

It's the percentage of a chains length....so .5% longer than when brand new. So it took 15,000km for the chain to reach .5% longer than when brand new.

[@FGIRAFFE]

You tought me all about chain waxing in previous videos. I followed your adivces and I am amazed how good it works although I have to rewax evey 150km. Probably my ptfe powder is not fine enough. Anyway a big thanks to you. That changed a very big part of my cycling life. I am awed by your microscope pictures. Thank you so much!

[@farith911]

How long last an 11 speed MTB chain waxed with your formula?

[@stevenleffanue]

Depending on conditions ridden and brand of chain. Approximately 8,000 - 10,000km

[@richardbeare8668]

Great down to earth simple advice. My PTFE arrived today so I'm waxing tonight.

[@GHinWI]

I’d suggest to be careful not to breathe in the dust

[@csabatoth2320]

PTFE powder is not available where I live. Can I use PTFE spray instead ?

[@stevenleffanue]

You can certainly try it. Ptfe is available from Aliexpress

[@petermadach]

I really think you should stop advocating the usage of PTFE in this application and look for greener alternatives.

[@stevenleffanue]

There are many alternatives. PTFE so happens to be the lowest friction additive, albeit not environmentally friendly.

[@bosross6992]

I have watched your waxing tutorials but Can i still wax a used chain? It's a bit rusty, so are there any other steps i should do before waxing?

[@stevenleffanue]

Measure to see if the wear is less than .5% . Remove rust as best you can.

[@petecresswell932]

How are the 100:1 and 20:1 ratios measured? By volume or by weight?

[@stevenleffanue]

Volume

[@WaRn00b85]

Do you have any metrics for 12 speed (1x) MTB setups? Would this process/formula work just as well (considering our chains get hammered by dust/mud/water/etc.)? Also, what is the cleaning process/interval? E.g. Rinse the chain with water, allow to dry & dust off with a dry brush, etc?

[@jugo859]

same question here

[@stevenleffanue]

Exactly the same as with road. If riding in wet conditions, wipe chain dry with microfibre cloth before storing the bike or rewax the chain if required.

[@tonybaker5627]

Has anyone run a powerful magnet through there molten wax after re-waxing a chain? Where does all those metallic particles that adhere to the magnet come from? If left in the wax for next time are you not just adding this metallic grinding paste back onto your chain

[@makantahi3731]

how will you remove the silicon crystals from the wax

[@philipduffy6734]

I've been trying in the UK to get to the bottom of this Naphtha it looks to me as if I can use it as the final degreaser as well has the carrier before waxing the chain, Does anyone agree with me?

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes, a solvent can also be the carrier.

[@hilltopper600]

best video ever

[@Star-dr7qs]

chain wax King!

[@garrycox9089]

WBR PTFE and WS2 Tungsten Disulphide,Ive had between 600k and 1000k from a wax after adding Tungsten Disulphide

[@jakemartin8949]

Hi Garry what percentage percentage of wax to PTFE to tungsten disulfide is your mix? I’ve been thinking about doing the tungsten disulfide also but I wasn’t sure what percentage or grams to add to the mix. Thx Jake

[@garrycox9089]

@@jakemartin8949 Tungsten Disulphide WS2 - 15g Blend (5g 85nm + 10g 600nm)

[@drago7052]

@@jakemartin8949did you find the solution in the meanwhile?

[@thorsten1243]

I saw your video's and started waxing my chains with paraffin and PTFE. I'm very interested how the chains will hold up. Thank you for the great content. I also experienced a broken chain link exactly how you explained it. Even if I do not crosschain normally. It was a KMC 11s chain. I like the Shimano chains more.

[@neta1538]

Great!! Thank you!

[@sueplummer-x4k]

Nice man

[@philoso377]

Each time I tune in I leave with something new. Thanks. OK let’s discuss about what gram quantity of PTFE do we use per chain? So we don’t waste money on it unused. Your advice?

[@simoncossettini9680]

You do realise that ptfe / teflon is toxic - the teflon poisoning of people on the production line and environmental disaster of polluting the waterways of delaware in the USA was subject of the movie "Dark Waters" ... Your research and finding that ptfe is highly resistant to abrasion and near indestructible is inline with what I would expect. Happy to see new reduced ptfe use formula but handle with care all the same.

[@WillyR659]

Dude!!!! Are you still talking about chains ? Holy crap, you must be the pre-eminent expert on the subject. There’s other parts of the bicycle you know. Unbelievable

[@stevenleffanue]

Yep. Just trying to get the message out there

[@WillyR659]

@@stevenleffanue don’t take me too seriously. Just kidding with you. Wish you the best

[@sumguysr]

Have you tested parafin with silicone oil? That combination is superhydrophobic.

[@stevenleffanue]

Sounds like a good idea but doesn't silicone oil attract dirt?

[@sumguysr]

@@stevenleffanue If you melt it together in a small proportion you should just get a slightly softer wax. You can search google scholar for "parafin pdms superhydrophobic" for a number of papers on the combination.

[@emooooooo2036]

What am I doing wrong!? I live in the UK, ride in all conditions. I follow this process pretty much to the letter and even re-wax after any wet ride by cleaning in hot water and then wax in my pot. I re-wax every chain at around 200k if it’s stayed dry, this is all road riding as well. No matter what I do and what chain brand I use (KMC, Shimano or Wipperman) they always seem to hit 50% worn before 3000km. I’ve never got anywhere near the figures that are typically suggest. I’ve also done similar with Silca wax and got similar results. The only benefit I seem to get is just the cleanliness but at a cost of waxing most weeks and all the faff that goes with it. I’ve been through 7+ chains and over 20000km of riding on waxed chains so this isn’t like I’ve had a quick stab at this. Any suggestions?

[@stevenleffanue]

Could be any number of things. Is the wax getting into the links? Have you tried Connex SX chain?

[@SimonHBS]

I think the main difference is Australian vs. UK weather. Especially cold and salt. I used OZ's method in Denmark, where the weather is very comparable to the UK, and I needed to completely strip the chain for every rewax, which would be after about 150 km. (Petrol 12 hours, then degreaser 30 min, then isopropyl alcohol for some seconds with shaking for each step). I also needed to mix the wax with parafin oil to make it stick and not be too noisy. I stayed away from PTFE powder as my conscience could not bear that. I now use drip on wax instead and find it to be easier in practise, especially since I don't have a power source in the garage. Squirt and Effetto Mariposa Flower Power have no PTFE. I have three chains for one bike which i circulate so that a clean and lubed one is always ready after cleaning the bike. I still clean the chain in petrol+degreaser+isopropyl alcohol, however I might switch to only degreaser in summer time.

[@emooooooo2036]

Thanks both for the advice. I only use the wipperman sx chains, mainly because of the quick link. I do leave. The chains in the melted wax, in a slow cooker for well over an hour so the wax should certainly be all the way through. I also take the chain out as close to cold as possible so that there is as much left inside as possible (I dont know if I actually need to do that). I certainly haven’t changed my wax mixture and it’s now looking grey so maybe I should start again and follow the more updated method. For me personally using this home brew or Silca wax I typically see the same results in lifespan of chains. I have also tried adding an amount of paraffin into another pot for winter conditions but that didnt seem to stay on the chain even one ride. I guess, start again with fresh stuff and try the new method and see what happens! Thanks

[@SimonHBS]

@@emooooooo2036 I forgot to say that the initial preparation before the first wax is really important (petrol 12 hours, degreaser 30min, shake, then isopropyl alcohol, and it must be clear, otherwise start over). Also preparing the rest of the drivetrain to make sure it's completely clean. I use citrus degreaser with a small brush first and then “gear floss”, especially for the cassette and pulley wheels. It needs to be done regularly, too, as oil can make it from the road grime up onto your bike. If your wax is getting gray, there certainly is some contamination. One thing you can do for your next batch is have a sieve inside the melting pot to keep the chain off the bottom. The dirt will usually collect at the bottom, thus making it less likely to go into your chain. Good luck! 👍🏻

[@ABHI-dl4dc]

​​@@SimonHBSi also did a good cleaning as you suggested for my 1st waxing and the parafin wax i used is still clean pure white visually so i guess I cleaned it right but i prefer using a new chain that will save. More time less cleaning i am not mixing any other additives but using squirt drip lube , as in my country only silca brand wax is available and its cost around 3000INR+18% taxes pretty expensive for only 500gm also Indian weather in the capital is mostly dry in winter and in summer so only the dirt here is the culprit and i hate riding in rain and on wet roads so i am gonna rewax on next 1000km in bw gonna top up the wax, wax main enemy is moisture and here it's already less good thing for me :⁠-⁠P

[@MrAnon-2024]

Another very informative video, thanks for sharing. I’m looking to use your recipe for homemade wax and noted you suggest using naphtha as the carrier. What are your thoughts on substituting naphtha with IPA (ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 99.9% purity)? Would that be as effective as a carrier? Thanks 👍

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes , IPA works well but you will need to heat IPA and wax up gently to melt point of the wax , 60 - 70degC. Once wax is liquid shake the bottle and it becomes a mixture

[@MrAnon-2024]

@@stevenleffanue brilliant. thank you for the reply and advice. Ordered some IPA yesterday and just ordered some paraffin wax and PTFE. I’ve been using Molten Speed wax for the last few months but it’s costly compared to this DIY option. Thanks again for your help 👍

[@stevenleffanue]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6Dcf4tsYqh2g9ksi=79d8gxLMA4p7kd3v

[@MrAnon-2024]

@@stevenleffanue thank you for that link, missed that video 😉 Exactly what I’m after 👍

[@gilmar-ac3247]

Great !!!

[@makantahi3731]

12:18 my chain shimano hg70 life on pure wax is 6000km on my bike and additional 2-3000km on my wifes bike , what is 6-9 times on oil, my rewax interval is 100km or before, so it seams that your rewax intervals of 300km for WS2, MOS2 and Graphite are too long , reduce it on half and must be some gain in chain life

[@stevenleffanue]

For PTFE, rewax should be 300km. For WS2 and MOS2 it will depend on what ratio you are using as those additives come off the chain easier.

[@makantahi3731]

@@stevenleffanue for some general conditions, it is unusual that anti-friction additives give a shorter chain life than wax without these additives, but over a period of 100 km, it is logical that the repetition of waxing with these additives should be more frequent, because according to scientific data, ws2 is the strongest additive when it is in oil. try to test one chain with that additive every 200km, it should extend the life of the chain

[@andrewhussey2002]

I've been doing this for some years now after finding this channel and it's made life and cycling so much easier. So many companies with expensive waxing products trying to cash in too! The only thing better is the Gates Carbon belt on my mountain bike. That's only been hosed clean after each ride for over 2 years. 😋

[@tornagawn]

So, I’m beginning to come round to this for my new as yet unridden gravel bike, as I live down a 10 km unsealed dusty road… I bought some PTFE a year ago, but postponed as I had hip surgery.

[@Leo-gt1bx]

Oh my God I'm sad I wax my chain pretty much once a week roughly 100km. I use ptfe with graphite. Do you think the graphite is a waste of money and time?

[@arturduarte113]

With so much information available proving that waxing is so much better, efficient, and, very importantly, much cleaner, too. Why aren't bike manufacturers supplying bikes with pre-waxed chains to begin with - and new chains too. How long will it take to stop seeing oil lubes being applied. The vast majority of people who use bikes everyday have no idea about waxed chains unless they're told (obviously not referring to enthusiastic cyclists - however, even among those, including many bike mechanics, still only use oil lubes). Do you, anyone, believe in the future, all chains will be waxed, and we'll stop seeing/hearing the grinding of debris on our chains, plus all the filthy muck associated with oil lubes. Thank you for sharing all this very useful information - not least the bits where we can economize by doing it ourselves - as opposed to splash out on some very costly wax products on the market. I must admit, I'm new to all this - just purchased all the necessary products to properly clean the muck off my chainset parts, and then apply hot wax, plus making liquid wax for topping up/reapply. I've been cycling 1000km approx a month, all weather conditions, surfaces etc, for the past year or so - one becomes very sensitive to all unhealthy noises on the bike - grinding debris on chain parts is one of them. Cheers👍🚲

[@stevenleffanue]

For the ordinary bike rider , we all have some sort of oil in the house....almost any oil will lube a bicycle chain...it's quick n easy. However, you are correct. Wax is the superior lube but at present expensive compared to oil.

[@makantahi3731]

you should ask chain manufacturers why it is not in their interest to sell fewer chains

[@peterbroesen4344]

Hi. I have just tried to add teflon to the wax. The teflon melt at much higher temperature. The higher temperature made the chain to turn black. No it seems like that the chain is destroyed :-( Have others experienced that? Maybe it's the chain coating that has been destroyed because of the heat?

[@oliverachilles4639]

I wonder how the general climate would make a difference to this. OZ is rather dry, but I Iive in Ireland.

[@stevecarleton163]

Hi, i have been using Oz's formula for years now and love it. However i do notice big differences between parafin wax grades. Some have been poor and don't last long. Anyone know which is best? Eg there is kerawax 4600 pillar blend and 422. These are both refined and have low oil content. I also find when i bought the ptfe and wax as a kit off ebay the results are not as good, so now i buy separately and not on ebay.

[@Sandu-TraianOnisan-ic5ne]

The cracks in the outer flange appear due to the tightening force during chain assembly.