Top 5 Waxed Chain Maintenance Tips

Following up on the Chain Stripper FAQs, we are answering some other important questions that you have about Chain Maintenance. We answer these questions and more:
1. Post Ride after chain wipe down...what is the best option
2. How to re-apply Super Secret to the chain
3. Using a Kettle to clean the chain
Amazon Products:
Kettle: amzn.to/3NuhWBR
Instapot: amzn.to/3cbxKVJ
SILCA Products:
Microfiber Towels: silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
Biodegreaser: silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
Gear Wipes: silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
Super Secret Chain Coating: silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
Hot Wax X: silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
Secret Chain Blend (hot melt wax): silca.cc/collections/chain-lu...
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▬▬▬▬ ABOUT SILCA ▬▬▬▬
Founded in Milan in 1917 and now based in Indianapolis, SILCA is renowned for its passion for cycling. Led by cycling industry leader, Josh Poertner, the brand has expanded from the iconic SuperPista pump to a full range of high-end cycling tools and gear, collaborating with UCI World Tour teams to enhance cycling performance. SILCA combines tradition with innovation, inspiring cyclists to enjoy both riding and maintenance.
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[@junaid42465]

Whenever checking a chain for wear, it should be before re waxing in hot wax. Every time we do hot wax immersion, the gaps in the rollers are filled up with the wax and hence we tend to get a false reading as little to no wear. After 300-400 km of riding when the wax wears off, that is when one should measure the chain wear. Just my personal experience.

[@E620SE]

I guess you should always measure under the same condition (I would always measure the perfectly clean chain)

[@robertrjm8115]

simply measure at the end of a ride after a quick wipe of the chain.

[@wsbygt]

Always good to remember!

[@mikeschulman8034]

Thanks so much for all these videos!

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

More good details! Glad to know it appears the three bikes I switched to Super Secret should be easy to maintain long term without removing the chain again.

[@mbcracken]

FWIW, I was able to get 3300 miles out of my XTR drive train using Silca wax in the PNW over the last 3 years. Rode in all conditions but lots of mud thrown in there too. Thanks for the tip to articulate the chain.

[@stephencharles6932]

Thank you for answering these questions. One thing further, previously you said to wipe down the chain with a little denatured alcohol and here you use a degreaser. I am hot waxing 'Secret blend) with drip top ups. Dry clean riding.

[@waynebond5771]

Very helpful. Thanks

[@jaredmickel5636]

For refreshing a chain I’ve been throwing it in the sonic cleaner with some diluted Shooters Choice then rinsing in hot water and air drying, before doing a new hot dip.

[@jcoul1sc]

Thanks

[@nashgawri4869]

Hi Josh, thank you for these fantastic videos, I always learn something new. I have been using wax on my chain for a four years now and love it. Last few winters have been very cold here in Victoria BC. Any tips on how to use wax in the winter? Please and thanks. Keep up the good work🙏🙏

[@billkallas1762]

I get over 15,000 miles on my chains, using one of the original brands of drip wax. Not so great if you ride in the rain often. You'll have to do a thorough wipe down, and re-apply, if that happens. All of the cassettes on my race wheels show no wear. Even the 16 year old cassette I use on my clincher training wheel, runs smooth, without skipping on a new chain. That cassette must have at least 60,000 miles on it, since 70% of my miles are done on it. I don't believe that I've used oil on a chain since 1990.

[@esurfer89]

That's not an induction heater but all the other info was great! Thanks for the tips!

[@davidhughson189]

GREAT TIPS! Will GEAR WIPES also help clean matte finish frames, after DUSTY gravel rides?

[@mirkojanke3989]

Great new tipps. Thanks for that! Would you mind to create a new video, with a ultrasonic cleaner, where you clean a used or brand new chain initially, and then use the ultrasonic cleaner to wax the chain, intead of using any kind of cooking pot? I think you mentioned it in one of the other videos, that using the ultrasonic waves for hot waxing would be the best ever method for hot waxing. Or did I misunderstood this, or did I missed a video like that?

[@tatumboy]

Hey, great product. I was wondering Best procedure for reapplying/cleaning when using super secret chain lube only after a wet ride? Many thanks

[@GoonieGooGoo910]

For the instant pot boiling bin, what do you do with the wax and water? Boil off the water and scrape off the wax?

[@BenGeldreich]

Great video! I always learn something from these videos. Would you recommend purchasing multiple chains and rotate through them, or using one and applying the liquid wax every 100 - 150 miles and then re waxing every 1000 miles or so?

[@SILCAVelo]

Either method works great, really up to the time and $ investment you want to make up front, and how often you want to fire up the crockpot!

[@PinkPuffinBicycles]

Hey Silca, I do appreciate the products and general knowledge shared with the industry. It's really nice that you are trying your best to give advice and help navigate the dark arts of chain cleaning / lubrication. However, I have 2 small things... First, If you say " We Tried " or " We Tested " this or that please back it up with data. Anyone can say anything online and in this day in age of miss-information or " advise" given as " fact" it would help with credibility like Zerofrictioncycling. There's so many snake oil salesman online and I hold you to a higher standard. Second, Applying any lube in " big-big" or adding decent tension to your chain and lubing is, in my opinion, not efficient. Here's why. When you add tension to your chain it is pulling your pins /rivets tighter against your rollers, and your rollers tighter against your bushings. This does open up a slightly bigger gap on one side but also closes the gap, as it tighter, on the other side because of the tension. The problem is that you just closed the gap, with tension, that needs the lube the most as it is the tension side and more likely to cause wear through force. Ideally you want lube encircling the pin, roller, and bushing evenly on all sides contributing to a floating effect of any metal on metal parts encased in lube. So, this is why we don't tension immersion wax chains, but also, why small-small or least tension would lubricate better than big-big. Any thoughts? Keep up the good work and pushing the industry to be better and better.

[@SILCAVelo]

If you watch across all videos and read our blog, there is a ton of data and test results. Also quite a lot of our business is doing testing and development for others including ProTour teams and the data generated is theirs, but as part of our agreement with them, we can make any directional results public after 2 years, so on some things you will have to just trust us, but I think historically we've been proven to be right significantly more than wrong and in doing so have bent the industry in our direction. As for big-big, you are missing a significant element in your thought experiment which is that for metal on metal contact at these forces, the metal can be considered rigid, and any contact at any tension will be the same as contact at 2 or 3 or 4x that tension. So the theoretical contact of the sideplate bushing on the inner pin is a line, where the pin of smaller diameter touches the bushing in one line of contact which articulates as the chain articulates. This line contact remains the same whether the load is 10N or 100N.. it only changes when there is enough tension in the chain to begin deforming the metal. What does change this line of contact is when the chain has to articulate laterally from one angle to another and for a brief second the side plate bushings angle against the pin and the line contact becomes a point of contact.. this is exactly when we want the lube to penetrate the chain as suddenly the inner bushing is completely exposed as the link does a little parallelogram sort of thing. I'll make a video on it.. Thanks

[@mradelphi02]

2 liners, one pot. Nice!

[@johannesschneider2508]

Thank you so much for all your advices. I cannot appreciate this enough. What I´am wondering is, how do you maintain a chain after long distance events where you've startet with a hot waxed chain, and added some oil-based lube after a few hundred km into the event? Degreasing, boiling in water or both before hot waxing again?

[@jojoanggono3229]

Logically I think it should be hot water bath first to wash off the wax, followed by degreasing to wash off the lubricant residue from lube.

[@torbenfrlund5964]

Another great video, but there is one thing which still confuses me and that is when to apply new wax and I understand it's difficult question to answer. I live in perfect sunny climate, never ride in the rain and I have used Secret hot wax and topping up with Secret drip wax. How do I know when to reapply drip wax and when it's time to do another full immersive hot wax procedure? What signs to look/hear for or should I just use a fixed milage schedule?

[@williamwallaceg2627]

Biggest question I am constantly asking myself!!!

[@SILCAVelo]

We recommend every 250-300km between waxings whether hot melt of SuperSecret Drip.. I hot wax and then top off with SuperSecret every 250-300km and then reset the chain and re-hot wax at 1000km or so. If just using SuperSecret, I'd recommend a full reset every 1000km

[@blahblah24304]

Is it ok to heat the wax on the saute seating? I thought to higher temperature could damage the wax? Im all suprised to hear you can put the wet chain straight in the wax? That qould save a lot of time but does that also work if using a slow cooker?

[@kanaalvanNI]

Hey, on rainy holidays hot waxing and even drip waxing often isn't an option, so if the chain stargs to make noise i shift to e synergie in such cases, but what is the best way to reset such a chain to go back to hot waxing?

[@nolhannconan]

In the chainstripper video u said that an ultrasonic cleaner is great for waxing, wich one u prefer beetwen ultrasonic cleaner and crockpot ? Can we use an ultrasonic cleaner for boiling water cleaning ? What brand of ultrasonic cleaner u recommend ? Ive seen Vevor but seems that the tank cannot be replace. Thanks ❤️

[@SILCAVelo]

None of the ultrasonic cleaners have replaceable tanks, so you will have to dedicate it to either cleaning or wax. Ultrasonic waxing is the best way to do it, the ultrasonic waves really keep the wax mixed very well and guarantees full distribution of the additives in the wax. The Ultrasound also allows for very precise temperature control, so I've converted our waxing all to ultrasonic and are just using Chain Stripper for all of the cleaning and prep.

[@Bluerhinopig]

I would love to see a video where you show a series of bikes and what lubrication is recommended and why. These bikes may not be high performance bikes where marginal gains are not the main goal. The goal may be good enough for the amount of effort required. Here are some bike types I have run into. Vintage bike BMX bikes Beach cruiser Recumbent Cargo Tricycle Tandem Bike Touring commuter bike with partial chain guard commuter bike with fully enclosed chain guard ebike with a hub drive motor ebike with a mid drive motor Kids bikes Neighbor kid's bike that is so rusted your are amazed the kid can ride the bike

[@sfef84]

I take my chain out of the hot wax and straight into a bowl of ice water to lock in the wax. Give it a try

[@CharlesDSmith-mv7zi]

As always, great video and info. I began doing my chains with the Secret Lube drip, but haven’t attempted a hot wax yet. I recently traded in my 30+ year REI Novara XR on a new Trek Allant+7 e-bike (I’m getting too old to do the hilly terrain here in the NE U.S. where I live., and have encountered a conundrum common to e-bikes. Back pedaling doesn’t move the chain because of the Bosch mid-drive motor. Is there any special reason, other than being able to move the chain with the rear wheel gun the ground, that every thing I see says to pedal backwards when lubing or cleaning the chain?

[@oliverberger5946]

Use a cord or something to connect you chainring to your crank. Now you can backpedal.

[@MTB_Gam]

Hi there, highly considering switching my road and gravel bikes to waxxed chain using the dripping technique. But while I'm it, I was also wondering about my mountain bike. what would be the pros and cons of it ? I guess more application and shortenen reset schedule which considering the cost of that lubricant may cancel the advantages? What are your thoughts on MTB chain lubrication?

[@SILCAVelo]

Wax will save you even more money on your MTB drivetrain as the reduction in wear is even more significant than on road. You will need to wax somewhat more frequently than road, probably every 3-4 hours of riding. Adam at ZeroFrictionCycling talks about MTB use at length in some of his blog posts and videos if you want to check them out.

[@njm3211]

Struggled to install a hot waxed quick link. Had to use a non waxed one and then added the liquid wax to it.

[@SILCAVelo]

We do not recommend waxing the link, it really makes it hard to assemble. The wax on the outside of the inner links and inside the rollers will leave it fully waxed after assembly.

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

A simple and very didactical video. Thanks, Josh… although the biggest takeaway was “English, microfiber! Do you speak it?!!” 😂😂😂

[@adam__smith]

What? 🙂

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

@@adam__smithSamuel L. Jackson reference. MF.

[@adam__smith]

Brett reference. It was him constantly asking "What?" that prompted "English, microfiber! Do you speak it?"

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

@@adam__smith hahah so sorry, my friend. Completely missed that one 😅

[@adam__smith]

@@RicardoRocha-lg1xo No worries at all.

[@blahblah24304]

How long will hot wax last if im riding exclusively on the indoor trainer?

[@stuartroberts6272]

Thanks I stopped boiling but I'll start back

[@edsassler]

I’m having a hard time with this chain wax thing. I’ve worked at my shop for over 30 years, I’ve picked up a few loyal customers in that time. Many of them like the older components for various reasons, and the modern bike world has completely forgotten about tandem riders. Many of the good parts (chains, cassettes) are no longer available, so it makes sense to make what they have last. I wasn’t going to suggest the hassle of cleaning and waxing a chain to a few hundred people without trying it myself. So I invested in Silca - melt wax, drip wax, aero socks… I know lots of people who say they ride in all conditions, but I don’t see it. It’s been raining a lot as of late, and East Boston isn’t known for clean streets. My waxed chain not only gets dirty, it’s also rusting badly. I’m one squeaky commute away from giving up and calling waxed chains the modern day snake oil, but I wanted to hear what you have to say.

[@milesrooklyn9952]

After pouring boiling water over the chain, how dry should it be before reapplying SS drip? Thanks! 8:33

[@MrCairnsbryce]

I always thought you lubed the inside of the chain and not the outside or top. I run SRAM flat top chains

[@jamesconlon2701]

Hey Josh, I always spray off my bike before bringing it in the garage for wipe microfibre wipe down / relube when necessary. I do wonder sometimes if I should wipe off with microfibre first before water potentially gums anything up/drives dirt into the chain. Probably just paranoid but what say you about order of operations?

[@teqai]

Nevermind the chain, how do you guys keep your speedplay pedals so clean? I thought you were supposed to lube them with dry lube and mine look worse than any of my oiled chains at this point.

[@niles_stone2540]

Thank you. Does it matter much if I am switching between drip waxes? Say Squirt and Super Secret? I haven't done full emersion waxing yet, but at that point how fixed should someone be on a single brand? Assuming two high quality brands not switching between candle wax and Super Secret.

[@SILCAVelo]

Squirt is a totally different thing altogether, it's what's known as slack wax which is the stage of refinement before the paraffin wax is separated from the paraffin oil.. the high oil content makes it sticky and attracts dirt, but also will prevent an emulsion type product like SuperSecret, Effetto Mariposa, or CeramicSpeed from adhering to the chain. For best results, I'd recommend using it as a system regardless of brand you choose.

[@niles_stone2540]

@@SILCAVelo Great thanks for the info. That will save me some headaches with trial and error.

[@paulbyrd2434]

I ended up with excess wax on the sides of my chain. How do I remove that without removing the wax from where it needs to be?

[@mobilemiall]

Maybe I let the wax cool too long, but when I first mount the chain it throws a lot of wax particles. Really shows up on my white and yellow bikes...and on the floor.... Beside that, I like it. My big questions are: How do you know it's time to quit using the wax; and how do you prolong its usefulness?

[@stiebertto97]

@silcavelo, I have an ultrasonic cleaner and wondering if there is a benefit to placing the instant pot inner pot into the ultrasonic to allow for better wax penetration into the chain? Do the ultrasonic waves penetrate the stainless steel inner pot?

[@GHinWI]

Also, if you place the ultrasonic+inner pot into low-earth-orbit, the vacuum will remove any entrained air from between the pins/bushings and improve the wax fill.

[@adam__smith]

I've been using Super Secret drip wax for two months now and was disappointed last weekend to see that the chain had become slightly worn (0.25) already. The chain was prepared well but I suspect that I didn't apply it often enough - once a week, or every 120 to 150km. By then the the chain sounded a bit dry and didn't shift so smoothly. I now reapply twice a week, which may be overkill, but it feels a lot more lubricated and smoother. Sound reasonable?

[@jofer0073]

In other videos they say that you should apply 2-3 layers and then every 250 - 300 kms reapply the product. Finally you can do a restart around 1000 to 1200 kms.

[@MichaelWilliams-iv6dj]

Quick question. When I use the drip wax there will be quite a bit on the surface once it dries. The trick I use is to do a quick pass with my heat gun until the wax just flashes from solid to liquid. My theory is that this helps the wax further penetrate into the rollers. Is this a good or bad idea?

[@SILCAVelo]

Just be careful as slightly too hot and it will run out.. testing by ZeroFriction and ourselves has shown that this isn't necessary, but if you want to do it and don't overheat, it also isn't harmful either.

[@neafevoc]

Do you need to wipe down your chain after every ride? Also, do you need to wipe down your chain after applying Super Secret (after letting it sit 12-24hrs)?

[@SILCAVelo]

In an ideal world, you would wipe the chain after every ride, but at the least, you should wipe it before applying more lubricant. You do not need to wipe it after the SuperSecret dries, any excess will just flake off over time.

[@herbsmith21]

What setting works best for melting the wax in the instant pot?

[@SILCAVelo]

My favorite InstantPots are the 8 function ones that have 'Sous Vide' as an option. This allows you to set the exact temperature you want, and we recommend 80C/175F. For the simpler ones, just use 'slow cook' and you will be fine.

[@goodirc1410]

Hi thanks for the videos one thing I found that pulling the chain close to or just before harding I found the chain clogged with wax and fitting the was very difficult and stiff and the rollers and cassette was skipping at first on the stand. Is this normal or Should I be pulling it while it runs off easily ? My first ride with a waxed chain is it's very quiet. I do mainly, 50% gravel dusty roads and 50% sealed. So how long between re melts 500 or 1000km. Thanks again. Dayle 👍

[@SILCAVelo]

You definitely want to get it before it starts to harden and clump on the outside, so maybe pull it a few degrees higher! You'll likely get 300-500km in dry/dusty, but the chain will let you know when it's time to rewax as it will get start to get a bit louder.

[@iAft3bang]

1. Is it recommended to « cassette prep » with the chain stripper product if you were using oil lube? 2. Is there any maintenance to the cassette with the hot wax ? I used to degrease the cassette once in a while.

[@funfunfanfun]

Hi, should I wipe my waxed chain in between 2 waxings (from time to time, to get the surplus bits of wax off the chain) or only immediately before the next waxing? In other words, will any wiping require a new waxing? (Am I removing the wax coating by wiping the chain?)

[@SILCAVelo]

Wiping won't remove the wax, ideally you just use a micro-fiber towel and lightly wipe to remove surface dust and dirt.. you don't have to wipe it in between waxings, but it won't hurt anything.

[@Ry1980]

It’s mentioned to use a microfiber cloth with Silca’s bio-degeaser to wipe over the surface of the chain every 3 to 4 rides to remove excess dirt and grease. Each time I do this, will I need to reapply Super Secret to my chain? I read in one of the comments that someone was having noise after cleaning with the degreaser. Curious if I will be ok not reapplying Super Secret after every 4 rides once wiping down?

[@SILCAVelo]

There is a notable noise damping effect to having a bit of wax residue and even dust on the outside of the chain, so wiping it will make things a bit noisier. You can make it silent again with a light coating of SuperSecret, but just be careful not to overdo it such that things get gunked up over time.. excess wax can and will build up, so just be sure to remove that as you see it.

[@Ry1980]

Would you recommend Bio-degreaser being the best product to perform routine maintenance wipe downs (not for stripping) for the chain, or would you advise a better product from Silca to accomplish this?

[@TheGinger1]

I've been using super secret on my cyclo cross bike with great results. However, I've been struggling to stay on top of stopping surface rust appearing after particularly wet races. Any tips?

[@marnixvanderkolk]

wait wait wait, am I mistaking in thinking I've seen on previous videos that it was important to dry them after cleaning before you hot wax them? And here you just basically shake them of and put them in the wax still a bit wet?

[@simonforman593]

One thing that never gets discussed is If you take the chain off to do the boiling water clean then reapplying Super Secret. I understand that if we're doing full wax immersion, the water will boil off, but what about if you're NOT using full immersion. What's the best way to dry the chain before reapplying Super Secret? Acetone? How dry does the chain have to be before reapplying Super Secret?

[@ckk9315]

Do you have to let the wax cool a bit before pulling the chain out of the wax, or can you pull it straight out? I see some people say let it cool so the wax can set inside the chain and not run out. Whereas I watched a video from Fiction Facts and he just pulls it straight out to let it cool.

[@0views372]

After a damp ride, what are your cleaning recommendations?

[@SILCAVelo]

I would either wipe it down with MF cloth and reapply drip wax OR pull it and throw it in the hot melt.

[@imbackinthegame3611]

Where can I watch the second part of the Rule of 105 Video ?

[@ajackson999]

If I read between the lines, it sounds like you don’t need to worry about doing a full ultrasonic degrease / clean on a previously waxed chain before you re-apply hot wax. I’m guessing this is overkill to clean a waxed chain. Is this correct?

[@SILCAVelo]

Correct, just boil it in water or pour boiling water on it and the heat and water will carry out the old so you can apply the new..

[@kovie9162]

Any special tips for a chain ridden only indoors, during winter on a trainer? Obviously rain, puddles, mud, dirt, temp extremes, etc., aren't factors, so the maintenance routine is going to be much simpler and rewaxing needs to be done less often. But clearly some maintenance and rewaxing is needed, so I'm wondering what it is.

[@SILCAVelo]

You can easily maintain your indoor chain using SuperSecret Drip every 250-300km, just be sure to wipe all excess off of the chain after each application to reduce shedding of wax onto the floor and also will prevent wax buildup on pulleys. You might also want to look at SynergE it's an oil based lubricant for E-Bikes and indoor use, it holds the all-time single application record in ZFC testing, and shows zero wear with high corrosion resistance in the indoor environment. It is also thicker than traditional wet lube to prevent dripping and flinging under hard indoor efforts.

[@Pinch4method3]

When applying drip wax directly to the chain I end up getting some on the pulley wheels and cassette. I assume that will come off during a ride or should I brush it off to avoid it collecting gunk?

[@SILCAVelo]

I just leave it on, it makes things quieter and will eventually flake off. It dries pretty hard and not very sticky so it doesn't attract or hold much in the way of dirt.

[@therealbonj]

Any tips for thoroughly cleaning a cassette/chain rings/jockey wheels on a bike with a previously-oiled, greasy/dirty drivetrain prior to installing a new waxed chain? It has no wax already on so I could potentially use a more heavy duty degreaser than chain stripper as I don’t need the advantage of it not attacking the wax, or is it the best sort for that as well? Any other good techniques?

[@Mu51q]

Can you apply SILCA Super Secret straight after cleaning the chain with Gear Wipes or MF towel with degreaser? Thanks

[@SILCAVelo]

Yes

[@daryloya]

Hi Josh, do you have a recommendation for a removable link for Shimano Ultegra 10sp chains and how many uses will I get from a link? Thanks.

[@SILCAVelo]

I use the Shimano links and find you can easily get 5-6 uses from them before they begin to feel soft when removing them. I know Shimano says 'single use' but we have thousands of customers using them multiple times without any reported issues.

[@theflyerpr40d]

Hi, just to make sure I understand for super secret on dry conditions clean the chain with a lint free cloth every 250-300km and re-apply. And then at 1000km do a full reset? What would be the process after rain or wet floor? Clean with Lint free cloth and re-apply as soon as possible? Thanks.

[@SILCAVelo]

For best performance you should really reset the chain after every rainy ride regardless of lube. That's not always possible so your next best would be to wipe well with microfiber and then re-lube with SuperSecret.

[@theflyerpr40d]

@@SILCAVelo that makes sense. Would definitely do as you mention. Thank you!

[@jlduncan321]

Can you use Silca Brake + Drivetrain Cleaner instead of Bio Degreaser? What is the difference between the two products?

[@bamicus9342]

After you apply SS drip to the chain and it drys, do you wipe excess off before riding? My chain is very dirty after 1 ride.

[@SILCAVelo]

Yes, you should wipe all lubricants off of the exterior of the chain, including SuperSecret. SuperSecret also dries to a dark gray due to the high TungstenDisulfide content, so it tends to look dirty even when it isn't.

[@JohnDLBB]

If you're only using hot wax and not topping off with Super Secret, how frequently should you typically be rewaxing(assuming you're not riding in bad conditions/weather)?

[@SILCAVelo]

You can expect 250-300km between hot waxings with SecretBlend and 800-900km with HotWax X for good weather or dusty riding. We recommend re-waxing after every rain ride.

[@woife01]

@@SILCAVelo how much km you could expect with a waxed chain which runs in a capsule and is 3 times longer? Or in simple how often need the wax to be toped up in a Velomobile?

[@DanTuber]

Does the drip lube wax evaporate in warm climates? I have the 12oz tub and i feel like it's been decreasing. Should i store it in the fridge?

[@SILCAVelo]

No, if the lid is tight it will not evaporate. However, if it gets below freezing it will congeal, so definitely no fridge!

[@Jam789]

I would like to ask after boiling the chain with hot water to clear the dirt, do I need to re-wax the chain?

[@SILCAVelo]

Yes, the boiling will 're-set' it to a clean/dry condition, so then just put in your hot was or lubricate with drip wax.

[@thomasupright5448]

If you're going to pour the boiling water on the chainring as you did, to reset the chain, is it okay if you are using the Sram AXS Spider power meter? Would the boiling water cause an issue with the power meter? Thanks for the info!

[@stiebertto97]

I have been using the instant pot heating setting of “slow cook less” to heat the wax to about 77 degrees C. What setting do you use/recommend? Can one go too hot and damage the wax?

[@adammeyer4928]

From what I have read - Yes. "It's very important not to let the wax boil. Paraffin vapor is flammable" and "If it's literally smoking, then you are risking fire, and probably degrading the wax."

[@blahblah24304]

That's what I thought too, but in the video he talked about boiling off the water from the chain in the wax which is very confusing

[@bryanthutchinson2639]

I live in a very wet area and found my chain to have some rust only two rides after applying the hot wax. How do I prevent this from happening?

[@SILCAVelo]

You will want to wipe the chain dry with microfiber cloth and apply a little SuperSecret after any wet ride to prevent rust spots.

[@jdhholbrook]

If I wash my bike and/or apply hot water to my waxed chain, can I apply SS drip lube straight away or do I need to wait until the chain has dried?

[@SILCAVelo]

Dryer is better, but you will still get decent results if you apply to the wet chain, just be sure to allow it to dry fully overnight as it will extend the drying time. Bouncing the bike will knock a lot of water out of the chain, and if you have access to an air compressor, you can blow the water out very effectively.

[@BJKeane-mc6bm]

Does the hot wax have to be 212 degrees Fahrenheit to boil the the left over water out if the chain? That seems to warm for the wax, right?

[@khoalekhac9045]

Been following ZeroFriciton and Adam did mention once that cleaning your chain with hot water may not be a good idea. What is your take on that matter?

[@SILCAVelo]

Can you point me toward which of his articles has that? In general, people are against water washing if the chain cannot be re-waxed quickly due to corrosion risk, and water washing doesn't work with most oil or traditional 'Dry lubes' but once the chain is on hot wax in particular, it's so easy and fast and chemical free, and boils off in minutes once you throw it in the wax, so there's really just no downside to it.

[@gottagetaname]

As always, A1 information without the “bike hype”! Thanks Josh!!! ⭐️

[@bigglesm3456]

hi josh, really want to use hot wax but am concerned about nano particles in your hot wax being let into the environment. wondering if you can comment and what it is and impact on the environment? thnaks

[@amoney9210]

If you clean a waxed chain with a bio degreaser applied on a microfiber towel, does that necessarily mean that it is also time to rewax the chain?

[@SILCAVelo]

Most true biodegreasers (like the SILCA one) will not affect wax in a negative way, so you should be fine. Beware any degreaser 'bio' or not that is aerosol, most of these use some pretty nasty propellants that can harm wax, so if you've used aerosol on the chain, I'd clean it and rewax it.

[@ysarn]

What is it with Continental tyres sidewalls? I see a stray fibre coming out of the sidewall on you video. This used to happen all the time on GP4000 sidewalls, leading to some explosive blowouts with numerous riders I know. Even had it on a first generation GP5000 TL of mine. GP 5000 TR seems to be better, but saw it again on another rider's GP5000 tube type recently. Not acceptable from the just about the largest bike tyre manufacturer.

[@nickhumby7601]

The Samuel L Jackson MF towels on the plane reference 👌

[@neil_down_south]

At 05:16 it looks like it is being drizzled on rather than one drop per roller?

[@drsus0]

can you use the new silca waxer to boil the old wax away in it?

[@SILCAVelo]

The SILCA wax melter does not have replaceable liners, so you will want to dedicate it to just wax. The cheapest, best way to boil off the old wax is with a heated kettle, or if the chain isn't very dirty, just wipe it down well and put it straight into the wax.

[@drsus0]

@@SILCAVeloah! Good thing I did get a mini crockpot just for waxing then :) it’s a dewaxer now

[@robertovital9369]

The videos are always foccused on road bikes but I’m trying the secret chain blend on my Mtb chains too. I’m having doubts on how to clean properly before Re-wax or drip wax since the chain is much dirtier than a road bike chain. Only wipes are enough?

[@SILCAVelo]

For dusty conditions wipes can do it, but if the chain is really dirty or muddy, you will want to wet wash it, either with boiling water poured over, or remove the chain and drop in boiling water.

[@robertovital9369]

@@SILCAVelo that means we have to fully rewax the chain right?

[@taylorhansen123]

I know that this is probably marginal but how important is keeping the chain going the same direction?