The problem with [MENTION=406505]HTupolev[/MENTION]'s anecdote is that it is an anecdote. As HTupolev says about different conditions and situations ... no way to know what this one instance means ....

Not saying it didn't happen exactly as he describes, but i am saying we don't know Why.

I use wet wax on some bikes, melted wax on others, and oil on still others. I cannot say for certain that one is markedly better than another because I would need to spend weeks doing carefully controlled test rides, using the same bike, swapping chains, riding the same routes, and hopefully in similar climactic conditions .... but then my own fitness would be an uncontrollable variable ....

To really test friction under load, one would need to be indoors, on a machine, with force carefully controlled, so that friction could be measured precisely ... and tests would need to be 1000's of km long to measure the effects on wear .... and atmospheric/environmental conditions would need to be simulated, with some kind of calibrated grit-thrower and dust-blower and rain-sprayer ..... And No one Cares that much.

The upside is we actually ride instead of doing experiments in our garages. The downside is we cannot scientifically prove our ways are better.

The lucky few simply don't give a frog, or a duck, or whatever ..... like [MENTION=21724]cyccommute[/MENTION], he is riding all around the continent doing whatever .... and he hasn't messed with his chain-maintenance routine in 20 years.

if it works well enough for you, it works well enough for you.

Are we done arguing about chain lube? Can we argue about socks, or waving, now?