Originally Posted by
cyccommute
For the price (about 7 times the cost of Gulf Wax), the additives should provide much more than marginal gains. For that price, the damned stuff should make you coffee every morning and give you a massage after the ride. I’m not sure what the “additives” are in Silca’s wax but I really doubt that they prolong the life of a chain over other lubricants, make the chain…which is already a highly efficient system…highlier efficient, or do much more than make your wallet a lot lighter. The problem is that no one is really doing tests that are valid, repeatable, or independent. And, yes, that includes Zero Friction.
Wax works. Oil works. I’m not certain that not using anything wouldn’t work. Too much ink has been spilled and far too many electrons have been murdered looking at slight differences in chain lube and stating that it makes a huge difference.
I get it, as I have seen the prolix posts on such. In doing sidewalk bike repair, in a "low income" city in which many youth leave their bikes outside, I lube most every bike chain that comes in with used motor oil.
(Yes, the nipple is from a cable brake, and I think the bottle is from a neighbor who dyes hair. Works fine, thank God).
If they are going to leave the bike outside, esp. uncovered, i tell them to coat the chain with any oil!