lupo68288

Hello,
I'm currently thinking to wax my new bike (arroves in one month). Currently I only use Lube on all of my bikes, but I have heard, that waxing is better than lubing, because of the consumption of chains. It waxing really good or is it just a new trend and don't have any advantages? What are your experiences with waxing your chain and would you recommend it? And what chain wax do you use?

seypat

I wouldn't know. This is the first time I've ever heard about waxing a chain on BF. Interested to hear what others say about it.

Troul 

Belt drive 750C is the trend.

Polaris OBark

I find that it greatly extends the life expectancy of several of the drive-train components (chain, cassette, chainrings), under my (gritty and abrasive) riding conditions.

Also, it has been around a LONG time.

PeteHski

Waxing chains is not a new trend. It’s been around for at least 2 decades. Is it better? Well it is less messy and works really well in dry conditions. Downsides are that it’s not so good in the wet and it can make your drivetrain a bit louder in some cases. On balance I think it’s a good idea if you can be bothered.

I use Silca drip wax on my mountain bikes and one road bike. But I use wet lube on my main road bike because the drivetrain ran a bit noisy on the Silca wax for some reason.

GhostRider62

One nice thing aside from lower wear on drivetrain is the ability to throw the bike into the back of my fancy station wagon and not worry about grease. And Fred marks? A thing of the past, consider yourself halfway promoted to the Cognoscenti. Just add tubies and a pair of Bindas, and you are set.

Eric F 

I started using Silca Super Secret drip wax on my gravel bike a few months ago. Very soon after, I deep-cleaned the chains on all my bikes and started using the Silca wax on all of them. It's quieter, cleaner, and more efficient. One of my favorite features is being able to handle the chain without my hands becoming a dirty, oily mess. The drip wax doesn't last any longer than oil-based lubes, but my bikes get regularly cleaned and re-lubed, so that's not an issue for me. My understanding is that the hot melt, immersion wax method lasts much longer.

Polaris OBark

About 300 (dry) miles for me. (I always thought that was one of the main disadvantages.)

KerryIrons

I first heard of waxing chains in the 1960s, and I expect it wasn't a new idea then. Wax is not as durable as conventional lubes, so you have to wax more often and any time you're caught in the rain. There is no evidence that chains last longer when waxed compared to other lubes. Chain life is about maintenance, riding conditions, how much power you put out, and the quality of the chain.

msu2001la

I find chain waxing to be useful.

HTupolev

Controlled testing pretty consistently shows waxes outperforming oil-based lubricants, for example the work by ZFC.

Rick_D

Seems like wax compares well against...everything else.
https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/lubetesting/

I may give it a go myself, because I'm not thrilled with the whole clean/lube/put off/repeat process I use now. Even unridden bikes accumulate dust, requiring attention before rides. Going the wax route has its own setup challenges but at least master link chains make removing and replacing much simpler.

msu2001la

I find waxing useful for the exact reasons you state. I like that my drivetrain stays nice and clean and find the whole process to be quite simple. I have two chains that I rotate out, so I always have a freshly waxed one ready to go. Every few weeks I take off the used chain and put a new one on. With quick-links this process just takes a few minutes. Then I re-wax the used one, a process that is also very simple once you've done the initial prep. In most cases I can just drop the chain straight from my bike into the wax pot, let it simmer for a few minutes, swish it around and then pull it out to dry. If I've been on a rainy/muddy ride I'll clean the chain with some boiling water first.

The only downside I see is that the initial chain prep is a little more involved. You need to strip off the lube with something lie mineral spirits, then rinse all the residue off with acetone (or similar). in acetone. That's a one-time deal though.

smv81147

I had shifting issues with my Dura Ace 12s when I waxed my chain. (Brand new chain and sprocket with top quality wax..) turned back to high quality race oil and everything works smoothly!

bboy314

I think it’s time for a chain wax subforum…

tomato coupe

Trends are neither inherently good or bad. Maybe you should be asking if waxing is a fad?

Iride01 

Whether you wax or use any other lubricant, it's not going to be a miracle for your cycling.

So use what keeps you interested in cycling.

bblair

Back in the mid 80's a bunch of guys in our local club were staying at a friend's house the night before a double century. One dude went about melting a big hunk of wax on their stove. "You're supposed to use a double boiler, but I'll be careful." Luckily he quickly put the fire out as the hot wax boiled over onto the stove. For some reason, we were not invited back the next year.

spelger

Right, not like one could ever spill a few drops of oil on the garage floor and slip on it. Wax is so dangerous.

wolfchild

Chain waxing is a fad. It's unnecessary. A chain is the most disposable item on a bicycle and there is no need for any complicated maintenance. Just few drops of oil now and then and that's it.

Chuck M 

At my age, I consider a lot of things within the last twenty years as newfangled.

Aardwolf

I've just been adjusting the drive train on the 1961 Cyclone I'm building.

Tried 3 different RDs and various settings, removed chain a couple of times.
Didn't have to wipe my hands once - new chain I waxed last week (home brew wax mix).
Just how clean it is is a huge advantage.

Polaris OBark

I remember laughing at someone doing it in the mid-1980s. Now I realize he was smarter.

Polaris OBark

And a chainsaw bar oil sub-forum.

Chuck M 

It bothers me when someone mentions the '80s and I have to come to grips with it not being 20 years ago like I initially want to think.