Would You Buy a Chain coated in Paraffin?
11-07-23, 06:03 PM
#26
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Maybe, but somehow I doubt the market for $100 waxed chains is large enough to justify production at scale, and the cost savings that go with it.
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11-07-23, 06:32 PM
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Those that do it themselves all tend to say that the initial degreasing is not that big of a deal so you are probably right. The chemists where I work brew beer for a hobby and as far as I know none of them ride bikes, but I've worked in factory automation for almost 40 years and I don't believe it would be that difficult for a chain manufacturer to make the chains pre-waxed. It would be such a small market though I suppose they would still likely have to charge more than most waxers would want to pay for the convenience.
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11-07-23, 06:59 PM
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That said, I'm not interested in a $100 pre-waxed chain, "secret formula" or not.
11-07-23, 07:03 PM
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Silca also likes to overcharge for lots of stuff and have a clientele that is willing to pay their prices.
But that doesnt negate the fact that waxed chains have a limited use before the wax has to be reapplied. That $50 extra per chain is basically wasted money unless it comes with a return it for relaxing program.
But that doesnt negate the fact that waxed chains have a limited use before the wax has to be reapplied. That $50 extra per chain is basically wasted money unless it comes with a return it for relaxing program.
https://silca.cc/collections/chain-l...hain-wax-blend
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11-07-23, 08:17 PM
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) or if I were to stereotype...well funded tri guys
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11-07-23, 11:00 PM
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They'll sell you their "secret formula" wax, so you can reapply it yourself.
https://silca.cc/collections/chain-l...hain-wax-blend
https://silca.cc/collections/chain-l...hain-wax-blend
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11-08-23, 08:30 AM
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Is it better to wax a chain or use lube? 
11-08-23, 10:25 AM
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11-08-23, 12:04 PM
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Or you could go with Gulf wax for $8 and get, perhaps, marginally worse results. Im sure that secret formula increases results by at least 0.1%. But your wallet will be lighter so there is that
From wikipedia:
Although it has long been thought that WS2 is relatively stable in ambient air, recent reports on the ambient air oxidation of monolayer WS2 have found this to not be the case. In the monolayer form, WS2 is converted rather rapidly (over the course of days in ambient light and atmosphere) to tungsten oxide via a photo-oxidation reaction involving visible wavelengths of light readily absorbed by monolayer WS2 (< ~660 nm; > ~1.88 eV).[8] In addition to light of suitable wavelength, the reaction likely requires both oxygen and water to proceed, with the water thought to act as a catalyst for oxidation. The products of the reaction likely include various tungsten oxide species and sulfuric acid.
11-08-23, 12:17 PM
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Or you could go with Gulf wax for $8 and get, perhaps, marginally worse results. Im sure that secret formula increases results by at least 0.1%.
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11-09-23, 05:54 AM
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my read on the Silca marketing for this is it is targeted at people who do do little or no maintenance on their bikes, and are willing to pay for "• 20% faster than other treated chains" and "• 20% faster than other treated chains" the same people who would pay a shop to put tubies on (or I guess tubeless now ) or if I were to stereotype...well funded tri guys
) or if I were to stereotype...well funded tri guysActually, enterprising LBS shops that serve higher end market could make this work. Have one of the shop mechs during down time prewax and baggie some chains. Probably could do 10 chains at a time with a larger crockpot. Put another $10 on the cost of each chain and have at the register as impulse purchase -- everyone who wants to try waxing but is a bit daunted first getting the equipment and pretreatment out of the way.
Other independents are trying this. e.g. https://www.litebike.cc/product-page...ed-chains-242g
11-09-23, 06:29 AM
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11-09-23, 09:19 AM
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And, while tungsten disulfide is a bit expensive at around $10 per ounce, Im fairly sure that they arent using 3 oz of the stuff in every pound of wax.
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11-09-23, 09:21 AM
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11-09-23, 01:40 PM
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Before Silca(?) was doing this, weren't the pre-treated Ceramicspeed UFO chains the original ones out there?
Actually, enterprising LBS shops that serve higher end market could make this work. Have one of the shop mechs during down time prewax and baggie some chains. Probably could do 10 chains at a time with a larger crockpot. Put another $10 on the cost of each chain and have at the register as impulse purchase -- everyone who wants to try waxing but is a bit daunted first getting the equipment and pretreatment out of the way.
Other independents are trying this. e.g. https://www.litebike.cc/product-page...ed-chains-242g
Actually, enterprising LBS shops that serve higher end market could make this work. Have one of the shop mechs during down time prewax and baggie some chains. Probably could do 10 chains at a time with a larger crockpot. Put another $10 on the cost of each chain and have at the register as impulse purchase -- everyone who wants to try waxing but is a bit daunted first getting the equipment and pretreatment out of the way.
Other independents are trying this. e.g. https://www.litebike.cc/product-page...ed-chains-242g
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11-09-23, 02:30 PM
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Ceramic chains? I might have found the most worthless luxury item .......
11-09-23, 04:03 PM
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I have Silca Secret Chain Blend (sitting unused, because Gulf Wax is working fine) and would consider Silca Chain Stripper (only because real odorless mineral spirits is often hard to acquire in SoCal) but I draw the line at a Silca branded crock pot.
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11-09-23, 04:47 PM
#46
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To answer OPs question. No I wouldn't purchase a waxed chain because I use wet oil based lubes. Just not interested in waxing chains.....
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11-09-23, 05:21 PM
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11-09-23, 05:44 PM
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Yeah, probably with a hefty licensing fee. I'd just suggest the shops use whatever wax they want (obviously not specifying on the baggie label the brand) and sell as pre-waxed chains. Heck, give it a shot. Take a dozen chains, a mix of 11 and 12 speed DuraAce and Ultegras and put them thru the process and on the shop floor.
11-11-23, 07:41 AM
#49
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Overspending and overcomplicating is like a drug to hobbyists.
The "grease" on a new chain is already a wax and is fully compatible with gulf wax or commercial blends. Just dump it in straight from the package, swish it a bit and ur done. If you get stock 105 chains rather that pre-waxed DA/Ultegra, for the same or less money you can get a bunch more chains and the "need" to make it last forever goes away, and arguably you better off.
oh, and try to suppress the urge to pull out you hair because you didn't do the super elaborate precleaning, you don't have a ultrasonic cleaner, you don't have a crockpot, your wax doesn't have unobtanium crystals or tungsten disulphide or "josh" didn't personally approve of your method. I guarantee, U B just fine
The "grease" on a new chain is already a wax and is fully compatible with gulf wax or commercial blends. Just dump it in straight from the package, swish it a bit and ur done. If you get stock 105 chains rather that pre-waxed DA/Ultegra, for the same or less money you can get a bunch more chains and the "need" to make it last forever goes away, and arguably you better off.
oh, and try to suppress the urge to pull out you hair because you didn't do the super elaborate precleaning, you don't have a ultrasonic cleaner, you don't have a crockpot, your wax doesn't have unobtanium crystals or tungsten disulphide or "josh" didn't personally approve of your method. I guarantee, U B just fine
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11-11-23, 12:11 PM
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Mmmm. Their waxed chain doesn't look waxed at all. This is what happens when you yank the chain out when the wax is still very hot. The wax just runs right off the chain. You need to turn off the pot and let the wax cool for about half an hour. Now there will be wax visibly stuck to the chain. If you wait too long it will look like the chain got encased in wax- that's excessive.