PeteHski

If you are going to the trouble of wax dipping then the best idea is to have 2 or 3 chains in rotation. So after a wet ride you just swap to a fresh chain and re-prep the dirty one whenever convenient. A top up with drip wax is really more of a way of extending the service interval in dry conditions. But once your chain gets wet and dirty it would be a waste of time trying to top it up. A clean chain is ultimately more important than your actual choice of lube.

GBK233

Ultegra chain arrived today. Forgot to order a master link, so I ordered a Wipperman today.

I cleaned both chains in mineral spirits and then denatured alcohol(no idea if the alcohol step was needed or not). Mixed wax and PTFE and soaked chains(separately, of course) in the pot for 15 min.
After wax dried and I loosed up the chain a bit…I installed the older chain back on the Defy and took it for a short spin in the neighborhood. Drivetrain seemed even quieter than usual, but maybe that’s in my head. Raining off and on today…so no chance for a longer test.

eduskator

Always used KMC, but heard good things about Wippermann.

It's a good thing to finish cleaning your chain with alcohol, it will remove some unwanted stuff that the degreaser didn't.

SoSmellyAir

Ultegra chain comes with one quick link, unless yours is vintage stock?

This thread has inspired me to buy a mini crock pot, a bag of Silca wax, and a block of Gulf Wax. I am about to drive inland to buy a quart of odorless mineral spirits (CARB formula); hope it works as well as the non-CARB version. Edit: Turns out even the CARB formula version is no longer distributed in California, so I had to relearn some chemistry quick and bought acetone instead.

I figure I will save the Silca wax until I have perfected my technique with the Gulf Wax, which will also serve to clean and absorb any crap that I cannot manage to clean off the chain using odorless mineral spirits acetone and isopropyl alcohol.

Grunge Waxing: Why Quick Waxing Your Chain is Still Worth it | by Alex Fastfitnesstips | Fastfitnesstips | Medium

Racing Dan

Just so you know. A crock pot is not really needed. An old saucepan is perfectly adequate and no harder or any more dangerous than frying an egg. You be done in a few minutes rather than waiting an hour for you 100w crock pot.

SoSmellyAir

The Crock Pot was $11 at Walmart.com (including tax) and less expensive than any of my sauce pans. It seems most of the instructions recommend a slow cooker to minimize the chance of burning the wax.

Racing Dan

It wasn't directed at you specifically. Im just putting it out there to comment on the dogma that you somehow need a crockpot to hot wax a chain. Imo, you dont, if you can fry an egg without setting it on fire ;-)

SoSmellyAir

I know.

Rather than dogma, I understand it to be merely a recommendation, even for the Silca wax that comes in a sous vide bag.

Sunny side up or scrambled? There is a slight fire risk if I try to fry more than two eggs sunny side up. No such limit for scrambled eggs.

Sy Reene

I'm not a waxer, but thought the other advantage with a crockpot is that when you're done, you just stick the lid on it til next time. With a frying pan, do you have clean it out and pour the wax into something else while it's still soft?

WhyFi

Do you imagine that people with Crock Pots are sitting there, watching them the whole time?

For 10 bucks, I'll leave my shop in my shop and my kitchen in my kitchen. You do you, though.

PeteHski

I've seen them sold both with and without a quick link.

GBK233

Ya…mine came with a pin instead of a quick link.


30 miles so far with the waxed chain. Still very quiet….and chain is still clean. I’m impressed so far. Wipperman quick link arrived. $20 a bit steep for quick link imo.

PeteHski

For me that is the main advantage of decent wax based lubes. Drivetrain just stays clean. Oil based lubes invariably end up turning your drivetrain into a black oily mess full of grit unless you clean them up after every ride. Wax doesn't attract the dirt at all. Quite the opposite. You will probably get 150-200 miles before it needs a top up. Basically once the noise level starts to creep up again.

GBK233

I was cleaning my chain once a week when using Smoove etc….so swapping out chains every couple weeks will actually be easier/faster than the degreasing/scrubbing/lubing I’ve been doing.

SoSmellyAir

I installed the waxed chain onto my bike, and it would not shift from the 3rd to the 4th physically largest rear cog, so I had to re-index my rear derailleur. Test ride later this afternoon after the weather cools down a little. I sure hope I don't have to do that every time I put on a freshly waxed chain. Wax slightly dirty from less than perfectly cleaned chain, but so much cleaner than when using Rock N Roll Extreme or Boeshield T-9.

$20 for a reuseable quick link is not bad. The Shimano version, which is not reuseable, is $13 for two, although some say they are reuseable for the life of the chain.

Sy Reene

A bit late now I suppose, but for future reference

https://www.amazon.com/YBN-Speed-Mas.../dp/B07T14J3VN

GBK233

Update:
Rode 25 miles today. Chain now has about 90miles on the wax. Still clean and still quiet. I’m convinced. The chain would’ve been gross by now had I used my normal lube

PeteHski

Sounds good. If you want something you can quickly top up with (to extend the life between a full re-waxing) I can highly recommend Silca Super Secret drip on wax emulsion. Unlike most other drip-on waxes it penetrates the links pretty effectively and should be fully compatible with your wax. ZFC currently rate it as the best drip-on lube, although full waxing still remains the benchmark.

I'm lazy and just use Silca SS as a standalone lube.

GBK233

140 miles on the wax now. Still quiet and still pretty clean. Not going to push it, so probably going to swap out chain tomorrow for the brand new(and waxed) Ultegra chain.

This is what it looks like currently.

SoSmellyAir

A proper wax should last much longer than 140 miles in the dry, from most of the sources I have read.

The internally routed rear derailleur cable on my bike similarly exits at the end of the right chain stay. I was concerned that would form too tight a loop on the new Shimano shadow rear derailleurs, but glad to see that it has worked out for you, so there is hope for me yet.