t9 rules all.

I read an article that was written by a mechanical engineer that explained why any kind of wax is an extremely poor lube for any kind of chain, not just bikes. To me it made perfect sense. I'll see if I can find it.

Really I'm just lazy about cleaning my drivetrain, or lubing it, or anything along those lines. Now I don't feel like I have to - I might clean and organize things a bit obsessively. Hands on time is very low, maybe ~5-10 minutes per month between my bikes.

The drivetrain gets cleaned once before new chain installation and that's it. It's a time saving measure for someone like me.

[MENTION=362748]SquidPuppet[/MENTION] there are also papers demonstrating that it is more efficient on the drive train than wet lube FYI. I don't care about that for the record as I'm sure it's nothing significant either way.

It's possible to claim it, but it's not possible to demonstrate it.

My layman's explanation. Dried wax is a solid and therefore not viscous. It's incapable of flowing. Once a chain cycles a few times under load the pressure and friction at the bearing surfaces of the pins/rollers/bushings/plates (depending on chain type) has pushed/rubbed the wax away. The same thing occurs with wet lube. But the wax being a solid is neither free to, nor does it return to those critical surfaces. As a chain rotates and changes it's orientation from 'curved' while on the sprockets, to straight while in between the sprockets, a wet lube is free to, and does return to those areas. It moves and flows because it's a liquid. The constant cycling of the chain and road induced vibration are the perfect mechanism to redistribute a mobile lube. A solid is immune to this encouragement. It stays put, right where the bearing surfaces pushed it, away from themselves, where it serves no purpose.

Wax is neat and clean and chains are very quiet immediately after they have been treated with it. The rest is myth and voo-doo.

/http://forum.blu-ray.com/images/smil...ed/soapbox.gif

:)

That makes perfect sense to me, and it's what I think too, in theory, and yet there are reliable-seeming people who claim to have demonstrably smooth/quiet chains hundreds of miles after wax application. (Unless TMonk is the absolutely subtlest and most superhumanly patient troll in the history of trolling--which is actually kind of fun to imagine. :p)

Regardless, I've got everything I need now and will find out for myself soon enough.

being subtle and clever has never been a strength of mine.

The wax is neat and clean Mr. [MENTION=362748]SquidPuppet[/MENTION], for the record. That's why I love it :). Also your layman's explanation doesn't account for the surface chemistry of the interface and how different solids might have different coating properties.

First ride in about a week since I was out of town for a while. Felt good -- I always like the first ride after some time off. Got an almost KOM on one of my usual routes.

Are you saying the wax leaves a film? Sure it does. Until a few revolution wear it off, never again to be replenished. :p

I'll have to look it up but feel that I may have left the bike on its side in the car with the shifter resting against something so that it drained faster.

My gut is close to 800 miles and that seems low. I'm not strong and it is hilly where I ride so I tend to hunt for gears and shift a lot.

I'm far from rich and this bike has Di2 and tubeless. I took 30 straight weeks of being on-call, getting woken up at 2:00 AM in order to have budget for the bike.


-Tim-

[MENTION=89773]TMonk[/MENTION] [MENTION=362748]SquidPuppet[/MENTION]

http://i.imgur.com/Dn0AoIL.jpg?1

^
do it!

You know, this thought has crossed my mind a few times... But couldn't it be possible that the solid film will last and lubricate longer than a liquid coat, potentially due to the film being less volatile? Again this is all just speculation.

Nice! I can tell you're enjoying it too.

Happy Birthday [MENTION=168526]TejanoTrackie[/MENTION]

Also I made some really good mushroom soup last night.

@TejanoTrackie

May you have many, many more birthdays.


-Tim-

Today I learned that TimothyH has a job that takes on call. Can I ask what it is that you do?

Information Technology - VMware, blades, storage mostly. Heavy background in Microsoft Exchange and messaging.

I used to be presales design and postsales implimentation but got tired of travel and so moved to a Tier3 support role and work out of a spare bedroom. :)

Now I just fix stuff when it brakes, or refer the customer to sales when stuff is too old to be fixed. Get a tidy sum for taking calls at 2:00 AM but it is very draining.

IIRC you are a pharmacist?


-Tim-

I don't think it would. Metal rubbing metal is going to wear the soft film off pronto. And the wax won't creep back into those spaces. The liquid is constantly moving because it's constantly being agitated. I guess there is the possibility that a sophisticated wax would be a better lube immediately following application, while it's still present.

Even the wax proponents acknowledge that a couple disadvantages are that it must be applied more frequently and it's not good for wet conditions. IMO, the fact that it must be applied more frequently is all I need to know.

WTF is going on here? Paraffin OIL? What is this? A hybrid? No melting required? :foo::p:foo:

I think it is a solvent, helps it to melt and serves as a carrier so that the wax flows better into the nooks and crannies.

I also think that I could be wrong and am open to correction.

My church burns it in candles so that we don't have to buy wax candles. It burns cleaner than wax and doesn't leave the expensive woodwork in the ceilings covered with soot.


-Tim-

LOL. Oops. I didn't even look at the bag FILLED with chunks of wax. Duh.

You have that mixed up - wax proponents argue that it needs to be applied much less frequently, which it's primary advantage in my book. Once every 300 miles is the most common re-lubrication period tossed around on the interwebs.

Whether or not it actually works for that long is clearly something we can agree to disagree on, but neither of us have anything other than anectodal evidence (me) and speculation (you). But again the recommended period both from personal testimonies and actual product recommendations from solid wax mfg's are that you apply it much less than you do wet lube.

Again it's time saving measures and cleanliness are the biggest wins in my book.

Today I had to put on the fenders, the front one is a pain, go over a little bump and gotta readjust so it stops rubbing on the tire. What does everyone else use to keep their feet dry?

ok.

live in texas. problem solved. rim brakes and no fenders 4 lyfe.

Is Dallas really that much more arid than Arlington? :P My Cross Check wears fenders year-round.