You are wonderful, Mr. OZ Cycle. I did my first chain lubrication with wax last week, and I had never seen my drivetrain so shiny and clean. I can't thank you in words. It is more than that. Thank you for your research, thank you for your love of cycling, thank you for your love of the environment and thank you for sharing all this with us, amateur cyclists. Just saying THANKS. Francisco Alonso Colom from São Paulo, Brazil.
@@chrisr.2371 Hello Mr. Chris R. Here in Brazil I found the PTFE after many research in Internet and many telephone calls. The colleague who sold me works with teflon pan linings. He had left over and sold me. About parafin, you can buy candle. The ratio, please see again the video, Mr. Oz Cycle can explain better than me. Regards from Brazil and be careful with covid 19. Stay at home. ptfe you can also find this web link: "www.aliexpress.com/item/4000574114103.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.20af2e0e8tNPpQ"
Wow. Biking videos that are easy to understand, comprehensive, not pretentious, and helpful? Thank you, thank you, thank you for explaining what you are doing and why you are doing it. Just great videos!
I’m new to cycling. I bought my first road bike this past December; a used 2014 Trek Domane 4.0. I’ve worked my way up to 40 miles in this time. This is all besides the point I want to make. I’ve watched a lot of GCN while started out, and I’ve found them rather insightful, but insightful is an understatement for your videos. I’m really impressed with your own research, and how you break down concepts. I don’t understand how you don’t have more subscribers, but you’ve won me over.
Late to this party but thanks for the time you took making this and your other video on this subject, going to convert both my road and MTB biked right away.
Just made a batch. Thanks for the tutorial! I did it a little different since I was due for a re-wax on my trainer bike. While it was hot, I stirred the wax to mix the PTFE. I then used a spoon to add the mixture to my squirt bottle. I used about a 1:7 - 1:8 ratio since the wax was already melted. Then filled the remaining bottle up with 91% isopropyl alcohol (I couldn’t find 99% like you had). At first I thought all I would need to do is mix it up and it would be done. What I found was when adding the alcohol it hardened the wax enough so it wouldn’t mix. What I did was heat up a pot of water and kept it around 80C while spinning the bottle with my fingers to mix contents. Worked great! ...The intent was to get the same Wax:PTFE ratio as doing a hot wax. It does separate fairly quick so you need to be aware when applying, but a quick shake mixes it up nicely. Thanks again Steve, I look forward to all your videos!
Finally made the new batch of wax and love it. Its silky smooth and no black marks when you glide your finger across it. Environmentally friendly and cheap in the long term.
Greetings from Lake Tahoe, U.S.A. I did your full treatment wax and it has worked great. So nice to not having to clean the greasy oil off after every ride (mountain bike).
Thanks for video Oz Maybe better to get water right temperature in a pan then sitting bottle in pan rather than putting bottle in kettle. If temp drops a little in 10 mins top with hotter water. Less risk of overheating
0:57 - I just went through this process. Gasoline soak for two different types of chains for ~24 hours, then I went to the denatured alcohol soak/shakes. The road chain took six separate shake/soak/shake sessions with new denatured alcohol each time, and the larger MTB chain took nine sessions of the denatured-alcohol shake/soak/shake processes - both over the course of about 20 hours. They were just not leaving clean enough alcohol each time. My guess is that the higher end 'dry' (waxy) lubes I was using, vs. just an oil-based lube, adhered to the chains longer. My point for everyone is - it may not take the mere 3 sessions (which I believe is the method oz showed in the previous waxing video) with the denatured alcohol to clean a chain.
I do love your videos, you've got me well on my way with my chain waxing. I've now got over a litre of the drip wax as I made it before I saw this video and had initially used too much wax and it kept going solid on cooling. 2 cycles of splitting the mix in two with more isopropyl alcohol and I now have many years of drip wax made. Thanks and keep up the great work!
I'm a mountain bike rider and have been frustrated with chain maintenance issues for the 10 years of my riding. Dry wax lubes have left my drivetrain totally unprotected and noisy after just 1 hour of dusty riding in bushland at Nerang. Not to mention how fast they wear out. Now you have answered my questions about the deficiencies of those lubes and given a solution the the problem. PTFE is the 'secret' weapon. I'll be getting a batch made up asap and following your chain maintinance protocols.
Excellent advice, and timing, Oz! I am very happy with the chains I ‘ve waxed according to your recipe, and was just thinking about having a little bottle of wax lubricant to use on the road. You were ready with the answer!
@@choyweide903 I've heard that the wax lasts 400km per full wax. But mine always gets squeaky after 80km or so. Around there and for each 80km I use the drip on wax. I end up re waxxing every 800-1000km fully instead of the reccomended 400km. No chain issues and my chain has no stretch!
In USA, Methylated Spirits is known as Denatured Alcohol. Methylated spirits is ethanol (alcohol) that has been made unsuitable for drinking by adding additives such as methanol. Denatured alcohol, also known as methylated spirits, is a greener alternative for your everyday cleaning needs and other domestic jobs.
@@thecappy. Denatured alcohol (also called methylated spirits, in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom) is ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous, bad-tasting, foul-smelling, or nauseating to discourage its recreational consumption. Denatured alcohol is used as a solvent and as fuel for alcohol burners and camping stoves.
Did the cleaning, waxing of my new ebike chains. Love the results. Going to make your emergency wax lube, just in case. Love your great cycling/biking advice.
Perfect, just in time for my training camp next week. I do find my PTFE sinks to the bottom of my slow cooker. So scraping it the top will be just wax. I'm going to make a fresh mini blend of wax and PTFE instead.
I think as a trail side/touring kit solution in a carry bottle the PTFE isn't crucial. It just aides longevity between the more thorough chain baths *with* the PTFE as a adhesive agent
Keep your videos coming, great information and relevant step by step instructions... as a newbie I am really enjoying them, learning lots... thank you!
I want to say you have the best videos on proper care of drivetrains I've ever seen. I've wrenched my own bikes for many years but I continue to learn from your videos. You not only show how something is done, but also explain why. Just as important, you'll show the longterm results. An example is waxing chains. A big eye-opener was the video where you approached the bikes of a group who'd stopped and you were easily able to determine who waxed and who didn't. Your videos are so well done that I'm constantly recommending your channel on numerous FB cycling pages, including Global Cycling Network. Thank you.
this is a hell of a lot safer than working with Xylene! thanks for the update. PS: Wax is just oil thats solid at room temperature. its not the oil thats attracting dirt but the polar extreme pressure additives in the oil that are designed to attach to metal surfaces on one end and dirt on the other to keep the dirt away from the metal surface. Wiping the dirt off does the trick
Thanks oz for all you do in research and knowledge. I appreciate you efforts advancing the sport in really useful and informative ways. Cheers from US mate! Thank you!🙂
Another great video. If people are looking to by a similar product because they don’t have the time make their own. Squirt Lube, is a wax based liquid lube for bike chains. I find it works well.
After many tests I discovered the big secret: Add a small part of colophony pine resin in the same mixture, and the paraffin will be slightly sticky, prolonging the durability, besides making the lubrication more powerful! I'm using 60% isopropanol, 30% paraffin and 10% pine resin. These proportions can be modified, this is just a suggestion.
Not a good idea. It's like putting grease on your chain. It'll attract dirt like an oiled chain. The purpose of the wax is that it sheds off naturally. That's why the chain stays clean
I have watched several of your videos last couple of weeks. I love it. I love the content and you as a host. Definitely one of the best bike-related channels, if not the best without a huge corporation to lean on such as GMBN... You are an awesome dude and very enjoyable to watch and it definitely shows you have huge knowledge about what you're talking about :) For lubricant, I used Muc off C3 dry lube ceramic last year, for this year I switched to Squirt lube, very happy with it, what do you think of these two?
Wonderful solution! When scraping the wax from cooker just from top part, does it include PTFE particles? In some other videos you mentioned PTFE settles on the bottom, so top part of hardened wax could be just wax without additives..
True. Its only a temporary lube to get you by. You can add a pinch ir two of ptfe into the bottle if you like or scrape from the bottom of your wax block.
I have wax my chain with paraffine and ptfe... I did the complete clean first... Man, I was riding in sand and mud I still cant believe it, work more than fine. I will make a bottle and wait until I run of of wax, I'm curious!
I had heaps of problems getting the ptfe to blend with wax when melted . Used nulon which is high in ptfe and it blended beautifully. Cost $25 at any auto shop
Just wanted to say a big Thank You for sharing all this great information. Still using up my moly wax but will upgrade soon...... I noticed after your video that PTFE on ebay went out of stock..... safe riding mate.
You mentioned about contamination a fair amount. After a thorough proper cleaning of the chain and waxing, what say you about properly lubricating the derailleur pivot points and jockey wheels? I reckon if one was to use regular oil lubrication on these parts, they will eventually filter onto the chain and therefore contaminate the freshly waxed chain. Would your liquid wax mixture be a good for derailleurs pivot points and jockey wheels?
Hi Mr OZ. love your videos and the chain waxing technique. Love it so far. I just made myself a bottled of togo wax like the video but when my bottle got to room temp, the wax was solid!! I folloed the steps so now wondering what have I done wrong. Any tips for that? thank you! Regis
I have used the hot wax method for 30+ years, and it works better than anything else. For the in-between rides though I use DuPont Chain Saver. It’s a waxed based PTFE aerosol lube that works very well. I first blast the chain , cogset, and chainring with water to get as much dirt off as possible. Let dry and spray Chain Saver with the supplied tube applicator. Try it, and thanks for your ingenious TH-cam videos...very helpful!
You've saved me a lot of money over the years. Making my own bearing press tool, making my own head set tool, buying awesome Chinese carbon wheels, but this is one I have to take a pass on. I use Squirt lube, and it's pretty awesome. It's a bit expensive I'll grant you, but it works like a charm and I don't need to buy a slow cooker, thermometer, wax, wire etc... This just seems like a very long road to take to solve a very minor problem.
@@stevenleffanue Oh there's definitely some marks. I wipe my chain down after every ride, and degrease and relube it once a week. I also take my cassette off once a month and degrease it thoroughly. Your method would result in some small improvement I'm sure, but not enough in my estimation to go through all that trouble. Maybe I'm wrong?
@@jshepard5840 Once you've cleaned a new chain and keep one or two more in reserve, ready to go, you'll find that it's actually easier, quicker, and MUCH cleaner than Squirt, Rock & Roll and any of those sticky, dirt attracting lubes. Waxing right will leave your chain going many times longer also. When it's time to re-wax, just pop on a reserve pre-waxed chain and through the other chain in newly melted wax later. And, if you make this wax lube, it's the same as what you're doing now, but better.
Ill try my first cain wax today. I hope petrol, degreaser and brake cleaner will do the job! wil avoid the PTFE tho... its the worst kind of microplastic.
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling Yes, I am close to change from oil to wax. I bought wax, paraffin oil, a slow cooker, and ordered ptfe powder. And struggled to get xylol wich was difficult. Just to hear now I could take isopropyl alcohol instead wich I could get for free where I work. 🙄
Would love to know your reasoning, oz cycle! -- If I were to guess, xylene dissolves the wax better, but isopropyl alcohol is a) much easier to source b) not toxic and c) still good enough (??)
Curious, as I found Bunnings sell Xylene @$20/litre. Yet IPA slightly more expensive at Bunnings. Go figure. Where is the best place to buy IPA in Australia
I saw you at the Fury/Wilder fight at the Baysy pub on Sunday. At least, I think it was you. You were whiffled. I introduced myself and you looked at me like I'd eaten your wallet and complained about it tasting wallety.
I made the initial cleaning and waxing on a Merida Speeder equipped with Shimano 105 drivetrain. 2x petrol (contains 10% bioethanol here in Hungary/Europe), then degreaser, then denaturated alcohol, finally a brake cleaner spray. Then the wax bath in paraffin candle wax. The excess was removed with a toothbrush. Since then (appr. 100kms in dry conditions) i am endlessly happy with the smoothness of ride and the cleanness of the chain. I don’t have to be afraid of the dirty chain making my leg, my car messy. Today i wanted to make the after-lubricant with wax (30%) and isopropyl alcohol (70%, measured by weight on a kitchen scale). And this is somehow not working. My wax is staying in pieces, it does not want to melt in the 65-70 degree Celsius bath even after half an hour. It does not make an emulsion with tiny little wax particles, and if I want to pour, the wax freezes into the nozzle. so I can not apply like this. Maybe do you have a hint what went wrong?
It was an effort to clean chain from all the sram factory grease, but well worth it. I went all in and did 4 chains for this coming ride season in Michigan, 🇺🇸 . I may suggest a vigorous rinsing(especially with lubed chains) between degreasings a couple/few times, so as to not carry the grime to your mineral spirits. After an extensive ride, No sign of any grime with the finger rub. Also, a double taped toothbrush will be worth keeping on hand for post ride surface cleanings.
Aloha from Hawaii! I have been enjoying your channel and have watched pretty much all of your videos. I was intrigued about waxing my bike chain, so I took good notes, bought everything, bought an extra chain, two quick links and everything else that you said was needed. Today I cleaned, degreased, and used mentholated spirits (denatured alcohol) and then waxed both chains and installed one of my Specialized Venge. Tomorrow I have a 30 mile ride so I’m looking forward to trying the new waxed chain. Thanks so much, I enjoy watching you and all your friends in Australia. P.S. I cannot find any 12 speed chains or links from Connex in the USA, any thoughts?
@@stevenleffanue Thanks, I went to both sites, neither offered the Connex 12 speed chains or links, but I did send an email to each business asking if they will be carrying them. Have a great week!
I did it to two chains. The older chain cleaned and waxed just fine. The new chain didn't take the wax all that well(apparently), it seemed like the wax ran out of the new chain even after i let the wax cool a bit before taking it out. I dipped it again and the wax clumped on real hard, and it needed to be broken up after. Maybe a chain that has been broken in a bit more will take the wax better?
Hello! I wanted to ask is it possible only to use the liquid you made?(not putting the chain in hot wax) And what wax did you use(does it differ from candle wax, or has any specific name)? Thank you! -Ignas
Hi, I love the waxed chain, tks and I like the idea of the extender wax in a bottle. I have been thinking on the extender wax My thoughts below, they may be of no use or may be useful, but … ON the Extender: You scrape the wax from the current supply. My experience with the wax is that the PTFE falls to the bottom, it does not actually mix fully with the wax. This is not a criticism just an observation. So I was thinking that there must be no, or little PTFE in the extender. To address this, I took the wax from the HOT mixture after mixing with my not patented wooden dowel. That way I knew I had PTFE. Your Thoughts? On Application of the Extender: What you do makes sense, but I thought there may be a way to immerse the chain in the extender liquid. I have a no longer necessary chain cleaning device! I really cleaned it and propose to use that when I need to apply the extender. The chain cleaner will semi-submerse the chain and then brush on the extender. I can top up the extender in the chain cleaner “wax extender” device. I have not had the chance to use it yet, but that is what I will do before I next re-wax just to see how it goes. Your thoughts? Ray…
Love your videos. I've waxed my chain as you described and thus far, works great. Thanks. The only problem I'm having is with the "Chain wax in a bottle" technique. I've melted the wax/Ptfe into 91% isopropyl alcohol. While warm, it desolved great. But once it cools off, the wax settles in a clump again. Any suggestions? Maybe exact measurements of wax to alcohol would help. Thanks and keep making these great videos.
@@ThomasFlorimonte 91% iso is in most any pharmacy in the US. And any hardware store should have denatured alcohol which starts off at 100%. All alcohol will absorb water from the air over time but should still be 90%+ and work fine.
Great new formula. Alcohol is more healthy (at least if you don´t drink it) and more enviromental friendly. At least in germany it is not alowed to dump chemical, including hot water with wax, in the sink. You have to give it to companys that clean and recicle it. Thats the reason why i am useing an ultrasonic cleaner. That safes the amonut of cleaning solvent.
talk ebikes please the new 11 and 12 speed casettes and chains seem to be much more durable then 10 speed, can i swap to a 12 speed and 12 speed chain and get a stronger setup...i just wore out my first chain 0.50 in 470 miles and 12000 feet of climbing......got new chain....degreased and waxed per your instructions...looks easy on you r video's but my chain didnt get the same amount of wax on them as you seem to.....your video's have really helped me watching the saddles one's as my Bulls ebike was born with a horrible torture device, 500 miles and im still in pain....china saddle here i come
Hi Oz Cycle, recent convert to your wax methods. Thank you. 1 question. Can you recommend recommend a commercial drip wax for the top up wax? The isopropyl alcohol is like 10 bucks from bunnings so thinking of taking the easy way out. So basically which top up wax would you recommend if you had to buy and not make which would be compatible with your dip waxing?
I use "Household Paraffin Wax". It is softer than what Oz uses (MP 37c) but it is FDA approved (which, for a second, I thought I would brag about, but I am in the USA so it does not mean it is perfect, but suitable for waxing apples🤔) I have had none of the suspension issues with it in a drip and I seem to get more miles than others (I re-wax between 250-300 miles on a 9x3 speed) and I have yet to hear a squeak.
Fantastic, very happy with waxed chains but kept training bike with commercial dry lube for above reason, now can wax all bike chains and use bottled lube for backup👏Anyone know where I can get the PTFE powder at a good price, originally got it for about $6 50 grams. But not anymore.
Hello, could you please upload a video on how to service bearings? Especially free hub bearings and/or wheel bearings in general. A piece of advice on when and how often to service them (or even replace them) would be very very welcome !
hello, thank you for your videos, I learn lots of things by watching you. I tried to make a small bottle of liquid wax with isopropyl alcohol but the result i make a sort of cream not liquid i added a little alcohol but it's always the same . thank you for your answer
If you keep adding more IPA the mixture will eventually be liquid enough. There is also an updated version of bottled wax.... th-cam.com/video/XY7QI3xfa_4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BEZBmESWdNUwIWP6
I find that Iso's viscosity is too high and everything spills around the chain when applied. So I changed to Propylene Glycol (organic alcohol used for skin care etc) which has a higher viscosity and evaporates slowlier. Also has a high boiling point and non hazardous. So the perfect alternative for me.
Hi there. Love your videos. I’ve ordered my wax and PTFE. One thing I don’t understand is you say to clean with petrol, degreaser and methylated spirits. Do you mean all 3 in that order or just use one of those them? Also is mineral turpentine a good cleaner? Need to understand the above first before I do the wax or my chain may be contaminated before I start Cheers Russ
Its explained in the "ultimate wax" video Russell. In some countries "mineral turpentine" contains a small amount of oil which is not good for the final clean. Metholated spirits,alcohol,xylene and toulene are prefered
Maybe make the temporary wax mixture in a larger glass bottle on the stove then transfer it to a smaller plastic bottle, just in case of an accident with the kettle filament and the plastic and then bigger batches can be made too?
Love your hot wax treatment. However, tried this one and the mixture went thick and solidified as soon as it touched the chain. I guess I used too much wax. Could you be more specific as to proportions of wax & alcohol by weight?
Oz, you have definitely made it possible for me to make the move to all wax drivetrain. it is amazing how clean and maintenance free my bike keeps itself after long long miles on road and even on the dirt trails.I have converted all my 4 bikes to this method and had great success. Even though the first clean and even the cleans after are quite laborious i will keep using this method because nothing else keeps the drive train so clean and maintenance free, i swear by wax now. I have 2 questions though: 1. My commuter bike for some reason does not hold the wax, it starts squeaking within the first few days, while my road bike can keep squeak free for 2 weeks of long rides. is it possible that the chain can be non-compliant??? my last re-wax was amazing and bike was assassin like silent until one day on my return ride it rained quite a bit and the next day chain started squeaking. is the chain the culprit or the rain or something else? 2. I haven't gotten my hands on PTFE yet and using just paraffin (candle making wax) and dip the chain in cold water right after cooking it in wax. should i push to find PTFE powder or keep using this method change my grade of wax??? Much appreciated and a big admirer of your work, Thanks mate with love from Canada.
I do not know why you are flash cooling it but it must be causing some constriction issues. (i.e. the wax is not contracting at the same rate as the metal). I'm not giving you an answer: I'm just pointing out one thing I see that could go wrong. (not to mention water getting between the wax and metal).
Ive been able to get as much as 300. miles from my waxing efforts. As a touring rider this may be an ideal solution for longer rides between "home". The challenge I have is reapplication of wax. The hot water method never seems to be enough. I suspect I am picking up oil from the road, leaving me with little choice but to repeat the (somewhat tedious) petroleum cleaning each time.
I do not like just pouring hot water over it; I boil the chain for 2 minutes. But boiling has its own issues: it is corrosive. I like to remove all the old lube, and dry it with compressed air using a nozzle, pin by pin. Wax it and hang it to cool. I very much doubt you are picking up oil unless it is left over from the derailleur, sprockets and/or the jockey wheels. But I have a 21 speed (9x3) and I do not flex the chain side to side as much as single crank setups do.
Thanks again for your contributions to cycling! Do you know if other types of alcohol would work? Eg. Ethanol? Some Brewing suppliers in Australia sell Ethanol for around AUD$10 per litre (for “cleaning” purposes)... or even methylated alcohol (which I understand is mostly ethanol with some methanol to render it undrinkable)?
@@stevenleffanue How? I can see your solid wax has the same precipitation I get with 1.5um PTFE: concentrated on the bottom. It does not clump, however it is not suspended in the wax, much less in cooled wax. You have mentioned that this is a mixture and needs to be stirred when used. I don't get the squeaking other people get but then again, I never ride in rain. And I put a good 300 miles between using the boiling out all the old wax, immediately drying it with compressed air and then dumping it in the melted solution for about an hour, mixing when I remember (at least 3-4 times). I'm not arguing it needs PTFE in the travel solution; just asking why you replied the wax was "infused".
The problem with scraping it off the top of the hardened wax is that, I find that the PTFE settled to the bottom when the wax cools. It is not evenly mixed through when you do the scraping
Same here for my batch....I suppose a good solution would be to take a thin cake slice (equivalent) which has the wax content (all the way through) and then follow the process ? - I hope that makes sense?
Do this when the wax is hot next time you dip your chain. Give it a good stir, then just spoon the hot wax/ptfe into a bottle and add the IPA. You will still need to heat the bottle up to bring the IPA up to temp IOT mix the solution.
Thanks for all your great videos , I am finding that when heating the wax (candle) and the PTFE in the rice cooker , the wax and the PTFE do not mix together , they remain mostly separate . Can you please explain this ?
Let chain sit in the hot wax to heat up for 3-4 minutes then swish the chain. Let sit again for 5 minutes and if no more bubbles come out of the chain when you move it, it's ready.
I’ve ordered ptfe powder after watching your video on how to wax your chain and now just watched this. First of all thank you for making such informative videos! Is this method similar to commercial products such as squirt? Could you use this liquid version as a replacement for dipping your chain? Seems pretty convenient and much cheaper than buying the commercial stuff.
It is not same as any other drip lube as it dries completely. It's for taking with you on long , multi-day rides or as an emergency lube. It want get to the inner workings of a chain as well as immersive waxing.
Good to know! It surely gets to the inner workings at least as good as squirt, I would guess, making it just as effective. I’ve heard people report that they wax their chains initially by immersion and use a drip bottle (commercial or home brew) to re lubes every couple hundred miles. Then every so often they re dip. I guess I should have asked if this version you made has as much wax left behind as commercial stuff.
I once watched another of your videos where you used xylene to make a mixture of wax and xylene in a bottle. So which is better how you made it in this video or with the xylene.
@@stevenleffanue PTFE is carcinogenic, produces birth defects, it doesn't break down and it climbs the food chain affecting us directly. It has a looong lifetime, so it will affect my children and grandchildren health. Although it's commonly used on cookware, companies keep using it because companies don't care about externalities as long as it doesn't affect their profits, and unfortunately governments are reluctant to do something about it.
Hey there. I enjoy your informative videos. I followed a previous recipe you presented for a bottled wax chain lube that included Xylol. Why did you change your recipe to using alcohol?
This is a great stop gap for travel. Is this a replacement for the xylene/wax etc bottle mixture, because xylene is hard to get, or a simplification which is actually better? Thanks. Tony
The last days i been thinking on ways to isolate the chain and gearsystem from the environment to prevent dirt and contaminants. On a IGH system it would be easy to just use a pair of PE tubes along the chainlengths but derailleur gearing poses a big challenge. I remember several old bikes had a casing around the chain and it cant be that bad of an idea.
I've just seen an article about a new water and wax emulsion lube containing graphene. It's from AbsoluteBlack and is called GraphenLube. It's claimed to last for 1800km per application. I'd be interested in your views on this product.
@@stevenleffanue I think I'll wait till the price drops first! I've been using your wax/PTFE lube for the last few months and I'm absolutely delighted with the clean chain after all this time. Works brilliantly - thanks so much!
Great videos, very interesting and thorough but do you think your chain cleaning & waxing regime would benefit a UK based xc mtb rider whose chain is caked in crud and muck after most rides especially over the winter months? Sounds like I would probably need to clean and re-wax after every ride?
Thanks oz cycle, I think riding a mtb in the UK is a different proposition to riding one in Oz but I will give it a go 👍. Have a new chain with factory lube so I just going through your cleaning regime, ok to use isopropyl instead of meths? 😁
Have waxed my chain using your old recipe @oz cycle and am happy so far. I only went out for a c. 22 mile in dry / dusty conditions but I was impressed with minimal residue on the chain afterwards. It was an ideal time to experiment as I was replacing the whole drivetrain on my xc mtb inc. jockey wheels so everything was clean. So far, so good 👍. One question pls - can I make the wax in a bottle using the old recipe (wax and paraffin / lamp oil) with the addition of iso? Thanks again and keep up the great work, cheers from the UK 😀
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You are wonderful, Mr. OZ Cycle. I did my first chain lubrication with wax last week, and I had never seen my drivetrain so shiny and clean.
I can't thank you in words. It is more than that.
Thank you for your research, thank you for your love of cycling, thank you for your love of the environment and thank you for sharing all this with us, amateur cyclists.
Just saying THANKS.
Francisco Alonso Colom from São Paulo, Brazil.
Were you able to purchase all products without any problems ? In which ratio did you mix ?
@@chrisr.2371 Hello Mr. Chris R.
Here in Brazil I found the PTFE after many research in Internet and many telephone calls. The colleague who sold me works with teflon pan linings. He had left over and sold me. About parafin, you can buy candle.
The ratio, please see again the video, Mr. Oz Cycle can explain better than me. Regards from Brazil and be careful with covid 19. Stay at home.
ptfe you can also find this web link: "www.aliexpress.com/item/4000574114103.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.20af2e0e8tNPpQ"
Francisco, você continua lubrificando a corrente com a cera com ptfe? Está gostando?
@@franciscoalonsocolomalonso5546 Onde conseguiste o PTFE no Brasil? Está dando certo?
@@rhadamigor no mercado livre não é difícil encontrar.. 100 gramas, perto de 100 reais.. É caro!
Wow. Biking videos that are easy to understand, comprehensive, not pretentious, and helpful? Thank you, thank you, thank you for explaining what you are doing and why you are doing it. Just great videos!
I’m new to cycling. I bought my first road bike this past December; a used 2014 Trek Domane 4.0. I’ve worked my way up to 40 miles in this time. This is all besides the point I want to make. I’ve watched a lot of GCN while started out, and I’ve found them rather insightful, but insightful is an understatement for your videos. I’m really impressed with your own research, and how you break down concepts. I don’t understand how you don’t have more subscribers, but you’ve won me over.
GNC is the "apple genius bar" of cycling smh smh smh
Late to this party but thanks for the time you took making this and your other video on this subject, going to convert both my road and MTB biked right away.
Just made a batch. Thanks for the tutorial! I did it a little different since I was due for a re-wax on my trainer bike. While it was hot, I stirred the wax to mix the PTFE. I then used a spoon to add the mixture to my squirt bottle. I used about a 1:7 - 1:8 ratio since the wax was already melted. Then filled the remaining bottle up with 91% isopropyl alcohol (I couldn’t find 99% like you had). At first I thought all I would need to do is mix it up and it would be done. What I found was when adding the alcohol it hardened the wax enough so it wouldn’t mix. What I did was heat up a pot of water and kept it around 80C while spinning the bottle with my fingers to mix contents. Worked great! ...The intent was to get the same Wax:PTFE ratio as doing a hot wax. It does separate fairly quick so you need to be aware when applying, but a quick shake mixes it up nicely. Thanks again Steve, I look forward to all your videos!
Just wanted to add, make sure you leave the bottle in the hot water long enough to where the wax is totally melted.
Finally made the new batch of wax and love it. Its silky smooth and no black marks when you glide your finger across it. Environmentally friendly and cheap in the long term.
PTFE isn't eco friendly....
Greetings from Lake Tahoe, U.S.A. I did your full treatment wax and it has worked great. So nice to not having to clean the greasy oil off after every ride (mountain bike).
Thanks for video Oz
Maybe better to get water right temperature in a pan then sitting bottle in pan rather than putting bottle in kettle. If temp drops a little in 10 mins top with hotter water. Less risk of overheating
0:57 - I just went through this process. Gasoline soak for two different types of chains for ~24 hours, then I went to the denatured alcohol soak/shakes. The road chain took six separate shake/soak/shake sessions with new denatured alcohol each time, and the larger MTB chain took nine sessions of the denatured-alcohol shake/soak/shake processes - both over the course of about 20 hours. They were just not leaving clean enough alcohol each time. My guess is that the higher end 'dry' (waxy) lubes I was using, vs. just an oil-based lube, adhered to the chains longer. My point for everyone is - it may not take the mere 3 sessions (which I believe is the method oz showed in the previous waxing video) with the denatured alcohol to clean a chain.
Did you use degreaser between petrol and alcohol?
I do love your videos, you've got me well on my way with my chain waxing. I've now got over a litre of the drip wax as I made it before I saw this video and had initially used too much wax and it kept going solid on cooling. 2 cycles of splitting the mix in two with more isopropyl alcohol and I now have many years of drip wax made. Thanks and keep up the great work!
I'm a mountain bike rider and have been frustrated with chain maintenance issues for the 10 years of my riding. Dry wax lubes have left my drivetrain totally unprotected and noisy after just 1 hour of dusty riding in bushland at Nerang. Not to mention how fast they wear out. Now you have answered my questions about the deficiencies of those lubes and given a solution the the problem. PTFE is the 'secret' weapon. I'll be getting a batch made up asap and following your chain maintinance protocols.
So...what was your experience on your MTB? Also, any comments on wet/mud riding?
Excellent advice, and timing, Oz! I am very happy with the chains I ‘ve waxed according to your recipe, and was just thinking about having a little bottle of wax lubricant to use on the road. You were ready with the answer!
Excited to start all these wax chains. Do you use a wax lubricant like you normally do with oil lubricant? Trying not to do a full wax so frequently.
@@choyweide903 I've heard that the wax lasts 400km per full wax. But mine always gets squeaky after 80km or so. Around there and for each 80km I use the drip on wax. I end up re waxxing every 800-1000km fully instead of the reccomended 400km. No chain issues and my chain has no stretch!
In USA, Methylated Spirits is known as Denatured Alcohol.
Methylated spirits is ethanol (alcohol) that has been made unsuitable for drinking by adding additives such as methanol. Denatured alcohol, also known as methylated spirits, is a greener alternative for your everyday cleaning needs and other domestic jobs.
@VARocketry I can only find it as fuel for alcohol camping stoves. I asked at Lowes and the guy looked at me funny.
@@thecappy. Denatured alcohol (also called methylated spirits, in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom) is ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous, bad-tasting, foul-smelling, or nauseating to discourage its recreational consumption. Denatured alcohol is used as a solvent and as fuel for alcohol burners and camping stoves.
@@thecappy Home depot has it.
Also called shellac thinner
@@jimmilstein7166 How can you be sure? Thanks!
Thanks for this video. I tried my first wax treatment a month ago and the chain is still going strong!
Did the cleaning, waxing of my new ebike chains. Love the results. Going to make your emergency wax lube, just in case. Love your great cycling/biking advice.
Perfect, just in time for my training camp next week. I do find my PTFE sinks to the bottom of my slow cooker. So scraping it the top will be just wax. I'm going to make a fresh mini blend of wax and PTFE instead.
I think as a trail side/touring kit solution in a carry bottle the PTFE isn't crucial. It just aides longevity between the more thorough chain baths *with* the PTFE as a adhesive agent
Keep your videos coming, great information and relevant step by step instructions... as a newbie I am really enjoying them, learning lots... thank you!
Thank you so much for the tip. It's perfect. Hugs. Born in Minas Gerais(MG) Brazil. God bless you.
I want to say you have the best videos on proper care of drivetrains I've ever seen. I've wrenched my own bikes for many years but I continue to learn from your videos. You not only show how something is done, but also explain why. Just as important, you'll show the longterm results. An example is waxing chains. A big eye-opener was the video where you approached the bikes of a group who'd stopped and you were easily able to determine who waxed and who didn't. Your videos are so well done that I'm constantly recommending your channel on numerous FB cycling pages, including Global Cycling Network. Thank you.
Love the power board on the wall directly wired into the power point. A nice subtle affirmation for my subscription
Nicely noticed! :D
These illustration videos are so practical and straight forward making our hobby easy..
Thank you and keep it up
Watching your videos again, because I'm about to order PTFE 1.6micron poweder. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Damn this is DIY version Squirt !
this is a hell of a lot safer than working with Xylene! thanks for the update. PS: Wax is just oil thats solid at room temperature. its not the oil thats attracting dirt but the polar extreme pressure additives in the oil that are designed to attach to metal surfaces on one end and dirt on the other to keep the dirt away from the metal surface. Wiping the dirt off does the trick
This channel is by far the most useful I've come across
I can watch your explaination whole day... What a nice teacher..thanks
Thanks oz for all you do in research and knowledge. I appreciate you efforts advancing the sport in really useful and informative ways. Cheers from US mate! Thank you!🙂
Another great video. If people are looking to by a similar product because they don’t have the time make their own. Squirt Lube, is a wax based liquid lube for bike chains. I find it works well.
Gets washed off when it rains
After many tests I discovered the big secret:
Add a small part of colophony pine resin in the same mixture, and the paraffin will be slightly sticky, prolonging the durability, besides making the lubrication more powerful!
I'm using 60% isopropanol, 30% paraffin and 10% pine resin. These proportions can be modified, this is just a suggestion.
Not a good idea. It's like putting grease on your chain. It'll attract dirt like an oiled chain.
The purpose of the wax is that it sheds off naturally. That's why the chain stays clean
Thanks a lot Mr.OZ . Did my first one and will try on my next ride . Since i've just lubricated , suprisingly the sound of the chain gone :)
When Mr OZ stops making these wonderful video's we know what has happened: the lube companies will have made him an offer he couldn't refuse :-)
Naw, the truth is already out so they would hire PR propagandists to try and cover it up
Cgn lol
Mr Oz sleeps with the fishes 🐟
🤣👍🏼
I have watched several of your videos last couple of weeks. I love it. I love the content and you as a host. Definitely one of the best bike-related channels, if not the best without a huge corporation to lean on such as GMBN... You are an awesome dude and very enjoyable to watch and it definitely shows you have huge knowledge about what you're talking about :)
For lubricant, I used Muc off C3 dry lube ceramic last year, for this year I switched to Squirt lube, very happy with it, what do you think of these two?
Wonderful solution!
When scraping the wax from cooker just from top part, does it include PTFE particles? In some other videos you mentioned PTFE settles on the bottom, so top part of hardened wax could be just wax without additives..
True. Its only a temporary lube to get you by. You can add a pinch ir two of ptfe into the bottle if you like or scrape from the bottom of your wax block.
You and trace velo is all one needs,. Great videos.
Yeh,I like Trace Velos humor 😁
So nice, I have no words to thank you! Regards from Guatemala
I got my first serious bike, (a brompton) and your videos have been very helpful! Setting me off right even before I've started riding it.
Thank you so much for this easy explanation, will definitely try your method. God bless you and your family
You sir, are a bicycle maintance legend . Keep it up. Godspeed 🙏🏻
I have wax my chain with paraffine and ptfe... I did the complete clean first... Man, I was riding in sand and mud I still cant believe it, work more than fine. I will make a bottle and wait until I run of of wax, I'm curious!
I had heaps of problems getting the ptfe to blend with wax when melted . Used nulon which is high in ptfe and it blended beautifully. Cost $25 at any auto shop
Just wanted to say a big Thank You for sharing all this great information. Still using up my moly wax but will upgrade soon...... I noticed after your video that PTFE on ebay went out of stock..... safe riding mate.
You mentioned about contamination a fair amount. After a thorough proper cleaning of the chain and waxing, what say you about properly lubricating the derailleur pivot points and jockey wheels? I reckon if one was to use regular oil lubrication on these parts, they will eventually filter onto the chain and therefore contaminate the freshly waxed chain. Would your liquid wax mixture be a good for derailleurs pivot points and jockey wheels?
Good point.
Always look forward to Oz's vids.
Hi Mr OZ. love your videos and the chain waxing technique. Love it so far. I just made myself a bottled of togo wax like the video but when my bottle got to room temp, the wax was solid!! I folloed the steps so now wondering what have I done wrong. Any tips for that? thank you! Regis
Too much wax,not enough isopropyl alcohol.Add more IPA and reheat
@@stevenleffanue i have the same problem too, now i know what to do about it, thank you
Add more IPA
Gran video, muy útil. Tengo una pregunta. Se puede usar otro disolvente que no sea alcohol isopropílico?, tal vez acetona por ejemplo? Gracias.
Yes , xylene or acetone
@@stevenleffanue Muchas gracias y un abrazo.
I have used the hot wax method for 30+ years, and it works better than anything else. For the in-between rides though I use DuPont Chain Saver. It’s a waxed based PTFE aerosol lube that works very well. I first blast the chain , cogset, and chainring with water to get as much dirt off as possible. Let dry and spray Chain Saver with the supplied tube applicator. Try it, and thanks for your ingenious TH-cam videos...very helpful!
Does the chain saver have *any* oils in the ingredients?
@@kodiakpb Not that I’m aware of or can tell. It’s wax, PTFE powder, and a propellant. Definitely dries with a dry white film.
Thanks
Great update! Much nicer than the xylene / toluene solution! Will be making myself a bottle of this! Cheers!
Is there another video using xylene? I've been scouring TH-cam and can't seem to find it
Yes you can disolve the wax with xylene , toulene,acetone,isopropyl alcohol,white spirits or wax and grease remover and put it in an applicator bottle
@@stevenleffanue Awesome thanks!
Thanks for the video and research btw. Your work might be a game changer in chain lubrication.
You've saved me a lot of money over the years. Making my own bearing press tool, making my own head set tool, buying awesome Chinese carbon wheels, but this is one I have to take a pass on. I use Squirt lube, and it's pretty awesome. It's a bit expensive I'll grant you, but it works like a charm and I don't need to buy a slow cooker, thermometer, wax, wire etc... This just seems like a very long road to take to solve a very minor problem.
After a couple of rides , wipe your finger on your chain....clean or marks?
@@stevenleffanue Oh there's definitely some marks. I wipe my chain down after every ride, and degrease and relube it once a week. I also take my cassette off once a month and degrease it thoroughly. Your method would result in some small improvement I'm sure, but not enough in my estimation to go through all that trouble. Maybe I'm wrong?
@@jshepard5840 Squirt gets washed off when it rains
@@jshepard5840 Once you've cleaned a new chain and keep one or two more in reserve, ready to go, you'll find that it's actually easier, quicker, and MUCH cleaner than Squirt, Rock & Roll and any of those sticky, dirt attracting lubes. Waxing right will leave your chain going many times longer also. When it's time to re-wax, just pop on a reserve pre-waxed chain and through the other chain in newly melted wax later. And, if you make this wax lube, it's the same as what you're doing now, but better.
Ill try my first cain wax today. I hope petrol, degreaser and brake cleaner will do the job!
wil avoid the PTFE tho... its the worst kind of microplastic.
IT'S THE SECOND COMING PEOPLE!
So you changed from the Xylene to the alcohol, right?What are the reasons?
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling Yes, I am close to change from oil to wax. I bought wax, paraffin oil, a slow cooker, and ordered ptfe powder. And struggled to get xylol wich was difficult. Just to hear now I could take isopropyl alcohol instead wich I could get for free where I work. 🙄
Would love to know your reasoning, oz cycle! -- If I were to guess, xylene dissolves the wax better, but isopropyl alcohol is a) much easier to source b) not toxic and c) still good enough (??)
Curious, as I found Bunnings sell Xylene @$20/litre. Yet IPA slightly more expensive at Bunnings.
Go figure.
Where is the best place to buy IPA in Australia
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling let us say we are the guinea pigs in an evolution toward top grade wax lube at rock bottom price.
@Desmond Allin , So if using Xylene does it still need the paraffin wax as you previously advocated or would wax + xylene + PTFE be better please ?
I saw you at the Fury/Wilder fight at the Baysy pub on Sunday. At least, I think it was you. You were whiffled. I introduced myself and you looked at me like I'd eaten your wallet and complained about it tasting wallety.
very informative channel, thanks to you Sir!
I made the initial cleaning and waxing on a Merida Speeder equipped with Shimano 105 drivetrain. 2x petrol (contains 10% bioethanol here in Hungary/Europe), then degreaser, then denaturated alcohol, finally a brake cleaner spray. Then the wax bath in paraffin candle wax. The excess was removed with a toothbrush. Since then (appr. 100kms in dry conditions) i am endlessly happy with the smoothness of ride and the cleanness of the chain. I don’t have to be afraid of the dirty chain making my leg, my car messy.
Today i wanted to make the after-lubricant with wax (30%) and isopropyl alcohol (70%, measured by weight on a kitchen scale). And this is somehow not working. My wax is staying in pieces, it does not want to melt in the 65-70 degree Celsius bath even after half an hour. It does not make an emulsion with tiny little wax particles, and if I want to pour, the wax freezes into the nozzle. so I can not apply like this.
Maybe do you have a hint what went wrong?
The alcohol is heated to same temperate that the wax melts. Let it sit at that temperature until all wax is visibly disolved. Shake bottle as it cools
Just adding another positive review and without ptfe. Worked great. Also I ride a recumbent. The chain is long.
It was an effort to clean chain from all the sram factory grease, but well worth it. I went all in and did 4 chains for this coming ride season in Michigan, 🇺🇸 . I may suggest a vigorous rinsing(especially with lubed chains) between degreasings a couple/few times, so as to not carry the grime to your mineral spirits. After an extensive ride, No sign of any grime with the finger rub. Also, a double taped toothbrush will be worth keeping on hand for post ride surface cleanings.
Awesome video! Thank you a lot! Portable wax lubricant for cheap!
Aloha from Hawaii! I have been enjoying your channel and have watched pretty much all of your videos. I was intrigued about waxing my bike chain, so I took good notes, bought everything, bought an extra chain, two quick links and everything else that you said was needed. Today I cleaned, degreased, and used mentholated spirits (denatured alcohol) and then waxed both chains and installed one of my Specialized Venge. Tomorrow I have a 30 mile ride so I’m looking forward to trying the new waxed chain. Thanks so much, I enjoy watching you and all your friends in Australia. P.S. I cannot find any 12 speed chains or links from Connex in the USA, any thoughts?
Wiggle?...Chain reaction?
oz cycle Thank you, I will try them.
@@stevenleffanue Thanks, I went to both sites, neither offered the Connex 12 speed chains or links, but I did send an email to each business asking if they will be carrying them. Have a great week!
@oz_cycles Been a month since I followed your advice and waxing the chain makes maintenance so much easier. Thanks!!
Nice. It takes a while to realize the benefits...like a cleaner drivetrain
I did it to two chains. The older chain cleaned and waxed just fine. The new chain didn't take the wax all that well(apparently), it seemed like the wax ran out of the new chain even after i let the wax cool a bit before taking it out. I dipped it again and the wax clumped on real hard, and it needed to be broken up after. Maybe a chain that has been broken in a bit more will take the wax better?
Hello! I wanted to ask is it possible only to use the liquid you made?(not putting the chain in hot wax)
And what wax did you use(does it differ from candle wax, or has any specific name)?
Thank you!
-Ignas
You can but you will need to ensure the liquid gets into the links properly.
The wax has ptfe powder added to it.
Merci !You are wonderful et generous .Thank you
Hi,
I love the waxed chain, tks and I like the idea of the extender wax in a bottle.
I have been thinking on the extender wax My thoughts below, they may be of no use or may be useful, but …
ON the Extender:
You scrape the wax from the current supply. My experience with the wax is that the PTFE falls to the bottom, it does not actually mix fully with the wax. This is not a criticism just an observation. So I was thinking that there must be no, or little PTFE in the extender.
To address this, I took the wax from the HOT mixture after mixing with my not patented wooden dowel. That way I knew I had PTFE.
Your Thoughts?
On Application of the Extender:
What you do makes sense, but I thought there may be a way to immerse the chain in the extender liquid.
I have a no longer necessary chain cleaning device! I really cleaned it and propose to use that when I need to apply the extender.
The chain cleaner will semi-submerse the chain and then brush on the extender. I can top up the extender in the chain cleaner “wax extender” device.
I have not had the chance to use it yet, but that is what I will do before I next re-wax just to see how it goes.
Your thoughts?
Ray…
Love your videos. I've waxed my chain as you described and thus far, works great. Thanks. The only problem I'm having is with the "Chain wax in a bottle" technique. I've melted the wax/Ptfe into 91% isopropyl alcohol. While warm, it desolved great. But once it cools off, the wax settles in a clump again. Any suggestions? Maybe exact measurements of wax to alcohol would help. Thanks and keep making these great videos.
Use 99% IPA
@@stevenleffanue I'm in the US. You know how hard it is to get any isopropyl alcohol, much less anything over 75%. Any other suggestions?
Xylene
@@ThomasFlorimonte 91% iso is in most any pharmacy in the US. And any hardware store should have denatured alcohol which starts off at 100%. All alcohol will absorb water from the air over time but should still be 90%+ and work fine.
IsoHeat is 99%
Why now Isopropanol and not Xylenes (Xylol) which you mentioned in another video?
Great new formula. Alcohol is more healthy (at least if you don´t drink it) and more enviromental friendly. At least in germany it is not alowed to dump chemical, including hot water with wax, in the sink. You have to give it to companys that clean and recicle it. Thats the reason why i am useing an ultrasonic cleaner. That safes the amonut of cleaning solvent.
What about using your ptfe-parafin mix in your previous parafin-parafinoil-xylene formula? Does it works worse than this ptfe-parafin-IPA formula?
talk ebikes please the new 11 and 12 speed casettes and chains seem to be much more durable then 10 speed, can i swap to a 12 speed and 12 speed chain and get a stronger setup...i just wore out my first chain 0.50 in 470 miles and 12000 feet of climbing......got new chain....degreased and waxed per your instructions...looks easy on you r video's but my chain didnt get the same amount of wax on them as you seem to.....your video's have really helped me watching the saddles one's as my Bulls ebike was born with a horrible torture device, 500 miles and im still in pain....china saddle here i come
Hi Oz Cycle, recent convert to your wax methods. Thank you. 1 question. Can you recommend recommend a commercial drip wax for the top up wax? The isopropyl alcohol is like 10 bucks from bunnings so thinking of taking the easy way out. So basically which top up wax would you recommend if you had to buy and not make which would be compatible with your dip waxing?
I use "Household Paraffin Wax".
It is softer than what Oz uses (MP 37c) but it is FDA approved (which, for a second, I thought I would brag about, but I am in the USA so it does not mean it is perfect, but suitable for waxing apples🤔)
I have had none of the suspension issues with it in a drip and I seem to get more miles than others (I re-wax between 250-300 miles on a 9x3 speed) and I have yet to hear a squeak.
I'm using Siracha sauce bottles for this. They are clear, good volume, easy to hold and nice pointy end that twists close.
Nice , I will try one too. Thanx 🙂
@@stevenleffanueany solution sir?
thorough and detailed, as always
Fantastic, very happy with waxed chains but kept training bike with commercial dry lube for above reason, now can wax all bike chains and use bottled lube for backup👏Anyone know where I can get the PTFE powder at a good price, originally got it for about $6 50 grams. But not anymore.
Hello, could you please upload a video on how to service bearings? Especially free hub bearings and/or wheel bearings in general. A piece of advice on when and how often to service them (or even replace them) would be very very welcome !
Thanx for the suggedtion George, will put on the list.
Was the paraffin used 100% pure (candle) or already mixed with mineral oil (or paraffin oil)?
100% Candle
When adding the alcohol to the wax shavings, you said isopropyl alcohol.
Can you use Denatured Alcohol, or does it have to be Isopropyl Alcohol?
hello, thank you for your videos, I learn lots of things by watching you. I tried to make a small bottle of liquid wax with isopropyl alcohol but the result i make a sort of cream not liquid i added a little alcohol but it's always the same . thank you for your answer
If you keep adding more IPA the mixture will eventually be liquid enough. There is also an updated version of bottled wax....
th-cam.com/video/XY7QI3xfa_4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BEZBmESWdNUwIWP6
@@stevenleffanue ok thanks
I find that Iso's viscosity is too high and everything spills around the chain when applied. So I changed to Propylene Glycol (organic alcohol used for skin care etc) which has a higher viscosity and evaporates slowlier. Also has a high boiling point and non hazardous. So the perfect alternative for me.
Hi there. Love your videos. I’ve ordered my wax and PTFE.
One thing I don’t understand is you say to clean with petrol, degreaser and methylated spirits. Do you mean all 3 in that order or just use one of those them? Also is mineral turpentine a good cleaner? Need to understand the above first before I do the wax or my chain may be contaminated before I start Cheers Russ
Its explained in the "ultimate wax" video Russell.
In some countries "mineral turpentine" contains a small amount of oil which is not good for the final clean. Metholated spirits,alcohol,xylene and toulene are prefered
oz cycle thanks very much
Thx very much for all the guides!
Can i use ethanol instead of isopropanol?
Not tried ethanol. Give it a go then let us know. Careful because its boiling point is lower at 78degC
@@stevenleffanue Another point is that, at least here in the States, IPA comes as a 70% or 90% water solution. I’m assuming the 90% would be better???
Of course, less water is always better.
Maybe make the temporary wax mixture in a larger glass bottle on the stove then transfer it to a smaller plastic bottle, just in case of an accident with the kettle filament and the plastic and then bigger batches can be made too?
Love your hot wax treatment. However, tried this one and the mixture went thick and solidified as soon as it touched the chain. I guess I used too much wax. Could you be more specific as to proportions of wax & alcohol by weight?
Same here. I am wondering why did it freeze. First, the wax won't melt, then they solidified with the IPA. Something is wrong. Need help.
Oz, you have definitely made it possible for me to make the move to all wax drivetrain. it is amazing how clean and maintenance free my bike keeps itself after long long miles on road and even on the dirt trails.I have converted all my 4 bikes to this method and had great success. Even though the first clean and even the cleans after are quite laborious i will keep using this method because nothing else keeps the drive train so clean and maintenance free, i swear by wax now. I have 2 questions though:
1. My commuter bike for some reason does not hold the wax, it starts squeaking within the first few days, while my road bike can keep squeak free for 2 weeks of long rides. is it possible that the chain can be non-compliant??? my last re-wax was amazing and bike was assassin like silent until one day on my return ride it rained quite a bit and the next day chain started squeaking. is the chain the culprit or the rain or something else?
2. I haven't gotten my hands on PTFE yet and using just paraffin (candle making wax) and dip the chain in cold water right after cooking it in wax. should i push to find PTFE powder or keep using this method change my grade of wax???
Much appreciated and a big admirer of your work, Thanks mate
with love from Canada.
I do not know why you are flash cooling it but it must be causing some constriction issues. (i.e. the wax is not contracting at the same rate as the metal).
I'm not giving you an answer: I'm just pointing out one thing I see that could go wrong. (not to mention water getting between the wax and metal).
Ive been able to get as much as 300. miles from my waxing efforts. As a touring rider this may be an ideal solution for longer rides between "home".
The challenge I have is reapplication of wax. The hot water method never seems to be enough. I suspect I am picking up oil from the road, leaving me with little choice but to repeat the (somewhat tedious) petroleum cleaning each time.
I do not like just pouring hot water over it; I boil the chain for 2 minutes. But boiling has its own issues: it is corrosive.
I like to remove all the old lube, and dry it with compressed air using a nozzle, pin by pin. Wax it and hang it to cool.
I very much doubt you are picking up oil unless it is left over from the derailleur, sprockets and/or the jockey wheels.
But I have a 21 speed (9x3) and I do not flex the chain side to side as much as single crank setups do.
Thanks again for your contributions to cycling!
Do you know if other types of alcohol would work? Eg. Ethanol?
Some Brewing suppliers in Australia sell Ethanol for around AUD$10 per litre (for “cleaning” purposes)... or even methylated alcohol (which I understand is mostly ethanol with some methanol to render it undrinkable)?
Not tried ethanol,give it a go and let us know how you get on.
Thanks for these brilliant tips.
Thank you for your very informative videos. Quick question: is the wax you put in the isopropyl infused with ptfe? Thanks again!
Yes
@@stevenleffanue How?
I can see your solid wax has the same precipitation I get with 1.5um PTFE: concentrated on the bottom.
It does not clump, however it is not suspended in the wax, much less in cooled wax.
You have mentioned that this is a mixture and needs to be stirred when used.
I don't get the squeaking other people get but then again, I never ride in rain. And I put a good 300 miles between using the boiling out all the old wax, immediately drying it with compressed air and then dumping it in the melted solution for about an hour, mixing when I remember (at least 3-4 times).
I'm not arguing it needs PTFE in the travel solution; just asking why you replied the wax was "infused".
The problem with scraping it off the top of the hardened wax is that, I find that the PTFE settled to the bottom when the wax cools. It is not evenly mixed through when you do the scraping
Same here for my batch....I suppose a good solution would be to take a thin cake slice (equivalent) which has the wax content (all the way through) and then follow the process ? - I hope that makes sense?
Can always add a half teaspoon of PTFE powder to the bottle.
Do this when the wax is hot next time you dip your chain. Give it a good stir, then just spoon the hot wax/ptfe into a bottle and add the IPA. You will still need to heat the bottle up to bring the IPA up to temp IOT mix the solution.
many thank yous, I came over to your amusing demonstrations;
Thanks for all your great videos , I am finding that when heating the wax (candle) and the PTFE in the rice cooker , the wax and the PTFE do not mix together , they remain mostly separate . Can you please explain this ?
Correct , the ptfe and wax remain separate. When the chain is swished in the hot wax the ptfe gets evenly distributed.
@@stevenleffanue Yes , that's what I find , thanks !
Nice video and presentation.
By the way does the chain temperature needs to be elevated to let wax lubricant enter the pins?
Let chain sit in the hot wax to heat up for 3-4 minutes then swish the chain. Let sit again for 5 minutes and if no more bubbles come out of the chain when you move it, it's ready.
I’ve ordered ptfe powder after watching your video on how to wax your chain and now just watched this. First of all thank you for making such informative videos!
Is this method similar to commercial products such as squirt? Could you use this liquid version as a replacement for dipping your chain? Seems pretty convenient and much cheaper than buying the commercial stuff.
It is not same as any other drip lube as it dries completely. It's for taking with you on long , multi-day rides or as an emergency lube. It want get to the inner workings of a chain as well as immersive waxing.
Good to know! It surely gets to the inner workings at least as good as squirt, I would guess, making it just as effective. I’ve heard people report that they wax their chains initially by immersion and use a drip bottle (commercial or home brew) to re lubes every couple hundred miles. Then every so often they re dip. I guess I should have asked if this version you made has as much wax left behind as commercial stuff.
I once watched another of your videos where you used xylene to make a mixture of wax and xylene in a bottle. So which is better how you made it in this video or with the xylene.
Xylene is more toxic than alcohol as the carrier. Ptfe replaces oil which attracted dirt
@@stevenleffanue PTFE is carcinogenic, produces birth defects, it doesn't break down and it climbs the food chain affecting us directly. It has a looong lifetime, so it will affect my children and grandchildren health. Although it's commonly used on cookware, companies keep using it because companies don't care about externalities as long as it doesn't affect their profits, and unfortunately governments are reluctant to do something about it.
@@RodrigoSilvaRocha And what about petroleum lubricants?
Hey there. I enjoy your informative videos. I followed a previous recipe you presented for a bottled wax chain lube that included Xylol. Why did you change your recipe to using alcohol?
You can still use xylene if you wish but it is quite toxic and usually more expensive.
Why use isopropyl as a solvent instead of methylated spirit?
This is a great stop gap for travel. Is this a replacement for the xylene/wax etc bottle mixture, because xylene is hard to get, or a simplification which is actually better? Thanks. Tony
Yes it replaces xylene
Great, you answered my questions! I am planning on going 1000 km bike trip and was wondering how I can keep going after 200 km.
Shuji Kikuchi
I have a second oil based chain for such rides. Home brew wax isn’t practical for touring.
@@thehandleiwantedwasntavailable Thanks for the update. I have not been able to schedule my touring due to COVID-19 situation.
The last days i been thinking on ways to isolate the chain and gearsystem from the environment to prevent dirt and contaminants. On a IGH system it would be easy to just use a pair of PE tubes along the chainlengths but derailleur gearing poses a big challenge. I remember several old bikes had a casing around the chain and it cant be that bad of an idea.
Google Flevobike Green Machine it will blow your mind
I've just seen an article about a new water and wax emulsion lube containing graphene. It's from AbsoluteBlack and is called GraphenLube. It's claimed to last for 1800km per application. I'd be interested in your views on this product.
Buy it n try it David...let us know
@@stevenleffanue I think I'll wait till the price drops first! I've been using your wax/PTFE lube for the last few months and I'm absolutely delighted with the clean chain after all this time. Works brilliantly - thanks so much!
If you took the "vaccine", you also have graphene in you so you'll be able to interact with your chain 😅
@@nadsim154 If you have ever used Teflon cookware, the same? smh
Great videos, very interesting and thorough but do you think your chain cleaning & waxing regime would benefit a UK based xc mtb rider whose chain is caked in crud and muck after most rides especially over the winter months? Sounds like I would probably need to clean and re-wax after every ride?
Wax is waterproof. Ive had it on my mtb for three years now.
Thanks oz cycle, I think riding a mtb in the UK is a different proposition to riding one in Oz but I will give it a go 👍. Have a new chain with factory lube so I just going through your cleaning regime, ok to use isopropyl instead of meths? 😁
Have waxed my chain using your old recipe @oz cycle and am happy so far. I only went out for a c. 22 mile in dry / dusty conditions but I was impressed with minimal residue on the chain afterwards. It was an ideal time to experiment as I was replacing the whole drivetrain on my xc mtb inc. jockey wheels so everything was clean. So far, so good 👍. One question pls - can I make the wax in a bottle using the old recipe (wax and paraffin / lamp oil) with the addition of iso? Thanks again and keep up the great work, cheers from the UK 😀