Orientation of the Connex Link is important, particularly with 11 speed links. If you install backwards the link will skip on the smallest cog. Installing on the lower length of chain, the fixed pin the outside link should go on the right end of the chain (nearest the chainrings), and the fixed pin of the inside link should go on the left end of the chain (nearest the cassette).
Hi uhh, I got the idea of waxing my chain from your videos. For those of you who are in California or in another state that cannot get access to xylenes, you can use something called engine starting fluid. You can get these at autozone for 3-4$ for about 11 oz. Paint thinner kind of takes forever to dry, but engine start fluid contains heptane and ether, the former of which is typically the main carrier fluid of most brands' bike lubricant. I know this because I had to browse through sooo many MSDSs Heptane works because its vapor pressure is sufficient enough to evaporate off the chain and leave the wax/paraffin oil aggregate on the chain. Its also nonpolar enough to dissolve the wax. Note that when you do work with spraying out the ether, it is HIGHLY HIGHLY flammable, and tends to form explosive mixtures with air, often hugs the ground until it hits an ignition source. Source - am chemist
@@bobseagull7600 It'll probably work - but turpentine may not stick as well to the chain. If you do go for this, the 'mineral' variety of turpentine should work better. Although do be wary, all these solvents are significantly hazardous.
Great series on chain cleaning and waxing. I tried a paraffin and lamp oil mix on my bikes. Excellent results. For those in the US, I found everything in Walmart in the candle section. I bought three clear pillar candles and a bottle of lamp oil for about $13 USD. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the name lamp oil vs. paraffin oil. I went with lamp oil after considerable research. They even have the same rice cooker however I have a Hide Glue pot and it worked just fine. Used it on my road and Cyclocross bikes. I raced my Cyclocross bike last weekend, the chain is spotless. Didn’t pick up n Any grime. Road bike as early results, 32 mile ride Sunday, spotless chain, unbelievably smooth shifting. Good job Oz.
l have wax my chain as per your videos. This has given me the smoothest and quietest chain ever. Lasts a good 300km easily. Bunnings warehouse here has both parafin oil an xylene. Thanks 😊
I've been using your original waxed chain formula for 3 years now, I rotate 3 chains and they still show little signs of wear. I usually put a freshly waxed chain after the weekly bike clean daily because after a 100 miles the chain gets a bit noisy. I am using an old slow cooker coupled with a PID controller to keep the temperature down to 50 degrees C. It's a brilliant system.
Beeswax comes in two forms Yellow > natural more sticky and lower melting point White > bleached less sticky and more brittle and higher melting point. Isopropanol (Alcohol) binds any remaining water inside the rollers and removes it. No rust. The best wax to use is MICROCRYSTALLINE wax. A synthetic wax with very similar properties of Paraffin wax. Advantages over Paraffin: slightly lower melting point, adheres to any surface very well. Better lubrication and excellent rust inhibition. We use it in art restoration. Disadvantage: more expensive. XYLENE: Dimethylbenzene Density: 0,864g/ml Boiling point: 139C Flashpoint: 32C If you can't find Xylene, substitude it with Naphta/White spirit or paint thinner. NOT laquer thinner ! Do all the cooking outdoors on a electric stove. TOLUENE: Methylbenzene Very toxic !!! Do not use. In most countries it is banned. Density: 0,87 g/ccm Boiling point: 110C Flashpoint: 4C Is a aromatic Hydrocarbon solvent. Easily inflammable vapours, explosive mixtures with air. Heavier than air. Inflammability with hot surfaces, sparkles and open flames. Even static electricity can lead to ignition. Its vapours are narcotic. Irritates the eyes and skin.
I've cracked the waxing now. The temperature is critical and use a heat thermometer to get the wax just right at between 50 & 54 degrees. Wouldnt go back to oil based lubes. I also use graphite in a small tub of loose wax ( diluted with parafin) to rub onto a chain if it feels dry. I saw the Team DD mechanics doing this at the TdF and know why now.
I have re-used the Shimano link many many times without issue for a couple of years, however it is a pain to unlink and re link even with tools. I have just purchased a connex chain and the link is so easy to unlink and relink without tools, bike maintenance just got easier.
Very Importaint - UK Liquid Parrafin or light liquid parrafin is ingestible and used medicinally and you get it from some chemists and horse shops. Parrafin oil /Lamp oil /Kerosene is not ingestible and are all the same in principal with minor different additives. You can get it from the range , b and q, and Esso gas stations in the plastic bins out front. All are from petroleum and will work
I have new results of chain waxing and usage, just to remind, tested chain is shimano hg70 for 8 speed, usually can be used 1000 km and then is extended 3mm on 108 links of chain, lubricated with engine oil. Same type of chain is tested with wax every 80-110 km, not cleaned by any cleaning matter(gaseline, petrol, tinner..), and is not removed from bike. Procedure was : heat up by inductive heater upper portion of chain and put some wax on it and immediately clean it by clean cloth after that put again some wax on same portion of chain, rotate chain to next portion and repeat procedure. By this procedure chain has same extension of 0.5mm (compared to new same chain, hanged verticaly) on 500/1000/1500/2000km, So chain life was extended by 100% and still is for usage, and from now waxing interval will be changed to 120km(+0/-10km) and will be compared every 500km
no, i bought on ebay inductive heater for 5-6usd, 12v, 100w, people buy it for play-heat iron thing to glow, I change coil to flat as on stove and bent it to u-shape so it wrap chain without chain cut, and heat it enought to melt wax stick. for 3-4 links is needed 5-6 seconds to heat up, i wax and clean it with wax all links in15 minutes, i did it on vacation too, i used cars battery , every 3. waxing with engine started because it drains 10amps
You state that Connex link outlasts many chains and can last to about 50 000 kms. Aren't all links of the chain wear simultaneously? What makes this quick link last 10 times longer than all other links of chains? Thanks.
For those in the UK: I've not tried this yet, and no expert, but literally 2 minutes of googling found this important distinction: "Liquid paraffin, also known as paraffinum liquidum, is a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and for medical purposes. This is a UK definition and the term may have different uses in other countries. The cosmetic or medicinal liquid paraffin should not be confused with the paraffin used as a fuel" ...this seems to fit perfectly with OzCycle's (sorry, don't know your actual name!) reply to a comment below, saying to use the medical/cosmetic stuff, and that it should be odourless and tasteless (don't go drinking it!) Something like this should be what you need: www.chemistdirect.co.uk/liquid-paraffin/prd-nal?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dnmBRACEiwAmMYGOSBu0sdLuGVdGLxgBuCXAoU4DNYmEdw0Xxd9FSWHwWwiBPs9-l5FFhoCVdsQAvD_BwE ...it sounds like it's basically a stool softener for animals, so I guess it would make sense that it softens the wax too... Hopefully that helps someone. I look forward to trying this!
@@RU4IRIgames Yes I did try it in the end. I'll be honest, it's a bit of a ball ache compared to just slapping some normal lubricant on the chain, but it did feel nicer to ride imo. I think if you have a garage / somewhere where you can have your crockpot (or similar) set up and somewhere to hang it, the process would be much quicker and easier. I was trying to do it in my third storey rented flat at the time and it was a pain!
Steve Beecheno thanks for the quick reply on your year old comment xD. I just been looking into this option for a runaround bike I’m building but haven’t seen many uk comments for it. If it goes well I may even transfer my good bike to this as I’m a bit of a magpie for shiny chains but also would be nice not to get that black oil everywhere if you touch your drivetrain
@@RU4IRIgames No worries, I don't comment often on videos so I don't exactly have lots to reply to! 😁 And I would definitely say try it and see if you like it. Your chain will still get road crap on it though so remember to wipe it down. It's all about getting the consistency of the wax just right
As in Part1 of this set of videos, I wrote that my cheap way out was to get a 16 Oz. $3 bottle of Mineral Oil at a Pharmacy dept. of Walmart . This stuff is edible as it it said to be an intesinal lubricant. They describe it as 100% mineral oil, except for an inactive ingredient - d-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E) as stabilizer. I thinned the paraffin candle wax as needed to a creamy paste, but still needs to be heated up to be applied to the deepest parts of a chain via a hot bath soak. I just tried to warm up one my chap squity bottles in the microwave just to see if it would work as it does in a hot water bath. The bottles need to have their lids open as gthe heated chemicals want to expand. Even with the cap open, these cheap bottles tried to deform. But, the 20 seconds on Warm low power actually separated the actone from having been absorbed into the wax mix. It was deforming too much so I never got the wax mix to be combined as a fully mixed liquid for application .
I used "lamp oil", which should be kerosene, for my "paraffin oil" alternative. Hopefully all alkanes, and it does soften the wax. No issues in the first 100 miles.
I use a sram speed link on a shimano chain and haven't had any problems after taking the chain off the bike multiple times. I don't see the point in having a throw away link that's just ridiculous
The difference is the way the links stay together, that's what gets worn out. Sure reuse them a few times or until they give out but keep a spare on your bike just in case. More specifically, the generic quick links are relying on friction to stop them coming apart especially when back pedalling. The connex links rely on a labyrinth system, basically a curved path to follow in order to release which the chain can't get itself in a position to follow even back pedalling, at least not easily. No friction, longer life. 👍
"Paraffin oil" doesn't appear to exist as such in the UK. As far as I can gather, it's a poorly-defined mixture of saturated hydrocarbons (ie alkanes), as is "mineral oil", "liquid paraffin" (used in vetinary medicine as a laxative) and "baby oil". So what is called "paraffin oil" in one country might be called "mineral oil" somewhere else. Lighter alkanes are known as "kerosene", "paraffin" or "lamp oil" in different parts of the world and are used as fuel for lamps, heating, cooking and jet engines. Waxes are higher alkanes. So if you don't live Down Under and can't buy "paraffin oil", I guess the best thing to try is mineral oil or liquid paraffin.
it does. i found some on ebay. searched for lamp fuel and got a few results for what appears to be what hes talking about. its cheap enough, and so are candles, so nothing to lose really. even the heaters for melting wax are pretty cheap. if it doesnt work on your chain you can at least remove unsightly leg hairs with a nice hot wax treatment lol
Hey Steve (+oz cycle), just a thought with the dirt issue. I can't remember if it was this video or part 1 where you created a suspension bucket for the chain to keep it out of the dirt at the bottom of the wax. I've been keeping the dirt out via a different method and this is purely an fyi. When the wax solidifies, the dirt has settled on the bottom. once the wax is totally cold and solid, I take it out of the rice cooker and use a cheese slicer to gently shave off the dirt at the bottom. Minimal wax is lost and the wax is returned back to a pristine white colour. It works well for me.... YMMV.
+Darren Smith Yes,great suggestion Darren. The suspended sieve allows dirt to fall thru and the chain soaks in clean wax rather than at the bottom in its own dirt.
When you have finished waxing your chain and while the wax is still molten, brush round the bottom of your tub with a good magnet and much of it may be removed.
An other great video to compliment the others, one other well known American cyclist site suggests wax and bear grease! As we do not have many bears around Tyneside I substituted beef tallow! Certainly still a good result after 300km....
I washed the whole rear derailleur in hot Paraffin oil to clean it. Then dipped in hot wax. Works ok on my old Trek hybrid. Might clog up your fancy Dura Ace equipment.
Connex chain links on ebay $8 to 11$ free shipping. I use the sram links that come with my sram chain. If i need extra , just get one at LBS (local bike shop) or pic up 1 connex from ebay.
I just made my first batch of chain lube. I noticed it started going hard within minutes at the normal mixture 1/3 for each. I then did twice as much xylene. Still solidified. So I added more so it's 2/3 xylene 1/6 candle wax 1/6 mineral oil. I don't get what the heck your talking about. I'm not using pariffin oil as I said but it keeps solidifying no matter the amount of XYLENE I add.
In Nqld It;s 27.3 c here at the moment night time and my Wax mixture is a solid not dead hard though . does this mean I don't have enough xylene in it? I'm sure I made a third .
Great stuff! A few observations from my experiences: Used Waxed chain for Leadville MTB 100. Seemed to wear off a little over 1/2 way through the race. I haven’t been cooling before removing - maybe will help Connect removable links don’t seem to be available for 12 speed drive trains Didn’t know about the paraffin oil - maybe you’ve refined your mix? You didn’t mention the Teflon powder in part one or two. Do you no longer recommend it? Thanks! Looks like Wipperman/connex has a complete 12sp chain with connex - I think might only be available in Germany right now?
Yes Connex 11spd links are now available. For wetter conditions add paraffin oil to your wax mix , helps repel water. Additives such as ptfe extends the life cycle of the wax and reduces the chain wear.
some have been asking if you can use what in the UK is called paraffin (kerosene). well yes and no. I tried it used paraffin wax and paraffin but after about three uses in a slow cooker the characteristic paraffin smell was not present. the wax was harder, so working on the premise that the paraffin / kerosene has evaporated out of solution. next I will try liquid paraffin and paraffin wax.
Yes, this is what I bought. However, it definitely smells, and is, I think what the Americans call lamp oil, and in the ingredients list it says "kerosene". So I think, unfortunately, this is not the stuff that Oz Cycle really recommends, which in the UK is probably what they call "liquid paraffin". Quite a bit more expensive. On the other hand, you don't need all that much. And as Gary and Oz say above, it seems to be more volatile, and will evaporate off eventually. Of course, you could always add more to your paraffin wax, to get back to the right consistency.
To avoid splitting the chain every time, if there was a way to remove the chain from the FD cage, you could remove the chain without splitting it (Assuming you can remove the jockey wheels with hex key). On my FD cage (105 R7000), its riveted at the bottom, if this was replaced with a screw, then I could then take my entire chain off for waxing without ever splitting it. Is this a good idea?
Good morning. I have converted the 1st bike to wax, few more to convert yet, but pretty happy with it now. But in Nov we are doing a tour Bangkok Phuket, 900 k 8 days, most likely it could rain, but it will not be possible to wax during the ride. And I don't think the lube with xylene in it, would be allowed in baggage on plane. Any suggestions, even a bought product? Many thanks, and again good work.
Hi. Your advice of waxing the chains sounds great to me. My understanding is that the xylene is very volatile and will evaporate from the chain. Therefore, I guess it does evaporate from the rice cooker even faster as it is very warm. So is it worth using xylene, which will remain only the 1st time in the cooker? Or should you add xylene every time?
Pariffin oil is on ebay/ liquid is $10. Its great with your 1:1 ratio wax mix in my rice cooker. Yay! PARIFFIN WAX GOES WITH PARIFFIN OIL, ITS THE ONLY WAY. CHANGE YOUR CHAIN WITH NO GLOVES, NO MESS. JUST WAS YOUR HANDS.
Thanks for the tips. Next l will make a in the go bottle. Buy my chains still good. Can you try carb cleaner & denatured alcohol one time for cleaning?
There seems to be some confusion between these names of oils and paraffin oils. In the UK, paraffin, also known as heating oil, I believe is the same as kerosene and smells the same as aviation fuel for jets when burnt. It readily mixes with candle wax when the wax is warmed and causes the wax to go creamy. So is paraffin oil the same as paraffin but perhaps a little more refined for medicinal use?
Love your DIYs! Do you have one on servicing RD including cleaning method and lubrication (including what to use for lube) of pivot points and jockey wheels.
+Brian Lovely Glad you like the DIYs Brian. Rear derailleurs are fairly self sufficient except for the jockey wheels and cable. I will keep your suggestion in mind tho. Cheers Brian
Why does the paraffin need to be liquid or creamy? Isn't part of the purpose to get away from dirt attracting oily lubes? I use Molten Speed Wax (Amazon). You melt it in slow cooker, soak clean chain in, remove and let it cool down. The chain gets stiff at first but after a few miles it's soft and clean. Rode through winter and no problems.
A hard wax doesnt move inside the link. After a while the pin is touching the bush with no lube between. The softer wax moves slowly into all spaces of the link as the chain moves,thus lubricating.
Hi again Oz. You've made me a bit of an alchemist sorting all this waxing! Just wondering if you've noticed a difference in the type of paraffin wax used? You've been using pillar wax i presume since you just take those candles and break them. have you tried a container wax and is it any different. i get the feeling it is softer? so may be more malleable on the chain and may need less paraffin oil? or am i overthinking it. when ordering the wax pellets these are the options i'm presented with as well so just checking? thanks
Container wax is pre-blended (probarbly using an oil). I have not tried it but yes you can probably use it without mixing paraffin oil. It is more expensive than candle wax,so want save you any money that way. If it is easier for you to use container wax, go for it.
I wanted to buy a connex link but it seems only possible to install on a connex chain (which comes with the link already), I was hoping to try this with my current shimano 11 speed chain. most won't have connex chainsz? i haven't found too many good reviews on those connex chains yet... I have 11 speed ultegra. I bought a small slowcooker and now i am trying to figure out to find all the products. Paraffine and ptfe i have already but now I need to have xylene as well?
i used lamp-oil. worked just fine, though i can't compare it to actual paraffin oil. consistency gets just as soft as you have shown in your video. it didn't even get oily. In the description it said paraffinium liquidium, so technically it has at the very least a very high percentage of paraffin oil 11dollars? in europe a chainlink from shimano for the 11spd chains costs right about 4€. or did ya mean aus$?
What chains are you guys using? I use 11spd sram with a power link but note they are one time use only. I like the idea of waxing in a hot bath, but having to replace with a new link every week is mighty expensive. Cheaper to replace the chain more frequently. Thoughts?
I tried your exact method and lubed my chain and it runs incredibly smoothly, thank you. One issue I had is that my chain was skipping off my chain rings especially under load (standing) which I never had before. What could cause this? Too much wax left on the exterior of the chain? Shifts are very smooth but is it possible the chain is too lubricated??
+e k Glad to hear waxing worked for you. Check the following....First check for a stiff link....will cause skipping of chain on cogs. 2/ check chain stretch...chain may be too worn and require replacing as well as rear cogset. 3/ Check front chainring teeth are not overly worn which will also cause skipping of the chain. 4/Check rear derailleur is straight and is passing your chain onto the rear cogs smoothly. Hope you find the issue
oz cycle, thanks for the reply and advice! Think I figured it out. Updated my small chainring back in June to 34 tooth and though my bike is a 9 speed and the chainring says 10 speed it seemed to work fine. I believe a combination of wear on the chainring and the wax making the chain slicker caused the drop. I was able to reproduce this at home when standing and bearing down hard on the pedals. Swapped out the ring for a 9 speed compatible one and so far I haven't been able to reproduce the problem. Thanks again for your help!
Thank you for the Info Videos. I Just buy a new Chain and a Absolute Black Chainring. For this a want to use again great Chain Wax and byed Finish line Wax Krytech. For a test i did it on a old losen Bearing and let it sit overnigt. First it looks like spilling smelling water over , but at the morning a can defenetly feel the smooth resistance. now i knwo how Chainwax neds to be i my Lube. One Thing; i byed in a spray can Ceramic Spray. now i need to figure out hoiw to add it to the wax properly. =/ =)
+Finch Thank you for sharing your experience with waxing the bearing...sounds like it works good. I have not heard of ceramic spray,I must check that out. Cheers Finch
Hi Oz! Great videos, keep 'em coming! I'm unsure if I have the correct viscosity/ratio of oil to wax. Is there a quantitative measurement to use? Being unsure, I let the wax/oil mixture cool and the chain is encased inside for now.
+cyber stasz Glad you like the vids :) . Its approximately 1:1 but always test it before using. I use a butter knife...dip it in the wax then cool it to room temperature. The wax should be like a hard cream. Too hard and the wax will flake off your chain.
I know this is an old video but I am hoping you still read and reply to old videos. I have a question regarding using an ultrasonic cleaner full of the wax mix instead of water, would this work?
Also, I applied Squirt to a waxed chain that had about 200km on it since last waxing. Still quiet after another ~100+ km. What do you know about Squirt? Marketed as a wax + water emulsion
Squirt is good as a lubricant but unfortunately still attracts dirt . The dirt will wear away at the metal of your chain thus drastically reducing its lifespan.
Hi, Oz. Waxed my chain, and my wife's, probably 7x each now. Never going back to "standard" lubes. Question - Would it be OK if I skipped waxing the master link? It's such a pain to get the master connected with wax in places you don't want it. Would be much easier if I could skip waxing that link, but am concerned no wax will damage the link and thus defeat the purpose.
@@stevenleffanue Actually, I found the solution just today. When I pull the coat hanger (and thus chain) out of the wax, while the wax is still hot, I wipe off the excess wax from the master links, and each adjacent link. Now I'm able to expand the master links on the first attempt! Nice.
one more thing, as far as I read, Xylene is just a solvent used to peel paint. Can common solvent be used? It evaporates very quickly too, so it may work just as well,....
oz cycle my aussie friend, common solvent doesn't work. I'll try something else. The other procedure of submergeing chain in wax and paraffin works great, so thanks a lot
Hi, could you help and say more about the right texture for the mix? I used almost 1:1, little bit less parafine oil. But not sure if it is not too creamy already. Sticks very well to the knife though.
+Thorsten Hofmann If you see bits of wax flaking off your chain when you first pedal it on the bike,the wax is too hard. Simply add more paraffin oil to the mix and put the chain back in the bath. If the wax is too soft,it will be obvious on the knife test. Ideal consistency is like a hard cream. Hope that helps Thorsten.
Hi Oz, really thanks for your valuable tutorial. I am preparing to have my chains bath in wax as you taught. May I ask whether there will be any advantage, or not, on bathing the cassettes as well in wax?
Paraffin oil is mineral oil, often a by product of crude oil refining. paraffin wax, the thing people are trying to get by melting all their candles is available in a pure form often called Gulf Wax, paraffin wax, jar sealing wax or simply paraffin. Another lubrication scam...it's a product of the crude oil refining industry. It's just another cracked carbon on the fraction column. What is graphite?
As I understand in some writings, paraffin oil is also known as kerosene. And some appear to say their not much difference from mineral oil. I might would try WD-40 as an additive also.
Hello, I just have a question aboit paraffin oil, is it the same as kerosene? I wanna know because kerosene is much more available here in our country and much cheaper. Any alternatives for xylene? Because xylene is not available here as well.
Hey Oz. Is there a in between maintenance/liquid wax I can use in between chain off melted wax treatment. Something that plays well with the hot wax. Squirt, Finishline etc.
+PlantBasedPedalling Absolutely. Water has very little effect on the wax but its the dirt that the water transports to your chain that matters. So when you feel the chain needs relube put it straight in the hot wax...use a sieve as suggested so the dirt falls out of the chain.
+David Harper Could be a number of things David but most common is the wax not getting INSIDE the pins and rollers. Make sure the chain bathes in the wax for quite some time so no air bubbles come out when moving the chain in the bath.
@@stevenleffanue Thanks! I was also wondering if instead of finishing a chain cleaning with methylated spirits (Denatured Alch for us US guys) would methanol be ok to finish with? Both are very similar in composition (readily used for alcohol stoves), just wondering?
After fine tuning my brew I'm quite happy with the first rides. I melted down some tea lights I already had and added some cheapo in germany so called "Lampoil" which is just another name for a thin hydrocarbon oil and does the job. But can anyone share some experience with cold temperatures (let's say around 0°C)? Thanks a lot! ... and btw, nice channel, I like it!
+147_III my 1.5hr pre breakfast ride this morning temp got down to -2°C and the drive train was running smooth with the wax/oil mix. The links are stiffer than at warmer temperature. I'm not using candle wax, the paraffin wax I am using is from a beekeeper supplier its less refined with approx 0.3% oil content and no added ingredients www.ceracell.co.nz/shop/Hive+Component/Paraffin+wax/-PAR7550-5KG/x_sku/PAR7550-5KG.html Oil I am using is a lamp oil which is pure refined paraffin oil, some other lamp oils I have looked at are a blend (not 100% paraffin oil) firelight.co.nz/collections/lamp-oil I'm not doing the 1:1 wax/oil mix as have cut back on the oil, living in a coastal area found I pick up less fine sand particles on the chain with the lube being more solid state. I am rotating three chains and use a ultasonic cleaner to clean the chains. I have tried re-dipping the chains in wax bath without using the cleaner but in my location where I ride the wax/oil bath quickly goes dark coloured which I think is mainly the oxidation from the chain riding in wet conditions, the salt air and sandy tracks I ride on.
+Derek Adair In those wet and dirty conditions Derek, it would be good to keep the oil content as low as possible so attracting as little dirt as possible. Id stiil recommend the candle wax with 'paraffin oil' or 'liquid paraffin' if you can get those in your area.
Yes I'm still using paraffin oil in with the wax, it's roughly between 2:1 and 3:1 at the moment as I just kept adding wax till I was happy with the result I was getting in wet muddy conditions. When it less wet over summer I will increase the oil ratio closer to the amount of the wax. With the sub zero morning rides I'm doing now I may end up add a bit more oil to the mix. I pour wax/oil lube back into ice cream containers when I finished lubing so can have a number of different batches.
My mixture is apx 1:1 and it seems to work well for the moment (summer temperatures > 20°C). After a few rides the drivetrail is still well lubed and shiny as a T-800. I may have to play around a bit when temperatures go down again that it doesn't flake off (at least that my worry). ... The Wax block is definately what I will go for next time as melting tea lights was a mess :-)
+Floyd Co It can discolour but being black indicates a lot of contamination Floyd. I suggest a thorough clean then rewax...it should turn a slight grey colour only when a rewax is required. The chain should be absolutely clean everytime before putting in wax.
Is there a way to filter the wax/oil mixture? I do use a strainer, but like to filter the mixture, no reason to throw it out now. Anyone tried a coffee filter or is there another way? Thx. By the way, I love using wax for my chain, I'm often riding close to the beach in the bike path, I have no longer problems with sand in my chain. Just a great improvement, so happy, thx for explaining!
Hi. I tried this wax method but I dont think I'm getting the consistency right. I used wax from candles and paraffin oil (though it's only 99% coz it has coloring in it). Mix was about 60 candle 40 oil. I let it cooldown to maybe less than 50degC as mine was messy all over when I wiped the sides off. And when I added into the drivetrain, bits are falling off everywhere. First few days was great, used it while strolling around the neighborhood with my 1yo. But I tried to test it for a more realistic ride and I feel the wax has dried out on me as the my shifting is not silent anymore - it's loud and clatters indicating no more lube. Can you please send an image of the chain just after waxing and wiping off the excess. I'm using 9spd KMC chain if that helps.
+Edu Foronda Sounds like you will need to add a bit more paraffin oil. Remove the chain from wax at between 50-54deg C....allow it to sit for 5-10mins to cool a bit,then gently wipe off excess from outside of the chain with a clean rag. Let me know how you go Edu? Cheers...Steven
Thanks for the quick reply. I actually tried 1:1 ratio initially. But when testing, it seemed too soft compared to the one shown in your video. I'll try and re-do and keep you posted. Love your channel btw! Cheers!
Update: I added more paraffin oil to the mix and re-waxed my chain. Took the chain out of the mix when it starts to get cloudy and wiped the excess off. Tested this to a new chain too and all seems to be working fine. Now to find out how long it will last... I'm having a hard time looking for alternatives to xylene. And it's kind of a pain to remove and re-wax the chain everytime (maybe because I'm using KMC missing link), so I'm looking for a quicker alternative to the xylene paraffin mix. What are your thoughts on Squirt lube?
+Edu Foronda 1/ Use a Connex link only. 2/ Use the hot wax method,no need to use xylene. These 2 things will make lubing your chain so much easier Edu.
See why I am confused? In the video, you say you have a bottle of lamp oil, and your answers to this person, is that they need the paraffin oil that is used in cosmetic and pharmacutical industry. I'm want to try the hot wax bath, but need clarification about Paraffin Oil, which here is Lamp Oil, and I am having a heck of a time trying to find cosmetic grade Paraffin Oil, or Liquid Paraffin
@@hikeride7520 I tried the lamp oil, and it works, but I figure it's not as good for health as cosmetic grade oil. Breathing the fumes can't be good. I'll try cosmetic grade next...
+DAVID DORADO Good suggestion David....will put that on my list. When I was racing,some of us trained on tubulars. When punctured in emergency we put milk in the tubs. The milk kurdled and plugged up rhe puncture so could ar least get you home :)
If the chain seems dirty enough that you'd worry about contaminating your wax bath, I'd suggest a quick clean with a baby wipe then drying it with a paper kitchen towel. As long as you still have wax in the rollers there should be no dirt inside there.
@@stevenleffanue ok... actually someone told me that he uses only mineral on chain for lubrication so i thought, it can also help in making this wax Lubricant rather than paraffin oil.
Yeh,you can use mineral oil as a chain lube by itself but it flings off and wears thin very quickly. To do the wax properly you need the paraffin oil....sold by pharmacists, veterinarian and beauty suppliers
My 11 Speed Connex link skips on only my 11 tooth cassette, running full campy drive train. Any one else experience this? This was with a new chain, all other rear cassette teeth are fine. I just put on another new chain and its the same issue.
Orientation of the Connex Link is important, particularly with 11 speed links. If you install backwards the link will skip on the smallest cog. Installing on the lower length of chain, the fixed pin the outside link should go on the right end of the chain (nearest the chainrings), and the fixed pin of the inside link should go on the left end of the chain (nearest the cassette).
Thanks for this Sarah, ran into this issue just the other day, and then once I saw this comment I knew that’d be it most definitely, and it was!
Hi uhh,
I got the idea of waxing my chain from your videos.
For those of you who are in California or in another state that cannot get access to xylenes, you can use something called engine starting fluid. You can get these at autozone for 3-4$ for about 11 oz. Paint thinner kind of takes forever to dry, but engine start fluid contains heptane and ether, the former of which is typically the main carrier fluid of most brands' bike lubricant. I know this because I had to browse through sooo many MSDSs
Heptane works because its vapor pressure is sufficient enough to evaporate off the chain and leave the wax/paraffin oil aggregate on the chain. Its also nonpolar enough to dissolve the wax. Note that when you do work with spraying out the ether, it is HIGHLY HIGHLY flammable, and tends to form explosive mixtures with air, often hugs the ground until it hits an ignition source.
Source - am chemist
Do you think Turpentine would work okay with paraffin wax?
@@bobseagull7600 It'll probably work - but turpentine may not stick as well to the chain. If you do go for this, the 'mineral' variety of turpentine should work better.
Although do be wary, all these solvents are significantly hazardous.
Great series on chain cleaning and waxing. I tried a paraffin and lamp oil mix on my bikes. Excellent results. For those in the US, I found everything in Walmart in the candle section. I bought three clear pillar candles and a bottle of lamp oil for about $13 USD. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the name lamp oil vs. paraffin oil. I went with lamp oil after considerable research. They even have the same rice cooker however I have a Hide Glue pot and it worked just fine. Used it on my road and Cyclocross bikes. I raced my Cyclocross bike last weekend, the chain is spotless. Didn’t pick up n
Any grime. Road bike as early results, 32 mile ride Sunday, spotless chain, unbelievably smooth shifting. Good job Oz.
Thanx for relating your experiences Wayne.
Thanks Wayne. Were you able to find the solvent in the US?
bobwalsh57 yes. Walmart has paraffin candles and lamp oil.
l have wax my chain as per your videos. This has given me the smoothest and quietest chain ever. Lasts a good 300km easily.
Bunnings warehouse here has both parafin oil an xylene. Thanks 😊
+Christopher Waters Sounds like you know what your doing Christopher.
I've been using your original waxed chain formula for 3 years now, I rotate 3 chains and they still show little signs of wear. I usually put a freshly waxed chain after the weekly bike clean daily because after a 100 miles the chain gets a bit noisy. I am using an old slow cooker coupled with a PID controller to keep the temperature down to 50 degrees C. It's a brilliant system.
Beeswax comes in two forms
Yellow > natural more sticky and lower melting point
White > bleached less sticky and more brittle and higher melting point.
Isopropanol (Alcohol) binds any remaining water inside the rollers and removes it. No rust.
The best wax to use is MICROCRYSTALLINE wax. A synthetic wax with very similar properties of
Paraffin wax. Advantages over Paraffin: slightly lower melting point, adheres to any surface very well. Better lubrication and excellent rust inhibition. We use it in art restoration. Disadvantage: more expensive.
XYLENE: Dimethylbenzene
Density: 0,864g/ml
Boiling point: 139C
Flashpoint: 32C
If you can't find Xylene, substitude it with Naphta/White spirit or paint thinner. NOT laquer thinner !
Do all the cooking outdoors on a electric stove.
TOLUENE: Methylbenzene
Very toxic !!! Do not use. In most countries it is banned.
Density: 0,87 g/ccm
Boiling point: 110C
Flashpoint: 4C
Is a aromatic Hydrocarbon solvent. Easily inflammable vapours, explosive mixtures with air. Heavier than air. Inflammability with hot surfaces, sparkles and open flames. Even static electricity can lead to ignition.
Its vapours are narcotic. Irritates the eyes and skin.
Thank you!
Used it on chain, rear mech, works great. Also started using wax on my cables and it seem ideal for fending off the water and dirt.
+Chloe Powell Great to hear that Chloe. Thanx for the feedback.
I've cracked the waxing now. The temperature is critical and use a heat thermometer to get the wax just right at between 50 & 54 degrees. Wouldnt go back to oil based lubes. I also use graphite in a small tub of loose wax ( diluted with parafin) to rub onto a chain if it feels dry. I saw the Team DD mechanics doing this at the TdF and know why now.
I have re-used the Shimano link many many times without issue for a couple of years, however it is a pain to unlink and re link even with tools. I have just purchased a connex chain and the link is so easy to unlink and relink without tools, bike maintenance just got easier.
For UK users, I used barbecue lighting fluid, worked perfect.
Andy Satch .
I've used barbecue lightning fluid as well 👍
Very Importaint - UK
Liquid Parrafin or light liquid parrafin is ingestible and used medicinally and you get it from some chemists and horse shops.
Parrafin oil /Lamp oil /Kerosene is not ingestible and are all the same in principal with minor different additives. You can get it from the range , b and q, and Esso gas stations in the plastic bins out front.
All are from petroleum and will work
I have new results of chain waxing and usage, just to remind, tested chain is shimano hg70 for 8 speed, usually can be used 1000 km and then is extended 3mm on 108 links of chain, lubricated with engine oil.
Same type of chain is tested with wax every 80-110 km, not cleaned by any cleaning matter(gaseline, petrol, tinner..), and is not removed from bike.
Procedure was : heat up by inductive heater upper portion of chain and put some wax on it and immediately clean it by clean cloth after that put again some wax on same portion of chain, rotate chain to next portion and repeat procedure.
By this procedure chain has same extension of 0.5mm (compared to new same chain, hanged verticaly) on 500/1000/1500/2000km, So chain life was extended by 100% and still is for usage, and from now waxing interval will be changed to 120km(+0/-10km) and will be compared every 500km
Thanx for taking the trouble to record your stats. By 'induction heating' Im assuming you mean putting a radiator next to the chain?
no, i bought on ebay inductive heater for 5-6usd, 12v, 100w, people buy it for play-heat iron thing to glow, I change coil to flat as on stove and bent it to u-shape so it wrap chain without chain cut, and heat it enought to melt wax stick.
for 3-4 links is needed 5-6 seconds to heat up, i wax and clean it with wax all links in15 minutes, i did it on vacation too, i used cars battery , every 3. waxing with engine started because it drains 10amps
That sounds amazing! Could you send me some pics of how you use it to heat your chain or better still upload a video on your channel?
yes it seams that i should make some video, i will inform you when it will be avaliable, thanks
Here is video about usage inductive heater to wax bike chain:CHAIN WAXING THE EASIEST WAY
You state that Connex link outlasts many chains and can last to about 50 000 kms. Aren't all links of the chain wear simultaneously? What makes this quick link last 10 times longer than all other links of chains? Thanks.
For those in the UK:
I've not tried this yet, and no expert, but literally 2 minutes of googling found this important distinction:
"Liquid paraffin, also known as paraffinum liquidum, is a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and for medical purposes. This is a UK definition and the term may have different uses in other countries. The cosmetic or medicinal liquid paraffin should not be confused with the paraffin used as a fuel"
...this seems to fit perfectly with OzCycle's (sorry, don't know your actual name!) reply to a comment below, saying to use the medical/cosmetic stuff, and that it should be odourless and tasteless (don't go drinking it!)
Something like this should be what you need: www.chemistdirect.co.uk/liquid-paraffin/prd-nal?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dnmBRACEiwAmMYGOSBu0sdLuGVdGLxgBuCXAoU4DNYmEdw0Xxd9FSWHwWwiBPs9-l5FFhoCVdsQAvD_BwE
...it sounds like it's basically a stool softener for animals, so I guess it would make sense that it softens the wax too...
Hopefully that helps someone. I look forward to trying this!
Steve Beecheno How did you get on with it? Did you try it?
@@RU4IRIgames Yes I did try it in the end. I'll be honest, it's a bit of a ball ache compared to just slapping some normal lubricant on the chain, but it did feel nicer to ride imo. I think if you have a garage / somewhere where you can have your crockpot (or similar) set up and somewhere to hang it, the process would be much quicker and easier. I was trying to do it in my third storey rented flat at the time and it was a pain!
Steve Beecheno thanks for the quick reply on your year old comment xD. I just been looking into this option for a runaround bike I’m building but haven’t seen many uk comments for it. If it goes well I may even transfer my good bike to this as I’m a bit of a magpie for shiny chains but also would be nice not to get that black oil everywhere if you touch your drivetrain
@@RU4IRIgames No worries, I don't comment often on videos so I don't exactly have lots to reply to! 😁 And I would definitely say try it and see if you like it. Your chain will still get road crap on it though so remember to wipe it down. It's all about getting the consistency of the wax just right
Steve Beecheno if it doesn’t work out, it seems hot water removes it all anyways and can go back to oil based lube.
In case anyone is interested 5 years later, I saw Xylene at Home Depot today in Massachusetts. It's in the paint/wallpaper dept.
As in Part1 of this set of videos, I wrote that my cheap way out was to get a 16 Oz. $3 bottle of Mineral Oil at a Pharmacy dept. of Walmart . This stuff is edible as it it said to be an intesinal lubricant. They describe it as 100% mineral oil, except for an inactive ingredient - d-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E) as stabilizer.
I thinned the paraffin candle wax as needed to a creamy paste, but still needs to be heated up to be applied to the deepest parts of a chain via a hot bath soak.
I just tried to warm up one my chap squity bottles in the microwave just to see if it would work as it does in a hot water bath.
The bottles need to have their lids open as gthe heated chemicals want to expand. Even with the cap open, these cheap bottles tried to deform. But, the 20 seconds on Warm low power actually separated the actone from having been absorbed into the wax mix. It was deforming too much so I never got the wax mix to be combined as a fully mixed liquid for application .
+UniqueDesigns41 After heating,shake the bottle...it should then be a mixture.
I used "lamp oil", which should be kerosene, for my "paraffin oil" alternative. Hopefully all alkanes, and it does soften the wax. No issues in the first 100 miles.
This, "paraffin lamp oil" www.amazon.com/Lamplight-Ultra-Pure-Clear-Lamp-Oil/dp/B005CBWIMK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1519010952&sr=8-6&keywords=paraffin+oil
I use a sram speed link on a shimano chain and haven't had any problems after taking the chain off the bike multiple times. I don't see the point in having a throw away link that's just ridiculous
10sp & 11sp Sram Powerlinks are not designed to come apart again. Try to disconnect them with bare hands, good luck.
@@alexm1046 And using a tool?
The difference is the way the links stay together, that's what gets worn out. Sure reuse them a few times or until they give out but keep a spare on your bike just in case. More specifically, the generic quick links are relying on friction to stop them coming apart especially when back pedalling. The connex links rely on a labyrinth system, basically a curved path to follow in order to release which the chain can't get itself in a position to follow even back pedalling, at least not easily. No friction, longer life. 👍
Paraffin oil is also used in wine production as sealant from air. Find your local winery to get some oil. Cheers:)
Paraffin lamp oil is readily available in the U.S. in Hardware stores. It is truly called “paraffin lamp oil.”
The kmc chains work well as well. I loosened these powerlinks tens of times without any problems
+Kristof Peiremans Reuseable in 10 speed only. KMC... 10spd link (CL559R) is reuseable. 11spd link (CL555) and 12spd link (CL552) are not reuseable.
"Paraffin oil" doesn't appear to exist as such in the UK. As far as I can gather, it's a poorly-defined mixture of saturated hydrocarbons (ie alkanes), as is "mineral oil", "liquid paraffin" (used in vetinary medicine as a laxative) and "baby oil". So what is called "paraffin oil" in one country might be called "mineral oil" somewhere else.
Lighter alkanes are known as "kerosene", "paraffin" or "lamp oil" in different parts of the world and are used as fuel for lamps, heating, cooking and jet engines.
Waxes are higher alkanes.
So if you don't live Down Under and can't buy "paraffin oil", I guess the best thing to try is mineral oil or liquid paraffin.
it does. i found some on ebay. searched for lamp fuel and got a few results for what appears to be what hes talking about. its cheap enough, and so are candles, so nothing to lose really. even the heaters for melting wax are pretty cheap. if it doesnt work on your chain you can at least remove unsightly leg hairs with a nice hot wax treatment lol
What did you use in the end ,and did it work?
+steve Use "paraffin oil" as used in medical industry and cosmetics.
oz cycle thanks oz will do
2 years old video with 17539 views - and still zero dislikes. Never seen such before!
Someone read your comment and looks like gave it a thumbs down. There is always one in a crowd.
Hey Steve (+oz cycle), just a thought with the dirt issue. I can't remember if it was this video or part 1 where you created a suspension bucket for the chain to keep it out of the dirt at the bottom of the wax. I've been keeping the dirt out via a different method and this is purely an fyi. When the wax solidifies, the dirt has settled on the bottom. once the wax is totally cold and solid, I take it out of the rice cooker and use a cheese slicer to gently shave off the dirt at the bottom. Minimal wax is lost and the wax is returned back to a pristine white colour. It works well for me.... YMMV.
+Darren Smith Yes,great suggestion Darren. The suspended sieve allows dirt to fall thru and the chain soaks in clean wax rather than at the bottom in its own dirt.
When you have finished waxing your chain and while the wax is still molten, brush round the bottom of your tub with a good magnet and much of it may be removed.
Shaving off the bottom would also remove the PTFE as that settles on the bottom too.
An other great video to compliment the others, one other well known American cyclist site suggests wax and bear grease!
As we do not have many bears around Tyneside I substituted beef tallow! Certainly still a good result after 300km....
hahahahahahahah awesome. i live in tyneside and fully corroborate that there are indeed not many bears in the area
I washed the whole rear derailleur in hot Paraffin oil to clean it. Then dipped in hot wax. Works ok on my old Trek hybrid. Might clog up your fancy Dura Ace equipment.
Awesome Q and A!
Connex chain links on ebay $8 to 11$ free shipping. I use the sram links that come with my sram chain. If i need extra , just get one at LBS (local bike shop) or pic up 1 connex from ebay.
I just made my first batch of chain lube. I noticed it started going hard within minutes at the normal mixture 1/3 for each. I then did twice as much xylene. Still solidified. So I added more so it's 2/3 xylene 1/6 candle wax 1/6 mineral oil. I don't get what the heck your talking about. I'm not using pariffin oil as I said but it keeps solidifying no matter the amount of XYLENE I add.
In lower temperatures more xylene is required. Otherwise...are you sure its "xylene" you are using?
In Nqld It;s 27.3 c here at the moment night time and my Wax mixture is a solid not dead hard though . does this mean I don't have enough xylene in it? I'm sure I made a third .
Great stuff! A few observations from my experiences:
Used Waxed chain for Leadville MTB 100. Seemed to wear off a little over 1/2 way through the race. I haven’t been cooling before removing - maybe will help
Connect removable links don’t seem to be available for 12 speed drive trains
Didn’t know about the paraffin oil - maybe you’ve refined your mix?
You didn’t mention the Teflon powder in part one or two. Do you no longer recommend it?
Thanks!
Looks like Wipperman/connex has a complete 12sp chain with connex - I think might only be available in Germany right now?
Yes Connex 11spd links are now available. For wetter conditions add paraffin oil to your wax mix , helps repel water. Additives such as ptfe extends the life cycle of the wax and reduces the chain wear.
The sell connex as wipperman connex here, or at least thats what the ones i bought were called
some have been asking if you can use what in the UK is called paraffin (kerosene). well yes and no. I tried it used paraffin wax and paraffin but after about three uses in a slow cooker the characteristic paraffin smell was not present. the wax was harder, so working on the premise that the paraffin / kerosene has evaporated out of solution. next I will try liquid paraffin and paraffin wax.
+Gary Martin Thanx for that input Gary. Good point that the kerosene can evaporate faster when heated.
B&Q sell a large jerry bottle of it for an OK price, has a yellow tinge to it.
Yes, this is what I bought. However, it definitely smells, and is, I think what the Americans call lamp oil, and in the ingredients list it says "kerosene".
So I think, unfortunately, this is not the stuff that Oz Cycle really recommends, which in the UK is probably what they call "liquid paraffin".
Quite a bit more expensive. On the other hand, you don't need all that much.
And as Gary and Oz say above, it seems to be more volatile, and will evaporate off eventually. Of course, you could always add more to your paraffin wax, to get back to the right consistency.
Can you use Xylene by itself to strip of the manufacturers protective coating or previously lubricated bike chain? Rather than using degreaser?
To avoid splitting the chain every time, if there was a way to remove the chain from the FD cage, you could remove the chain without splitting it (Assuming you can remove the jockey wheels with hex key).
On my FD cage (105 R7000), its riveted at the bottom, if this was replaced with a screw, then I could then take my entire chain off for waxing without ever splitting it.
Is this a good idea?
Xylene in UK is paint thinner use with car paint when spraying cars
Good morning. I have converted the 1st bike to wax, few more to convert yet, but pretty happy with it now. But in Nov we are doing a tour Bangkok Phuket, 900 k 8 days, most likely it could rain, but it will not be possible to wax during the ride. And I don't think the lube with xylene in it, would be allowed in baggage on plane. Any suggestions, even a bought product? Many thanks, and again good work.
Any wax based lube in a bottle will do the job Russ
Hi. Your advice of waxing the chains sounds great to me. My understanding is that the xylene is very volatile and will evaporate from the chain. Therefore, I guess it does evaporate from the rice cooker even faster as it is very warm. So is it worth using xylene, which will remain only the 1st time in the cooker? Or should you add xylene every time?
Xylene isn't used in the hot wax method Eric
Do you think that PFTE powder added in the wax, it will be a better lube?
Hi I'm from Malaysia. I mixed mine with kerosene. It works.
hey oz cycles. I reuse my 9 and 10 speed sram quick links all the time. No issues. Can't speak for Shimano, but I suspect they are reusable too.
Pariffin oil is on ebay/ liquid is $10. Its great with your 1:1 ratio wax mix in my rice cooker. Yay! PARIFFIN WAX GOES WITH PARIFFIN OIL, ITS THE ONLY WAY. CHANGE YOUR CHAIN WITH NO GLOVES, NO MESS. JUST WAS YOUR HANDS.
+Pushyhog Paraffin oil is also used in the cosmetics industry so you can rub it onto dry skin to keep it supple. :)
Thanks for the tips. Next l will make a in the go bottle. Buy my chains still good. Can you try carb cleaner & denatured alcohol one time for cleaning?
There seems to be some confusion between these names of oils and paraffin oils. In the UK, paraffin, also known as heating oil, I believe is the same as kerosene and smells the same as aviation fuel for jets when burnt. It readily mixes with candle wax when the wax is warmed and causes the wax to go creamy. So is paraffin oil the same as paraffin but perhaps a little more refined for medicinal use?
I would like to know the answer to this too. Is paraffin oil the stuff you use in burners, or the stuff you give animals?
Love your DIYs! Do you have one on servicing RD including cleaning method and lubrication (including what to use for lube) of pivot points and jockey wheels.
+Brian Lovely Glad you like the DIYs Brian. Rear derailleurs are fairly self sufficient except for the jockey wheels and cable. I will keep your suggestion in mind tho. Cheers Brian
Why does the paraffin need to be liquid or creamy? Isn't part of the purpose to get away from dirt attracting oily lubes?
I use Molten Speed Wax (Amazon). You melt it in slow cooker, soak clean chain in, remove and let it cool down. The chain gets stiff at first but after a few miles it's soft and clean. Rode through winter and no problems.
A hard wax doesnt move inside the link. After a while the pin is touching the bush with no lube between. The softer wax moves slowly into all spaces of the link as the chain moves,thus lubricating.
Hi again Oz. You've made me a bit of an alchemist sorting all this waxing! Just wondering if you've noticed a difference in the type of paraffin wax used? You've been using pillar wax i presume since you just take those candles and break them. have you tried a container wax and is it any different. i get the feeling it is softer? so may be more malleable on the chain and may need less paraffin oil? or am i overthinking it. when ordering the wax pellets these are the options i'm presented with as well so just checking?
thanks
Container wax is pre-blended (probarbly using an oil). I have not tried it but yes you can probably use it without mixing paraffin oil. It is more expensive than candle wax,so want save you any money that way. If it is easier for you to use container wax, go for it.
Many thanks
I wanted to buy a connex link but it seems only possible to install on a connex chain (which comes with the link already), I was hoping to try this with my current shimano 11 speed chain. most won't have connex chainsz? i haven't found too many good reviews on those connex chains yet... I have 11 speed ultegra. I bought a small slowcooker and now i am trying to figure out to find all the products. Paraffine and ptfe i have already but now I need to have xylene as well?
i used lamp-oil. worked just fine, though i can't compare it to actual paraffin oil. consistency gets just as soft as you have shown in your video. it didn't even get oily. In the description it said paraffinium liquidium, so technically it has at the very least a very high percentage of paraffin oil
11dollars? in europe a chainlink from shimano for the 11spd chains costs right about 4€. or did ya mean aus$?
+Calvin Pessl Yes AU$. Unfortunately the Shimano 11spd link is not reusable.
What chains are you guys using? I use 11spd sram with a power link but note they are one time use only. I like the idea of waxing in a hot bath, but having to replace with a new link every week is mighty expensive. Cheaper to replace the chain more frequently. Thoughts?
Wipperman connex link is the only way to go....they last 50,000km! Fits all brand chains to.
oz cycle
Thanks for the reply. 50000 km! Unreal. I'll get some. Do you rate wipperman chains themselves?
I tried your exact method and lubed my chain and it runs incredibly smoothly, thank you. One issue I had is that my chain was skipping off my chain rings especially under load (standing) which I never had before. What could cause this? Too much wax left on the exterior of the chain? Shifts are very smooth but is it possible the chain is too lubricated??
+e k Glad to hear waxing worked for you. Check the following....First check for a stiff link....will cause skipping of chain on cogs. 2/ check chain stretch...chain may be too worn and require replacing as well as rear cogset. 3/ Check front chainring teeth are not overly worn which will also cause skipping of the chain. 4/Check rear derailleur is straight and is passing your chain onto the rear cogs smoothly. Hope you find the issue
oz cycle, thanks for the reply and advice! Think I figured it out. Updated my small chainring back in June to 34 tooth and though my bike is a 9 speed and the chainring says 10 speed it seemed to work fine. I believe a combination of wear on the chainring and the wax making the chain slicker caused the drop. I was able to reproduce this at home when standing and bearing down hard on the pedals. Swapped out the ring for a 9 speed compatible one and so far I haven't been able to reproduce the problem. Thanks again for your help!
Thank you for the Info Videos. I Just buy a new Chain and a Absolute Black Chainring. For this a want to use again great Chain Wax and byed Finish line Wax Krytech. For a test i did it on a old losen Bearing and let it sit overnigt.
First it looks like spilling smelling water over , but at the morning a can defenetly feel the smooth resistance. now i knwo how Chainwax neds to be i my Lube.
One Thing; i byed in a spray can Ceramic Spray. now i need to figure out hoiw to add it to the wax properly. =/ =)
+Finch Thank you for sharing your experience with waxing the bearing...sounds like it works good. I have not heard of ceramic spray,I must check that out. Cheers Finch
Hi Oz! Great videos, keep 'em coming! I'm unsure if I have the correct viscosity/ratio of oil to wax. Is there a quantitative measurement to use? Being unsure, I let the wax/oil mixture cool and the chain is encased inside for now.
+cyber stasz Glad you like the vids :) . Its approximately 1:1 but always test it before using. I use a butter knife...dip it in the wax then cool it to room temperature. The wax should be like a hard cream. Too hard and the wax will flake off your chain.
Regarding waxing it looks like for your average Rider will have to do this every 1 to 2 weeks
on your say so I wax my chains now wouldn't go back to oil happy days ... just redone mine today 😁
+James bird Great to hear James
I know this is an old video but I am hoping you still read and reply to old videos. I have a question regarding using an ultrasonic cleaner full of the wax mix instead of water, would this work?
+Liam Cottrell Yes,if the ultrasonic device also heats the wax to over 53degrees Liam. Do not use xylene in the mix tho.
Also, I applied Squirt to a waxed chain that had about 200km on it since last waxing. Still quiet after another ~100+ km. What do you know about Squirt? Marketed as a wax + water emulsion
Squirt is good as a lubricant but unfortunately still attracts dirt . The dirt will wear away at the metal of your chain thus drastically reducing its lifespan.
Hi, Oz. Waxed my chain, and my wife's, probably 7x each now. Never going back to "standard" lubes.
Question - Would it be OK if I skipped waxing the master link? It's such a pain to get the master connected with wax in places you don't want it. Would be much easier if I could skip waxing that link, but am concerned no wax will damage the link and thus defeat the purpose.
Thats ok, I dont wax my links very often.
@@stevenleffanue Actually, I found the solution just today. When I pull the coat hanger (and thus chain) out of the wax, while the wax is still hot, I wipe off the excess wax from the master links, and each adjacent link. Now I'm able to expand the master links on the first attempt! Nice.
one more thing, as far as I read, Xylene is just a solvent used to peel paint. Can common solvent be used? It evaporates very quickly too, so it may work just as well,....
+DAVID DORADO If it disolves wax then it should be fine David.
oz cycle my aussie friend, common solvent doesn't work. I'll try something else. The other procedure of submergeing chain in wax and paraffin works great, so thanks a lot
hello oz cycle sir, this is great and most required video. i would like to know can we use scooter oil as lubricant. thank you
Sorry Cherag I dont know anything about scooter oil. Most liquid lubricants will be fine for a bicycle chain tho.
Hi, could you help and say more about the right texture for the mix? I used almost 1:1, little bit less parafine oil. But not sure if it is not too creamy already. Sticks very well to the knife though.
+Thorsten Hofmann If you see bits of wax flaking off your chain when you first pedal it on the bike,the wax is too hard. Simply add more paraffin oil to the mix and put the chain back in the bath. If the wax is too soft,it will be obvious on the knife test. Ideal consistency is like a hard cream. Hope that helps Thorsten.
Paraffin oil = johnson's baby oil (kids goods store - sold everywhere) or any similar product
Hi Oz, really thanks for your valuable tutorial. I am preparing to have my chains bath in wax as you taught. May I ask whether there will be any advantage, or not, on bathing the cassettes as well in wax?
No advantage at all...leave the cassette dry and clean.
Really thanks a lot.
would ikea candle wax be okay? the description says: parrafin wax/plant based wax.
doesnt say how much of each
No. Plant based waxes are often higher in oil content.
Paraffin oil is not a term used by hardware stores in the USA. Online I found Winelight Ultra Pure Paraffin Lamp Oil. Is that the correct product?
+Scott H Not sure Scott. Give it a go...try a small mix first and if it turns out a non-oily cream then it will be ok.
Pure paraffin lamp oil is what i use.
Paraffin oil is mineral oil, often a by product of crude oil refining. paraffin wax, the thing people are trying to get by melting all their candles is available in a pure form often called Gulf Wax, paraffin wax, jar sealing wax or simply paraffin. Another lubrication scam...it's a product of the crude oil refining industry. It's just another cracked carbon on the fraction column. What is graphite?
Paraffin wax can be bought for cheap in the uk..
As I understand in some writings, paraffin oil is also known as kerosene. And some appear to say their not much difference from mineral oil. I might would try WD-40 as an additive also.
Hello, I just have a question aboit paraffin oil, is it the same as kerosene? I wanna know because kerosene is much more available here in our country and much cheaper. Any alternatives for xylene? Because xylene is not available here as well.
Paraffin oil used in cosmetics and medicine. Toulene,mineral spirits,white spirits or paint thinner is like xylene
Kerosene is ok
How do I clean gear cycle?
Wax will be near impossible to use on a sealed bearing. Sealed bearings should be taken apart, packed with grease, and put back together.
Hey Oz. Is there a in between maintenance/liquid wax I can use in between chain off melted wax treatment. Something that plays well with the hot wax. Squirt, Finishline etc.
As long as the lube is paraffin wax based it will be fine Gary. It's the mixing of differing lubes that's causes problems.
Thank you
What about adding graphite or teflon powder to the mix, could that makes it even better?
+Dave Hughes Very slight improvement but leaves grey marks on everything your chain,cogs a chainrings touch.
How do you know when the wax is too contaminated to reuse?
When it starts to go grey
Is a wax okay used in wet weather like the British winter, if so how often would you need to re wax the chain ?
Thanks
PlantBasedPedalling beat me to it I was going to ask same thing!
+PlantBasedPedalling Absolutely. Water has very little effect on the wax but its the dirt that the water transports to your chain that matters. So when you feel the chain needs relube put it straight in the hot wax...use a sieve as suggested so the dirt falls out of the chain.
My chain did 100 miles on an indoor trainer, so totally dry conditions before it started creaking. What am I getting wrong with my waxing?
+David Harper Could be a number of things David but most common is the wax not getting INSIDE the pins and rollers. Make sure the chain bathes in the wax for quite some time so no air bubbles come out when moving the chain in the bath.
oz cycle I'll try again. I left it for a while, I'm determined to make this work.
Would it help (or hurt) to wax the rear cassette? Possibly help keep it cleaner?
Not necessary in most conditions. If in constant wet,then yes.
@@stevenleffanue Thanks! I was also wondering if instead of finishing a chain cleaning with methylated spirits (Denatured Alch for us US guys) would methanol be ok to finish with? Both are very similar in composition (readily used for alcohol stoves), just wondering?
130 degrees F on my rice cooker, thanks.
Lampoil seems to turn black like charcoal. I’m not sure is its harmful to the chain. It looks like it’s ok but your wax turns black
Are you using just paraffin wax mixed with ptfe powder?
@@stevenleffanue combination of paraffine wax ptfe and lampoil. But without the ptfe it was the same effect
Sounds like there is still some old lube inside the chain links contaminating the wax
I don’t think so because it starts to turn black right after heating a new batch. Anyway I’m now going to buy a few bottles of paraffine oil.
After fine tuning my brew I'm quite happy with the first rides. I melted down some tea lights I already had and added some cheapo in germany so called "Lampoil" which is just another name for a thin hydrocarbon oil and does the job.
But can anyone share some experience with cold temperatures (let's say around 0°C)? Thanks a lot!
... and btw, nice channel, I like it!
+147_III my 1.5hr pre breakfast ride this morning temp got down to -2°C and the drive train was running smooth with the wax/oil mix. The links are stiffer than at warmer temperature.
I'm not using candle wax, the paraffin wax I am using is from a beekeeper supplier its less refined with approx 0.3% oil content and no added ingredients www.ceracell.co.nz/shop/Hive+Component/Paraffin+wax/-PAR7550-5KG/x_sku/PAR7550-5KG.html
Oil I am using is a lamp oil which is pure refined paraffin oil, some other lamp oils I have looked at are a blend (not 100% paraffin oil) firelight.co.nz/collections/lamp-oil
I'm not doing the 1:1 wax/oil mix as have cut back on the oil, living in a coastal area found I pick up less fine sand particles on the chain with the lube being more solid state.
I am rotating three chains and use a ultasonic cleaner to clean the chains. I have tried re-dipping the chains in wax bath without using the cleaner but in my location where I ride the wax/oil bath quickly goes dark coloured which I think is mainly the oxidation from the chain riding in wet conditions, the salt air and sandy tracks I ride on.
+Derek Adair In those wet and dirty conditions Derek, it would be good to keep the oil content as low as possible so attracting as little dirt as possible. Id stiil recommend the candle wax with 'paraffin oil' or 'liquid paraffin' if you can get those in your area.
Yes I'm still using paraffin oil in with the wax, it's roughly between 2:1 and 3:1 at the moment as I just kept adding wax till I was happy with the result I was getting in wet muddy conditions. When it less wet over summer I will increase the oil ratio closer to the amount of the wax. With the sub zero morning rides I'm doing now I may end up add a bit more oil to the mix. I pour wax/oil lube back into ice cream containers when I finished lubing so can have a number of different batches.
My mixture is apx 1:1 and it seems to work well for the moment (summer temperatures > 20°C). After a few rides the drivetrail is still well lubed and shiny as a T-800. I may have to play around a bit when temperatures go down again that it doesn't flake off (at least that my worry).
... The Wax block is definately what I will go for next time as melting tea lights was a mess :-)
Accetone is in california. Probably find zylene at house paint store.
Nail polish remover.
Is it normal for the wax to turn black after several rides? I'm just want to make sure I got it right. Thanks
+Floyd Co It can discolour but being black indicates a lot of contamination Floyd. I suggest a thorough clean then rewax...it should turn a slight grey colour only when a rewax is required. The chain should be absolutely clean everytime before putting in wax.
Is there a way to filter the wax/oil mixture? I do use a strainer, but like to filter the mixture, no reason to throw it out now. Anyone tried a coffee filter or is there another way? Thx. By the way, I love using wax for my chain, I'm often riding close to the beach in the bike path, I have no longer problems with sand in my chain. Just a great improvement, so happy, thx for explaining!
If i let my sprocket dry, how i can prevent it from rust?
It has an anodized coating , it want rust
Common solvent, gasoline , acetone and ,ethanol don't work. I'll keep u posted if i find something else other than xylene
Do you know if a 10-speed Connex link be used on an 11-speed drivetrain/chain?
+Khris Seger No,use the 11dpd connex link. It is more expensive than 10spd but if you buy a connex chain it comes with a link.
Thank you!
Hi. I tried this wax method but I dont think I'm getting the consistency right. I used wax from candles and paraffin oil (though it's only 99% coz it has coloring in it). Mix was about 60 candle 40 oil.
I let it cooldown to maybe less than 50degC as mine was messy all over when I wiped the sides off. And when I added into the drivetrain, bits are falling off everywhere.
First few days was great, used it while strolling around the neighborhood with my 1yo. But I tried to test it for a more realistic ride and I feel the wax has dried out on me as the my shifting is not silent anymore - it's loud and clatters indicating no more lube.
Can you please send an image of the chain just after waxing and wiping off the excess.
I'm using 9spd KMC chain if that helps.
+Edu Foronda Sounds like you will need to add a bit more paraffin oil. Remove the chain from wax at between 50-54deg C....allow it to sit for 5-10mins to cool a bit,then gently wipe off excess from outside of the chain with a clean rag. Let me know how you go Edu? Cheers...Steven
Thanks for the quick reply. I actually tried 1:1 ratio initially. But when testing, it seemed too soft compared to the one shown in your video. I'll try and re-do and keep you posted.
Love your channel btw! Cheers!
+Edu Foronda ok. The idea is to get maximum amount of wax left inside the chain with minimum on the outside. Once you get the hang of it youl be fine.
Update:
I added more paraffin oil to the mix and re-waxed my chain. Took the chain out of the mix when it starts to get cloudy and wiped the excess off. Tested this to a new chain too and all seems to be working fine.
Now to find out how long it will last...
I'm having a hard time looking for alternatives to xylene. And it's kind of a pain to remove and re-wax the chain everytime (maybe because I'm using KMC missing link), so I'm looking for a quicker alternative to the xylene paraffin mix. What are your thoughts on Squirt lube?
+Edu Foronda 1/ Use a Connex link only. 2/ Use the hot wax method,no need to use xylene. These 2 things will make lubing your chain so much easier Edu.
Great channnel!!And can I use vaseline with xylene?
+Jissa Jojan Dont think they will mix well Jissa.
OK,Thanks
Can I use Kerosene (paraffin) if I don't get Xylene?
+Abhijit Buchake Kerosene is different in each country. Do a test sample Abhijit. If the mixture is non-oily it should be fine.
Inside twist grip shifters l use sram jonnisnot from ebay.
What about Pariffin Lamp Oil? Is that the same as Pariffin Oil?
Sorry Lawrence,no. The right Paraffin oil is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.
See why I am confused? In the video, you say you have a bottle of lamp oil, and your answers to this person, is that they need the paraffin oil that is used in cosmetic and pharmacutical industry. I'm want to try the hot wax bath, but need clarification about Paraffin Oil, which here is Lamp Oil, and I am having a heck of a time trying to find cosmetic grade Paraffin Oil, or Liquid Paraffin
@@hikeride7520 I tried the lamp oil, and it works, but I figure it's not as good for health as cosmetic grade oil. Breathing the fumes can't be good. I'll try cosmetic grade next...
Iam trying carburetor cleaner and denatured alcohol to clean my chain next time. Then your wax 1:1 in my rice cooker.
Any attempt to make tubeless sealant successfully?
+DAVID DORADO Good suggestion David....will put that on my list. When I was racing,some of us trained on tubulars. When punctured in emergency we put milk in the tubs. The milk kurdled and plugged up rhe puncture so could ar least get you home :)
I heard it is a latex based compound. Quite creative things you do on this channel. Regards from Spain
+DAVID DORADO Ok,yes that makes sense...similar to the product called " Slime".
Are connex chains better than Shimano chains?
They select gears the same but have a longer lifespan. Connex also has the best removable link.
oz cycle Do you use a standard chain wear indicator tool to check chain wear on those chains?
Yes but with a .5mm increment. I will be doing a vid on that that soon.
I used baby oil. It sticks to the chain but it attract dirt and dust. I am going to find paraffin oil.
how would u clean old wax off to replace with new
kent dave just pee on the chain to rinse the wax off
+kent dave No need to Kent. Just put chain in the hot wax bath again and any dirt falls to bottom of the pot as chain is relubed.
If the chain seems dirty enough that you'd worry about contaminating your wax bath, I'd suggest a quick clean with a baby wipe then drying it with a paper kitchen towel. As long as you still have wax in the rollers there should be no dirt inside there.
Can i use mineral oil instead of paraffin oil as mineral oil is easily available
Sorry,no. Mineral oil will make the wax slimy and messy. Paraffin oil is the liquid form of paraffin wax and simply softens the wax.
@@stevenleffanue ok... actually someone told me that he uses only mineral on chain for lubrication so i thought, it can also help in making this wax Lubricant rather than paraffin oil.
Yeh,you can use mineral oil as a chain lube by itself but it flings off and wears thin very quickly. To do the wax properly you need the paraffin oil....sold by pharmacists, veterinarian and beauty suppliers
@@stevenleffanue thanks for your response.
I only use paraffin wax no additives. Is it still the same?
Will only last 100km then you need to rewax. Also it want have the protective qualities to make your chain last longer
@@stevenleffanue can i reuse the left over wax even if it has some dirt residue residing in the bottom?
Sure can....once cooled you can cut off the base of the wax block and you have good wax. You will need to add more ptfe tho.
@@stevenleffanue thankyou i can now enjoy riding with less maintenance!
My 11 Speed Connex link skips on only my 11 tooth cassette, running full campy drive train. Any one else experience this? This was with a new chain, all other rear cassette teeth are fine. I just put on another new chain and its the same issue.
If link isnt installed right way around it will skip on cogs. So just swap links to opposite sides
Thank you. I'll try that.@@stevenleffanue
hi, just to check. Xylene or Acetone would be the same right?
can you use bees wax instead of paraffin?
definitely not bees wax by its nature is tacky.
*less viscose.
Any idea where I can get a 12 speed/sram connex link here in Australia?