Honestly, even if waxing only gets me 50% of the life it claims, I still value you incredibly for the cleanliness/simplicity. I literally just rinse my bike off immediately after a ride (no soap, 60 seconds) and wax my chain every two weeks. That is the level of my effort and it feels incredibly good. No scrubbing chains, degreasing, etc to keep a good drive chain, etc. I do miss the occasional chain ring tattoo on my leg...but willing to give that up.
Threading the chain over the tabs....no matter how careful I seem to be when reinstalling the chain, I miss this far more than I think that I should!! The Shimano chain direction tip was fantastic!
Such an easy mistake to make, we have all done it at least once. I use KMC chains which are unidirectional, it means I don't have to worry about making sure it's in the right way 😂😂
When cleaning/ degreasing the chain it's super important to make sure that the chain is %100 dry before putting it into the pot. This helps the wax stick to the inside of the chain properly. That was the big mistake I was making when I first started waxing. Thanks for the great video Josh 👍
Great video. I am guilty of all of these mistakes at some point since I started waxing my chains with your products over 2 years ago. Before that I was disappointed with my homemade waxing blend even after I thoroughly cleaned the chains with degreaser, gasoline, and 90% isopropyl alcohol. The wax just wouldn't adhere to the chains. After I bit the bullet and purchased Chain Stripper and your Secret Blend everything works great. I don't wax my chains for more efficiency to go faster. I wax my chains to make the drivetrain feel smoother, and I believe that is what makes me faster. The only failure I have had which you don't list is having the wax get bunched up on the lowest cog on the cassette (11 tooth for me) and I thought it had somehow worn out because it was skipping. Found out later after I removed the cassette to replace the cog that there was a thick layer of wax between the 11 tooth cog and the next cog up which caused the chain to ride up above the cog and skip whenever I applied any amount of power to the drivetrain.
I use the super secret drip between immersive waxings, so I’m pulling the chain off and rewaxing about once a month (every 1000 km or 600 miles). What I do is take a brush and some alcohol to the cassette, pulley wheels and chainrings while the chain is off the bike and in the pot. It takes about 5-10 minutes tops, and removes all wax buildup so the buildup never gets to the point that it’s a problem.
Thanks for the "skip break-in" portion. Other outlets and its comments seem to present not breaking in (on or off the bike) as a cardinal sin. Like it would hurt the chain or the wax application in the long run. I of course was skeptical about that stance, for exactly the reasons outlined; when you don't really care about a short period of less efficiency, if I break it in while cycling I get that period back as bonus longevity. This is maybe a "problem" in cycling enthusiast content and its commenters, much of the headspace is geared towards top performance, while commuters, couriers, recreational and other categories of cyclists that are not competitive receive less attention and less appropriate advise sometimes.
For those using a water bath or crock pot to melt wax (without accurate temperature control), a simple meat thermometer can eliminate the worries about hitting the right temperature.
Your videos are so good. I buy your product not just because they are good, but because you guys offer service and info like this, truly top notch stuff!
I have been using your wax lube for 8 months and have converted several of my riding buddies to also use a waxed chain. I am the official chain waxer for the group. Initially I mistook the interval of meters and was using a rewax interval of 300 miles or more. I would check of wear each time with Park variable gauge and also with calipers with no measurable wear. After several of your videos I woke up and realized my error. I am now using one endurance chip per bag and rewax every 350 miles. No signs of wear or noise on the drive train. I use an insta pot and set the temperature at 190 degees F and verify by infrared measure method. Insert the chain for about 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 170 degrees F, once the temperature reaches around 165, I remove the chain and let it cool above the pot. On either a new chain or used I dip/shake in gasoline (cheaper than solvent) 2 times, each with clean gas. Blow dry, and then ultrasonic clean for 30 minutes minimum in the sonic cleaner you recommended. Blow dry, alcohol dip and blow dry prior to wax dipping. I know this sounds very time consuming, but I only do this once and am getting excellent results. Rewaxing is simple, wipe the chain clean and rewax. Our group of 6 riders are amazed how quiet and the smooth the drive train performs. No one would ever go back to the old petroleum lubes. You have customer for life.
Having waxed my chain for the first time this year using the stripchips and wax from Silca and I can recommend it to everyone. I also routed my chain through the wrong side of the tab but it's all easy to figure out. If you can boil a pot of water you can wax your chain and over time it makes maintaining your drivetrain tenfold easier.
As always, nothing but some good, solid every day hints to make my bike riding better. This is the reason I never miss one of these videos. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for all your videos... long time waxer.. been using your super secret, for the pass 18 months on my wax chain to extend the chain life between waxing ,what a fantastic product.
Hi Thanks for making this video. I have done all of these mistakes! Also one I got in the past is "not cleaning wax residue on small cogs and pulley regularly". If I don't clean it for a year it causes jumping chain or some weird noise! I had this more when I use Squirt actually, but probably also happens with Silca wax too. And be careful if you use SRAM you have stealth ring there so not to damage it.
Wow that is super helpful to know the single application longevity is around half for rainbow chains! With my SRAM Red chain I’ve been waxing and using super secret for around 5k miles, and I always felt like I needed to reapply after around 120 miles. Looks like I’ll switch to Force chains now.
OK, you asked for unique questions so here's one. I'm a 75 year old recumbent trike and velomobile rider. I have a degenerative muscle disease and only can put out a FTP of about 150. Being that I have a long chain and low power, it seems that my waxing lasts about twice as long as is "recommended". Am I correct. BTW I have been waxing my chains for over 30 years and love the ability to work on my rides without getting filthy. Keep up the good work and great products. Ron
FACT OR FICTION? "You should let the wax cool slightly before pulling the chain." Adam at ZFC says FICTION. Josh at Silca says FACT. Have you guys at Silca actually tested this and found substantial gains in longevity? You and Adam at ZFC both have plausible-sounding explanations, but I haven't seen any testing data. Adam at ZFC says it doesn't matter if you pull the chain at 90-ish Celsius. His reasoning: You only need the thinnest of wax coatings, which will get thinner yet as the chain parts rub against each other in the first 20 minutes of riding. Having a thicker coating just means a longer break-in period with zero benefit. Josh at Silca: If the wax is normal crockpot "low" temperature (e.g, mid-90's Celsius), it will be less viscous, and so much of the wax will run off the chain that it won't be fully protected. In other videos, Josh has also strongly suggested that a thicker coating is beneficial (longer protection). Hence the suggestion of multiple rounds of adding super-secret drip lube to fill in all of the space inside the chain (which Adam at ZFC firmly says is nonsensical because the extra wax will be ejected in the first minutes of riding). Yours truly, Adam at ZFC, and most people I know pull the chain at whatever "low" temperature their slow cooker uses (no waiting). It's way more convenient. You also avoid an overly-thick coating of wax outside the chain, which makes the chain extra difficult to break in -- especially in colder weather. We all seem to have satisfactory results. THAT SAID, would my wax treatment last considerably longer if I waited for some cooling? Unless somebody brings some data to bear, just like those old Tootsie Roll commercials, "THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW".
I've been waxing for a two or three years, but I haven't been paying close enough attention to temperature or chain directionality. Excellent helpful tips. Thanks!
One thing I add is to preheat the chain before I put it in the wax. Living in Arizona makes it easy as I just put it in the sun for 10 minutes. This lets the wax get into all the small spaces right away. You can see this when you agitate the chain in the wax. Lots of bubbles right away, after 5 minutes, almost none. I've been using/waxing KMC chains and and I wax every 500-750 miles before it gets noisy. Cassettes and chain rings aren't cheap. Better to wax more frequently than to let it run too long. Lastly, I put a label on the chain stay with the date, mileage and Park Tool measurement so I don't forget. I get the watt savings from waxing but personally, I do it for cleanliness and chain longevity.
Very good presentation, from a multi-decade waxer. And I learned a thing or two. I've only used Shimano chains, but a couple comments: 1. Do not underestimate the importance of waxing absolutely bare metal. And for those (like myself) who use gasoline (petrol) -- it leaves a residue. It will cripple the application! I always finish with acetone, or its cousin alcohol. And if possible, lay it out in the sun for a couple minutes to completely dry. 2. Lately I've been experimenting with using an ultrasonic bath for the final flush (large mouthed Mason jar for the chain and acetone, in the water bath in the ultra), as well as the actual waxing. It was interesting to hear the "ideal temp" which I'd never heard about but it sounds about right. My ultrasonic only claims to heat to 140F (60C). But sensing that wasn't hot enough, I preheat the wax on the stove and dip the chain there for a few. Then to the ultrasonic for 10 minutes. A nice rainy day activity. 3. You can extend the lube life by dropping on a liquid wax product occasionally. These days I only ride 2k-3k miles in a season and in good weather, but back when I was touring, or competing it was a full rewax twice a year, then liquid wax touching up every 300-400 miles.
Embarrassingly I have made every single one of these mistakes except the first one :-) Particularly, I have been unbelievably creative when installing the chain. I've threaded it in ways that I'm sure are theoretically impossible. You do get used to it. One tip I'll share (which I haven't seen anywhere): When putting the quick link on, you have tension from the pully. The chain is often slippery from the wax (hooray!). It makes it difficult to put the quick link on. Some people use a piece of wire to hold the two ends of the chain together. I actually thread the chain so that the left hand side ends just a couple of links past the lower pulley wheel. In my left hand I grab both the pulley wheel and the end of the chain and pull to the right to create slack in the chain. Then I put the quick link on with my right hand. Once it's aligned, I use the quick link tool to fasten it. It should close easily. If it doesn't, then it is misaligned. Don't force it. Just take the quick link off and try again. Holding the pulley wheel with you left hand makes this very easy.
Love this comment. Have never found connecting the quick link to be a quick process, but I also use the same method you do. Still tricky, but wish more folks talked about creating slack.
As someone who uses the bag to prep my chains sous vide I always keep it in there for a long time. I would say as long as you let the chain get up to the temperature of the wax, leaving it in too long as it cools down is not the worst thing in the world. It just makes a little more work cleaning off the excess. I also make sure to free off all the links befire installing. I will bed in my race chain but it's good to know it's not imperative for training, or for my commuter where the longevity and not the performance is priority.
Thanks for this. I was having serious anger management issues because my rainbow coated chain started making noise after only 200-300 miles for the third time in a row. 🤣
If your slow cooker is Crockpot branded, I'm pretty sure that the "low" and "high" temperature settings will both turn off at the exact same temperature. The difference is that the high setting will blast more power into the crockpot to heat things more quickly, while the low setting will very slowly heat the contents. Other slow cookers might behave differently in terms of the maximum temperatures they reach.
Thanks Josh appreciate you! hey, Has anyone tried cold wax? Rubbing it onto a clean chain.. skateboarders have been using it on metal and concrete to remove friction for decades, it seems to last for ages on a ledge or rail .. food for thought . thanks again for your integrity.
I've properly cleaned and have been using wax on my chains for close to 7 years (Squirt), but I still find a full hot dip with the Silca wax only lasts around 160 kms before the drivetrain noise becomes irritable to me. I have been using the Silca products for about 6 months now. I'm still trying to find out how to make the dip wax chain last longer. Another issue I have is with the Silca drip wax. I'm using that in between hot dips. I've found that it mostly runs off the rollers and eventually drips to the ground. I have to apply quite a bit to make sure it gets in between the rollers and plates. It's as if the rollers are super coated and not even the drip wax will adhere to it.
Hi. Fwiw, I’ve had similar problems. Here are a few things that helped a bit. Apologies if this is old news. Did you see the Silca video on how to apply drip lubes? That helped me some. Also, I agitate the bottle for a while. Finally, while hard w my ADHD, I try to go slow and use just a little on each roller.
I used to wax my chains back in the early '90s. Even went as far as adding graphite to the wax for added lubrication. I was never that impressed with it. Went back to normal chain lube and have been happy ever since.
Lube or wax not sticking to the DLC coatings on some KMC chains is a surprise! What about the black hard coating on the YBN chains or the hard chrome finishes on some SRAM chains?
Lot of good stuff in that video. I just checked my chain and I installed it correctly, but it was by chance. I didn't know you should be able to read the writing on the chain.
I have the YBN rainbow chains, but they don't look coated (like the KMC chains), they look more like they've been anodized. Does wax also not adhere well to YBN rainbow chains?
Great videos keep them coming! When quoting mileage that can be obtained from hot wax and drip wax applications can you differentiate between rod, gravel, and mtb? Much like quoting miles and km 👍
I don’t heat up the Silca pot to 125°C … it does run out like that. I wash the chain with hot water and rub it very clean but I put in 110°C wax for a while to get rid (boil) the water and bring it down to 80°C for 5 min for the wax to “get in” and hang them up to cool for 10 min before putting back to bike. Does this sound like a good method?
I just waxed two of the xx1 rainbow for my MTB was planning on rewaxing at 150 miles with some drip touch ups every 75 miles. Before I was using just the drip on my xx1 rainbows it seemed to hold up to 150 miles but needed more touch ups.
I decided to buy another XX1 chain maybe bronze or gold to rotate use with my already and new rainbow xx1 chain. Figure I’ll be able to compare and report back shortly. I checked out the SILCA website and they sell rainbow prewaxed chains. Does this mean they’re good?
Bumping this question. The chain coatings seems to be the biggest piece of new information here. It wasn’t clear if it’s all non-silver coatings? Are the copper, black, or gold SRAM chains ok?
My wax in the middle of the crockpot is about 85C. I pull it slowly with two spokes. I use one to hold it and the other to flex the chain back and forth so the liquid wax can pull into the spaces a bit. I hook both ends of the chain so it only takes half as long.
I got a brand new bike, degreased the drivetrain and went through the chain cleaning and waxing process. I put the chain back on and went for a 1200 watt sprint session. I thought, "jeez that is so noisy". Chain was over the tab on the derailleur cage. It has a little scar now to remind me of my ignorance.
Excellent stuff Josh. On my first chain i did remove my chain from the crockpot too late. And yes there was a coating (candle 🤪) all i did was break the chain in for a longer period. BTW i ride a Brompton as well and you should really look into it - what’s the difference? Well the chain sits very low to the ground and i found Silca Hot Wax to be excellent. Gone are the weekly degreasing and re-lubing. With Hot Wax, followed with Drip Wax - after each of the first 3 rides i now have an ultra quiet chain. Only on one Brompton do i use Silca’s wet lube. It’s my all weather bike. And even with that the chain is quite clean as a really wipe it down after each ride with the Silca Gear Wipe. A very nice system you have. Costly but nice. I don’t wax for watt savings but i am inherently lazy. I do have one question - since i am using Strip Chip these days - when the time comes to wax another chain that the grease has been stripped using either mineral spirits (turpentine) or Chain Stripper; i am assuming i can just go ahead and drop it in the old wax pot (it has a thin white layer now that i started using Strip Chip. For clarity; can i go ahead and reuse the same wax pot (now with left over Strip Chip) on degreased chains - in other words - for new chains with factory grease put in a Strip Chip - and same pot without a Strip Chip if using a degreased chain (either using Chain Stripper or Mineral Sprits with a alcohol rinse).
HI, I have only just got myself one of your hot wax systems and have now waxed two new chains using the strip chip, it was nice and easy and seems to have worked really well so thank you. I was wondering however if you remove the wax for the center of a hollow pin chain before installing it on the bike? I can't seem to find any info regarding this. Cheers and thanks
I thought I knew how to wax a chain but still learnt a lot from this video! When you say don't buy chains from amazon, does that also include the Shimano store on amazon? Also, does the KMC gold chain (KMC X11SL 11 Speed Chain) work well with the Silca wax?
I'm not on the Silca team, but here's my understanding: Amazon gets, let's say, 10,000 Ultegra 11-speed chains from 100 different sellers. These sellers use Amazon's warehouses and logistics for fulfillment. All of the chains go into Amazon's system under the same item number and condition ("new Ultegra 11 speed chain"). If you order a chain, Amazon will to send you one that will get to you from its closest warehouse. So, as I understand it, you cannot be certain that you are getting the chain that Shimano put into Amazon's warehouse system. Amazon's inventory system sees them all as the same item. Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong about this, but I will not buy chains (or other commonly counterfeited goods) from Amazon. I've been burned a few times already, even in cases where the product had 1000's of customer reviews and seemed legit, some fraction of buyers was obviously getting counterfeit goods.
Thanks Josh! I've been using silca immersive waxing for road and mtb. Best method ever! Just one question regarding the wax. I'm afraid I put a brand new chain with factory grease and the strip chip but somehow at 125° is reacting, but when I turn it down to 120 it's fine. Should I throw away this wax and try to use new wax in the pot? What's the best way to clean and throw dirty wax? Thanks in advance!
Love the wax station & hot wax and Super Secret…use all 3. I have SRAM Transmission T Top black chains and XX1 Eagle black chains…I think these have the PVD coating as well. Does this have the same effect as the rainbow chains?? And will the Endurance Chip help at all with longevity for PVD coated chains? Thanks!
The thing I was ready to complain about the first time I used many SILCA waxing gear was that I couldn’t get the quick link to close. I scraped the wax off the inner plates through which the quick link attaches and it fitted. Now, I just wipe those plates with a cloth as soon as I pull the chain from the wax.
Great video! I have a question - is there a risk of permanent stains by drips of wax on the countertop or wax flakes on the floor due to the tungsten disulfide. What’s your experience and do you have some cleaning tips? Thanks!
Thanks for another good training video! Greatly appreciated! As a long time follower, and even buying waxed chains directly from SILCA, I’m still confused. Specifically about the temperatures…. I don’t trust the buttons on the crockpot… so I use an IR thermometer that reads the temp y aiming the IR beam at the wax (20 bucks on home depot or Amazon) and use that to gauge the process. What is the temp (or temp range) where the chain should be immersed in hot wax, and for how long? And then, when I turn it off and it cools down… at what temp should I take it out? TIA!
Secret seems to adhere well to the Shimano CG-701 and wax lasts 250 miles with 3500 miles to .5% and no issues with next chain shifting Definitely have to let it COMPLETELY cool before installing to keep thickness on rollers
Hint for using the silica wax system: First time with the cable chain holder, get a little bit of wax on the threads of the cable end that goes into the handle. When brand new the metal against metal threads need a little bit of help and the wax is perfect lubrication.
@@hal9058 on the other end, I do get a little messy and clumsy sometimes, so a bit of wax builds up on the threads of the handle, so occasionally I have to heat the handle to melt the wax and liberate the threads again
If we apply Super Secret to the waxed chain every 75-100 miles how long can we get between waxing? I wipe down with a clean microfiber after each ride to remove dust
Can you make a video on moving from silca drip wax to hot waxing the same chain? I assume I'll have to reset the chain with hot water then drop on hot wax
Hi guys, you mention the black and rainbow coatings from KMC. Does the same apply to the XX1 SRAM chains? Long time waxer, currently using SRAM rainbow on one mtb and black on the other. Thank you.
If you ever edit this video... Twice after waxing I mis-threaded the chain through the rear derailleur... here's how I had to deal with it. Most mini tool sets don't have the tool to squeeze the master link open, and who brings that tool to a group ride? If you mis-routed your perfectly waxed chain again and find yourself already at the start of the group ride without the means to open your master link, you might be able to pull the screw out of your lower derailleur pulley using a small allen wrench on your mini-tool, then carefully without dropping the small parts, "rotate" I repeat "rotate" the pulley arms enough to move the chain around the tab, then reinstall the derailleur pulley and hardware. 🤓
Oddly, I've noticed shorter longevity after switching from a crock pot to the Silca wax pot on both my road and MTB. I've noticed that the chain is less stiff as well after cooling than it was with the crockpot. After watching this, I may need to check the wax temp with my thermometer and see if it is indeed 75C? Been kind of a bummer for me as I thought the system would make it much more reliable/repeatable/quicker waxing process and get the chain wax to last even longer mileage wise.
Rewriting a comment that disappeared: Many thanks for those tips, very useful! Is there a way to mitigate the negative impact from rainbow chains (like Sram XX1)? Quite a pain when you don't have "normal" options at the higher range... Also, you are selling rainbow/black chains pre-waxed, shouldn't you inform customers of this little "challenge"?
What do you do for cleaning a waxed chain? do you just wipe it with a clean lint free rag and reapply with drip wax if you feel it needs it? do you run it through a chain cleaner jig? should i take it off my bike when i clean the rest of the bike?
"Don't pull it too hot" - I wait with the removal until around 60°C. At that point a slight skin start to develop on the surface of the wax right at its side. Yes, it is tricky to find the point where it is cold enough, but won't become a candle. Because it is kind if cold at that point, so much wax remains in the chain, that it practically hardens to a hard block. At this moment it looks like it works, at least for 200km, when I change my chains. "Breaking in" - I don't know the performance loss part of it, but after like 100-200m, I can even pedal backwards, which for me looks good enough. For serious use may be not enough.
Even after using these methods and breaking in the chain before installing, there's a lot of wax chunks that get onto the pulleys etc that need to be scraped off, which I assume isn't efficient. Any tips on reducing that?
I may be all alone here, but I have never threaded a chain from the bottom of the derailleur pulleys. I always start at the chain ring, and go through the cassette and then the pulleys. But you can still miss that tab near the top pulley.
I've been using a mini crock pot and an IR thermometer to monitor when the wax drops to 75 degrees after unplugging the pot. Is the IR thermometer giving me an accurate reading of the wax temp? I'm pointing it at the surface of the liquid wax from about a foot away.
What's the recommended interval to clean off your drivetrain if you are using the Super Secret drip lube? And is it just the hot water method? I've just been reapplying occasionally as I commute in the wet and seem to get some wash off as a result.
My first customer for a pre-waxed chain wrote a very extensive email about all the things i might have done wrong, only to have me show him that he had routed his chain over the tab. I also had a customerr create a sram flat-bottom chain and complain about the waxed chain shifting
Josh, After freshly waxing a chain I often have to pick out excess wax from the smallest cog on the cassette of my sram 22 groupset after the first ride, because the wax buildup causes the chain to skip. Is there something I can do to avoid that or is that a common issue?
Newer chain waxing user - I've done quite a few rides on my gravel bike. I've topped it off with the Silca bottle lube. I think its time to really clean the bike, the chain and re-wax. Whats the best method here? Wash the bike as normal then hit the chain/cassette and chainrings with boiling hot water, then resubmerge chain? Thanks!
I just purchased 2 Endurance chips and put them into a bag of Secret Chain Blend. In doing this, I get that it will/should last longer but by adding the chips am I diluting the effectiveness of the Secret chain wax? Or will it still offer the same level of wear protection?
So, the stripChip cleans the chain every time? I thought it was only for the first dip? I usually clean my chain before reapplying wax. I try to take it down to bare metal with my ultrasonic machine.
Hi Cosh ı have a question. before silca heater you said you need to oull out the chain when you start to see frozen layer on the wax. when ı use laser termometer this temperature is around 61C. so if we take ıt out at 75 degree the wax is way to much liquid. what do you think about that?
I just did my first time waxing last night , it was hard for me due I had to cleane chain 5 timewith degreaser , cleaned 2 10x gears and the crank , also maybe made mistakes on waxing' but tod ay I rode the bike it was so quiet and fun. But seems like its rainy season now , so I need o order another chain for oil, one question tho , do I always need to clean the drivetrain { chainring and cogs) each time I change from oil to Wax ?
At the moment I am using the super secret drip wax and it seems to be ok . I re applie about once a week, roughly between 150/200k. What I don't understand is what actual benefit would I gain from going to the expense of the full immersion system. I haven't raced for over 30 years, so a 5watt saving seems to invoke the law of diminishing returns, as I would still need to re-wax my chain about once a week.
So what is the upper limit to the wax temp when you can pull the chain? Certainly there is a range where you can successfully pull the chain and have the correct wax. I used an heated ultrasonic cleaner that goes to 80C and I use the sous vide method. So far I have put 450 miles on my eMTB chain since waxing with a touch-up of SuperSecret drip a hundred miles ago.
I got 4500 km out of a kmc x8 stripping with diesel then gas then alcohol. Waxing every 150 km on a gasstove. Let it cool before pulling it out, till the wax hardens at the edges of the pan when wiggled. Used to got like 2500 km out of it with higher intervals and dripping with non silca.
I would like to see a video where you take a waxed dirty chain off a bike and take us through how you clean it to get it ready to go back into the silca waxing pot.
I think I pulled my chain out too hot the first (and thus far only) time. It was OK, but I feel it could have gone better so I will pay attention next time (one of these days because it started to sound dry and I had to apply drip wax before my last ride)
Here is a rare question: My recumbent chain is made with 2 1/2 regular chains. Can I use your pot? If not what temp do I need to reach with a crock pot?
On the subject of noise, I've waxed my chain twice - completely stripped them down first both times - and the wax is definitely adhering, but it's VERY noisy immediately after reinstalling. It quiets down after about 50-60 miles, but I feel like that's not normal at all. No issues with longevity as far as I can tell, but it's insanely loud. Am I doing something wrong or is this what I should be expecting with waxing? Edit: legit 11s Ultegra chain from a reputable dealer. I noticed it was MUCH quieter with super secret drip wax, but the hot melt wax is the complete opposite.
What is fun...pushing all of the wax out of hollow pin chains...it looks much the same as expressing acne or other infected areas of a human body.....I have about 90 more pins to "express"....
With respect, going by this video, I think a lot of your fantastic products are wasted on a lot of consumers. The fact that you need to make some of these basic points almost scares me.
With you there. Watched some very sad Muppets trying to install tubeless tyres. Reminds me of Monty Python with socks and sandals and 4 knotted handkerchiefs on their heads
I don't really see viewers paying attention to the condition of the chain before applying Super Secret drip wax as an interim lubricant (any time you start to hear noise especially over the jockey wheels...few hundred miles max). Just like a hot wax you shouldn't apply Super Secret to a dirty chain...even if it doesn't look dirty there's always road/groad/trail dust. What's the point? You'll just trap dirt in the wax layer as the water evaporates from the Super Secret. I don't take my chain off the bike to "preclean" for Super Secret. I just (1) hose down the chain and drivetrain thoroughly with water, (2) "wash" the chain with a Park Cyclone Chain Scrubber just using water or maybe a bit of Dawn in the water if there's a lot of groad/trail grime, (3) repeat 1-2X with clean water, (4) repeat with Isopropanol and let dry, and (5) apply Super Secret drip wax with one drop per link and spread with my finger before rotating the crank and then running through all the gears to work Super Secret into the links and pins. It's important for the chain to dry before applying Super Secret (or hot wax for that matter) or there won't be the necessary capillary force to "suck" the wax dispersion into the links and pins. That's why I finish with isopropanol which dries quickly. All the above said, I'm getting 2500 miles out of SRAM Rival gravel chains and 2000+ miles from SRAM GX MTB chains. I think that's pretty good. Isn't it?
I have been wiping the chain with a microfiber cloth and then using chain stripper. When using the coffee filter technique to reuse the chain stripper, it is cloudy. What am I doing wrong?
Honestly, even if waxing only gets me 50% of the life it claims, I still value you incredibly for the cleanliness/simplicity. I literally just rinse my bike off immediately after a ride (no soap, 60 seconds) and wax my chain every two weeks. That is the level of my effort and it feels incredibly good. No scrubbing chains, degreasing, etc to keep a good drive chain, etc. I do miss the occasional chain ring tattoo on my leg...but willing to give that up.
Threading the chain over the tabs....no matter how careful I seem to be when reinstalling the chain, I miss this far more than I think that I should!! The Shimano chain direction tip was fantastic!
Such an easy mistake to make, we have all done it at least once. I use KMC chains which are unidirectional, it means I don't have to worry about making sure it's in the right way 😂😂
Did that once as well. Doh.
Been there, did that!!
Yes it was esp about the quick link direction
Same... the sad part is that I have done this twice... once in each bike I own.
I see a silca video about chain waxing, I click.
Did Silca get a new editor? This video is looking peppier and livelier than usual 😀👍
the walter white method 🤣🤣🤣
When cleaning/ degreasing the chain it's super important to make sure that the chain is %100 dry before putting it into the pot. This helps the wax stick to the inside of the chain properly. That was the big mistake I was making when I first started waxing. Thanks for the great video Josh 👍
Great video. I am guilty of all of these mistakes at some point since I started waxing my chains with your products over 2 years ago. Before that I was disappointed with my homemade waxing blend even after I thoroughly cleaned the chains with degreaser, gasoline, and 90% isopropyl alcohol. The wax just wouldn't adhere to the chains. After I bit the bullet and purchased Chain Stripper and your Secret Blend everything works great. I don't wax my chains for more efficiency to go faster. I wax my chains to make the drivetrain feel smoother, and I believe that is what makes me faster. The only failure I have had which you don't list is having the wax get bunched up on the lowest cog on the cassette (11 tooth for me) and I thought it had somehow worn out because it was skipping. Found out later after I removed the cassette to replace the cog that there was a thick layer of wax between the 11 tooth cog and the next cog up which caused the chain to ride up above the cog and skip whenever I applied any amount of power to the drivetrain.
I get a build up between 11/12 cogs too. A toothpick through there once a month works well
I use the super secret drip between immersive waxings, so I’m pulling the chain off and rewaxing about once a month (every 1000 km or 600 miles). What I do is take a brush and some alcohol to the cassette, pulley wheels and chainrings while the chain is off the bike and in the pot. It takes about 5-10 minutes tops, and removes all wax buildup so the buildup never gets to the point that it’s a problem.
Thanks for the "skip break-in" portion. Other outlets and its comments seem to present not breaking in (on or off the bike) as a cardinal sin. Like it would hurt the chain or the wax application in the long run. I of course was skeptical about that stance, for exactly the reasons outlined; when you don't really care about a short period of less efficiency, if I break it in while cycling I get that period back as bonus longevity.
This is maybe a "problem" in cycling enthusiast content and its commenters, much of the headspace is geared towards top performance, while commuters, couriers, recreational and other categories of cyclists that are not competitive receive less attention and less appropriate advise sometimes.
For those using a water bath or crock pot to melt wax (without accurate temperature control), a simple meat thermometer can eliminate the worries about hitting the right temperature.
Your videos are so good. I buy your product not just because they are good, but because you guys offer service and info like this, truly top notch stuff!
I have been using your wax lube for 8 months and have converted several of my riding buddies to also use a waxed chain. I am the official chain waxer for the group. Initially I mistook the interval of meters and was using a rewax interval of 300 miles or more. I would check of wear each time with Park variable gauge and also with calipers with no measurable wear. After several of your videos I woke up and realized my error. I am now using one endurance chip per bag and rewax every 350 miles. No signs of wear or noise on the drive train. I use an insta pot and set the temperature at 190 degees F and verify by infrared measure method. Insert the chain for about 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 170 degrees F, once the temperature reaches around 165, I remove the chain and let it cool above the pot. On either a new chain or used I dip/shake in gasoline (cheaper than solvent) 2 times, each with clean gas. Blow dry, and then ultrasonic clean for 30 minutes minimum in the sonic cleaner you recommended. Blow dry, alcohol dip and blow dry prior to wax dipping. I know this sounds very time consuming, but I only do this once and am getting excellent results. Rewaxing is simple, wipe the chain clean and rewax. Our group of 6 riders are amazed how quiet and the smooth the drive train performs. No one would ever go back to the old petroleum lubes. You have customer for life.
10:25 wait do people thread the chain up through the derailleur and not down?
I find it easier to go downwards too. I feel it's also easier to not forget about the tab that way too.
I always go down. Never knew people threaded upward.
Yeah. That kind of got my brow furrowed. I have always let gravity be my friend and lowered the chain through the pulleys, top-down.
Heathens!
Having waxed my chain for the first time this year using the stripchips and wax from Silca and I can recommend it to everyone. I also routed my chain through the wrong side of the tab but it's all easy to figure out. If you can boil a pot of water you can wax your chain and over time it makes maintaining your drivetrain tenfold easier.
As always, nothing but some good, solid every day hints to make my bike riding better. This is the reason I never miss one of these videos. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for all your videos... long time waxer.. been using your super secret, for the pass 18 months on my wax chain to extend the chain life between waxing ,what a fantastic product.
Hi Thanks for making this video. I have done all of these mistakes! Also one I got in the past is "not cleaning wax residue on small cogs and pulley regularly". If I don't clean it for a year it causes jumping chain or some weird noise! I had this more when I use Squirt actually, but probably also happens with Silca wax too. And be careful if you use SRAM you have stealth ring there so not to damage it.
Instant pot’s “keep warm” setting on high is 75 celsius.
Very useful! He shows it on the sauté setting, which is very hot. I use the slow cook setting, which is around 85 on mine, I will try the keep-warm.
Wow that is super helpful to know the single application longevity is around half for rainbow chains! With my SRAM Red chain I’ve been waxing and using super secret for around 5k miles, and I always felt like I needed to reapply after around 120 miles. Looks like I’ll switch to Force chains now.
OK, you asked for unique questions so here's one. I'm a 75 year old recumbent trike and velomobile rider. I have a degenerative muscle disease and only can put out a FTP of about 150. Being that I have a long chain and low power, it seems that my waxing lasts about twice as long as is "recommended". Am I correct. BTW I have been waxing my chains for over 30 years and love the ability to work on my rides without getting filthy. Keep up the good work and great products. Ron
FACT OR FICTION? "You should let the wax cool slightly before pulling the chain."
Adam at ZFC says FICTION.
Josh at Silca says FACT.
Have you guys at Silca actually tested this and found substantial gains in longevity? You and Adam at ZFC both have plausible-sounding explanations, but I haven't seen any testing data.
Adam at ZFC says it doesn't matter if you pull the chain at 90-ish Celsius. His reasoning: You only need the thinnest of wax coatings, which will get thinner yet as the chain parts rub against each other in the first 20 minutes of riding. Having a thicker coating just means a longer break-in period with zero benefit.
Josh at Silca: If the wax is normal crockpot "low" temperature (e.g, mid-90's Celsius), it will be less viscous, and so much of the wax will run off the chain that it won't be fully protected. In other videos, Josh has also strongly suggested that a thicker coating is beneficial (longer protection). Hence the suggestion of multiple rounds of adding super-secret drip lube to fill in all of the space inside the chain (which Adam at ZFC firmly says is nonsensical because the extra wax will be ejected in the first minutes of riding).
Yours truly, Adam at ZFC, and most people I know pull the chain at whatever "low" temperature their slow cooker uses (no waiting). It's way more convenient. You also avoid an overly-thick coating of wax outside the chain, which makes the chain extra difficult to break in -- especially in colder weather. We all seem to have satisfactory results. THAT SAID, would my wax treatment last considerably longer if I waited for some cooling? Unless somebody brings some data to bear, just like those old Tootsie Roll commercials, "THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW".
I've been waxing for a two or three years, but I haven't been paying close enough attention to temperature or chain directionality. Excellent helpful tips. Thanks!
One thing I add is to preheat the chain before I put it in the wax. Living in Arizona makes it easy as I just put it in the sun for 10 minutes. This lets the wax get into all the small spaces right away. You can see this when you agitate the chain in the wax. Lots of bubbles right away, after 5 minutes, almost none. I've been using/waxing KMC chains and and I wax every 500-750 miles before it gets noisy. Cassettes and chain rings aren't cheap. Better to wax more frequently than to let it run too long. Lastly, I put a label on the chain stay with the date, mileage and Park Tool measurement so I don't forget. I get the watt savings from waxing but personally, I do it for cleanliness and chain longevity.
Very good presentation, from a multi-decade waxer. And I learned a thing or two.
I've only used Shimano chains, but a couple comments:
1. Do not underestimate the importance of waxing absolutely bare metal. And for those (like myself) who use gasoline (petrol) -- it leaves a residue. It will cripple the application! I always finish with acetone, or its cousin alcohol. And if possible, lay it out in the sun for a couple minutes to completely dry.
2. Lately I've been experimenting with using an ultrasonic bath for the final flush (large mouthed Mason jar for the chain and acetone, in the water bath in the ultra), as well as the actual waxing. It was interesting to hear the "ideal temp" which I'd never heard about but it sounds about right. My ultrasonic only claims to heat to 140F (60C). But sensing that wasn't hot enough, I preheat the wax on the stove and dip the chain there for a few. Then to the ultrasonic for 10 minutes.
A nice rainy day activity.
3. You can extend the lube life by dropping on a liquid wax product occasionally. These days I only ride 2k-3k miles in a season and in good weather, but back when I was touring, or competing it was a full rewax twice a year, then liquid wax touching up every 300-400 miles.
Embarrassingly I have made every single one of these mistakes except the first one :-) Particularly, I have been unbelievably creative when installing the chain. I've threaded it in ways that I'm sure are theoretically impossible. You do get used to it. One tip I'll share (which I haven't seen anywhere): When putting the quick link on, you have tension from the pully. The chain is often slippery from the wax (hooray!). It makes it difficult to put the quick link on. Some people use a piece of wire to hold the two ends of the chain together. I actually thread the chain so that the left hand side ends just a couple of links past the lower pulley wheel. In my left hand I grab both the pulley wheel and the end of the chain and pull to the right to create slack in the chain. Then I put the quick link on with my right hand. Once it's aligned, I use the quick link tool to fasten it. It should close easily. If it doesn't, then it is misaligned. Don't force it. Just take the quick link off and try again. Holding the pulley wheel with you left hand makes this very easy.
Love this comment. Have never found connecting the quick link to be a quick process, but I also use the same method you do. Still tricky, but wish more folks talked about creating slack.
As someone who uses the bag to prep my chains sous vide I always keep it in there for a long time. I would say as long as you let the chain get up to the temperature of the wax, leaving it in too long as it cools down is not the worst thing in the world. It just makes a little more work cleaning off the excess. I also make sure to free off all the links befire installing. I will bed in my race chain but it's good to know it's not imperative for training, or for my commuter where the longevity and not the performance is priority.
When is the special SILCA engineered, wax adhering, long lasting, and low friction chain coming out?
Thanks for this. I was having serious anger management issues because my rainbow coated chain started making noise after only 200-300 miles for the third time in a row. 🤣
Wasn't aware of the temperature issue. I always use the crockpot on high! I assume many others do that too!
If your slow cooker is Crockpot branded, I'm pretty sure that the "low" and "high" temperature settings will both turn off at the exact same temperature. The difference is that the high setting will blast more power into the crockpot to heat things more quickly, while the low setting will very slowly heat the contents. Other slow cookers might behave differently in terms of the maximum temperatures they reach.
Thanks for this video. New to waxing and answered a few questions I had!
Very helpful, thanks Josh!
Thanks Josh appreciate you! hey, Has anyone tried cold wax? Rubbing it onto a clean chain.. skateboarders have been using it on metal and concrete to remove friction for decades, it seems to last for ages on a ledge or rail .. food for thought . thanks again for your integrity.
I've properly cleaned and have been using wax on my chains for close to 7 years (Squirt), but I still find a full hot dip with the Silca wax only lasts around 160 kms before the drivetrain noise becomes irritable to me. I have been using the Silca products for about 6 months now. I'm still trying to find out how to make the dip wax chain last longer.
Another issue I have is with the Silca drip wax. I'm using that in between hot dips. I've found that it mostly runs off the rollers and eventually drips to the ground. I have to apply quite a bit to make sure it gets in between the rollers and plates. It's as if the rollers are super coated and not even the drip wax will adhere to it.
Hi. Fwiw, I’ve had similar problems. Here are a few things that helped a bit. Apologies if this is old news. Did you see the Silca video on how to apply drip lubes? That helped me some. Also, I agitate the bottle for a while. Finally, while hard w my ADHD, I try to go slow and use just a little on each roller.
I used to wax my chains back in the early '90s. Even went as far as adding graphite to the wax for added lubrication. I was never that impressed with it. Went back to normal chain lube and have been happy ever since.
Hi,
What about Yaban chain. I heard they are quite good.
GOOD . Mercy Monsieur !!
Lube or wax not sticking to the DLC coatings on some KMC chains is a surprise! What about the black hard coating on the YBN chains or the hard chrome finishes on some SRAM chains?
Lot of good stuff in that video. I just checked my chain and I installed it correctly, but it was by chance. I didn't know you should be able to read the writing on the chain.
I have the YBN rainbow chains, but they don't look coated (like the KMC chains), they look more like they've been anodized. Does wax also not adhere well to YBN rainbow chains?
is it normal for some black powder (wich i think is the tungsten) start forming on top of the chain while i'm waxing it?
Great videos keep them coming! When quoting mileage that can be obtained from hot wax and drip wax applications can you differentiate between rod, gravel, and mtb? Much like quoting miles and km 👍
I don’t heat up the Silca pot to 125°C … it does run out like that. I wash the chain with hot water and rub it very clean but I put in 110°C wax for a while to get rid (boil) the water and bring it down to 80°C for 5 min for the wax to “get in” and hang them up to cool for 10 min before putting back to bike. Does this sound like a good method?
Hey Josh. Regarding the rainbow/oil slick chains, does that also apply to the SRAM XX1? what about the copper XX1 chain?
I’ve been having short wax lifespan on my rainbow xx1 chain as well.
I just waxed two of the xx1 rainbow for my MTB was planning on rewaxing at 150 miles with some drip touch ups every 75 miles. Before I was using just the drip on my xx1 rainbows it seemed to hold up to 150 miles but needed more touch ups.
Of course. I watch this after I waxed and ride with my new xx1. Guess I’ll pick up a plain ol xo1 when I catch a sale.
I decided to buy another XX1 chain maybe bronze or gold to rotate use with my already and new rainbow xx1 chain. Figure I’ll be able to compare and report back shortly. I checked out the SILCA website and they sell rainbow prewaxed chains. Does this mean they’re good?
Bumping this question. The chain coatings seems to be the biggest piece of new information here. It wasn’t clear if it’s all non-silver coatings? Are the copper, black, or gold SRAM chains ok?
My wax in the middle of the crockpot is about 85C. I pull it slowly with two spokes. I use one to hold it and the other to flex the chain back and forth so the liquid wax can pull into the spaces a bit. I hook both ends of the chain so it only takes half as long.
I got a brand new bike, degreased the drivetrain and went through the chain cleaning and waxing process. I put the chain back on and went for a 1200 watt sprint session. I thought, "jeez that is so noisy". Chain was over the tab on the derailleur cage. It has a little scar now to remind me of my ignorance.
Josh, where do you explain the Chain Prep For Wax chart you flashed up at about 1:30 into this video? Would like to see more on that. Thanks, Steve
Excellent stuff Josh. On my first chain i did remove my chain from the crockpot too late. And yes there was a coating (candle 🤪) all i did was break the chain in for a longer period. BTW i ride a Brompton as well and you should really look into it - what’s the difference? Well the chain sits very low to the ground and i found Silca Hot Wax to be excellent. Gone are the weekly degreasing and re-lubing. With Hot Wax, followed with Drip Wax - after each of the first 3 rides i now have an ultra quiet chain. Only on one Brompton do i use Silca’s wet lube. It’s my all weather bike. And even with that the chain is quite clean as a really wipe it down after each ride with the Silca Gear Wipe. A very nice system you have. Costly but nice. I don’t wax for watt savings but i am inherently lazy. I do have one question - since i am using Strip Chip these days - when the time comes to wax another chain that the grease has been stripped using either mineral spirits (turpentine) or Chain Stripper; i am assuming i can just go ahead and drop it in the old wax pot (it has a thin white layer now that i started using Strip Chip. For clarity; can i go ahead and reuse the same wax pot (now with left over Strip Chip) on degreased chains - in other words - for new chains with factory grease put in a Strip Chip - and same pot without a Strip Chip if using a degreased chain (either using Chain Stripper or Mineral Sprits with a alcohol rinse).
I thought I was the only one who missed the derailleur cage tabs 😂
I run both silver and rainbow YBN chains. There isn't any difference in longevity. Both do better than my Shimano chain.
HI, I have only just got myself one of your hot wax systems and have now waxed two new chains using the strip chip, it was nice and easy and seems to have worked really well so thank you. I was wondering however if you remove the wax for the center of a hollow pin chain before installing it on the bike? I can't seem to find any info regarding this. Cheers and thanks
I thought I knew how to wax a chain but still learnt a lot from this video! When you say don't buy chains from amazon, does that also include the Shimano store on amazon? Also, does the KMC gold chain (KMC X11SL 11 Speed Chain) work well with the Silca wax?
I'm not on the Silca team, but here's my understanding: Amazon gets, let's say, 10,000 Ultegra 11-speed chains from 100 different sellers. These sellers use Amazon's warehouses and logistics for fulfillment. All of the chains go into Amazon's system under the same item number and condition ("new Ultegra 11 speed chain"). If you order a chain, Amazon will to send you one that will get to you from its closest warehouse. So, as I understand it, you cannot be certain that you are getting the chain that Shimano put into Amazon's warehouse system. Amazon's inventory system sees them all as the same item. Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong about this, but I will not buy chains (or other commonly counterfeited goods) from Amazon. I've been burned a few times already, even in cases where the product had 1000's of customer reviews and seemed legit, some fraction of buyers was obviously getting counterfeit goods.
Thanks Josh! I've been using silca immersive waxing for road and mtb. Best method ever! Just one question regarding the wax. I'm afraid I put a brand new chain with factory grease and the strip chip but somehow at 125° is reacting, but when I turn it down to 120 it's fine. Should I throw away this wax and try to use new wax in the pot? What's the best way to clean and throw dirty wax? Thanks in advance!
Hey Josh thanks for the info! How does the KMC X11SL hollow pin hold wax? Or is it just the special colors/coatings problematic from KMC?
Love the wax station & hot wax and Super Secret…use all 3. I have SRAM Transmission T Top black chains and XX1 Eagle black chains…I think these have the PVD coating as well. Does this have the same effect as the rainbow chains??
And will the Endurance Chip help at all with longevity for PVD coated chains?
Thanks!
The thing I was ready to complain about the first time I used many SILCA waxing gear was that I couldn’t get the quick link to close. I scraped the wax off the inner plates through which the quick link attaches and it fitted. Now, I just wipe those plates with a cloth as soon as I pull the chain from the wax.
Great video! I have a question - is there a risk of permanent stains by drips of wax on the countertop or wax flakes on the floor due to the tungsten disulfide. What’s your experience and do you have some cleaning tips? Thanks!
Thanks for another good training video! Greatly appreciated! As a long time follower, and even buying waxed chains directly from SILCA, I’m still confused. Specifically about the temperatures…. I don’t trust the buttons on the crockpot… so I use an IR thermometer that reads the temp y aiming the IR beam at the wax (20 bucks on home depot or Amazon) and use that to gauge the process. What is the temp (or temp range) where the chain should be immersed in hot wax, and for how long? And then, when I turn it off and it cools down… at what temp should I take it out? TIA!
Secret seems to adhere well to the Shimano CG-701 and wax lasts 250 miles with 3500 miles to .5% and no issues with next chain shifting
Definitely have to let it COMPLETELY cool before installing to keep thickness on rollers
Hint for using the silica wax system:
First time with the cable chain holder, get a little bit of wax on the threads of the cable end that goes into the handle.
When brand new the metal against metal threads need a little bit of help and the wax is perfect lubrication.
@@hal9058 on the other end, I do get a little messy and clumsy sometimes, so a bit of wax builds up on the threads of the handle, so occasionally I have to heat the handle to melt the wax and liberate the threads again
If we apply Super Secret to the waxed chain every 75-100 miles how long can we get between waxing? I wipe down with a clean microfiber after each ride to remove dust
Can you make a video on moving from silca drip wax to hot waxing the same chain?
I assume I'll have to reset the chain with hot water then drop on hot wax
Hi guys, you mention the black and rainbow coatings from KMC. Does the same apply to the XX1 SRAM chains? Long time waxer, currently using SRAM rainbow on one mtb and black on the other. Thank you.
+1 I need to know this too. Is it better to get the non rainbow SRAM chains?
If you ever edit this video...
Twice after waxing I mis-threaded the chain through the rear derailleur... here's how I had to deal with it.
Most mini tool sets don't have the tool to squeeze the master link open, and who brings that tool to a group ride? If you mis-routed your perfectly waxed chain again and find yourself already at the start of the group ride without the means to open your master link, you might be able to pull the screw out of your lower derailleur pulley using a small allen wrench on your mini-tool, then carefully without dropping the small parts, "rotate" I repeat "rotate" the pulley arms enough to move the chain around the tab, then reinstall the derailleur pulley and hardware.
🤓
Oddly, I've noticed shorter longevity after switching from a crock pot to the Silca wax pot on both my road and MTB. I've noticed that the chain is less stiff as well after cooling than it was with the crockpot. After watching this, I may need to check the wax temp with my thermometer and see if it is indeed 75C? Been kind of a bummer for me as I thought the system would make it much more reliable/repeatable/quicker waxing process and get the chain wax to last even longer mileage wise.
I use Campagnolo chains (and gruppos) because there's no market for counterfeit Campy 😂
Rewriting a comment that disappeared: Many thanks for those tips, very useful!
Is there a way to mitigate the negative impact from rainbow chains (like Sram XX1)? Quite a pain when you don't have "normal" options at the higher range... Also, you are selling rainbow/black chains pre-waxed, shouldn't you inform customers of this little "challenge"?
What do you do for cleaning a waxed chain? do you just wipe it with a clean lint free rag and reapply with drip wax if you feel it needs it? do you run it through a chain cleaner jig? should i take it off my bike when i clean the rest of the bike?
"Don't pull it too hot" - I wait with the removal until around 60°C. At that point a slight skin start to develop on the surface of the wax right at its side. Yes, it is tricky to find the point where it is cold enough, but won't become a candle. Because it is kind if cold at that point, so much wax remains in the chain, that it practically hardens to a hard block. At this moment it looks like it works, at least for 200km, when I change my chains.
"Breaking in" - I don't know the performance loss part of it, but after like 100-200m, I can even pedal backwards, which for me looks good enough. For serious use may be not enough.
Interesting about the derailleur tab. I thread it in the opposite direction. Always have, but then again i'm left handed.
Even after using these methods and breaking in the chain before installing, there's a lot of wax chunks that get onto the pulleys etc that need to be scraped off, which I assume isn't efficient. Any tips on reducing that?
I may be all alone here, but I have never threaded a chain from the bottom of the derailleur pulleys. I always start at the chain ring, and go through the cassette and then the pulleys. But you can still miss that tab near the top pulley.
I've been using a mini crock pot and an IR thermometer to monitor when the wax drops to 75 degrees after unplugging the pot. Is the IR thermometer giving me an accurate reading of the wax temp? I'm pointing it at the surface of the liquid wax from about a foot away.
What's the recommended interval to clean off your drivetrain if you are using the Super Secret drip lube? And is it just the hot water method? I've just been reapplying occasionally as I commute in the wet and seem to get some wash off as a result.
I have the same question!
My first customer for a pre-waxed chain wrote a very extensive email about all the things i might have done wrong, only to have me show him that he had routed his chain over the tab. I also had a customerr create a sram flat-bottom chain and complain about the waxed chain shifting
Josh, After freshly waxing a chain I often have to pick out excess wax from the smallest cog on the cassette of my sram 22 groupset after the first ride, because the wax buildup causes the chain to skip. Is there something I can do to avoid that or is that a common issue?
That clapping intro scared the living shit out of me. Was expecting some frankie the turtle guitar 😂
Newer chain waxing user - I've done quite a few rides on my gravel bike. I've topped it off with the Silca bottle lube. I think its time to really clean the bike, the chain and re-wax. Whats the best method here? Wash the bike as normal then hit the chain/cassette and chainrings with boiling hot water, then resubmerge chain? Thanks!
I just purchased 2 Endurance chips and put them into a bag of Secret Chain Blend. In doing this, I get that it will/should last longer but by adding the chips am I diluting the effectiveness of the Secret chain wax? Or will it still offer the same level of wear protection?
So, the stripChip cleans the chain every time? I thought it was only for the first dip? I usually clean my chain before reapplying wax. I try to take it down to bare metal with my ultrasonic machine.
What brand of chain and quick link is recommended for waxing applications on Campagnolo drive trains (Record/Super Record if that makes a difference)?
Guessing it's the same issue for the YBN Black Ti 12 Speed superior lubricating Sram Bike Chain
Darn I just got into waxing and got the KMC rainbow chain (along with 2 normal Shimano chains). Guess I'll stop using the KMC, good to know
Hi Cosh ı have a question. before silca heater you said you need to oull out the chain when you start to see frozen layer on the wax. when ı use laser termometer this temperature is around 61C. so if we take ıt out at 75 degree the wax is way to much liquid. what do you think about that?
I just did my first time waxing last night , it was hard for me due I had to cleane chain 5 timewith degreaser , cleaned 2 10x gears and the crank , also maybe made mistakes on waxing' but tod ay I rode the bike it was so quiet and fun. But seems like its rainy season now , so I need o order another chain for oil,
one question tho , do I always need to clean the drivetrain { chainring and cogs) each time I change from oil to Wax ?
At the moment I am using the super secret drip wax and it seems to be ok . I re applie about once a week, roughly between 150/200k. What I don't understand is what actual benefit would I gain from going to the expense of the full immersion system. I haven't raced for over 30 years, so a 5watt saving seems to invoke the law of diminishing returns, as I would still need to re-wax my chain about once a week.
So what is the upper limit to the wax temp when you can pull the chain? Certainly there is a range where you can successfully pull the chain and have the correct wax. I used an heated ultrasonic cleaner that goes to 80C and I use the sous vide method. So far I have put 450 miles on my eMTB chain since waxing with a touch-up of SuperSecret drip a hundred miles ago.
I got 4500 km out of a kmc x8 stripping with diesel then gas then alcohol. Waxing every 150 km on a gasstove. Let it cool before pulling it out, till the wax hardens at the edges of the pan when wiggled.
Used to got like 2500 km out of it with higher intervals and dripping with non silca.
Do the strip chip shift the wax to one side or the other if combined with the endurance chip?
I would like to see a video where you take a waxed dirty chain off a bike and take us through how you clean it to get it ready to go back into the silca waxing pot.
Which chain (11 and 12 speed) holds the wax for the longest?
I think I pulled my chain out too hot the first (and thus far only) time. It was OK, but I feel it could have gone better so I will pay attention next time (one of these days because it started to sound dry and I had to apply drip wax before my last ride)
Here is a rare question: My recumbent chain is made with 2 1/2 regular chains. Can I use your pot? If not what temp do I need to reach with a crock pot?
On the subject of noise, I've waxed my chain twice - completely stripped them down first both times - and the wax is definitely adhering, but it's VERY noisy immediately after reinstalling. It quiets down after about 50-60 miles, but I feel like that's not normal at all. No issues with longevity as far as I can tell, but it's insanely loud. Am I doing something wrong or is this what I should be expecting with waxing?
Edit: legit 11s Ultegra chain from a reputable dealer. I noticed it was MUCH quieter with super secret drip wax, but the hot melt wax is the complete opposite.
What is fun...pushing all of the wax out of hollow pin chains...it looks much the same as expressing acne or other infected areas of a human body.....I have about 90 more pins to "express"....
With respect, going by this video, I think a lot of your fantastic products are wasted on a lot of consumers. The fact that you need to make some of these basic points almost scares me.
With you there. Watched some very sad Muppets trying to install tubeless tyres. Reminds me of Monty Python with socks and sandals and 4 knotted handkerchiefs on their heads
@@kiwibiker9754 Yes, it makes me understand more and more why almost half the World is constantly on fire.
These videos are to make content to drive engagement & sales.
@GHinWI All you tube videos are made to drive engagement (and therefore income) It's the name of the game.
Will you sell reusable quick links for 12s Shimano in the future?
Any suggestions for rewaxing while on tour?
Josh/Silca - do any of your products have - trichloroethylene ? Because linked to Parkinson’s Disease - please provide an answer for the community
I don't really see viewers paying attention to the condition of the chain before applying Super Secret drip wax as an interim lubricant (any time you start to hear noise especially over the jockey wheels...few hundred miles max). Just like a hot wax you shouldn't apply Super Secret to a dirty chain...even if it doesn't look dirty there's always road/groad/trail dust. What's the point? You'll just trap dirt in the wax layer as the water evaporates from the Super Secret. I don't take my chain off the bike to "preclean" for Super Secret. I just (1) hose down the chain and drivetrain thoroughly with water, (2) "wash" the chain with a Park Cyclone Chain Scrubber just using water or maybe a bit of Dawn in the water if there's a lot of groad/trail grime, (3) repeat 1-2X with clean water, (4) repeat with Isopropanol and let dry, and (5) apply Super Secret drip wax with one drop per link and spread with my finger before rotating the crank and then running through all the gears to work Super Secret into the links and pins. It's important for the chain to dry before applying Super Secret (or hot wax for that matter) or there won't be the necessary capillary force to "suck" the wax dispersion into the links and pins. That's why I finish with isopropanol which dries quickly. All the above said, I'm getting 2500 miles out of SRAM Rival gravel chains and 2000+ miles from SRAM GX MTB chains. I think that's pretty good. Isn't it?
Am I safe using and not on old sous vide to melt wax?
I have been wiping the chain with a microfiber cloth and then using chain stripper. When using the coffee filter technique to reuse the chain stripper, it is cloudy. What am I doing wrong?