WTF is this? Hot waxing bike chains?

[XXX-er]

never got into grease but back in the day I used 90wt hypoid gear oil & chainsaw oil on my dirtbike chain, I also burned premix so everything was pretty fucking dirty and ended up on the back of my bike and riding jacket

The hot wax sounds way too much hassle for me but the liquid wax is just like any other drip chain lube comes out like milk, leave it for the water to evap and the residual is solidifyed clear wax ... i like the clean

[EWG]

never got into grease but back in the day I used 90wt hypoid gear oil & chainsaw oil on my dirtbike chain, I also burned premix so everything was pretty fucking dirty and ended up on the back of my bike and riding jacket

The hot wax sounds way too much hassle for me but the liquid wax is just like any other drip chain lube comes out like milk, leave it for the water to evap and the residual is solidifyed clear wax ... i like the clean

We used to be sponsored by Pedros back when they were pushing Ice Wax. The whole team got into that shit, which works like you describe. Oh my god did that stuff suck. Clogged up everything, even stuff it never came near. Gave away buckets of the crap. Would rather use hot wax. And I hate hot wax.

Prolink Gold only these days. Don't you even look at my bikes with your wax, you monsters.

[GoldMember]

I've been using Tri Flow with teflon for 30 years. Always been happy with it.

[XXX-er]

We used to be sponsored by Pedros back when they were pushing Ice Wax. The whole team got into that shit, which works like you describe. Oh my god did that stuff suck. Clogged up everything, even stuff it never came near. Gave away buckets of the crap. Would rather use hot wax. And I hate hot wax.

Prolink Gold only these days. Don't you even look at my bikes with your wax, you monsters.

never used ice wax, I used pro gold for years i still drip it in cables but i'm liking squirt more for chains

I lay the last chain out on a piece of cardboard, drip the squirt it penetrates the chain and solidfys, after wards there was drips of solidifyed wax on the cardboard

I dont ' see how wax in aqueous solution is any different than hot wax but in any case it sounds like you don't like wax ?

[El Chupacabra]

I've been using this Dupont chain saver stuff for a while. I liked their older blue can of "multi use" stuff more, but they changed it and made it waterier, so the yellow can is as close as it gets now. Made by Finish Line. It may be just FL dry lube in a big spray can, but it's cheap, doesn't attract too much dust, doesn't gunk up, and cleans up easily.

Caveat: I live and ride in dry dusty conditions. This is probably a bad choice of lube for rain and mud.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/DuPont-Te...waAtXZEALw_wcB

[EWG]

in any case it sounds like you don't like wax ?

Whatever gave you that impression?

It's funny how people get so adamant (like I just did) about what they like and don't like without realizing that what will work well for each rider varies so much based on the climate, the dirt/road you are on, how much you ride in the rain or through water, your maintenance plan, etc.

So my anti-wax rants should be taken with a grain of salt. Wax can work great for some people in some places.

That said, wax can go fuck right off. I still have nightmares about pulling drivetrains apart to get rid of it when it explodes everywhere.

[ill-advised strategy]

never got into grease but back in the day I used 90wt hypoid gear oil & chainsaw oil on my dirtbike chain, I also burned premix so everything was pretty fucking dirty and ended up on the back of my bike and riding jacket

The hot wax sounds way too much hassle for me but the liquid wax is just like any other drip chain lube comes out like milk, leave it for the water to evap and the residual is solidifyed clear wax ... i like the clean

The benefit of submerging a chain in hot liquid wax is it penetrates all the innards, then cools solid and stays put for quite awhile, keeping other shit out. I don’t think you really get that effect spraying the spray stuff.

[XXX-er]

Back in the day the only way to get wax into a chain was to cook it in while hot but due to the wonders of modern science you no longer have to cook wax in you can just drip wax in liquid suspension and it will solidify after the water evaps

i did a chain last week where a new chain was off the bike to be cleaned so i dripped all over it on a piece of cardboard, wax is the color & consistancy of milk, after the water evaps there was solid wax residual on the cardboard just like if i had dripped hot wax

if you really like cooking with wax have at er

I do wonder how many garage fires have been started waxing a chain ?

[ill-advised strategy]

Back in the day the only way to get wax into a chain was to cook it in while hot but due to the wonders of modern science you no longer have to cook wax in you can just drip wax in liquid suspension and it will solidify after the water evaps

i did a chain last week where a new chain was off the bike to be cleaned so i dripped all over it on a piece of cardboard, wax is the color & consistancy of milk, after the water evaps there was solid wax residual on the cardboard just like if i had dripped hot wax

if you really like cooking with wax have at er

I do wonder how many garage fires have been started waxing a chain ?

I don’t know, but I do it the dangerous way they say not to do (no double-boiler)...I do it out in the yard. Nothing catches fire, it’s fine.

[Roxtar]

The benefit of submerging a chain in hot liquid wax is it penetrates all the innards, then cools solid and stays put for quite awhile, keeping other shit out. I don’t think you really get that effect spraying the spray stuff.

what he said

[#######]

I don’t know, but I do it the dangerous way they say not to do (no double-boiler)...I do it out in the yard. Nothing catches fire, it’s fine.

I did it on a stovetop once in my old apartment and turned it up a little too high...opened the lid and WOOOMFFFIRE...put the lid back on and put the pot outside...

[grskier]

^Does the chain sit on a grate above the bottom of the melter so the debris sinks to the bottom?

You should read the process in the article.

[jm2e]

It's like once every 18 months we go into this spiral where maggots feel compelled to share how much they obsess over their chain.
Mine was squeaky on Saturday. I lubed it before Sunday's ride. I did not bring it into my kitchen.

[EWG]

It's like once every 18 months we go into this spiral where maggots feel compelled to share how much they obsess over their chain.
Mine was squeaky on Saturday. I lubed it before Sunday's ride. I did not bring it into my kitchen.

This is exactly right, but I think it’s more an annual thing. Let’s me know that snow is about to come.

[XXX-er]

I will try lighting the bottle on fire to see if its a thing

[climberevan]

I did it on a stovetop once in my old apartment and turned it up a little too high...opened the lid and WOOOMFFFIRE...put the lid back on and put the pot outside...

I used to wax chains in college. In 1994, in my freshman dorm ones of the rooms down the hall had a little kitchenette so I borrowed their stove.

A double boiler was not in the budget so I just cooked that shit (pure parrafin) on the electric burner with no lid, and then walked out of the room. This happened well after dinner, so it was dark.

Yep--huge flames ensued, except I didn't just put the lid on. Rather, I sort of threw the flaming pot of wax onto the floor and then went after the whole thing with a fire extinguisher.

The dorm was evacuated of course, and we all spent about 30 mins outside while they figured out that the fire was out. I had to scrub the soot from the ceiling and walls and wax and fire extinguisher powder from the floor for a couple of days. I still can't believe there were no other repercussions, though.

I now use a rotating cast of disappointing dry lubes and have resigned myself to carrying a tiny bottle and relubing on any ride longer than 25 miles (most of my rides). The latest one to totally fail to live up to its claims is Rock-N-Roll Extreme. Drivetrains do seem to last forever though--2000mi on my current XT chain and it's still below 5% wear.

[Roxtar]

Mags, seriously, it isn't actually time consuming IF you use a crock pot and a two chain rotation. That's the only real issue; do you want to buy two chains? IMO, rotating two chains is a good way to make your drivetrain last longer, regardless of how you lube.

You just put the other, lubed, chain on the bike and, some time in the next few weeks, turn on the crock pot and walk away. When the wax is liquid put the chain in and walk away again.
Go back to whatever you were doing for at least 15 minutes and then pull it out and hang to cool. It's now ready for the next rotation. Not a big deal.

People are making it sound like you have to stand there waiting as it cooks.

[El Chupacabra]

Mags, seriously, it isn't actually time consuming IF you use a crock pot and a two chain rotation. That's the only real issue; do you want to buy two chains? IMO, rotating two chains is a good way to make your drivetrain last longer, regardless of how you lube.

[El Chupacabra]

I will try lighting the bottle on fire to see if its a thing

Have you tried using the 2-liter bottle method? Drop the chain in the bottom of the empty bottle, followed by a package of Mentos, then quickly pour in a can of Coke. Screw on the cap and shake vigorously.

[EWG]

Have you tried using the 2-liter bottle method? Drop the chain in the bottom of the empty bottle, followed by a package of Mentos, then quickly pour in a can of Coke. Screw on the cap and shake vigorously.

Heading to the store for mentos now before lockdown starts.

[Touring_Sedan]

Have you tried using the 2-liter bottle method? Drop the chain in the bottom of the empty bottle, followed by a package of Mentos, then quickly pour in a can of Coke. Screw on the cap and shake vigorously.

Shit, It'd be faster than finding a used crockpot, sourcing wax, calculating the correct molecular weight of teflon to add, finding the goddamned quick link, removing the chain, checking with to sous chef to see if the blood orange essential oil hasn't migrated to the top of the pot, dunking each link one at a time to get the perfect coating, licking your fingers to get all the leftover paraffin off of them, replacing the chain, taking the chain back off because you fucked up the routing through the derailleur, and getting the quick link to snap back into place.

Me, I'd prefer to squirt a little lube on the chain and go ride my fucking bike.

[jm2e]

We are a house divided.
One faction thinks it’s fun and easy to make a hobby out of chain cooking and swapping.
The other side thinks lubing a chain before any audible squeaking or visible rusting is noted is akin to spending a day at the DMV.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Roxtar]

Shit, It'd be faster than finding a used crockpot, sourcing wax, calculating the correct molecular weight of teflon to add, finding the goddamned quick link, removing the chain, checking with to sous chef to see if the blood orange essential oil hasn't migrated to the top of the pot, dunking each link one at a time to get the perfect coating, licking your fingers to get all the leftover paraffin off of them, replacing the chain, taking the chain back off because you fucked up the routing through the derailleur, and getting the quick link to snap back into place.

Me, I'd prefer to squirt a little lube on the chain and go ride my fucking bike.

Wow, I'd love to hear your description of the process of actually riding a bike.

[grskier]

I used to wax chains in college. In 1994, in my freshman dorm ones of the rooms down the hall had a little kitchenette so I borrowed their stove.

A double boiler was not in the budget so I just cooked that shit (pure parrafin) on the electric burner with no lid, and then walked out of the room. This happened well after dinner, so it was dark.

Yep--huge flames ensued, except I didn't just put the lid on. Rather, I sort of threw the flaming pot of wax onto the floor and then went after the whole thing with a fire extinguisher.

The dorm was evacuated of course, and we all spent about 30 mins outside while they figured out that the fire was out. I had to scrub the soot from the ceiling and walls and wax and fire extinguisher powder from the floor for a couple of days. I still can't believe there were no other repercussions, though.

I now use a rotating cast of disappointing dry lubes and have resigned myself to carrying a tiny bottle and relubing on any ride longer than 25 miles (most of my rides). The latest one to totally fail to live up to its claims is Rock-N-Roll Extreme. Drivetrains do seem to last forever though--2000mi on my current XT chain and it's still below 5% wear.

This post is worth reading the whole thread for. Thank you.

[bagtagley]

Very fine people, on both sides.