Chain waxing kit

[cadenceblur]

3 minutes ago, michaelbiker said:

I use Silca Hot Wax. I get it from Merlin but a bag lasts a long time as I only use half a bag at a time.

The hardest and most annoying part, is stripping the chains of factory grease. This is where the Silca strip chip helps but it only needs to be done once. I strip new chains with turps - takes about 2 - 3 times to get them completely stripped but its quite easy. Wash the turps off with water and then rinse the water out with acetone. When the acetone evaporates off, you can do the hot waxing.

I get about 250km per chain on the mtb and gravel bike. When the chain starts to sound dry or squeak, I just rinse it off with boiling water and drop it in the hot wax again. If I am travelling, I just top up with the Silca Super Secret. It is the identical product but mixed with distilled water.

Apparently no need to rinse with boiling water , just a wipe down and back into wax. The boiling water is if you want to “reset” the chain. This is according to Zero Friction anyway . I use the Molten Speed Wax. 
For the trainer bike, I use also use the Silca Super Secret as it lets messy from a flaking perspective.
I’ve managed to get a wipperman link, which can be re-used safely. 
can’t understand why no one in SA sells them. 

[Mike Dewing]

29 minutes ago, michaelbiker said:

I use Silca Hot Wax. I get it from Merlin but a bag lasts a long time as I only use half a bag at a time.

The hardest and most annoying part, is stripping the chains of factory grease. This is where the Silca strip chip helps but it only needs to be done once. I strip new chains with turps - takes about 2 - 3 times to get them completely stripped but its quite easy. Wash the turps off with water and then rinse the water out with acetone. When the acetone evaporates off, you can do the hot waxing.

I get about 250km per chain on the mtb and gravel bike. When the chain starts to sound dry or squeak, I just rinse it off with boiling water and drop it in the hot wax again. If I am travelling, I just top up with the Silca Super Secret. It is the identical product but mixed with distilled water.

Okay epic.. thanks.. I’m playing around with the temperature and consistency just with candles and whatnot now but I don’t seem to have reusable quick links anymore.. I’ll get and get the Silca stuff when I do my chain.. 

 

at the moment I’m doing that distance every couple weeks to a month, will increase when I’m in proper training for a race. So might line up nicely with my cleaning and maintenance routine.. it’s sort of a bi monthly routine..

I also have one of those kmc black chains which I see the wax doesn’t stick nicely to that black finish.. so will see..

Edited April 24 by Mike Dewing

[michaelbiker]

33 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

Apparently no need to rinse with boiling water , just a wipe down and back into wax. The boiling water is if you want to “reset” the chain. This is according to Zero Friction anyway . I use the Molten Speed Wax. 
For the trainer bike, I use also use the Silca Super Secret as it lets messy from a flaking perspective.
I’ve managed to get a wipperman link, which can be re-used safely. 
can’t understand why no one in SA sells them. 

Yeah I do the boiling water anyway to remove any extra contaminants and get more treatments out of the wax but it's not 100% necessary. Again, I do 4-6 chains at a time.

[W@nted]

After trying hot waxing about a year ago, it was just too much fiddling to my liking. I used a paraffin wax and PTFE powder mixture. Used to run silent for about 150 km of use before being noisy. I then reverted back to Smoove, which resulted in good mileage on my road and mtb chains.

With Smoove, I typically re-lube the chain every 100km, let it dry overnight and then wipe off the excess, but this causes quite some build up, resulting in a dirty drivetrain. 

 

Fast forward a year and I managed to get my hands on a Silca Super Secret drip on wax and cleaner. I decided to try it when I replaced my chains on the road and gravel bike. 

 

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised! Stripped the new chains with the cleaner and applied the drip on wax. Did a 20 min ride and re applied wax again (adding another layer). The chain really feels as smooth and clean as a dipped, waxed chain, but without the hassle.

 

I have done 200km since the second application, and the chain is still quiet. Mixture of road and gravel rides on the gravelbike. There was some flaking of excess wax, but the drivetrain is much cleaner than with Smoove. 

 

The consistency of the Silca is quite watery, but it dries to a more prominent wax coating, compared to Smoove. It also flows better into the chain links from my perspective.

Only downside is the price, as it retails for 25 euros per bottle (100 ml) here. But I am sold on it for now, based on the ease of use and quiet, clean drivetrain.

[cadenceblur]

39 minutes ago, W@nted said:

After trying hot waxing about a year ago, it was just too much fiddling to my liking. I used a paraffin wax and PTFE powder mixture. Used to run silent for about 150 km of use before being noisy. I then reverted back to Smoove, which resulted in good mileage on my road and mtb chains.

With Smoove, I typically re-lube the chain every 100km, let it dry overnight and then wipe off the excess, but this causes quite some build up, resulting in a dirty drivetrain. 

 

Fast forward a year and I managed to get my hands on a Silca Super Secret drip on wax and cleaner. I decided to try it when I replaced my chains on the road and gravel bike. 

 

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised! Stripped the new chains with the cleaner and applied the drip on wax. Did a 20 min ride and re applied wax again (adding another layer). The chain really feels as smooth and clean as a dipped, waxed chain, but without the hassle.

 

I have done 200km since the second application, and the chain is still quiet. Mixture of road and gravel rides on the gravelbike. There was some flaking of excess wax, but the drivetrain is much cleaner than with Smoove. 

 

The consistency of the Silca is quite watery, but it dries to a more prominent wax coating, compared to Smoove. It also flows better into the chain links from my perspective.

Only downside is the price, as it retails for 25 euros per bottle (100 ml) here. But I am sold on it for now, based on the ease of use and quiet, clean drivetrain.

I use the Silca Super Secret on my IDT bike and it works a treat, while I go with the immersive route on the other bikes just a note, you will often have some noise but as long as the wax has penetrated the chain - should not be an issue - the mechanical noise is a bit disconcerting though