Chain waxing
Hello,
For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. -- Tanguy |
Chain waxing
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 09:05:25 -0000 (UTC),
Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I've used wax on my chains for about 25 years. I've always used an old coffee can and meat thermometer with 100% parrafin wax (GulfWax, found with canning supplies). My practice has been to put it on the stove and heat it to about 250 F, then dip chains into it one at a time--fishing them out with a piece of coat hanger wire, and laying them out on old newspaper to drain a bit. Recently we moved into a house that has a glossy black solid topped range, and I didn't want to put the process onto it. So I went out last weekend and got one of these multi-cookers: https://www.amazon.com/Presto-114324...SIN=B00006IUWH It worked great. The temperature control does away with the need for the meat thermometer, and the basket allows me to drain each dipped chain before putting it out onto paper. The drain basket does away with the need to fish around in the wax for the chains (sometimes the quick links have been awfully hard to find). I'm amazed at how much easier this is, plus I can do it all in the garage and not have the potential to make a mess in the kitchen. I've always kept an extra chain for each bike, and not re-dipped until most of them need it. This new process is so much simpler, I may be dipping more often--like when each bike has a chain (rather than two) that needs waxing. -- Ted Heise West Lafayette, IN, USA |
Chain waxing
Theodore Heise, 2018-06-06 13:54+0200:
Recently we moved into a house that has a glossy black solid topped range, and I didn't want to put the process onto it. So I went out last weekend and got one of these multi-cookers: Regarding the process, since I have an induction cooktop too, I simply have the wax mixture in a glass jar, which I double-boil until it is fully liquid. I then dip the chain into it, and keep heating for ten minutes, after which until I remove it with a twisted paperclip. -- Tanguy |
Chain waxing
Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. |
Chain waxing
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 13:18:53 +0000 (UTC),
Ralph Barone wrote: Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. Oh, let me add that even with 100% parrafin wax, it becomes dark and opaque after a use or two. I think it may be from dirt or wear debris from the chain itself. -- Ted Heise West Lafayette, IN, USA |
Chain waxing
On 2018-06-06 06:32, Theodore Heise wrote:
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 13:18:53 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone wrote: Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. I waxed my chain this weekend and finally had the opportunity to take the bike out yesterday. The chain is very quiet and runs quite smoothly. Shifting wasn't as precise as it was before, but I'm thinking it should come back to normal once more of the excess wax flakes off. The only downside was that I didn't clean the chain scrupulously before waxing it, and once I started sliding it around in the pot, a black cloud emanated from the chain and engulfed the bottom of the pot, completely obscuring the chain. I now have a pot of dark black wax, which I may just chuck in the garbage. Hopefully the second waxing will be less expensive. Oh, let me add that even with 100% parrafin wax, it becomes dark and opaque after a use or two. I think it may be from dirt or wear debris from the chain itself. It doesn't sound very healthy for the chain to soak it in dirty wax. I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. That way a road bike chain can run 150-250mi between cleanings depending on whether I ride more roads or more bike paths. Gets dirtier on roads. 40-50mi on the MTB, mostly on dirt trails. The upside is that this method does not require me to take the chain off the bike which I would really dread. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
Chain waxing
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 10:05:28 AM UTC+1, Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. -- Tanguy Seems to me chain cleaning and waxing is another sadomasochistic practice that cyclists without the imagination to do something more productive have brought on themselves. Socially, it's a leftover from when cycling was a workingman's sport, which has no place in an age when cycling is in the main middle-class virtue-signalling, and almost any bike the equivalent in quality of a between-wars Raleigh tourer costs an obscene amount of money. A little, a very little thought will tell any cyclist that he can run the chain for its entire life on the factory lube, and in the process win a permanently clean bike. All it takes is a hub gearbox (or a single speed of any flavor you fancy), a Hebie Chainglider or lesser chain enclosure, and a chain from a manufacturer who uses quality lube (KMC is good and cheap besides). Then you never again need to clean a chain or clusters or chainrings or anything else to which the chain has spread its filth. Of course, if chain cleaning and waxing defines who you are, like going to church on Sundays, don't pay any attention to me; I wouldn't dream of criticizing your religion. Andre Jute The derailleur should be granted a religious significance by the Pope as an instrument of self-mortification |
Chain waxing
Does Joerg have a sense of humor or is he just basically nuts? In a single paragraph he's proved the entirety of my thesis that the neurosis of chain-cleaning is a religious rite.
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 3:35:23 PM UTC+1, Joerg wrote: I clean my chain thoroughly using interdental toothbrushes. My wive found a brand at Costco that is more rigid than the usual ones so the job goes faster now. First used for my teeth, then later some day for a chain. Afterwards scrubbing with an old regular toothbrush, followed by a good wipe-down with Kleenex. Once the chain is really shiny I apply White Lightning Epic Ride. If you shake the bottle well the waxy stuff in it dissolves and thus gets onto the chain as well. I use a Q-Tip to dab it onlto the links, then gently wipe off any excess with a Kleenex. |
Chain waxing
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 07:44:01 -0700 (PDT),
Andre Jute wrote: On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 10:05:28 AM UTC+1, Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. Seems to me chain cleaning and waxing is another sadomasochistic practice that cyclists without the imagination to do something more productive have brought on themselves. Socially, it's a leftover from when cycling was a workingman's sport, which has no place in an age when cycling is in the main middle-class virtue-signalling, and almost any bike the equivalent in quality of a between-wars Raleigh tourer costs an obscene amount of money. Of course, if chain cleaning and waxing defines who you are, like going to church on Sundays, don't pay any attention to me; I wouldn't dream of criticizing your religion. Well, for me it's as simple as wishing to throw the bike in the back of the car (or pack it for travel) without having to worry about a greasy chain. No religion, other than the spiritual boost I get from actually riding the darn thing. A little, a very little thought will tell any cyclist that he can run the chain for its entire life on the factory lube, and in the process win a permanently clean bike. All it takes is a hub gearbox (or a single speed of any flavor you fancy), a Hebie Chainglider or lesser chain enclosure, and a chain from a manufacturer who uses quality lube (KMC is good and cheap besides). Then you never again need to clean a chain or clusters or chainrings or anything else to which the chain has spread its filth. I assume this is all meant facetiously. -- Ted Heise West Lafayette, IN, USA |
Chain waxing
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 8:12:20 AM UTC-7, Theodore Heise wrote:
On Wed, 6 Jun 2018 07:44:01 -0700 (PDT), Andre Jute wrote: On Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 10:05:28 AM UTC+1, Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, For those interested in this, after my last inquiry about chain lubing, I decided to wax my chain by immersing it in a hot mixture of solid and liquid paraffin (with a ratio of 50% of paraffin oil). After about 600 km, including some significant rain,, must say it works pretty well. My chain still runs smoothly, and is almost perfectly clean. When needed, I can simply wipe it with some paper towel. I do not know yet when I will have to wax it again, but it seems to hold pretty well. Seems to me chain cleaning and waxing is another sadomasochistic practice that cyclists without the imagination to do something more productive have brought on themselves. Socially, it's a leftover from when cycling was a workingman's sport, which has no place in an age when cycling is in the main middle-class virtue-signalling, and almost any bike the equivalent in quality of a between-wars Raleigh tourer costs an obscene amount of money. Of course, if chain cleaning and waxing defines who you are, like going to church on Sundays, don't pay any attention to me; I wouldn't dream of criticizing your religion. Well, for me it's as simple as wishing to throw the bike in the back of the car (or pack it for travel) without having to worry about a greasy chain. No religion, other than the spiritual boost I get from actually riding the darn thing. A little, a very little thought will tell any cyclist that he can run the chain for its entire life on the factory lube, and in the process win a permanently clean bike. All it takes is a hub gearbox (or a single speed of any flavor you fancy), a Hebie Chainglider or lesser chain enclosure, and a chain from a manufacturer who uses quality lube (KMC is good and cheap besides). Then you never again need to clean a chain or clusters or chainrings or anything else to which the chain has spread its filth. I assume this is all meant facetiously. No more than using an electric cooker to melt wax for a chain. Skip the whole thing and go with an IGH and chain guard. I personally run my chain through a sealed oil bath -- after carefully cleaning each link. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html -- Jay Beattie. |
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