On 6/8/2018 5:19 PM, James wrote:
On 08/06/18 03:18, Theodore Heise wrote:

Jay makes a great point.Â* If I rode in the rain a lot (or even
much), I probably would not be using wax.


I recently rode a one week supported tour over 800km with two wet days.
I didn't bother re-applying my wax/oil lube for another few hundred kms
after I got back home.Â* No squeaks or dry chain sound.

And IME when a waxed chain begins making the first tiny squeaks, the
squeaks sometimes go away for a while. I've wondered if changes in
humidity have some effect.

The noise will gradually grow worse, of course, but it's mostly an
aesthetic problem; it sounds ugly, but it really doesn't decrease
efficiency.

For me, the tolerable level of noise varies by bike. On the utility
bike, I'm willing to listen much longer before getting out the wax and
torch. On a bike I'll ride with close friends, I'll put up with just a
little noise. On a bike I'll ride with more club members, I'll re-wax
after the ride that makes the first tiny squeaks, because I don't want
to ruin their aesthetic experience.

I suppose there may be a difference in shifting performance, but:

A) I still use friction shifting on most bikes, so I'm probably
auto-compensating; and

B) Shifting a few milliseconds late doesn't bother me a bit.

--
- Frank Krygowski