Waxing your chain tips?

[super_davo]

I'm planning on trying waxing when I replace my current chain. The latest waxing pot has a built-in agitator that is supposed to help get the wax into all the nooks and crannies so I have been wondering if my ultrasonic cleaner could do the same thing? Melting enough wax to cover the chain in the cleaner would be impractical (I think) but putting the chain and wax into a zip-tie plastic bag before heating might work ... maybe 🤷‍♀️

Has anyone tried this or have any thoughts on the matter?

If you mean buying a bespoke for chain waxing system like Cyclowax, yes it will work, and I am sure it would do a great job, but it will cost £££££.

One thing I've recently changed to is using a cheap wax heater (for hair removal) in place of a slow cooker. Mine cost less than £10 from AliExpress, but you can get similar on Amazon for not much more if that scares you. The advantage is you can set the wax temperature at anywhere between 65-75 or whatever is the perfect temperature to 'just melt' the wax. You can switch on with a chain on the top of the unmelted wax, and leave it for as long as you like. A few shakes of the pot to agitate after it has melted, then remove. Turns the whole thing into an 'unattended process'

If you've already got an ultrasonic cleaner, you've already made the biggest expense, and a single bag of wax lasts absolutely ages.

 

[EckyH]

An acquaintance puts his chains with some drip wax in a plastic bag and put the bag in the ultrasonic cleaner. He said that this method works really well.

Meanwhile I tested a very basic approach for new chains.
First step is to "degrease" the chain: Towing the chain through a degreaser soaked rag. Even a penetrating oil like WD40 will do. The goal is to the original chain lube at least on the exposed parts of the chain.
After that just putting drip wax on the chain. The drip wax and the remaining chain lube will form some kind of emulsion until the water in the drip wax is dried. Then some of the chain lube is in the "solid" wax. After 200km or so it's time to "refresh" the wax: Towing the chain through a dry rag removes most of the wax and some of the chain lube which is still in the chain after the first step. Putting on new drip wax results in an emulsion with more wax than in the first iteration.
Over time the drip wax replaces the original chain lube.

In my experience it makes sense to shorten the first intervals between the "topping up" of the drip wax to prevent that dust and grime form a dark alliance with the original lube.
I don't use bike specific drip wax anymore, because I've found a source for industrial wax emulsion with 45% wax. Used that through the winter in particular on the commuter and it works well.
And yes, I think that the approach to degrease the chain completely and put it in melted wax, move it a bit in the wax and let it cool down is still the most effective method.

And no, chain waxing isn't the best choice in every situation.

E.

 

[Bristolian]

An acquaintance puts his chains with some drip wax in a plastic bag and put the bag in the ultrasonic cleaner. He said that this method works really well.
And no, chain waxing isn't the best choice in every situation.

Yes, this is exactly what I'm thinking to try. It's reassuring that your friend says it works

I appreciate waxing isn't perfect for every situation but my riding normally involves a fair amount of country lanes which, even now, are still wet (with water draining off the fields) and covered in mud/crud/bovine excrement which is attracted to wet lube like moths to a flame. Wax should reduce that and also make daily cleaning of the chain quicker. Drip wax as a top up measure is a good idea

 

[super_davo]

Yes, this is exactly what I'm thinking to try. It's reassuring that your friend says it works

I appreciate waxing isn't perfect for every situation but my riding normally involves a fair amount of country lanes which, even now, are still wet (with water draining off the fields) and covered in mud/crud/bovine excrement which is attracted to wet lube like moths to a flame. Wax should reduce that and also make daily cleaning of the chain quicker. Drip wax as a top up measure is a good idea

A few things... firstly, you are making the initial waxing process much more complicated than it needs to be. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner already, then the best thing by far is to use that to clean the chain. 20% degreaser - I use Screwfix No Nonsense at about £10 for 5 litres, 80% water, run through twice. Whichever method of waxing you use from there, either drip or hot wax, it should stick.

If you want to use the ultrasonic cleaner as the heat source / bain marie to melt wax in a bag, it will work. I don't think you really need the ultrasonic blasts to agitate though; because the wax is so thick it is more important to articulate the chain which happens far more via swishing around in the melted wax. Wax in a bag for me is messy, unless it is a very thick bag like Silca ship theirs in or alternatively the sort of bag you can buy from the supermarket to store soup. IMO way easier to get a dedicated wax heater - I have something very similar to this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006615669077.html. You can just set and forget, few swishes, done, as per my earlier post.

With regards to drip wax to top up - totally the way forward. I use Silca wax because it is supposed to work alongside their Super Secret drip wax. Albeit it seems to work just as well alongside Squirt, which is much cheaper, and comes in tiny little 10ml bottles which are ideal for travelling.

With regards to keeping cleaner, there is no question wax just leaves your drivetrain cleaner, dirt doesn't stick to the outside and get transported in etc. However, if you are riding in wet conditions all the time, it does not give you anywhere near as good protection against rust, both on the chain and on the cassette. For that reason, my winter bike is the one bike I have where I continue to use oil on the chain. You can minimise the likelihood of rust by being meticulous drying your chain - I use an air duster like this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010529420944.html to give a quick blast after I've washed my bike, a wet ride etc. After a wet ride or wash, wipe with a cloth, a minute blast with the air duster - doesn't take particularly long and I have not had rust since I've been doing that.

 

[EckyH]

I don't think you really need the ultrasonic blasts to agitate though; because the wax is so thick it is more important to articulate the chain which happens far more via swishing around in the melted wax.

That.

A note on chains with bushings: In my experience drip wax must be applied not ohnly on the rollers, but also on the gaps between the inner and outer plates. The bushings prevent that the drip wax on the roller can reach the space between the inner and the outer plate.

E.