Why do we accept tubeless, but not waxed chains?

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mustang1

Legendary Member
Location
London, UK
I don't know what youtube videos you've watched. That isn't the process.

It's been explained here, and elsewhere, a thousand times, how most people wax their chains. If you can't understand, you're probably better off with WD40.

Uhm, but it's different variations of the same theme, no?

Ps: after wd40'ing the chain, sometimes, just sometimes, I apply dry lube (I have loads of bottles of the stuff). And in wet conditions, I apple wet lube (got loads of that too).
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
All I have used on chains on every bike is GT85 similar properties to WD40.

Product Overview & Uses
    • What it does: It cleans, lubricates, and protects metal and plastic parts, displaces moisture, and loosens rusted or stuck components. [1, 2]
    • Key ingredient: Contains PTFE, which forms a long-lasting, non-sticky lubricating film and protective shine. [1]
    • Common applications: Widely used by cyclists for chains and derailleurs, by tradesmen and mechanics for tools and hinges, and for general DIY maintenance. [1, 2, 3]
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
All I have used on chains on every bike is GT85 similar properties to WD40.

Product Overview & Uses
    • What it does: It cleans, lubricates, and protects metal and plastic parts, displaces moisture, and loosens rusted or stuck components. [1, 2]
    • Key ingredient: Contains PTFE, which forms a long-lasting, non-sticky lubricating film and protective shine. [1]
    • Common applications: Widely used by cyclists for chains and derailleurs, by tradesmen and mechanics for tools and hinges, and for general DIY maintenance. [1, 2, 3]

Did not think it still contains PTFE as that is a forever chemical? Where did you get your product overview from?
 

scotsbikester

Über Member
I still think your point still stands generally bike rims are leaky few top end ones aren't. The pedants amongst us like to to prove the opposite...

Pedants? What, here, on the interwebs? Never!!

duty_calls-1.png
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
Did not think it still contains PTFE as that is a forever chemical? Where did you get your product overview from?
You are correct, it was from a Google search obviously out of date info.

Found this on Halfords webpage.

Features & Benefits:​

  • Provides long lasting protection against rust and corrosion
  • Prevents bike from squeaking to help get a smoother ride
  • Displaces moisture on bikes in particular, the chain
  • Great to use on areas such as chains, derailleurs, pivot points, cables, shifters
  • Specific gravity at 20°C ranges between 0.797 and 0.805
  • Displaces water
  • Insoluble in water

Direction of Use:​

  • Clean drive chain thoroughly before lube application
  • Ensure drive chain area is dry
  • Apply a moderate amount of Lube to the inside chain link while spinning pedals in a reverse motion
  • Wipe away any excess chain lube

Certification & Standards:​

  • ANSI/ESD S20.20:2014
  • BS EN 61340-5-1:2007

Removal of PTFE​

  • As of January 2024, this product will no longer contain Teflon (PTFE). The product performance remains the same. Older stock will still contain Teflon and this is marked by the "with PTFE" badge on the front of the product.
 
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Dogtrousers

Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
My experience fwiw

Pre tubeless: Schwalbe Durano Plus. About two or three punctures a year. Normally sods law meant it was raining and horrible.
Tubeless (past 5 or so years): Pirelli Cinturato Velo. No punctures at all. One debacle due to misaligned brakes rubbing tyres (my fault). Put a tube in. Took no longer than changing a tube. Not messy at all (at least not until I got home and took the tube out!).

So what I've done is moved the faff from at the roadside in the rain to the comfort of my garage. I'm happy with that trade-off. :smile:

My choice of tyres may be important here. I go for tyres with good puncture resistance to begin with. I imagine some of the tubeless roadside disasters you read about may be from people using relatively flimsy/racy tyres. I have tubes on my fixed gear bike, so my standard toolkit includes spare tubes and instant patches whichever bike I'm riding.

I'm open to the use of wax, but I'm not unhappy with my current chain care regime so the impetus to move isn't there. I might try it sometime, just out of curiosity.

I use WD40 on my garden tools with moving parts (mower, hedge trimmer, loppers etc) after use. Keeps them lubricated (yes, lubricated), clean and stops corrosion or seizing up during periods of no use. Other tools without moving parts may get a squirt before being put away if they are corrosion prone.
 
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AlanW

Legendary Member
Location
Not to sure?
I run tubeless and hot wax my chains. For me, the "hassle" of doing either is far outweighed by the benefits.

People that have issues with tubeless, and from my experience, is down to nothing more than operator error. The technology in the sealant has come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, and the Dynaplug tool will solve pretty much any situation if in the unlikely event the sealant doesn't plug the hole.

And as for chain waxing, 100% spotless running gear and the biggest plus, the life of the chain increased ten fold
 

Dogtrousers

Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
People that have issues with tubeless, and from my experience, is down to nothing more than operator error.
More commonly it's a case of "I don't like the sound of that new-fangled thing. It's wrong. I must post on the internet about it being wrong." With no practical experience at all.
 
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