Yep, that was my view when started looking at changing lube for watt saving and realised scale on graph means that is saves you…basically zilch in real world terms regardless of which lube you currently use (max 1-2w). Do wax or squirt for cleanliness for sure, but let’s not kid ourselves about changing for speed/faster times etc!
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I started using YBN chains last year. They are awesome. I think they are just as good if not better than Shimano, SRAM, and KMC. I had no issues with them at all. I also used the YBN quick links with no issues.
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Sweet… I just bought their ti-n gold sla 110 as that seemed to be the best of their budget chains. Am wondering (assuming it comes with factory grease) after I break in the chain, will the minieral spirits strip off any of the color or however it’s treated?
I used to get the gold and black chains…mineral spirits wont remove the coating.
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I disagree. Definitely faster with a properly waxed chain and efficient gears & jockey wheels etc.
I estimate 15 seconds in a 25 mile TT.
Definitely worth it if you enter TT’s.
Actually, in that final time trial, Lemond beat Fignon by 58 seconds, a not inconsiderable margin. However, as Fignon started the day with an advantage of 50 seconds, it meant the final GC margin was 8 seconds.
You think 1-2 watts equals 15 seconds over (approx) an hour…?
I agree a clean chain and well set up drivechain can help…but 15 secs purely on lube…I just don’t see it. Most any data shows is about 2 watts. That is well under the accuracy of any power meter so in real world could never tell!
I’m assuming I should buy a dedicated crock pot for this instead of using my wife’s one?
or as a guy mentioned above, a really old pot you were about to throw away… less expensive than a crockpot lol
Depends on how much wax you are getting in your diet from other sources
A dedicated crockpot (at least the inner stoneware) means you leave your wax in. But unless you have a crock pot for fondue, a regular cooking crockpot is likely to be too large (requiring too much wax to cover a wider bottom surface) anyway.
Real world says yes.
Real world is conning itself if JUST based on lube. Clean vs dirty drivechain I agree. Well set up, clean drivechain with lube a vs lube b…nope
Sorry no.
I have successfully tried it and many others have too. If you don’t want to try it then don’t. But please don’t assume something isn’t better because your calculations suggest that it isn’t.
Empirical evidence counts for more. There is a reason why Wiggin’s team spent thousands of dollars researching and developing the best wax chain for the hour record.
I think you will find that it worked.
Not my calculations, calculations of friction facts who seem to be the go to people for this sort if thing…and the reason why many people seem to use wax chains.
As I said, for cleanliness yes, go for it. And if you think it helps then great…but the data doesn’t back it up in any lab test evidence I’ve ever come across (more than 1-2w).
And not sure if Wiggins hour record was down to the wax lube! 
Anyway I’ve said my bit so will let it rest now.
Ok, but as I said, empirical evidence is what I go on.
It works for me.
Wiggins didn’t do this for nothing:
https://rouleur.cc/editorial/bradley-wiggins-hour-record-chain-muc-off/
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If you really want to get your teeth into what miay have been possible here’s another related article:
Yep. Give that podcast a listen. Lots of discussion about this in the podcast. Modelling it, etc.
It all came down to 8 seconds. What would have made Fignon 8 seconds faster during the TT? Cutting off the pony tail…or so they speculate. What would have made Lemond 8 seconds slower? Sticking a pencil on top of his helmet (presumabley orthoganal to his direction of travel!)
Truly a razor’s edge.
Let people do whatever they want.
Check out research on zerofrictioncycling.com.au