Chain Waxing Tutorial

Just looked all over their website and lacking Any data except same frictionfact graphs above showing 1-2w saving.

They claim that their chains can save 2-6w … but that is based on new premium chain vs part worn basic chain when read details rather than due to lube.

Maybe I missed something?

@ZeroGravity I bought some off Amazon. Two suppliers…first the affordable option:

Marzon X-55 PTFE Powder…like a pound for $15. Not bad but larger particle size than might be optimal in my opinion. Although if your purpose is to brush the PTFE on a fresh-out-of-the-pot waxed chain this stuff is great!

Here is the PTFE that is more expensive but mixes in the wax MUCH better:

Runaway Bike PTFE Powder (Teflon), 1.5 oz…it’s about 15x more expensive but it’s a very fine powder & quite honestly, 16 ounces of PTFE for purposes of waxing your chain is more than a life time supply.

Either way, ~$15 for a LOT of chain waxes worth of PTFE.

1 Like

This what I got. It could be salt for all I know, but in my head it makes the chain quieter and faster. At $9 Cdn for 100g I will have enough for a long long time. 50g 1 76 oz Ultra Fine Ultrafine 1 6 Micron Teflon PTFE Powder Lab Chemicals: Search Result | eBay

It looks like Marzon X-55 isn’t available any more (or at least right now?), but digging in a bit I did find this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JRGVVY8/

Very fine PTFE, but in a plastic baggie that you’d need to transfer to a more permanent container.

That said, looking at the charts for the difference between straight paraffin and anything more complicated, I’m not sure that the extra fraction of a watt is worth any extra effort to procure or mix anything into the wax bath.

1 Like

Good idea. PTFE powder can be messy. I don’t have any good ideas re: how to handle it easily so if anybody has any suggestions please advise. That stuff gets all over everything and if you breath on it the wrong way it goes POOF! :smiley:

take your bike outside and spin the crank a handful of times that will take care of the bulk of it.

I am getting the same thing. Just waxed last night and had a wet ride this morning. The chain is showing some rust spots already. Any concern?

Wet rides require some maintenance. I have lost a chain after I forgot about it riding in snow/salt one day when I forgot to dry and rewax.

Started using Wend Wax around the 1st of the year. I live in Colorado and use it on my road, mtb and gravel bike. Really happy with how well it does it all weather conditions. I went with their hot wax option and haven’t looked back. https://wendperformance.com/buy-online/bike

I’m considering taking the plunge.

However, I raced a very muddy and sandy race course this weekend. I understand the chain, sprocket and cassette cleaning and waxing process.

However, what do you do with the pulleys on the rear derailleur? If you grease/oil those and it runs down to the teeth does it cause a problem for the wax adhesion to the rest of the drivetrain? Or do you just oil those as normal?

Just oil the pulleys and derailleur joints as normal. The wax is on the chain. Other lubes aren’t going to get -under- it. The chainring/cassette does not need to be waxed although degreasing it initially is a good good idea.

When I cleaned the drive train, I broke it all down to degrease the whole thing, cassette, chainrings, pulleys, etc. I reassembled and lubricated the pulleys and joints as normal. I did not wax cassette or chainrings. They will buildup a little bit of wax from normal use, which is plenty and easily removed as needed. No need to wax anything but the chain.

2 Likes

I normally use Squirt lube on a bone dry spotless chain, but I wonder what the general consensus is for maintaining a chain?

I feel like after riding for a couple of hundred miles it drys out and then re-applying a couple of times it gunks up a lot and doesn’t feel as smooth.

The drivetrain is the main place for Watt savings and I feel like the drop off is fairly quick.

I continue to enjoy the primary (side) benefit of chain waxing… resetting my bike from the car back to the trainer, the chain dropped off the chainring. I just grabbed it, pulled the pulleys down with one hand and reset the chain on the rings. Looked at my hands, and they were completely clean.

It’s just so simple once you have the cheap-o crockpot setup, with a couple of chains to rotate, and I’m pushing 20+ rides between changing chains and could go longer than that I think. Haven’t cleaned the drivetrain other than a dry rag wipedown since January and it’s still spotless to the touch, albeit with just about a half-dozen outdoor rides and a couple of races in the log since then.

5 Likes

Cleanliness is the main benefit to me as well. Only thing I don’t like is that it’s a little louder compared to when I used T9.

I took the plunge and did this. It was easier than I expected and I didn’t end up with any chain noise that I can hear. I’m impressed with the results.

Between, say, miles 20 and 60, my chains are buttery and virtually silent.

Does anyone wax their chain then keep it topped up with, say, Squirt ?

Oh no I don’t. That would create too much work. You’d need to do the full turps and methos clean dance and then clean your cassettee and chainrings. Don’t use a drip lube and it is 1) chain off 2) chain in wax 3) chain back on. No cleaning required.

Side note, been waxing for 6 months now and I am loving the time saved. The only problem is my bikes don’t get a wash as regularly as they used to and thus have more dust on them then they ever have. It’s all cosmetic though and I am saving so much time.

2 Likes

There’s no reason to keep it “topped up.”