Chain lubricants

[garbageman]

The question was in regard to removing the factory grease from the chain, not wax. The isopropyl alcohol would be used to remove the residue from the mineral spirits. I think this would work but I'm not sure.

[TobinHatesYou]

Since I either use citrus degreaser or Simple Green Extreme after an initial soak in OMS, I’ve never felt the need to use alcohol. The degreaser gets rid of the petroleum based residue and the degreaser is easily washed off by a plain water bath.

[DaveS]

Acetone will mix with mineral spirits and the mixture will evaporate much more quickly than mineral spirits. That's what lacquer thinner is. The more acetone, the faster it dries.

[JAMSXR]

I've been using wax for a couple of months now, initially I was really impressed, reasonably low maintenance and my chain attracts significantly less muck.

However, the extra noise is really starting to bug me, particularly when hopping on my gravel bike (running 105 with normal chain lube) as it now sounds deadly silent compaired to my (waxed) Ultegra Di2 on my road bike - it's particularly noisy in the small cassett cogs.

Maybe it's just something I just need to accept, but I'm interested to hear if other people have experienced the same when using wax. I like a quiet bike so I'm tempted to go back to good old fashioned lube.

[TobinHatesYou]

This needs to be in a FAQ or something. Yes, waxed chains are going to be noisier once all the external wax flakes off. This usually takes place around the 120km or 75mi mark.

No need to worry about a little rasping...as long as you're not getting squeaks. If you want a quiet drivetrain, either live with the extra maintenance and drag of wet lube or be prepared to lube your chain with dry/wax lubes after every single ride.

[DaveS]

I can easily get 250km from one application of my cheap home made paraffin based liquid lube. No lubing after every ride.

[TobinHatesYou]

I can easily get 250km from one application of my cheap home made paraffin based liquid lube. No lubing after every ride.

I get 500km out of one application of plain paraffin, but it gets noisy after a little over 100km. Your home-made liquid wax may stay quieter a little longer, but it is also probably incurs more friction losses and gets a bit dirtier, so it’s not for everyone. Judging by your comments, it has a relube interval of half the distance too.

[pdlpsher1]

Shimano 12-speed chain + paraffin wax = nearly silent drivetrain. And oh I've now also ditched Shimano's hollow big chainring for a solid big chainring. Now it's totally silent in every gear combination.

[TwiggyForest]

Been using a mix of parrifin wax and engine oil anti wear additive and just brought up 0.5% worn on an Ultegra chain after 10,500km. Fairly happy with that, considering I wasn't religious with the application intervals.

[DaveS]

I can easily get 250km from one application of my cheap home made paraffin based liquid lube. No lubing after every ride.

I get 500km out of one application of plain paraffin, but it gets noisy after a little over 100km. Your home-made liquid wax may stay quieter a little longer, but it is also probably incurs more friction losses and gets a bit dirtier, so it’s not for everyone. Judging by your comments, it has a relube interval of half the distance too.

My relube schedule is strictly a matter of convenience. I won't use a chain until it gets noisy or squeaks. I just relube once a week, which is about 250km for me. My lube does not get noisy after only 100km and it's not just paraffin. I don't race so I could care less about an assumed watt or two of friction.

[dlj2119]

I can easily get 250km from one application of my cheap home made paraffin based liquid lube. No lubing after every ride.

I get 500km out of one application of plain paraffin, but it gets noisy after a little over 100km. Your home-made liquid wax may stay quieter a little longer, but it is also probably incurs more friction losses and gets a bit dirtier, so it’s not for everyone. Judging by your comments, it has a relube interval of half the distance too.

My relube schedule is strictly a matter of convenience. I won't use a chain until it gets noisy or squeaks. I just relube once a week, which is about 250km for me. My lube does not get noisy after only 100km and it's not just paraffin. I don't race so I could care less about an assumed watt or two of friction.

I've used DaveS's lube recipe and it to me it had the same noise properties as JAMSXR complains of above. Ive tried various concentrations and mixes of plain parafin, MOS2, PFTE (larger micrometer, small micrometer), Gearlube, different immersion temperatures, naphtha and "noiseless" never existed for me over 5000km last year. Not at 1km, not at 100km. Thorough degreases and cleans MSspeedwax style, crockpot, etc. Chain just gradually gets noiser from km 1 onto ~400 when it's intolerable. It drove me NUTS not having a silent drive drain when cycling solo. Then I rejoined a group after not group riding for years and realized that mine is still quieter than most if not all...not saying that these other folks are maintaining their chains/cassettes as they should. Brief switch back to wet lube...perfectly silent again, just wish I could get there with wax.

[backdoor]

I'm with all of you guys on the Wax. I've gotten it silent for as much as 40km and then slowly it starts making noise and about 70-80km in it just starts to sound like a hamster cage. Doesn't matter how clean I've started, new drivetrain, new chain. All cleaned with brakleen then degreased with Morgan Blue then washed off and cleaned with alcohol off the bike. Soaked in wax. Left to dry for days. Doesn't matter.

All of the reports I read on the netz for best lube are based on longevity. I'm usually cleaning my chain with my bike once a week. I'm not really concerned if I can get 600km out of a single application of lube. What drives me nuts though is listening to my chain going through the drive train the entire ride. Drives me nuts. They should do a review on the quietest lubricants. I think there's a lot to be said about a silent drivetrain.

[TobinHatesYou]

I mean, just use NLGI 1 grease if you want a silent drivetrain.

[DaveS]

I use force axs chains exclusively. No noise problems with my liquid lube. It does require heating the applicator bottle in warm water and may require a heat gun to warm the chain if my shop is too cool.

[lord_brush]

I started using Rock n Roll Gold on one bike (summer bike), and I've noticed the drivetrain makes a racket (9070). It's weird stuff for sure, fromt he application to the apparent dryness of it thereafter. Nice and clean, but......maybe too clean?

Not sure about all these dry/ tech lubes tbh. Regardless of conditions, I'm not sure anything beats a wet lube...