Torbjorn wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:14 pm
Roadbiker10 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:45 am
Ok, thanks everyone for chiming in. I have until spring, when I start riding outside. I'll hold of on buying anymore oil lubes and see if I will try the wax with my indoor drivetrain first. How big does the ultrasonic cleaner have to be? There's a cheaper one that is 850ml. Is that too small? Or 2,5L?
You can buy an ultrasonic cleaner if you want to be really serious about getting your chain(s) ultra, ultra clean. They are not that expensive, either, I believe. But I just want to add that you don't HAVE to buy one, following a process with repeated vigorous shaking in first a degreaser of some sort, then acetone/isopropanol will get you 95% there. I have tried both, and I have to admit I can't tell the difference. After cleaning the chain manually, when I shake/rattle it gently (after having properly dried the chain), I hear the same metal-to-metal "clanking", signifying a very clean chain with no remaining oil or grease of any sort. People might disagree, but 1) if you use a drip-on wax-based lube (ie, no regular wax immersion needed), and 2) if you don't really ride in the wet all the time (which might necessitate taking the chain off the bike for super thorough cleaning - even though I doubt it), I think the only time you will need to go through the process discussed above is once - when the chain is new. And with these wax-based lubes comes much increased chain longevity, so this will be very rare. So everyone should weigh the pros against the cons before spending money on an ultrasonic cleaner.
Yeah, I won't buy one right away anyway. I'll try the aforementioned method first. But when you put the wax on, are you saying I can go the whole season march to sep-oct, without cleaning the drivetrain? So when I'm washing the bike, what do I do to the drivetrain? Do I just wash it with soap or any bike cleaner like I would normally? From what I've read, you have to re do the waxing after washing. Sorry if it's a noob question. Maybe the point is to not wash the bike at all.
Is the wax more difficult to get of when washing compared to oil based? Or is it supposed to stay on? But I can't see how it would stay on after washing.
When they say like 300km something for the Silca drip wax. Do they mean just wiping of with a rag and reapplying every 300km or striping it again?
Also, I just got a cheap Trek Domane to use both on the trainer and do some occasional gravel since it has bigger clearance. From what I've read, wax is supposed to work well on gravel too.
I did actually buy a container of the C3 Ceramic lube, but I don't know if I will use it.