-
It doesn't look like there's a lot of wax on that.
What brand of chain? I read that KMC chains are difficult to get wax to adhere to.
White spirit is effective but leaves a film. I think turps is recommended as last-wash before waxing.
I'm going to give this a go myself at some point this week, so keen to know your experience.
miro_o-
It is an ultegra chain.
I Did the white sprits followed by a final rinse in denatured alcohol ahead of waxing. Got a great level of wax to bond to the chain and everything was looking good. . A lot of the outer wax quickly flakes off with the promise that it stays in the bushings.
Chain was stiff to begin with but gets better with a little bit of running in.
As tester says wax offers no corrosion protection. So any exposed metal will tend to corrode if exposed to the elements.
-
white spirit is effective but leave a film
Any solvent degreaser will leave a thin oil film on parts, but it will remove the majority so that the ultrasonic+detergent can get to the final layer of oil molecules and hoover them up.
When I was a boy, white spirit was called turpentine substitute. You won't gain anything by using both, in whichever order. There might be something to be said for washing with alcohol between the first solvent (hydrocarbon types including xylene, "white spirit", various terpene mixes etc.) and the final one (water), because the first solvents are generally immiscible in water but soluble in ethanol. Using alcohol to extract most of the first solvent residue leaves less work for the detergent to do, and residual alcohol dissolves in water.
-
I've only used KMC. Maybe wax too hot when removed.
motoko
gbj_tester
hippy
I’ve been really unimpressed by my first experience with chain waxing.
Did the full effort of application. Worked great for one ride, but caught in rain on way home. Dried of chain with towel and come back to the bike next day and a lot of corrosion .
Figure wax has a time and place but UK weather isn’t conductive for it unless you want to take off the chain and immediately rewax to flush out and residual moisture.