Haven't seen any discussion of the new Absolute Black graphene wax on here. Here's the news bit from road.cc:
https://road.cc/content/tech-news/absoluteblack-unveils-pliable-hot-melt-chain-wax-lubricant-279143
Not sure if it would be any good for off-roading (or even UK weather, despite being UK designed) but thought some of the Putoline crew might be interested.
Is anyone interested in trying this (I am sort of, but realise I'm just being a sucker for nice sounding chemistry in their marketing). Does anyone on here use anything other than putoline on their chains?
For MTBers durability is paramount, because there's no benefit to having a 0.5W advantage on a clean new chain when it's covered in mud and losing 10W after 5 mins.
So if it's not durable, then it's useless as we aren't time trialling.
Could you just grind some pencil graphite into Putoline?
Could you just grind some pencil graphite into Putoline?
Graphite and graphene are not the same material, but I can see the germ of an idea here - perhaps with an added sellotape step.
IIRC corrently there's already graphite (not graphene) in putoline. I added some ultrafine MoS2 to mine, just 'cause I had it from my homebrew wax use.
Never heard that oxidation spiel before and MoS2 is widely used as an industrial lubricant. Are they confused or are they just bloody lying to make their wax seem better???
Wikipedia says
Molybdenum disulfide is stable in air and attacked only by aggressive reagents. It reacts with oxygen upon heating forming molybdenum trioxide:
2 MoS
2 + 7 O
2 → 2 MoO
3 + 4 SO
2
Chlorine attacks molybdenum disulfide at elevated temperatures to form molybdenum pentachloride:2 MoS
2 + 7 Cl
2 → 2 MoCl
5 + 2 S
2Cl
2
Dunno whether wax melting temperature is enough to cause oxidation.
Well surface oxidation of mos2 does happen at lower temperatures and does affect the friction coefficient.
For MTBers durability is paramount, because there’s no benefit to having a 0.5W advantage on a clean new chain when it’s covered in mud and losing 10W after 5 mins.
This is my opinion too.
Putoline* is great because it works at all in UK winter off-road riding conditions. You could make it 0.1% better, but when it's entirely likely** that it's 5% less drag than the usual 'dry' chain at the end of a wet ride, does that matter? I'd take a consistent 4.9% advantage over a 0.1% advantage until the first ford.
*and anything similar
**yes, number pulled from thin air, but looking at graphs from various manufacturers 10-15W/5% seems to in the right region for the worst case with no or ineffective lube.
Hmm. How do we get from the refences I have looked at which say MoS2 will oxidise at high temps or in the presence of strong oxidisers to their claim? I have asked them or provide a reference for their claim that it will oxidise rapidly at room temp. Surely being suspended in wax will also reduce the potential for oxidation?
MSW (Molten Speed Wax) is really good.
Wash new chain ina few changes of white spirit then a few changes of alcohol ( meths ) to get it really clean. Now its time to fire upon the slow cooker and melt the wax. Dip for 5, agitate well and hang to dry.
Remember motorcycles have O ring sealed chains, so m-bike lubes like Putoline are only intended to lube the roller/cog interface.
What's important for us is the pins getting lubed.
With wax, though, if the chain gets muddy or gritty, you have to remove, wash in boiling water and hang to dry then rewax, sounds awful painful, but its not at all - if you rotate 2 or 3 chains.
And the chain stays SO clean looking.
Well surface oxidation of mos2 does happen at lower temperatures and does affect the friction coefficient.
That's interesting although it is I think a dry Mos2 coating they are looking at, rather than one suspended in wax or grease which would presumably slow or prevent oxidation?.