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so we are now lubing our perfectly lubed chain ?
I just did the same yesterday.
I have been waxing my cables for years, using a cigarette lighter to heat the cable and then running a block of paraffin wax along the length of the cable, but I used up all my wax a couple of months ago so thought I'd try Putoline.
trail rat I'll do you chains for next years puffer if you like?
Might be a daft question but why don't we use wax in bearings rather than grease?
The grease in my jockey wheels doesn't seem to last very long.
I'm a good few mucky rides in, haven't even washed the bike (just knocked the dry mud off, cleaned the dropper and fork stations), and it is still a well lubed chain. no rusting (but then also no cleaning...)
Today was really amazing - horrible mud, not too runny, just starting to dry, you know the stuff that collects and turns your tyres into 22kg rotating pieces of crap, and sticks to everything. However - totally silent Chain. Really, amazing!
Usually in that kind of stuff when I shift into bigger cogs there is some horrible crunching and grinding... but not a peep.
I am totes amazeballs sold on this stuff. Hurrah!
Hosanna! another convert to the church of putoline! Spread the good word! Free entry to nirvana! Extra karma!
Yeah well, one minging ride last night on a freshly waxed chain. Had no choice other than to hose the bike off afterwards and some orange inner links this evening, right in where wiping an oily rag won't reach. Bit annoying but it was utter filth (again). I still won't go back though, the drivetrain was silent and felt so smooth the whole way round whereas every other lube I've tried (many) would have resulted in a horrible sounding and feeling drivetrain. So will live with the orange and see how long the smoothness lasts.
Apologies if this has already been answered but where do folks buy this online? I'm failing to find it at any of the usual suspects and trying to avoid Amazon
Ive got to say im another convert. Since I did my chain ive been up to the axles in snow mud and water and its still smooth and quiet.
thanks for that lightman - I keep forgetting about ebay. Seems like a nice price
@davosaurusrex I'm finding the same; nice and silent in even the shittiest conditions, but the inner links start to turn trump in the time it takes to drive home.
You could try spraying on silicone lube if you don't like orange outer plates. Shouldn't mix with the putoline..? I use it when wiping down.
I'm surprised those using wax aren't using fully zinc plated chains , ( at least it doesnt sound like they are ) thus completely avoiding any surface corrosion after use in the wet.
i know i would if i was using putoline.....
Can you get zinc plated 12 speed chains?
Takes about a nanosecond for the zinc to wear off the internal surfaces of the chain and the bearing faces of the rollers and the rust is generally seen between the sides of the inner and outer links. Nice idea in theory but not that helpful in practice. The outer surfaces which retain the zinc coating also tend to keep a coating of wax for quite some time, for the same reasons.
A stainless chain on the other hand would be very nice.
SRAM PC-X01 Eagle is chromed so doesn't rust
Takes about a nanosecond for the zinc to wear off the internal surfaces of the chain
I dont buy that for a minute considering i've got a 5 year old shimano cassette with little to no wear on its zinc plating even on the teeth.....
I did wonder if those hideously expensive (but apparently longer lasting) titanium wipperman chains might almost be a worthwhile investment.
Let us know when you've tried a zinc coated chain then boss 🙂
From my experience the coating wears very quickly on those surfaces and although the exterior stays protected the other surfaces don't.
Zinc is soft. Chrome is much harder. All platings wear away through abrasion.
My bikes are 9spd. I used midrange sram chains generally and no rusting evident 99% of the time. I think they are plated / coated in some way
What the heck, I'll post an update. Still totes amazeballsed by this stuff.
How many weeks now since I did it - 5? 6? Can't remember. Lots of muddy rides (2 or 3 a week, maybe 60km ish off road), absolutely silent and smooth running chain. When washing bike down I've done **** all and have had no rusting plates.
Decided to do my sons MTB chain today, the last in the family (and neighbours!) to be done. Decided to do mine for the second time since the frier was on. Perhaps it was getting ever so slightly noisier on this morning's ride.
The best bit, and the most incredible bit of all this, is that when I took the chain off there was absolutely no build up of shite at all on the chainring, jockey wheels or cassette. Yes, there is putoline on them now, but no chunks of crud that have tp be scrapped off with a screwdriver.
What is this witchcraft?
Thanks again to TJ and others for their guidance.
Hail! Hossanna!¬
😂
I had to re-do one bike after only about 3 rides recently. But I'll take that, given how easy it is to apply with a frier.
I have a new tub of Putoline if anyone wants it for £20 posted?
Used it to wax one chain. Tried it, it’s not for me.
Pm sent
Why not Digger out of interest? Most folk love it, a few do not and I like data!
Just wasn't my sort of thing really...
I've decided to take the (hot waxey) plunge and have a tub of Putoline on the way. Going to my commuter and the wife's roadie first, then if all goes well all the bikes will get the treatment.
Never did buy a frier though, I'm planning on sticking the tub on a camping stove in the garage.
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FTW.
Unless you want to never use the camping stove again or want the excitement of 1kg of seriously hot wax balancing on a tiny base.
Never did buy a frier though, I’m planning on sticking the tub on a camping stove in the garage.
The fryer is what makes it work, IMO. I probably wouldn't do it if I had to have naked flames and a scary tin of boiling hot oil balanced on top. The fryer is specifically designed to keep a liquid at a certain temperature in a safe way.
There's also far less smoke if you use a fryer with an indirect element like Wally's and in fact most fryers, and hence less smell.
Also, I dunno about yours but my garage is packed full of flammable and inflammable things involving lots of volatile solvents, so I really don't want naked flames in there!
Yeah, I get the concern but the stove is one of this type:
https://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/258605-campingaz-camp-bistro-2-stove-mid-blue.html/
So it's not going to fall over. To be honest, the pan was to use it the first time and if I'm convinced, I'll probably get a fryer (can't see the one Wally's posted though, work internetz blocking it)
For balance, I've been using Putoline for a couple of years with one of the stoves IHN links, have used it for other things, up to and including camping, haven't died a fiery death, and, to the best of my knowledge, have not been directly implicated in the death of baby robins.
I used to do it on one of those stoves but a cheap frier really doesn't cost much more, and avoids running out of gas halfway through, which seemed to happen 5 times out of 3.
I just bung the tin on the cooker!
I have a new chain to do this week, will probably do it on the cooker.
Dumb question, from having done one chain so far: is it normal to have a huge amount of claggy black gunk on the chain after pulling it out of the tin and letting it cool? Is it just a case of wiping off that excess?
I do it wearing gloves and with a fryer, and find that if it's at about 140-150C a quick shake in the basket and flip it over and shake again is enough to get most of it off then wipe it with a rag whilst it's still warm.
If there's any excess it soon get's cleaned off by the drive chain.
As I said on here before, get a smaller tin, I found a 120mm dia. biscuit tin. Put about a 1/4 of the wax from the big tin in there & boiling it up takes a few minutes on a camping stove. The big tin is obviously for much larger motorbike chains. Easy peasey & no dodgy large quantities of boiling wax in an electrical appliance.
Nicko - maybe not hot enough? Its needs to be really runny. I hang the chain over the tin and the excess just drips off - leaves a bit on the outside which I wipe off
Is it just a case of wiping off that excess?
Yeah I hang mine up and wipe down with a rag thoroughly whilst it's still warm but before it cools all the way.
Easy peasey & no dodgy large quantities of boiling wax in an electrical appliance.
It's not dodgy when it's exactly what the appliance is designed to do!
OK, will give it a shot... Hopefully I can keep the stove clean enough not to have to move out when the wife sees it...
Tip
Wd 40 allow you to wipe it off the hob if you dribble
I do move the tin into my workshop tho which is right next to the kitchen
tjagain
Subscriber
I just bung the tin on the cooker!
**** me TJ ! You've been using the stuff for 10 years and MrsTJ STILL lets you get away with that shit. WTF does your house smell like ?
As above, I think the frier is what makes it easy.