Like I said before, I was pleased with how the wax performed over the summer. It didn’t pick up dirt, ran smoothly and lasted well. It’s winter conditions and a bit of proper wet weather that seem to be causing problems for me now.

KCR – I do not disbelieve you – I am just trying to understand the difference in our experiences. 1000 miles winter commuting for me until I needed to redo it. 1/10th that for you. What is the factor that causes this?

Chain is waxed and refitted to the bike. Assuming the post-ride cleaning process is as simple as some are stating I’d have no problem doing this after every ride, so if it lasts longer that’s a bonus. Smells bloody awful when hot though.

1000 miles winter commuting for me

Isn’t your commute a mile? You must like an OT shift!

doomaniac – run it thru a cloth a good few turns to take excess of the outside – helps stop it staining your clothes.

No beer – previous commute. Much longer.

run it thru a cloth a good few turns to take excess of the outside – helps stop it staining your clothes.

I do this when it’s still warm and hanging up. Less black on the outside of the chain – and that black can flake off and get on your jockey wheels etc. But even then nowhere near as bad as wet lube gunk.

Yeah, I wiped the outside down while it was still hot.

Picked up a DFF in Asda on the way home yesterday and got a tin of Putoline coming, this had better be EPIC molgrips, TJ and TINAS!

It’s winter conditions and a bit of proper wet weather that seem to be causing problems for me now.

Yea, it does seem odd though, it obviously doesn’t last as long in winter as it does in summer, but it always seems to last longer than I’d expect anything else to.

Usually this time of year I’d count anything left at the end of a CX ride as being better than nothing. The only time I’ve completely stripped it was at “that” Gorrick enduro at Swinley where it did only last 10 miles (but so did a brand new chain and cassette and a set of sintered brake pads, and everyone quit).

davosaurus rex. If you don’t get on with it I will buy it off you

Tj- maybe you should set up a mail order Putoline chain waxing service!

“Roadies, gravellists, Mtbers, send me your chains,
I want to wax drivetrains, not oil’em”

with apologies to Bill Shakespeare

😉

I’ve been using Putoline in a DFF for 3 or so years. Always been happy with the level of lubrication I’m getting. Regarding temperatures and flammability… I once left mine plugged in and running by accident for about 2 hours and nothing untoward happened. Trainer Road Podcast also say that a waxed chain will save you 2 or 3 watts so I’m in….

Starting reading this thread about “to clean or not to clean” I used to wax mine in slow cooker, was told no cleaning necessary. After a few goes, I tipped the chilled wax out of the cooker and there was a nice black layer on the bottom which I split off and put the cleaner top section back in for reuse. Dunno if that works with putoline.

Is it supposed to boil when the chain is in?

NO!

It should go nice and runny, you see convection currant in it and occasional bubbles

Only if the chains got excess water on it. Then it goes crazy and covers your workbench in horrible boiling putoline foam.

A bit like you should never put wet chips in a fryer, or pour water on a burning chip pan.

Also if it’s still got solvent cleaner on it, it’ll flash off very fast. Don’t think it does any harm.

🙁 I’ll turn down the gas a bit. Chain was probably damp too.

Buy a DFF, makes it a piece of piss.

Says the bloke who only got his setup working two days ago…

Will the National Grid be ready for the sudden surge as all the Putoline DFFs start coming on stream!

Edit: 100. Always wanted to do that!!

Is it supposed to boil when the chain is in?…probably damp

Yeh, put a wet chain in and it all goes a bit chip-pan

I’ve just done my first two chain, in a cheap DFF. Melts easily enough, I did about 150C, for about 20 mins with a bit of jiggling.

The MTB chain had been cleaned before, the one off my Brompton hasn’t been cleaned other than a run through an oily rag every now and then.

It seems dead easy but I’m not impressed yet with the finish, it hasn’t (to quote TJ)

The molten wax cleans the chain. It will remove all traces of oil and dirt. the wax will stick to an oiled chain

there’s still quite a bit of gritty stuff on the inner plates (you know, the narrower links)

What do you reckon? Hotter? Longer? More agitation? or is that some of the graphite in the mix, and not grit?

Will run on the MTB tomorrow and see what it comes back like, if necessary do a proper clean and then rewax.

I de-greased first time by putting the chain in a box with a lid and some alcohol and shaking it a lot. This cleaned all the crap off the inner plates. Then on subsequent cleanings, it didn’t have the crud accumulation in the same way.

So I’d say de-grease thoroughly first.

Its ten years since I treated a chain with other lube on it – sorry. Must be your previous lube did not dissolve in the molten wax. 20 mins is loads of time to have it in there

Did my MTB chain this afternoon. As above it is now a bit black on the inner link plates but as the wax is black surely this is normal? Also as it sets black in the DFF then how are people seeing a dark layer of grit/dirt on the bottom after it’s been used for a while?
Ran a rag over the outer plates lightly a couple of times while it was drying but still quite a lot of dried bits sticking out at jaunty angles, I’m assuming most of this will flake off with a bit of riding. What I will say is that it’s never felt smoother or quieter when I had a spin round the block, the drivetrain on the ebike has always been particularly noisy. If it lasts well and doesn’t get too mucky I’ll be made up. Hoping for a ground frost tonight and an early race the thaw home ride in the morning,

likewise; chain’s back on the bikes and they do seem to be running smoothly, albeit only in the workstand. It’s a bit harder doing up the QL though, will have to remember to clean down the ends a bit more next time.

The only other issue encountered so far is that apparently I shouldn’t have used the big spoon out of our salad serving set / wedding gift to get the wax out of the tin. Ah well……

Haha, I was going to do similar but my wife caught me so used a garden trowel instead, probably wiser!

but still quite a lot of dried bits sticking out at jaunty angles,

I hang my chain up over the tin for excess to drip off – you don’t get the bits left on it.

I did that and wiped it down twice. DFF at 140, nice and liquid. Cold in the garage though, not much dripped off after the initial run off when I lifted it out of the basket.

Oh well – I am now feeling both nervous and guilty hoping you all like it!

I’m not expecting it to be as clean as Squirt or Smoove though, I’d gathered that from photos on here. Much as I love a clean drivetrain I hate grinding noises more so if it stays smooth for a decent length of time and doesn’t get completely filthy that’ll do me

Fingers crossed I’ll be out on mine tomorrow.

Have been watching this with interest. My road commute has been filthy recently and I’m getting tired of having to clean everything after every ride (I don’t ride every day, but it’s 80km when I do. Plenty long enough to get the bike filthy)

So is £30 about right for a tin of Puteline wax?

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/238292

I paid £25 via Amazon, so yes, about right.

Sounds a lot but you get a lot and if it works and lasts as well as others say it’ll be way cheaper, even with the outlay on the deep fat fryer, than bottle and bottles of lube.

And it ran pretty smooth and is still very waxy after today’s mucky 20 mile MTB ride.

Thanks!

I am very very sorry chaps – Even I am getting tired of this now
*hangs head in shame*

TJ – me and my ridding neighbors have just pitched in for a 1L DFF and a tin of the good stuff based on the back of this thread.

Will report back too!