Rust prevention on chain with drip-on wax

I’ve started using Effetto drip-on wax, runs very clean and easy to wash mud off. However, as much as I bounce the bike to shake water off and spin the chain through a rag to dry it, I’m ending up with rust spots on the cassette and chain. That’s even after reapplying the wax, because it only goes on the links and not the outer plates. My solution so far is to let it dry completely overnight to allow any rust to form, then spin the chain through a rag with a few drops of the wax on it.

I don’t want to spin the chain through a rag with WD40 or a dry lube on it as that seems to go against the wax idea of not having sticky oils on your chain. I’ve seen people use air compressors in their vans to dry off drivetrains but that’s some cost and hassle to even do at home. I wonder if one of those computer cleaning electric fan air dusters would do the job, but again it seems a bit excessive for a bike chain.

The chain and cassette are steel Shimano Deore 12spd, and I’m not terribly interested in using a different brand without HyperGlide etc.

Any tips?

I’ve been incredibly lazy when it comes to maintenance the last couple of years and in truth 😳 only lubed the chain twice in 2 years. But not a sign of rust, though I will do it this week, mainly just to get it cleanish and aid shifting.

I ride 365 in all weathers so it seems to work well.

Chain according to the bike specs is a Shimano CN-M6100

I find it is generally the steel chainring that causes the issue. Making sure that is dry and has a coating of lube helps. I use XT cassettes, and don’t seem to have the same issue there.

I’ve found that the solution is a better quality chain when using SRAM, which has the double benefit of lasting longer. Maybe Shimano is the same?

I’ve found this summer that using a dry lube has led to mor rusty chain moments.

I’ve switched back to an all conditions lube and it’s better again.

You’re using a water based wax, that will have virtually no rust prevention ability without additional ingredients, but they’re hard to carry onto the chain in a water based solution. Even where the wax is the rust can form underneath. I use Maxima wax, which contains Cinnamol. Not only does it smell like Starbucks at Christmas, cinnamol is also usefully a rust preventative and stays on the chain even in the worst conditions.

You could get a bottle of Bilt Hamber Atom-Mac and spray that on after a wet ride. I don’t think it would mess too badly with the wax, it’s not ‘oily’ and is also water based.

I use a pet blow-dryer on mine after cleaning the bike

Like @Kramer, the higher up the food chain I go when choosing SRAM chains, the less issue I have with them rusting. Plus the longevity of the top end SRAM stuff is off the scale. 

I don’t want to spin the chain through a rag with WD40 or a dry lube on it as that seems to go against the wax idea of not having sticky oils on your chain.

GT85 on a rag has been impeccable for me, in fact I tend to do it before AND after rides, perhaps just because I’m getting OCD.

It doesn’t leave any sort of sticky residue but keeps the chain clean on the outside (especially handy with Putoline or Squirt, less relevant with GLF wax) and keeps the worst of the rust spots at bay. What rust does form (e.g. if there was a water droplet left on a chainring tooth or something) is so superficial I don’t let it bother me.

only lubed the chain twice in 2 years. But not a sign of rust, though I will do it this week, mainly just to get it cleanish and aid shifting.

I ride 365 in all weathers so it seems to work well.

Indoor cycling?

I find it is generally the steel chainring that causes the issue. Making sure that is dry and has a coating of lube helps. I use XT cassettes, and don’t seem to have the same issue there.

Chainring or chain? My entire drivetrain is steel, as are the smaller cogs on XT cassettes. The drying, and lubing with something that isn’t oily and sticky, is what I need to work out.

I’ve found that the solution is a better quality chain when using SRAM, which has the double benefit of lasting longer. Maybe Shimano is the same?

You get Sil-Tec low friction surface treatment in more places on them as you go up the range, which might well help with rust.

I use Maxima wax

Hardly see this mentioned outside of motorbike circles. It’s been around at least 20 years. Is there a good reason it isn’t more popular?

I use a pet blow-dryer on mine after cleaning the bike

I’d looked at air dusters but heat sounds like a useful addition from something like that or a hair dryer.

GT85 on a rag has been impeccable for me, in fact I tend to do it before AND after rides, perhaps just because I’m getting OCD.

It doesn’t leave any sort of sticky residue but keeps the chain clean on the outside (especially handy with Putoline or Squirt, less relevant with GLF wax) and keeps the worst of the rust spots at bay. What rust does form (e.g. if there was a water droplet left on a chainring tooth or something) is so superficial I don’t let it bother me.

Didn’t realise it was non-sticky, always thought it would be just like WD40. May well be what I need.

Are people overcomplicating things with this new fangled waxing?

Ride bike, maybe wash it, more often not though. If it’s wet, WD40. Lube before every ride.

Got well over 1500 miles on my ebike chain before it started causing problems.

Are people overcomplicating things with this new fangled waxing?

For me, it’s night and day better in keeping the drivetrain clean.

Are people overcomplicating things with this new fangled waxing?

Apart from this small amount of surface rust issue (which could probably be safely ignored), it’s actually simpler because the drivetrain can just be rinsed clean with water. This is specifically about drip-on waxes which you apply just like a lube. Another simplification is you don’t need to wipe excess lube off with a rag.

Got well over 1500 miles on my ebike chain before it started causing problems.

That sounds like using it beyond the wear threshold, meaning it’d be prematurely wearing away the cassette and chainring.

I use squirt on my bike and an x0 chain with a gx cassette, no rust 

Are people overcomplicating things with this new fangled waxing?

Yes – for well over a decade I have been taking chains off, dumping them in the tin of melted putoline, taking them out to cool, wiping and putting back on the bike.  1000+ miles on the road.  Hundreds offroad.  massive chain life.  A £35 tin lasts a decade

Hardly see this mentioned outside of motorbike circles. It’s been around at least 20 years. Is there a good reason it isn’t more popular?

The bike stuff was very hard to buy in the UK up until last year. We’ve been selling/using it for years but I had to buy it from an MX wholesaler and was ordering stuff well in advance so they could bring it in for me sometimes. The wax isn’t as thick as the MX stuff and not spray on either, its much more like the Effetto with a runny drip on consistency. The big difference is that it has an ear wax colour and consistency that I guess maybe people don’t like. It does kind of look dirty and doesn’t flake off like other brands do. The real issue is that if you add anything to it it turns to a sticky mess, so its a proper one lube only option. It also suffers from the wax element hardening out of the solvent over time in the bottle, so I would advise warming an old bottle up to melt the wax back into the solution every now and again or you’re just getting a bottle of solvent & cinnamol.

Done right though it lasts ages, repels rust (even on shimano chains which are notorious for rust), and gives a lovely quiet ride that is actually clean, even if it looks a bit dirty.

I’m just going to go with a microfibre rag and be a bit more thorough. If that doesn’t work then it’ll be GT85 on a rag.

The other options seem quite a bit of hassle, time consuming, and/or expense. As much as I’d love to justify an air compressor. I think that’d be ideal and quick, blow the water off rather than evaporate it using low pressure heated air from a hair dryer.

And I might try the Maxima stuff next, especially if some positive reviews or user reports come up about it.

@benpinnick

Is this the Maxima stuff you’re using?

https://www.denniswinter.com/off-road-c1/oils-liquids-c125/maxima-chain-wax-parafilm-formula-chain-lube-118ml-p239829

Yes, although I wish it still had that bottle 😉 The new one while similar has a child proof cap that becomes everyone proof after a while.

https://www.denniswinter.com/off-road-c1/oils-liquids-c125/maxima-assembly-lube-114ml-p239240 This stuff is also amazing for assembly of threaded things like pedals into cranks.

@bikesandboots the simple solution is to not run shimano chains. They are the worst for rusting. X01 or better SRAM chains are where its at. I like the black XX1 personally, although I am currently using shimano for my sins.

👍

the simple solution is to not run shimano chains

May well be worth forgoing the HyperGlide+ for that next time then.

My optimal drivetrain is becoming quite a mongrel:

• Deore cassette – for the Shimano lower ratios, and steel big cogs given they wear first
• X01 chain – doesn’t rust
• Deore (or M5100) mech – full steel cage, cheap
• XT shifter – for the double-upshift
• Any non-XTR chainring – steel ring for longevity but alu carrier, fits 24mm BBs leaving space for big bearings

https://www.denniswinter.com/off-road-c1/oils-liquids-c125/maxima-assembly-lube-114ml-p239240 This stuff is also amazing for assembly of threaded things like pedals into cranks.

I definitely don’t need this, but what’s the benefit over any thin grease? Just that it’s a liquid rather than a grease or spray, thus not getting your finger dirty or overspray drifting onto brakes?

I expect 300-400 deg C would bugger up a chain, but would be interesting to try on an old one.

I asked Effetto, they said after letting the wax dry, run the chain through a clean cloth so it spreads the excess wax over the outer surfaces of the chain, ready to protect against rust the next time it gets wet. They say this is a benefit of Flowerpower being a bit more greasy and soft than the other drip-on waxes.

So I’ve got an X01 chain and an X01 cassette and I still get surface rust appearing on the cassette in between the teeth after a wet ride. Is it likely to be from the chainring then? Or is it just road contaminants? 

I asked Effetto, they said after letting the wax dry, run the chain through a clean cloth so it spreads the excess wax over the outer surfaces of the chain, ready to protect against rust the next time it gets wet. They say this is a benefit of Flowerpower being a bit more greasy and soft than the other drip-on waxes.

No longer having rust problems.

I did the spreading they suggested once or twice. Presumably by now enough has made its way off the chain to cover the cassette and chainring. I just bounce the bike dry, backspin the cranks a few times in a mid gear to fling water out of the cassette, and store it indoors as usual.

KMC EPT chains don’t rust.

Put one on a mate’s commuter bike several years ago. He rarely washed or lubed his but it stayed shiny throughout.

They do E-Bike versions now too. Just fitted one.

I use Rex Black Diamond Hot wax, and live in an area where they spray salt solution on the roads in the wintertime. I have noticed that only top-end chains that have some kind of durable coating can survive these conditions, waxed without rusting. For Shimano I think XT / XTR 11-12 speed chains, but I think their 10-speed chains do not have similar treatments and they always rust in these conditions.

For SRAM, top end chains have surface treatments and work well with waxes.

Lower end chains inevitably rust when only waxed – high end ones work well, I only rinse them with water after riding in road salt.

For my single speed, I have used stainless steel chains, I am not sure which model it is because it was a re-branded chain, but I am pretty sure it was originally made by KMC. It says “SS” on the sideplates for stainless steel. That chain is awesome when waxed, it looks brand new after a couple thousand with just periodical rinsing and re-wax after some 800 km.