can you tell some easy methods i got a gear cycle from 91 its budget bike cant spend much time and money on waxing or other quality lubs . can i use motul c2

Nihal, motul is meant for motorcycles, it will be too viscous for your bike chain, so I would definitely not recommend it. You could try Looplube which is a good lubricant that's made in India, and is cheaper than the others.

@@TheIndianCyclist thanks

Coming from you Vishu, that means a lot! Thank you very much for the compliment, and for the great thumbnail idea (though my wife didn't enjoy the 100 photos we took to get it just right :P)

@@TheIndianCyclist saw this video because of the cycle rider roy

I owe him more than half the views here :) welcome to the channel and I hope you enjoy my other videos too!

Fak

Glad to subscribe this channel. Thanks Vishu and Super Kudos to TIC🙌🏾 What a presenter TIC 👍🏽 Fan now 😄

Thank you very much! I spent a lot of time watching pretty much everything out there on waxing before honing in on this technique :) Do share this video, and let me know how your waxing experience goes!

I actually look forward to waxing and I've now increased my frequency to waxing every 200 km. I've started just wiping down the obvious bits of grease from the chain, and then dumping it in the wax, which I change about every 5 waxes (about 1000 km). So what I do is use as little wax in the bath as possible, I'm managing with batches of 150gms at at time. Glad you enjoyed the video, please share!

So good to hear this, thank you for the validation!

Loved reading this RG, do come back and let us know how it turned out, both short and long term experience!

A lot of stuff works. How well they work, or good they are in comparison to bike specific products, is another matter. Factors to be considered are: 1) How long it will last (time between applications) 2) How efficient it is 3) How much grime it will attract (big aspect) 4) How much it will protect your chain / components from wear I'm seeing opinions on sewing machine oil swing both ways, but mostly negative - I'm glad it works for you!

May be this will help everyone who have such misconceptions kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rdCAndJ4qs-2p4U.html

Thank you for your kind words Nirmal, really appreciate it. Do share with your cycling buddies!

It really is. I've been wanting to try it for ages and now I'll never go back to lube! What I love is how clean the chain and drivetrain remains :)

@@TheIndianCyclist One quick doubt.., with waxing, Near Chain rollers/sliders where Metals come in contact with sprockets, in absence of any fluid, Isn't chance of wearing metal higher?

Good question - those parts of your chain would have wax on them, which would remain just there, just like the oil does, protecting the chain and components. Based on your riding conditions, as long as you rewax at the right interval (as mentioned in the video) your drivetrain should last a lot longer that it would if you were using something like muc-off.

@@TheIndianCyclist ok, that's clears it. The thin layer of wax between metals in contact, should help🤗🤗

Thanks Pranav, this was actually the first time I had waxed the MTB chain - but yeah, this is exactly the reaction you'll get when people see your drivetrain. It does easier with time though.

I hope you found the video useful!

"Not popular with mother" - LOL. So interesting that this has been a thing for motorcycles too, from decades ago - I had no idea! Doesn't look like Castrol still sells that stuff :(

@@TheIndianCyclist A Google search suggests that Putoline still makes it. IIRC the motorbike wax is a bit stickier than straight paraffin wax. Probably because on motorbikes the eternal challenge is to keep the lube on the chain while the sprockets are doing insane rpm. Has anybody ever come up with a 'constant drip' chain oiler for bicycles like they have for motorbikes (cf. Scottoiler)?

Thank you for the support Partha, welcome to the channel!

@@TheIndianCyclist ❤️❤️

Thank you very much for the kind words Nitish! Do let me know how it goes when you try it!

Wow Somesh, thank you for that really detailed write up, I'm so happy someone actually wrote back with their experience! Since you are sold on the technique (yay!) do get an electric cooker. They are cheap and make things a whole lot easier, and safer too, of course. Now coming to your graphite mix - do you mean PTFE, or something else? Also, that's a _lot_ of graphite - in the ratio of 1:4 as opposed to 1:10 or even lower that the Ceramic Speed formula uses - where did you come up with this ratio?

@@TheIndianCyclist thanks for your reply. Yes, a dedicated double boiler is next on the list for me. So i will be using that from now on. No, I couldn’t get my hands on PTFE powder so i took the next best thing i could find. Graphite. Graphite is an excellent dry lubricant, Oz cycling actually mentions it in his ptfe recipe video. Graphite is the same stuff used in pencils but that graphite has a few additives in it to make it harder. I bought research grade (or laboratory grade) graphite with 99.4% purity with 1 micron particles. I didnt actually come up with any ratio tbh. Initially i intended to use the liquid wax as a an agent to get the graphite into the links so i started with 1 tablespoon. It didn’t work, the graphite didnt get into the links. Then i was like, “okay f##k it, imma dump the whole thing in” and surprisingly that worked brilliantly. As long as u agitate the molten wax and graphite very well with a spoon before dumping the chain in, it works excellent. The graphite gets into the links and the end result is a deathly quiet and clean waxed chain.

What about using Microcrystalline Wax instead of Paraffin Wax? According to Wikipedia, It is generally darker, more viscous, denser, tackier and more elastic than paraffin waxes, and has a higher molecular weight and melting point. The elastic and adhesive characteristics of microcrystalline waxes are related to the non-straight chain components which they contain. Typical microcrystalline wax crystal structure is small and thin, making them more flexible than paraffin wax. It does look like Microcrystalline Wax is a bit more expensive then Paraffin Wax but I wonder if it would function better in wet weather.

Thanks Jovin, I try to do this for all my bikes. Have not been disappointed so far!

Thank you, Vinay! Very few LBS will take on waxing, but boy, do they do a fantastic job with cleaning or what ... every time I would pick up my bike from a service, it's like they put a new chain on it! A fair number of them use petrol to get most of the grime off. Before waxing, I would lube every 300 km, and degrease every 600ish - using Loopwipe to degrease is better than nothing. What do you use?

Thank you Anish, much appreciated! Please share it with your cycling community :)

Thank you, Mark! Please do me a favor and share it with your cycling community!

Glad you liked it, please share with your cycling community if possible. Thanks!

Glad you found it useful Jagannath, do share it with your cycling buddies!

@@TheIndianCyclist yup sure ❤️

Thanks Brian! How long have you been waxing your chains? Curious to know how long they've lasted in your experience.

@@TheIndianCyclist I've been waxing my chains for about a year. But it's hard to say if longevity has been enhanced. I ride 2-3 few different bikes. Mostly old bikes. As in, a 20 year-old Cannondale XS800 crosser, and a teenage RZ120. Both of those have had long delayed drive train upgrades in the last year. Nothing fancy -- Shimano Deore 11-speed kit. It's more than enough for hammering around Hong Kong, and a 51T cassette will get me up almost any hill! The chains were waxed from the start, so I'm hoping I'll get decent life out of them. My mountain bike has a 12-speed XT drive train, which was more expensive, and new chains and cassettes cost a packet. So I'm running two chains that I swap out for cleaning. I should probably be running three chains in rotation to spread out the wear to the max. In any case, having a spare you can just pop on, and the leisure to clean the dirty one as-and-when there is time means there's no reason to put off a quick bit of chain maintenance. I've found waxing easy and fairly quick after the initial prep. It's also cheap. Almost free in my case. I had an old rice cooker that is perfect for the job. And I salvaged the wax from a bag of Ikea tea light candles we bought years ago. My inner Scotsman has seldom been happier! I advise anyone who is serious about their bikes to get a cheap cooker and some candles from Ikea and give waxing a go. If they can't spare the time, just deep clean their chain once, then use a wax-based liquid lube. Cheers!

Mark, how does the teflon powder affect the cleaning process? I recall seeing Oz touch on this aspect - he said it "gets everywhere" (which I realize is the point) ... but then I didn't fancy trying to get the fine powder out of the grooves if I wanted to clean the chain. Does that matter - does it get dirty and need to be cleaned out?

Thank you for the compliment Rohit, always special from a fellow creator. Glad you found the video useful - do share with your network as well!

@@TheIndianCyclist sure

Thank you, Carlos, I really appreciate that. Please do me a favor and share it with your friends and groups you'd think would find it useful!

Than you, Al, am really happy to hear you enjoyed the video (glad you found it despite being buried on the Solitary group!) I always assumed an ultrasonic cleaner was good only for the final cleaning stage, to get the small bits of gunk out - didn't realize it could replace the scrubbing step too, this is good to know. Do you already wax your chain?

ultrasonic cleaner is TOTAL OVERKILL lol. It is just a bicycle chain remember. Ultrasonic cleaning has been made popular by people who charge people to clean their chains for them. ZFC claims his chains are superior yet when he took I KOM from me going full gas I EASILY got it back first go. Moral of the story strongest rider wins not who was OCD over the top about how they cleaned their chain before dipping it in expensive candle wax lol.

Andrew, great question, but you'll have to ask Steve! You've commented on my (Brian's) waxing video :D

:D nice to see it noticed - it's actually an SRP775. I almost bought an SXK007 years prior, but went with an Orient Ray 2 instead.

@@TheIndianCyclist sorry, was watching it on 240p. The dial with the triangular 12 o clock marker gave me the impression that it is seiko’s iconic dive watch that you are wearing. Anyhow, its a nice watch. Seikos are awesome automatic pieces for what they charge. Wait a second- isnt the srp 775 also affectionately called the seiko turtle?

Totally agree on Seiko's value - just right. Yes, this is the turtle - I really like its somewhat retro looks!

Thank you Jim - all the best for your waxing journey!

Thank you very much, glad you liked it - do share with your cycling friends!

Curious - why are you trying motor oil, we are trying to get away from oil! (Perhaps I don't understand what you mean by motor oil) I have seen "paraffin oil" being used (though I don't really think that's necessary)

@@TheIndianCyclist I saw a guy claiming he had success with it.

@@theblackspark2644 Well, he is mistaken: Any oil prevents the wax from sticking to the metal. I use 90% wax and 10% 1.5 micron PTFE -small enough to prevent it clumping- (both by weight, not Avogadro's number) I either pour hot water on the chain for a light cleaning (removed and in a colander) or boil it for 90 seconds, for a deep cleaning (any more time and things can rust) and I immediately use an air nozzle to blow it dry. Not everyone waxes the same way ( How I degrease a new chain: 20% simple green and agitate 5 minutes, no more -it is corrosive-, soapy water for a few and shake, water in a container and shake, blow dry, gasoline -diesel is oily- for at least overnight, methylated spirits -aka denatured alcohol- for, at least overnight) , but those that do all agree, if for no other reason, it is worth it just to keep pants and legs free of chain oil

Glad you found the video useful Steven, thanks!

Thank you Arkadeep, do share with your cycling buddies! I know some people use kerosene to clean their chains, but I haven't tried it myself. Between kerosene and petrol, I'd lean towards petrol. Remember to wash it off when done cleaning.

@@TheIndianCyclist thanks 👍🏼😊

I think for extremely wet, it might not be good as wax isn't a good protector against rust. It will work well if you rewax immediately after each ride though!

Glad you enjoyed it :D

These are great questions! 1) Correct - no additional lubrication is required. Waxing replaces the use of oil based lubricants. 2) I used to do 300 k intervals earlier, 200 in a bid to extend the lifespan of my chain further. I'm not sure how to tell by looking at the chain, but you should be able to tell by the sound the chain makes and the reduced smoothness of your ride. I will admit that I've never really reached these points, so I can't share more details. It is definitely more work than lubing, but it gets quite easy with practice, and some riders even have two chains that they keep swapping onto the bike. Ride a pre-waxed chain while you have much more time to wax the other at your leisure. 3) Yes, the chain should last you much longer (reportedly 3-5 times the time), and consequently this increases the lifespan of your cassette and crankset too. There are many variables here, so I wouldn't say that this is guaranteed. Personally, even if I get exactly the same lifespan as I'd get with lube, I really love not having a gunked up, greasy drivetrain (which I used to have all the time). 4) If your ride goes beyond your waxing interval, you could still ride some more until you feel additional friction / loss of efficiency / squeaks, etc. At this point the right solution would be to use a top up WAX based lube like Squirt lube (there are several others). If you use an oil based lube instead - that will work just fine for your ride, but you would have to clean your chain thoroughly prior to your next waxing. 5) I cant' say I've used turpentine myself, but I have heard of it being used. The problem is that the chemical composition of "turpentine" differs from country to country. We can't be sure that the "turpentine" in the UK is the same as the "turpentine" in India - so articles / anecdotes from other countries may not apply to yours. Hope this helps!

@@TheIndianCyclistThank you so much for the response! I can use something like squirt (wax based) lube to top up I guess. Which de greaser would you recommend?

For deep cleaning, I still use the Mineral Spirits and Denatured Alcohol combo I mentioned in this video. However, you could use Petrol too, it really is very strong (but do it in an open area) followed by Isopropyl alcohol for the final stage. For a spray-on degreaser (which I use for my cassette and crankset occasionally), I use Loopwipe, really happy with that product too.

Glad you found it useful Kien - do share onward!

Thank you for the support, much appreciated! 1) KMC Chains - I have never heard of them not accepting a wax coating. I see no reason why they should be different form other chains in this regard. 2) You definitely need to go further than cleaning with degreaser the first time. You really do have to soak the chain in something like Petrol or Mineral Spirits, even if brand new to remove the packing grease. 3) Yes, you can use this if your chain is worn, though I'd also look at whether the chain is too worn to use (you seem to have some cassette damage based on your note about the chain skipping - not sure if you could just replace a bad cog or two!) 4) When you use multiple chains, you actually switch much more frequently. Like wax both chains, then swap to chain #2 after waxing interval, and wax chain #1 in the meanwhile. After next 300 km, swap back to chain #1 - this is mostly beneficial when people want a chain they can use immediately even if they don't have the time to wax right then. If you have the time, you might as well use a single chain until its too worn - then move to a new chain. All the best with your waxing journey, and welcome to the channel!

It's a longer version of what's in this video already, but will consider putting it out separately too :) Thanks for asking!

Thanks Sahil, so ... are you going to give it a shot? :)

@@TheIndianCyclist yes I totally believe in effort saved in keeping good drive chain and ultra smooth crank, bottom bracket. Effort saved when you are really pumping on inclines is noticeable

Would be really interested in hearing how your experience goes. Let me know if you want to do it together.

You hit the nail on the head - Turpentine means different things everywhere (here in India, it's definitely not the same as MS), and I really can't say what NZ Turpentine is! In fact, I'm not too sure that the MS we have here is the same as the MS that was recommended in the OZ cycling videos. If not a problem, Petrol is actually pretty good - I think it will be a lot stronger than MS too, though you need to ensure you work with it outdoors. BTW. according to Wikipedia - White spirit = mineral turpentine in AU/NZ, so I think you could definitely try it - if you do, please let us know how it turned out. Thank you for stopping by!

@@TheIndianCyclist petrol is much more difficult for me to get [because of the container] turps is easy, just grab some from the hardware store. Turps is apparently made from pine trees?! Let's see what happens eh... 😎

I know what you mean, sometimes it's easy, but my last litre was siphoned out of my motorbike :) Petrol or Turps, if you go back far enough, it's all from the trees :D Awaiting your feedback :)

Petrol first is good. WD40, I really don't think so- you could get IPA for 150-200 a litre, I think that might be both better and cheaper. And yes, it bugged me to no end that I forgot to wash the degreaser off - I realized this only mid way on a ride and it bugged me to no end! Good spot :)

Somesh, I honestly don't know. If you are using additives, I would stick to what Oz cycle says (the PTFE) or the Molten Speed wax / ceramic speed published formulations. The video description has a bunch of links that should point you in the right direction.

Thank you Shantanu, appreciate the support!

Thanks Sudeep! Mineral Spirits I bought in Pune from a store named P.H. Gandhi - they were the only store in Pune to have it, and the alternative would be to just use Petrol or a bike specific deg-reaser (muc-off drivetrain cleaner, park tool chain brite, etc.). For a master link, you can contact Kerman Framna at: 8793327515 - this will be the most economical way to get quality master links in India. Please let me know if you have any other queries.

@@TheIndianCyclist Much obliged for your detailed reply. I hope you go on to make more great videos. Looking forward to more ride videos of Goa!

@@TheIndianCyclist Bought the master links! Great service! Got it in two days flat!

Glad to hear you managed to get the links. New Goa video (around Aldona) coming tomorrow, I hope!

@@TheIndianCyclist According to wikipedia, mineral spirits is nothing but paint thinner. Can someone more knowledgeable comment?

I wouldn't think so - some parts are not lubed, like cassettes for instance. Frames are protected with wax coating, but that's quite different from what we're talking about here. Bolts and cables are too "tight fitting" for them to work with wax on (or for the wax to remain on).

Interesting question - perhaps not so much if you exclusively ride a particular chain on the trainer. The big benefit of waxing is keeping the drivetrain clean, which indirectly affects your component lifespan (less "stuff" to grind against them). If riding indoors, it's not likely to get that dirty even if oil is used, so perhaps not significant benefit here. The main benefit of waxing then becomes efficiency and cost savings, and that's something you'll have to take call on, based on the type of lube you regularly use.

Good question Tejas. Theoretically, these are supposed to be single use, but practically I have never had them break on me and have reused a single link dozens of times. If you check international forums, most people say that they reuse the links as well. You can get some spares to carry with you if you're worried about this.

Good question. Would depend on how wet you're making the bike. If you're going to pour buckets of water on the bike, or use a hose / pressure washer, I would recommend removing the chain, with the right tools and a bit of practice, it's a quick and easy process.

Can you also help me learn, how would u suggest to clean the bike with waxed chain, jst wipe clean?

Pravin, whether the chain is waxed or not shouldn't affect how you wash the bike. You'll find that the bike stays cleaner because of the waxed chain attracting less dirt, but every now and then you should give the bike a thorough wash (see other videos on bike cleaning for this). I tend to use that as an opportunity to rewax the chain as well, so i have to remove the chain anyway.

Thanks for the reply and gr8 explanation on the process

Good question, Phil. Your option would be to use a top up chain wax like Squirt, or you can make some yourself, as you can see in the latest video on Oz Cycle's (@stevenleffanue) channel. I will say that Squirt does not keep your chain as clean as our technique does (but better than oil-based lubes for sure), and I have not tried "making" the top-up wax Steven describes. Important: In my video I recommended a 300 km interval, not 300 miles. Additionally, I think you might achieve better results (in longevity at least) if you increase that frequency to every 200 - 250 km, if you can manage it! Hope this helps.

Santhosh, unfortunately I'm a complete zero at shock maintenance! I can recommend Cycle Rider Roy's video on this subject though: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pMudd7qByJbcYps.html Thank you for asking, I appreciate it!

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, it does get a bit dry - I would check how you feel and what sound it makes. Does it feel inefficient, or is it squeaking a lot (i.e. no lube type sound?). If yes, then that's a problem. Are you keeping the chain immersed in the cooling wax for about 5 to 10 minutes before pulling it out?

Good question. Yes, it would. This is why it's important to wax soon after cleaning, and don't leave it hanging for hours. This applies for oil based lube too - you'd need to do it soon after washing the chain.

An easy way to reduce the amount of gunk on a chain would be to use a bike specific dry lube, and not general cycle / motorcycle grease. This will still leave the chain quite dirty in time, but it's better than grease for sure. Waxing would be the best at keeping your chain super clean - you have to be interested in doing it. Also, the Axn Dx chain is not likely to have a master link, so you will have to remove an existing link and replace it with that if you'd like to wax frequently. Hope this helps!

Among all the big brands, it's hard to beat Polygon's value. I think the Cascade 4 would be a fine bike at that price point. For example, the Scott Aspect 780 is around 32K, but several components are not as good as the Cascade 4.

Parth, they say it's not reusable, but in my experience, everyone who waxes reuses the master link. I am actively reusing mine too - been about 1500 km on my new chain. You can also buy spare links and perhaps replace the master link every 2K km, or you can carry a pair with you - please contact Kerman Framna on Whatsapp: 8793327515 who is much more affordable than what you can get on portals for stuff like this.

@@TheIndianCyclist thx so so much on the border of Deciding whether to wax or not Another question:- OZ cycle recommends three degreaser baths, first in petrol, then in degreaser and then in Methylated spirits/paint thinner what's your opinion on this

Good question - it depends on how much water you're using and the intensity of the wash. I don't think the wax will come off, but as I said in the video, waxed chains are more prone to rusting - if you get the chains sufficiently wet, you should rewax it. So make a judgement call and perhaps remove the chain if you're giving the bike a serious wash.

Not sure if i did in the video, but normally I do if required, and with a waxed chain, that's not very often.

I use a Shimano chain, here are a couple of options for 7 speed chains with master links: Shimano Acera chain: bit.ly/3I26pVR / Shimamo Tourney: bit.ly/3CLxjgB (cheaper). KMC and SRAM chains are just fine as well. I would recommend sticking to these brands. Good luck!

You are too kind Mano, way too kind - thank you :)

Because it isn't mainstream yet, a very small minority of cyclists will use wax. If you search for, 'pre waxed chain', you'll find a few companies that do provide them, like Molten Speed Wax for instance. Probably significantly more expensive though.

Pedaling and shifting is smooth, but just on feel, I can't say I'd be able to detect a smoothness difference as long as your lubed chain is clean the drivetrain is not gunky.

@@TheIndianCyclist Do you feel is there a need for us to lube our cables,if yes what type of lube should be used.

@@naturesfriend1518 yes, I believe you do need to lube your cables, but I have never done this myself. I leave it to the bike store to do when getting a service (usually about every 1000-1500 km). So I can't recommend a lube or technique for this, sorry!

@@TheIndianCyclist no worries, thanks for responding.

The arrow was facing left, which is the correct direction when joining the chain on the lower side (can be seen at 8:50) :) As a lubricant, the effectiveness of wax has been scientifically and practically proven - not sure what you mean by, "no mechanical function" - do elaborate, thanks!

Sorry Anurag, I don't know off hand - I've come across a few people who have managed to source it in bulk though, and are spreading it between a few cyclists. I'm still not using any additives personally. If you find a good source, please post here!

@@TheIndianCyclist recently I contacted a chemical factory owner he told me that he could provide 5kg packing

Wow, 5 KG is a lot! Probably quite expensive too - you got to make sure it's what you need (I'm not sure if grain size and purity, etc. can vary). If you don't mind sharing, how much did he quote for 5KG?

Haha - yeah man, I worked hard on that thumbnail! Unfortunately, looking at the stats, not many people are clicking it, so forced to try some variations without my acting attempts :)

@@TheIndianCyclist This video deserves a lot more views. I'll share it wherever possible. ... If not now content like this will be searched in the future when waxing become more mainstream.

I should be more careful - can't remember what I said exactly but it's probably 300 "Indian" bucks (Rupees), or about $4 :)

@@TheIndianCyclist thank you haha yes it makes more sense!

Unfortunately I don't have a reliable source for this - I haven't used it myself. If you're just starting waxing, I would recommend trying without it first, you could add it later.

'Indian' bucks (INR) :) So about $4 to $5 for a kilo.

LOL. Damn, a lost joke opportunity!

Glad you found it funny :) credits to Cycle Rider Roy for the fantastic idea!

Which comment!? :)

An apt question. LOL

Thank you very much for your support Santosh, I see you found my Instagram details :) Please share these videos with your cycling buddies!

@@TheIndianCyclist done bro 🥳🥳

Sorry bro, if I try Hindi, it will change from a cycling video to a comedy video :)

Depends on why you're doing it. If you're on a really long ride or can't rewax for some reason, sure, it works. However don't expect it to be as dirt free as your immersion waxed chain, nor as efficient. I was hoping squirt would give similar results, but it doesn't.