I guess you should always measure under the same condition (I would always measure the perfectly clean chain)

simply measure at the end of a ride after a quick wipe of the chain.

Either method works great, really up to the time and $ investment you want to make up front, and how often you want to fire up the crockpot!

Use a cord or something to connect you chainring to your crank. Now you can backpedal.

Logically I think it should be hot water bath first to wash off the wax, followed by degreasing to wash off the lubricant residue from lube.

We recommend topping off with Synergetic if it starts getting loud. Also look at HotWaxX, it has ~4x the single application longevity of SecretBlend in dry/dusty conditions.

@@SILCAVelo Interesting, I would have thought adding an oil based lube onto a waxed wouldn't be a good idea. If you do take this approach I suppose you may need to do a full refresh / clean/rewax of the chain afterwards?

Also, if you place the ultrasonic+inner pot into low-earth-orbit, the vacuum will remove any entrained air from between the pins/bushings and improve the wax fill.

None of the ultrasonic cleaners have replaceable tanks, so you will have to dedicate it to either cleaning or wax. Ultrasonic waxing is the best way to do it, the ultrasonic waves really keep the wax mixed very well and guarantees full distribution of the additives in the wax. The Ultrasound also allows for very precise temperature control, so I've converted our waxing all to ultrasonic and are just using Chain Stripper for all of the cleaning and prep.

Wax will save you even more money on your MTB drivetrain as the reduction in wear is even more significant than on road. You will need to wax somewhat more frequently than road, probably every 3-4 hours of riding. Adam at ZeroFrictionCycling talks about MTB use at length in some of his blog posts and videos if you want to check them out.

you should remove the chain before spraying the bike off

No, just keep using it until there isn't enough to cover the chain, and then buy more.. the wax is very durable in regards to contaminates and reheating. OR, if you are VERY wealthy.. please buy a new bag of wax for each chain, that works for us also, and also give away bags of wax to all your friends.. that is also good (for us!). All joking aside, you should get ~10,000km+ per chain from a bag of wax with 30-40 reheatings/applications per bag of wax.

Biggest question I am constantly asking myself!!!

We recommend every 250-300km between waxings whether hot melt of SuperSecret Drip.. I hot wax and then top off with SuperSecret every 250-300km and then reset the chain and re-hot wax at 1000km or so. If just using SuperSecret, I'd recommend a full reset every 1000km

If you watch across all videos and read our blog, there is a ton of data and test results. Also quite a lot of our business is doing testing and development for others including ProTour teams and the data generated is theirs, but as part of our agreement with them, we can make any directional results public after 2 years, so on some things you will have to just trust us, but I think historically we've been proven to be right significantly more than wrong and in doing so have bent the industry in our direction. As for big-big, you are missing a significant element in your thought experiment which is that for metal on metal contact at these forces, the metal can be considered rigid, and any contact at any tension will be the same as contact at 2 or 3 or 4x that tension. So the theoretical contact of the sideplate bushing on the inner pin is a line, where the pin of smaller diameter touches the bushing in one line of contact which articulates as the chain articulates. This line contact remains the same whether the load is 10N or 100N.. it only changes when there is enough tension in the chain to begin deforming the metal. What does change this line of contact is when the chain has to articulate laterally from one angle to another and for a brief second the side plate bushings angle against the pin and the line contact becomes a point of contact.. this is exactly when we want the lube to penetrate the chain as suddenly the inner bushing is completely exposed as the link does a little parallelogram sort of thing. I'll make a video on it.. Thanks

Dont throw the your silca wax bottom thingy and yes you are discarding tungsten..... As its settle down at the bottom

You definitely want to get it before it starts to harden and clump on the outside, so maybe pull it a few degrees higher! You'll likely get 300-500km in dry/dusty, but the chain will let you know when it's time to rewax as it will get start to get a bit louder.

We do not recommend waxing the link, it really makes it hard to assemble. The wax on the outside of the inner links and inside the rollers will leave it fully waxed after assembly.

Boiling water works great, or just scrape it off, no solvent needed.

Just be careful as slightly too hot and it will run out.. testing by ZeroFriction and ourselves has shown that this isn't necessary, but if you want to do it and don't overheat, it also isn't harmful either.

Get a stainless steel chain

I use the Shimano links and find you can easily get 5-6 uses from them before they begin to feel soft when removing them. I know Shimano says 'single use' but we have thousands of customers using them multiple times without any reported issues.

In other videos they say that you should apply 2-3 layers and then every 250 - 300 kms reapply the product. Finally you can do a restart around 1000 to 1200 kms.

Squirt is a totally different thing altogether, it's what's known as slack wax which is the stage of refinement before the paraffin wax is separated from the paraffin oil.. the high oil content makes it sticky and attracts dirt, but also will prevent an emulsion type product like SuperSecret, Effetto Mariposa, or CeramicSpeed from adhering to the chain. For best results, I'd recommend using it as a system regardless of brand you choose.

@@SILCAVelo Great thanks for the info. That will save me some headaches with trial and error.

I just leave it on, it makes things quieter and will eventually flake off. It dries pretty hard and not very sticky so it doesn't attract or hold much in the way of dirt.

My favorite InstantPots are the 8 function ones that have 'Sous Vide' as an option. This allows you to set the exact temperature you want, and we recommend 80C/175F. For the simpler ones, just use 'slow cook' and you will be fine.

Wiping won't remove the wax, ideally you just use a micro-fiber towel and lightly wipe to remove surface dust and dirt.. you don't have to wipe it in between waxings, but it won't hurt anything.

If putting the wet chain in you need to let it in there longer, but trust me, the water comes out.. you can see it boiling off in the pot for the first 5-10 minutes depending on how wet it is. If you're worried about it, put the instant pot or crock pot on high which will run it as 100-110C and then let it cool a bit before pulling the chain.

It works either way.. it has been shown that if you pull it very hot, you do have more of the wax run out which can reduce application longevity.. we like the instantpot with SousVide setting that allows you to pick the exact temperature to wax, so we set them to 80C (175F) which is just above the melt point of the wax and seems to strike a nice balance of leaving the chain loaded with wax but not overly caked with it on the outside.

@@SILCAVelo The prior videos to suggest waiting for it to cool, so good to know that we don't as that really adds a lot of time and mess. I would also add that the pre-waxed one that I got did have a lot of wax on the outside so understanding how much should be there is helpful. Another question: if we use super secret drip and wet the chain with water to clean it (or it gets wet on a ride) how do you recommend drying it to prevent rusting?

BioDegreaser is more of a general purpose cleaner degreaser which you can also soak parts in. Brake and Drivetrain cleaner is highly concentrated and targeted to clean the drivetrain and brakes specifically by spray applying on the bicycle. It has 5 minute contact limit, turns red when it reaches clean metal and needs to be rinsed quickly. You cannot soak parts in it. Hope that helps.

No, if the lid is tight it will not evaporate. However, if it gets below freezing it will congeal, so definitely no fridge!

I would either wipe it down with MF cloth and reapply drip wax OR pull it and throw it in the hot melt.

Yes

Yes, you should wipe all lubricants off of the exterior of the chain, including SuperSecret. SuperSecret also dries to a dark gray due to the high TungstenDisulfide content, so it tends to look dirty even when it isn't.

From what I have read - Yes. "It's very important not to let the wax boil. Paraffin vapor is flammable" and "If it's literally smoking, then you are risking fire, and probably degrading the wax."

That's what I thought too, but in the video he talked about boiling off the water from the chain in the wax which is very confusing

Correct, just boil it in water or pour boiling water on it and the heat and water will carry out the old so you can apply the new..

Yes, the boiling will 're-set' it to a clean/dry condition, so then just put in your hot was or lubricate with drip wax.

You can easily maintain your indoor chain using SuperSecret Drip every 250-300km, just be sure to wipe all excess off of the chain after each application to reduce shedding of wax onto the floor and also will prevent wax buildup on pulleys. You might also want to look at SynergE it's an oil based lubricant for E-Bikes and indoor use, it holds the all-time single application record in ZFC testing, and shows zero wear with high corrosion resistance in the indoor environment. It is also thicker than traditional wet lube to prevent dripping and flinging under hard indoor efforts.

There is a notable noise damping effect to having a bit of wax residue and even dust on the outside of the chain, so wiping it will make things a bit noisier. You can make it silent again with a light coating of SuperSecret, but just be careful not to overdo it such that things get gunked up over time.. excess wax can and will build up, so just be sure to remove that as you see it.

Would you recommend Bio-degreaser being the best product to perform routine maintenance wipe downs (not for stripping) for the chain, or would you advise a better product from Silca to accomplish this?

If you're worried I would just pour it over some other part of the chain. It works fine to pour it over the lower span of the chain, you just need more water that way as so much of it just pours straight through whereas the chainring helps guide excess water onto other parts of the chain.

@@SILCAVelo is pouring over the cassette causing any damage to the hub? it makes sense to pour there as that would also clean the cassette...

For best performance you should really reset the chain after every rainy ride regardless of lube. That's not always possible so your next best would be to wipe well with microfiber and then re-lube with SuperSecret.

@@SILCAVelo that makes sense. Would definitely do as you mention. Thank you!

Honestly it works both ways.. one drop per roller is sort of the standard lingo and I generally try to achieve it and then I'll run the chain for another round and just drizzle, even if you just keep the tip there bumping on the rollers it helps the lube wick down into the chain better. The key is that you just don't want to use too much, I see some brands recommending 'coating' the chain top and bottom and all of this nonsense and that's just wasting lube and making a mess. The lube on the outside of the chain isn't doing anything for speed or longevity of anything, so the key is to just get as much as possible inside the chain and no more.

Chain stripper or SILCA brake and drivetrain will work well for this, just spray on, let soak 5 minutes, scrub with a tooth brush or automotive wheel cleaning brush and rinse. Both of those products are thick enough that they will not penetrate bearing seals or freehub mechanisms.

Apply in the house or use hairdryer if temperatures are below 70ish.

It'll work great without the cross chaining you just might need to run your fingers over the rollers to help spread the wax toward the roller gaps a bit better. You can also use finger pressure to side-load the chain a bit right before the cog. I've had it on track bikes with hot waxed chains where the SuperSecret wants to just sit in a bead on top of the roller, and if you just push the side of the chain with your finger to open it up, it instantly sort of wets down into the chain, very satisfying!

Dryer is better, but you will still get decent results if you apply to the wet chain, just be sure to allow it to dry fully overnight as it will extend the drying time. Bouncing the bike will knock a lot of water out of the chain, and if you have access to an air compressor, you can blow the water out very effectively.

It doesn't, that small amount of water comes out quickly at 175-185F. The wax can easily handle 212F and some slow cookers will run at that temperature, but it's no big deal. The wax won't damage until well north of 300F.

@@SILCAVelo 10-4 Thanks!

Acetone will work, or you can blow with compressed air. If time isn't an issue just set it in the sun for an hour. It doesn't have to be totally dry, but needs to at least be externally dried as it will mix with water which will just leave you with less wax in the chain and longer drying times.

@@SILCAVelo Use a hair dryer, really effective after a towel wipe first. Three mins maybe.

I starting using a toaster oven with extra pan. Do the boiling/cleaning then throw (what I hope is a clean chain 🤣) in oven mode that goes to 180. Leave there for 20min and forget about it. By the time I remember it's cool to the touch and so far has felt clean and ready for waxing.

1. You can still strip the chain if using wet lube but you don't have to as the wet lube will eventually wash out the factory grease.. the key is to wipe the chain after every ride to remove surface contamination. 2. No once you're on wax you'll notice that the cassette and rings just never get dirty.. you might get a little wax stuck to them here and there but it will be dry and clean to the touch.

I meant if I was using lube prior switching to wax. Should I prep the cassette as well as the chain?

Those are threads from the overwrap of the bead and not sidewall threads. It is annoying, but it shouldn't cause any blowouts or other issues as it's not really a structural thread, but it there to prevent carbon clinchers from wearing through the tire sidewall.. but good point, it seems like they could/should have figured this out by now!

For dusty conditions wipes can do it, but if the chain is really dirty or muddy, you will want to wet wash it, either with boiling water poured over, or remove the chain and drop in boiling water.

@@SILCAVelo that means we have to fully rewax the chain right?

You will want to wipe the chain dry with microfiber cloth and apply a little SuperSecret after any wet ride to prevent rust spots.

Are baby wipes or Tub O’ Towels an option? Much cheaper

In an ideal world, you would wipe the chain after every ride, but at the least, you should wipe it before applying more lubricant. You do not need to wipe it after the SuperSecret dries, any excess will just flake off over time.

You can expect 250-300km between hot waxings with SecretBlend and 800-900km with HotWax X for good weather or dusty riding. We recommend re-waxing after every rain ride.

@@SILCAVelo how much km you could expect with a waxed chain which runs in a capsule and is 3 times longer? Or in simple how often need the wax to be toped up in a Velomobile?

What? 🙂

@@adam__smithSamuel L. Jackson reference. MF.

Brett reference. It was him constantly asking "What?" that prompted "English, microfiber! Do you speak it?"

@@adam__smith hahah so sorry, my friend. Completely missed that one 😅

@@RicardoRocha-lg1xo No worries at all.

You might be surprised, most of my HotWaxX folks are going like 800-900km and then just re-hot waxing, but at most I'd probably top off at 800km or wherever and then re-hot wax 800km after that.

Most true biodegreasers (like the SILCA one) will not affect wax in a negative way, so you should be fine. Beware any degreaser 'bio' or not that is aerosol, most of these use some pretty nasty propellants that can harm wax, so if you've used aerosol on the chain, I'd clean it and rewax it.

Can you point me toward which of his articles has that? In general, people are against water washing if the chain cannot be re-waxed quickly due to corrosion risk, and water washing doesn't work with most oil or traditional 'Dry lubes' but once the chain is on hot wax in particular, it's so easy and fast and chemical free, and boils off in minutes once you throw it in the wax, so there's really just no downside to it.

As always, A1 information without the “bike hype”! Thanks Josh!!! ⭐️

The SILCA wax melter does not have replaceable liners, so you will want to dedicate it to just wax. The cheapest, best way to boil off the old wax is with a heated kettle, or if the chain isn't very dirty, just wipe it down well and put it straight into the wax.

@@SILCAVeloah! Good thing I did get a mini crockpot just for waxing then :) it’s a dewaxer now

It's great, but I did just buy a Canyon e-bike as I really need some fenders and racks as I'm tired of wearing a backpack.. but if I only had one bike the 3T or something similar from Open or the like would be it!