Hello cyclists 🙂
I’m preparing a cycle tour from France to Japan, a year before to go.
Here I would like precious help of chain waxing cyclists.I would like to get [a Yaban chain](https://www.dulight.fr/en/mtb/203-sla-h11-yaban-chain.html) (indeed, 2, one prewaxed in backup), pre-lubricated with Ni-PTFE Teflon Coating. If I want to wax it before using it brand-new, for my first ride, I have 3 key-questions:
1. Do you think I have first to degrease it before (as you do when you want to degrease a oil lubed chain)? Or do I let the PTFE Teflon on it, and directly wax the chain?
2. If I want to use [a 500g (18oz) Silca secret wax bag](https://www.dulight.fr/en/mtb/203-sla-h11-yaban-chain.html), will it be sufficient for use over 15,000 km (+9000 miles) ? If not, how many bags do you suggest to take?
3. Does this mean that, as long as my chain is perfectly clean when I dip it into the wax, I can reheat (no limit to the number of times) the same bag of wax, as long as there is still wax in it?
Thanks for your help and advice!
by Key-Cash-8169
5 Comments
IDK this chain brand, but most of the chains come with a factory grease (to protect the chain during transport and storage), which is horrendous if you don’t strip it.
Also: avoid PTFE/PFAS, the watt gains seems negligible and this substance is awful for health and environment (« eternal pollutant »). It’s starting to be banned in a lot of sectors where it’s not essential (technical clothing for example).
Gotta take all the grease and lube off before waxing.
As others have said, to properly wax you need a clean chain, stripped of all previously used lube / packing grease. You also need a spotlessly clean drivetrain too.
If you want to wax whilst touring then wax 2 chains and bring both, then swap over after 300 or so miles.
How are you planning to re-wax whilst on the tour? I assume using the silca wax bag submerged into water? You can clean a previously waxed chain in boiling water before re-waxing.
You could try waxing before you go and bringing some silca secret drip wax lube, but you’d need to apply that of an evening to allow it to dry overnight.
Waxing on tour would be a pain. I’d just use Dumonde Tech.
Wax may wash off in rain so they advise just putting on oil in the field and restarting the process at home. Just start with Dumonde tech and apply it every 300km rain or shine. The logistics of waxing at home are bad enough. I would not consider it for touring again.
Silca also sells a [drip wax lube](https://silca.cc/collections/chain-lube-wax/products/silca-super-secret-chain-lube?variant=31536317464674) that is compatible with their hot wax and nearly as effective. Many recreational riders will do the hot wax then top the chain off with the drip as needed. This would take up far less space on your bike and be less hassle to use on a regular basis. Can’t say the bottle would get you all the way there but might be a thought.