Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Bluesky Threads I painstakingly cleaned my freewheel to use my waxed chain, is this clean enough to not affect the wax? I recently washed it so it looks wet in the picture by General-Writing1764 Bicycling Bike Bike Repair Biking Cycling Repair
Bermnerfs on January 21, 2026 10:24 pm You can only get it so clean without going through the hassle of removing it and using something like an ultrasonic cleaner. Since you wax the chain and not the freewheel, you should be fine as long as the chain is thoroughly stripped clean.
SspeshalK on January 21, 2026 11:28 pm I don’t think that’s good enough – it will contaminate the wax and it won’t last as long. I’ve had the best results stripping a cassette in the same way as a chain – so that it’s really clean.
Cute-Yak6466 on January 22, 2026 10:23 am Didn’t expect to see “wax” and “freewheel” in same context.
5 Comments
You’ll be fine
You can only get it so clean without going through the hassle of removing it and using something like an ultrasonic cleaner.
Since you wax the chain and not the freewheel, you should be fine as long as the chain is thoroughly stripped clean.
I don’t think that’s good enough – it will contaminate the wax and it won’t last as long.
I’ve had the best results stripping a cassette in the same way as a chain – so that it’s really clean.
Gears 3,4,5 are worn out
Didn’t expect to see “wax” and “freewheel” in same context.