Chain waxing saves you money and makes your bike faster – and it just got a whole lot easier AND quicker to do! This is thanks to Silca’s StripChip! You can now degrease and wax your chain in just one step. In this video, Ollie shows you how.
Welcome! 0:00
The pro’s and con’s of using hot-melt wax on your chain 0:23
Silca’s StripChip! 1:10
Heat the wax and melt the StripChip 1:57
Prep your new chain 3:04
Lower the chain into the wax 4:31
Reduce temperature 5:41
Pull the chain out, let it cool and dry 7:11
Break in the chain by loosening the wax off 8:01
Bonus tips! 8:50
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37 Comments
I like the idea of immersive chain waxing. But the problem with current hot waxes is that they are paraffin – which can take a decade or more to biodegrade. I hope manufacturers will soon come up with hot waxes with more biodegradable ingredients.
I googled the cost of these. Can you elaborate on how this is going to save me money?
Couldn't you just use a thermostat to check when the wax is 75 degrees, Ollie? This "system" is so expensive. I can buy a wax heater with digital display for 1/5 of the price. It probably is a little slower but I can take that
Wax 4 life.
Wax is nice, but just as coating for paint, what about ceramic coatings. Not normal lube, but dunking the chain in it like melt wax? They form a thinner film and therefor maybe lasts longer and causing less friction. Like Flunatec.
Your Siri voice sounds like Roddy McDowall.
Can you remelt the wax over and over again? If you are putting in a clean degreased chain in each time the wax should stay clean and get multiple uses right?
An old chain that you want to wax you can use an automotive citrus degreaser to thoroughly clean then wash under water then use the wax portion only of Silca.
So after you're done waxing your "new chain" with strip chip and wax, you leave the wax in the pot and "reuse" it to rewax the chain when needed? Any if yes, we set the temperature to 75 degree and let it sit for 10 min?
if waxing your chain prevents wear and increases overall life, why aren't other industries using wax technology to increase machinery or other moving assemblies lives as well?
still having to use a srewdriver though.. crap design
I am thinking of using my old sous vide supreme. it controls temp very well and it is bigger
https://youtu.be/yvJ7aAUWBz8?si=KHJYCZq-BO3Jds4u
Original, none sponsored, will only cost 1/4 the price version. You know, before GCN become TOTALLY commercial!!
https://youtu.be/yvJ7aAUWBz8?si=KHJYCZq-BO3Jds4u
Original, none sponsored, will only cost 1/4 the price version. You know, before GCN become TOTALLY commercial!!
These devices cost a lot of money, they are only good to do one task and they take up storage space. Waxing is just too much of an effort to gain (maybe) a few seconds in a race. As an amateur waxing just keeps you from riding your bike for hours. Takes two minutes to clean and oil your chain, and Boom! you're back riding again!
@7:34 do do
So you can’t use it on an old chain?
£115 for a wax heater 🤦🏻♂️👎🏻
Why do you use de chip? Cant i just wax my chain with the bag contents?
I'm considering trying to wax now. But should I use a new chain or just properly degrease my current chain. Anything else I should do since I've been using dry lube?
Edit: The remaining wax in the bowl after waxing. Do you throw it out or can it be used for next time waxing?
€119,00 for a wax heater that cost like ~15-20€. You people are nuts… "optimum temperature" xD
Even better if that heater pot has ultrasonic feature for even more effective penetration.
Ive just bought 5kg of paraffin, solvent, have a cheap electric heater and old pot and a hooks made of paper clips. Works the same for frraction of the price.
I have to smile at what a "hot" topic chain waxing has become. Back in 2017 when I started road riding, I remember seeing a YT video by some guy in Austrailia, who showed how to melt wax candles together with wax oil for Tiki lamps, to wax his chain. The advantages made sense to me and I've been waxing ever since. So 7 years later, chain waxing has finally become mainstream😉
Thank you for this. Even if it was an ad, I needed something like to make the switch. My current chain needs to be replaced and I wanted to switch to a waxed chain but all the previous gear and instructions just seemed to fiddly and intense. This is perfect! Thank you.
And how many quick-links did you replace over your chain lifetime? You could probably buy new chain for the price of all those quick-links. They are not cheap.
I don’t trust the strip chip alone. Maybe chain stripper + strip chip combo to make sure that grease is gone. You can never be too careful.
Thanks for the info. I would think anyone could replicate this system quite effectively with a their own equipment – including the wax. The missing element in your previous setup was a thermometer – no more guessing.
That Silca crockpot is so small that both you and Josh struggle to put the chain in.
You dont need to guess just use thermometer 😅
I have a new bike, I just will drive it with oil until 2 or 3 Months or so… Then I would like to change from oil to wax… Is it enough to take decreaser on the used chain and then give it a normal wax bath?
is this an ad?
Easiest way to wax a chain is 42SHIELD because you don't have to remove chains.
i have recently bought a new bike, it has 2km on it, chain appears mint and very very fine factory grease on it, will it be ok to use this method, or will i need to degrease first?
Glad I watched this. I was literally unpacking a slow cooker, going for my first attempt. Packed it back up, and ordering the Silca. 500 g's of their wax is not cheap, might as well do it 100.
Looks like a lot of time and hassle just so you don't want to get your hands dirty. How often does anyone really touch the chain, unless it's to replace it
That thing can barley fit the chain lol