I did it. I entered the world of chain waxing! After purchasing all of the equipment and a handful of new chains, I got to work prepping and waxing chains for my gravel bike. Why the gravel bike? For no other reason than that’s the bike I’ve been riding a lot recently (it’s winter here). Since then, I’ve also waxed the chain on my Trek 5200 for good measure.

So, what did I learn about waxing? Firstly, it’s that if you are thinking about giving it a go but are worried about the whole process, it’s nothing to be scared of. There are many great chain waxing tutorials online, especially on YouTube. This brings me to point number one…

1) It’s not hard! When you first start researching chain waxing, it sounds difficult. There’s all the new products you need, new cleaning routines, the actual waxing, then of course re-waxing. You can really go down an endless rabbit hole of information and misinformation. It’s very easy to get lost in the weeds.

Don’t be put off though! The entire process is actually far easier than it sounds. There are a number of great resources on the internet to simplify the process. The routine is very straightforward and once you have all the necessary gear, getting started is a breeze. That said, be prepared to set aside some time to get it right.

2) It may not be hard, but it can be time consuming. Waxing does take more time compared to squirting on some lube from a bottle. If you are time-poor, then waxing is probably not for you! The initial stripping of a new chain (or a pre-used chain) using mineral turpentine and methylated spirits is a bit of a chore, but thankfully you only need to do it once. New chains all come with a factory coating. This has to be completely stripped away before waxing. If not, the hot melt wax will not penetrate the chain. To save on time I cleaned two chains at once. Soak, shake, pour, repeat, etc.

The actual waxing part is quick, as long as you don’t count waiting for the wax to melt. My little $25 1.5L supermarket slow cooker took an eternity to melt the wax block completely (around two hours). This may have been because it is underpowered, or because my garage temperature was under 10 degrees C. Once melted though, it’s a minute or two swish around in the wax, then hang the chains to dry.

3) Your drivetrain stays SUPER clean. Ever had to handle your chain and been left with black greasy fingers, or had the noob “chainring tattoo” grease mark emblazoned on your calf? With a waxed chain, that is totally a thing of the past. My drivetrain sparkles!

You may find that for the first ride or two some wax flakes come off the outside of the chain. If your bike is on a turbo trainer, these may gather underneath. Just sweep them up and/or protect your carpet. Wax on the outside of the chain is not necessary anyway, it’s the wax inside the chain’s moving parts that matter most.

So there you have it. Waxing is easy. I cannot comment on watts saved, drivechain efficiency, or chain longevity at this stage, but so far so good. I’ll keep you posted. I may also post up some useful resources and a list of equipment needed at some stage. It really is a simple process.