Yea i went the wax way, and yes the process the first time to strip the chain is a pain but after that I use the ultrasonic cleaner and have been very happy
I started offering that service locally so people can try it out and it helps pay me a little for the ultrasonic cleaner

let me know if anyone has questions or lives in/around Nashville TN i can show you all the set up or do your chain

chris

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO

What happens with ICED chain (or Ceramic Speed for that matter) after that 600 (200) miles? Can I still use it if I lube it with Squirt, or do I need a new chain?

ICE Friction chains can still be used as a regular chain.

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Proud Member of Chris McDonald's 2018 Big Sexy Race Team "That which doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger"
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Just a quick update on some longevity testing with your method. I decided to see how far my chain would go on its second DIY wax job. I'm using plain paraffin plus finely powdered teflon but not moly at the moment. Today after careful tabulation I'm showing 450 miles and the chain still feels nicely lubed. No squeaks, rust stains or other there signs of loss of lubrication. Rather than continue the experiment any farther I decided to rewax as there was time today to do it without a rush. None of the 450 miles were done in the rain or severely dusty or dirty conditions. So take that into consideration.

YMMV,

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Thank you, I knew they'd mention this somewhere...

What do you do with the cassette and the chainrings? Strip off the grease using the Molten Method with Mineral Spirits or straight to the ultrasonic cleaner?

mineral spirits the first time and then cleaner from then on

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
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Once you're running a paraffined chain the cassette and chain rings stay remarkably clean, So if you clean them up really well as you more to a waxed chain they will stay nice for many hundreds of miles.

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

thanks! Was hoping for a different response, but no such luck :-P

yea it is a pain but have been very happy to be honest, just buy new and start from there :)

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
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Thanks for starting this thread. Lots of nuggets in here. My takeaways:

Waxed chain conversion
~Remove existing chain
~Clean cassette, chainrings and derailleur pulleys with mineral spirits (https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/clean-your-chain)
~Buy and install ICE Friction Chain (http://www.icefriction.com)
~Race and subsequently ride 600 miles
~Lube as needed with Squirt (http://www.squirtlube.com)
~Buy and install second ICE Friction Chain and send old chain back to ICE for re-treatment
~Race, train, rotate

Downsides
~Cleaning drivetrain with mineral spirits is a PITA
~Doesn't work when wet! Someone mentioned pulling the chain when racked overnight. I can't imagine installing a chain race morning. And, what if it rains?
~600 miles isn't much

Did I miss anything? How is it going for you?

Scott

My training chain is lubed with Squirt lube. My ICE Friction racing chain is only used in races. I like how I can send it back to be relubed.

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Makes sense, simple.

What about the drivetrain? Did you give it the Molten treatment when converting to wax?

Scott

All I did was wipe down the pulleys and chain rings before putting my training chain on with Squirt lube.

When it's time to race, I do the same thing and put the ICE chain on. Thus keeps lubes from being cross contaminated

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I have no experience with any of the commercial paraffined chains but I have been running rruff method DIY chains on my own, my wife's and a gals chain who we coach for most of this season. My wife and the gal both did the Muskoka 70.3 where it rained a good bit while the bikes were in transition the evening and night before the race. The chains were fine for the race and ridden several hundred miles afterwards with no problems. No squeaks, no rust just nice smooth action. This past weekend the gal and I did a 90 miler where it rained for a couple of hours and at times torrentially. We had no obvious problems during the ride or in the 150+ miles since.

I'm running 400+ miles between treatments with not lube added in between. Handling the bike is so much cleaner now. Cassette changes, wheel changes no worried about oil on furniture, rugs.......lack of novice marks it's all up side changes.

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Thanks, that helps. That leaves the initial cleanup as the only real barrier to entry for me. I've cleaned plenty of cassettes and chain rings. Is the mineral spirits "bath" much different? I have three cassettes to process (trainer wheel, training wheel, race wheel). Or, as Bryan D suggests, perhaps it is just a simple wipe down?

Scott

I sat and did the cassettes while watching TV. I use an old tooth brush and Lestoil as it's a good solvent for the dirty oily mixture you find on a conventionally lubed chain. Rinse off with water then dry everything off well with a rag or paper towels before reassembly. It takes me about 5 minutes each even while following a TV show. Just be careful where you're working as the brush bristles will fling the dirty wash product off in the direction you're brushing. In my case I do this down in the bottom of a sink. I've run the cleaned cassettes more than 1500 miles so far without any need for additional cleaning. They stay sooooooo nice with a waxed chain.

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

you know I was thinking a little more and research, next time I plan to just use a rag with mineral sprits on it and then just use a brush to get the wax on......

i think that might help you out

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO

I ended up doing the full Molten method to clean the drive train, incl. taking the pulleys out and putting them in a few mineral spirit baths. I couldn't see much residue in the second bath for new chains and cassettes, but I did the old chain and cassette I had on the Kickr (0 miles outdoors) and the dirt just kept coming. Makes me think that the process of cleaning and relubing is more important than the actual lube used (ie pure Paraffin, Squirt, Paraffin + PTFE + MoS2, Molten).

I have decided to use simple Paraffin and do what the guy from Friction facts did for the Velonews test (ie. Hot wax bath in the ultrasonic cleaner for 10 minutes), maybe do this twice or each chain. Doing this with Squirt would be quite expensive and i can't find the teflon and mos2 powder in the uk. I think by using the ultrasonic cleaner, you might get more wax inside the chain links compared to the crock pot (plus it takes less time). Top up with Squirt after some time.

I will put a bin bag around the drive train overnight when checking in the day before a race.

Thoughts on Preimier's Optimized Chain as an alternative to the ICE Friction Chain?

http://www.premierholding.org/...ucts/optimized-chain

Advantages seem to include the Wipperman Chain and connex link, CAVSF process to smooth the surface of the chain, and a more versatile coating.

Scott

While I do not know about skin permeability vs acetone (but I think most petroleum-based solvents are readily absorbed via the skin, that said, I do not doubt your assertion), isn't it super crazy that acetone is the main solvent in fingernail polish and fingernail polish remover ?!

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Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
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I like the ice friction chains. Inquire about team discounts. Ability to send in for re-icing and solid customer support.

http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=4198


There's some interesting data in there, like this:

Just did my first chain wax job. Even after "breaking" the links and articulating a bit they are pretty damn stiff. I assume they will loosen up significantly after a few minutes of riding?

Yes they should loosen up. Things may be stiffer with a new chain too. I have all the road, tri and fatbike chains in the house converted to wax. My recollection was that the chains sure seemed stiffer for the first few chains I waxed. Now they don't seem to be as stiff at the start. So must be chain break in and wear.

I did follower another poster's advice for a few rounds and mounted the chain after waxing and allowing it to partially cool. It may be completely subjective, but the wax retention didn't seem as complete as it did when allowing to completely cool before mounting.