One step hot wax application to factory new chains. What a time saver, and I am very happy with the results.
I was going thru chains and cassettes with an unsatisfactory level of frequncy. I also hated all the time I was spending on wiping, applying, and often getting rags full of dirty grime. With the wax system...my chain purrs...and I can wipe my chain with fingers and they come off clean! Before ordering, I actually went to the ZeroFrictionCycling website...where I was shocked to find the lubricant I was using was proba ly the worst choice of anything they tested. It is no wonder I was burning thru hardware. Silca products are amongst the best...and I am very enthusiastic about switchi g to a cleaner running driveline and being able to get a huge increase in driveline lifespan. A good investment in longer term savings.
I recently decided to switch to wax lubrication. We have 10 bikes. Six bikes were ready for a new chain...so, we used strip chip for the new chains. I had a few bikes that had used chains. I decided to use Silca Ultimate Chain Stripper to prep these for waxing. I ran them thru a wash of simple green, acetone, and denatured alcohol. Then physically wiped crude still showong on rollers. The final step was using the Silca Chain Striper...and wow! what a difference!!! I could see how much extra crude got removed...and a quick rinse and dry with compressed air...I was ready for Wax.
I love the thickness and cushion of this tape. When installing you can really torque and stretch it unlike most other cushioned tapes to get it to lay down perfectly. The backing tape is strong but still allows you to undue and readjust if needed. The added butterfly piece for the hoods and the finishing tape are top notch. It doesn't feel or look bulky on the bike but has great dampening and it is nice and grippy. Definitely my got to tape from now on.
To preface, I've started measuring my wax intervals by ride time instead of distance since I ride mixed surfaces, and dirt is slower. Aside from mud and wet, I've been finding that road vs dirt ride time between rewaxing tends to be close, while distance is not.
That said, the EnduranceChip definitely works, and I am getting at least 50% more ride time before I start to hear the little chirps my chain makes when it's about time to rewax. I'll consider adding more endurance additive for some upcoming long bikepacking trips! The only downside I see is that I may want multiple pots for multiple wax blends. Or I'll just have to go all-in on the endurance blend, since the efficiency loss is not an issue for me in my riding.
