Ikea candles chain lube- don't try this at home kids :)

[steve216c]

Since last wax I’d been lucky in having mostly dry rides and clocked up around 900km on the candle wax. It was still riding smoothly too when I cleaned and reward last week as part of my 5000km servicing. This time I added a new Hebie chainglider to the equation and I am hoping that being protected from the elements will extend Ikea candle waxing intervals past 1000km. Chain is now 5000km old and still riding well.

[steve216c]

Final update on using IKEA candle wax vice traditional lube. Last wax was at time I fitted a Hebie Chainglider. I rode a couple of times without my computer on, but estimate approx 1500-1600km since waxing.
Although the chain was behaving OK I noticed yesterday it was becoming louder, and as I had to remove the wheel to fit some studded winter tyres I decided not to push chain any further but to lube it as I had the chain partially exposed to get wheel off.

Chainglider was pretty clean on inside save for wax that had worn off through daily use. As Chainglider should keep oiled chain clear of crud and decided to use regular chain oil this time.

My personal takeaway from the experiment is that I found no major disadvantages on using candle wax vice chain oil given that the Connex Quicklink is so easy to remove the chain, and the few more minutes to bathe the chain in wax is saved by not having to lube so often with oil. The chain definitely stayed cleaner and in turn so did my legs and bike from oily residues.

The downside is as the wax wears down you cannot judge when it needs a new lube until chain suddenly becomes noisy. It is difficult to judge this visibly, so it might catch you at an inconvenient time.

Now I have the Chainglider I am hoping it keeps an oiled chain serviceable for longer as the oil shouldn’t wear off like the wax does.

But I will definitely use wax on my derailleur bikes where a Chainglider is not possible as I believe it keeps chain cleaner which should reduce wear and extend life between services.

[Andre Jute]

Fascinating.

Now that you have a Chainglider, Steve, next time you fit a new chain, take a deep breath, do not disturb the factory lube, and run the chain exclusively on the factory lube inside the Chainglider, and report here on how far it carries you before you replace the chain. I got 4506km at 0.5mm wear, which, for me, is fabulously good.

[steve216c]

Fascinating.

Now that you have a Chainglider, Steve, next time you fit a new chain, take a deep breath, do not disturb the factory lube, and run the chain exclusively on the factory lube inside the Chainglider, and report here on how far it carries you before you replace the chain. I got 4506km at 0.5mm wear, which, for me, is fabulously good.

Hi Andre
Based on previous reports from your dabbling in chain alchemy, which helped convince me chainglider was way to go, this is exactly my plan.
I'm hoping current chain will hold out to reach 10,000km of which the first 5000 or so we're without chainglider. I will endeavour to attempt to replicate your achievements on number of km on chain lube, of which I'm confident is doable with the glider.
Cheers
Steve