Hi, hope some wax experts weigh in (Dave) .
I am purchasing a new bike with the latest SRAM Red E1 group.
I will clean and hot wax the chain, but after that it’s not coming off the bike for the life of the chain as it needs a new SRAM quick links every time it’s removed.
So, I’d like advice on which hot wax to use and which drip wax to continue with for the life of the chain.
Do you hot wax other chains on other bikes? If not, I’m not sure it matters what hot wax you use just the one time, nor would I recommend it necessarily in that case.
Not here to talk you into re-using SRAM master links, nor to talk you into a non-approved reusable link like the Whipperman, so assuming you are leaving the chain on the bike for its lifetime, I’d just drip from the start rather than investing in a melt wax setup unless you’re going to use it for other bikes.
As for drip wax options, personally I use Silca for top-ups between melt wax dips, however Ceramic Speed tends to get better marks for longevity I believe.
While not officially approved by SRAM, you can definitely re-use SRAM quick links. I will re-use a link up to 5 times before I throw it away.
I have a full Silca hotwax system and I did have two bikes and 5 chains hotwaxed. Now 1 new bike with sram red e1 , 2 x that will be the only one hotwaxed.
I want my drip wax to be compatible with the hot melt wax and it seems I have heard Dave Rome say he likes the Ceramic Speed drip wax better than Silca .
Thoughts ?
In my experience, setting a use-once limit on a chain connected is not a statement that using if several times will result in failure, Instead it’s a way to exculpate the manufacturer for when the product does fail. That’s tied (to an extent) to scale; You build enough products, even with great QA sooner or later something can bust.
If you do not want to take that risk, I also vote for using a high quality drip wax. I’d still hot wax and use a paired drip, such as Silca.
There’s not really a compatibility issue between waxes, so if you already have a hot wax system and Silca hot wax, just use that for the first and only dip for your E1 chain. After that, the wax just flakes off and leaves nothing behind, so you can use whatever drip wax you want without worrying about what hot wax you used initially.
Ive had an excellent experience hot waxing with Silca wax (plus strip chip for new chain ease) and then Ceramic Speed drip “all weather” wax thereafter. long lasting, super clean, drivetrain components outlive my expectations.
Sample size of one but I’ve been waxing chains for several years and reusing links from SRAM and Shimano without issue. I’m not a watt monster but I am 190 pounds so I do put a fair bit of power through the chains. Clearly other folks here have been reusing links without issue as well.
I keep 3 chains in rotation for each bike and rewax them in batches. Your mileage may vary but I wouldn’t have any reservations about reusing the links a few times. I tie them to the chain with thread when I wax them so they are associated with the chain and ultimately substituted out when the chain is retired.
I’ve used both Silca and UFO drip wax after an initial hot wax in Silca. I can’t really tell a difference other than the UFO wax being easier to apply as it’s not as messy.
I use Silca hot melt and then top up with Cermic Speed UFO Drip. Works great! I would suggest the occasional full reset - clean (boiling water) and re-wax in the hot pot - to help to clean out any dirt built up on/in the chain, but otherwise, go for it.
A SRAM Red AXS link is .. what? … $5 apiece. The chain is close to $100. You’ll get better chain life – more than $5 worth, or even $10 – if you hot wax, then drip wax, then remove it and re-hotwax, and so on. The reasoning doesn’t seem particularly logical.
Drip waxes have gotten much better so they can do almost as well as hot wax and last almost as long, so why bother to hot wax at all? Just use drip wax. If you want the best result, use hot wax, use an extra link or two to make it easy, and enjoy the result.
With six years experience of hot waxing SRAM flat top chains I can state that you can reuse the power lock links multiple times. If you have the mechanical sympathy to hot wax you will be able to tell when the link is getting worn and sliding together rather than clicking into place. This is the time to replace it. Hot waxing is the only sure way to get inside the rollers and is superior to drip wax for protection and prolonging the chain’s life.
I think the quick link for the new SRAM Red axs e1 group is $22.00, more than I would spend every 2-300 miles.
I would like to know if any of the other brands quick link that are advertised as re-usable would work and be re-liable. YBN quick links worked fine with my Campy 12 speed and I would get several re-waxes out of them.
I have emailed Adam at Friction Facts and hipe he reply’s with a suggestion.
It’s about $22 for a package of four link pairs. And most others won’t fit. The AXS links test regularly as the most long lived and most reliable of the products in the market and the same for the chain itself. And yes, many people reuse them 2-4 times (as much as one might reuse any link) without reports of failure, so if you want that’s an option. I don’t mind spending $5.50 intermittently to keep my expensive bike running well.
Thanks for pointing that out. Your correct $5.50 is not bad at all.
My mistake as I didn’t know there were 4 in a package.