Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

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fatbikerbill
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Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by fatbikerbill »

Is it worth the faff ?
How long does it last ?
Is it good for winter & summer ?

It's never been on my radar before.

I used to be a squirt user but lost heart when winter started, been using a good old greasy winter sticky oil since.
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whitestone
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by whitestone »

If you head over to STW then every thread about chain maintenance gets a sub-thread/discussion about putoline. Apparently it's in the terms and conditions when you sign up :lol:

Seems a bit Marmite in how people see it.
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Adventurer
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Adventurer »

I’ve tried paraffin wax with PTFE additive. Bought the slow cooker etc etc.

Tried in on my fixed gear, gravel bike and BikePacking bike.

The chain is much cleaner, very little dirt get attracted to the chain. It feels smoother. Apparently there is less resistance but what I use my bikes for that does not matter.

So all good?

There is one really big issue though

The wax will not stop your chain rusting like chain lube does. So chain wax will not work for multiple days travel.

I’ve just not found a solution to chain rust and chain wax.

I’ve reluctantly given up on chain wax and had to go back to oil. I’ve had to buy a new chain because of the rust issue on one of my chains.

I think chain wax is good, if you are a road racer/club cyclist who wants less resistance for one day cycling in good weather.
wriggles
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by wriggles »

Adventurer wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2020 5:31 pm
.......

I’ve reluctantly given up on chain wax and had to go back to oil. I’ve had to buy a new chain because of the rust issue on one of my chains.

I think chain wax is good, if you are a road racer/club cyclist who wants less resistance for one day cycling in good weather.
Same here. Been using Smoove until a couple weeks ago and finding that Chain was becoming a rusted mess in this wet weather. Bike being ridden 6 days a week. Chain wiped after each ride. Gone back to wet lube. Have loads of the stuff that needs using anyway. Will revert to Smoove in the summer.
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Boab
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Boab »

There are theories at the bottom of my jargon.
fatbikerbill
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by fatbikerbill »

Thx all, interesting contrast between bb views and STWers.

Reading that stw post it's not for Lancashire winters, at least not for rides more than a few hours. It'd spend more time in the fryer than on the bike.

Perhaps I'll reconsider when we get that long dry summer.
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by BigdummySteve »

Im pretty sold on smooth, my solution to the corrosion is to apply the smooth then regularly wipe the outer of the chain with some other oil. Perhaps smooth combined with ACF50 could be the answer (might have to give that a go!) :-bd
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RobLyon
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by RobLyon »

What model of chain are you using, I thought the mid-higher end ones were stainless?

I've just taken delivery of a big tub of Putoline yesterday.
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AlexGold
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by AlexGold »

I'm more road focused, but do plenty of wet riding and mix in mud/sand/'gravel' regularly.

I've been waxing all the chains for a long time, and haven't noticed any major rusting (in fact, it's worst on my 'commuter' chain which is the only one I don't wax, but that's likely as I don't look after it either!)

I'm sold personally, major improvement on chain life and keeps them nice and clean and quiet.

Oz Cycle was the original recipe I used, he's updated it (lots lots more PTFE - 1:10 ratio with the wax) and I'm looking forward to trying that out when I next wax the chains.

Here's the link to the video: https://youtu.be/HHr9znwpwmQ

P.S I wonder how this sells in Spanish speaking countries....
ScotRoutes
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by ScotRoutes »

I used to use it on motorcycle chains. I've not yet tried it on bicycles but then I don't seem to have the issues that many folk seem to.
redefined_cycles
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by redefined_cycles »

I use this stuff with a slow cooker... https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/waxing-your-chain

Not tried with the mtb but on road after about 150 miles it get slightly grindy so i need to add some lube anyway...

Not sure I'm convinced with the pre/prep faff thats involved... does feel to run ultra smooth on them first 100 or so miles though...
Lazarus
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Lazarus »

Always amazed the lengths folk go to clean a chain that will be caked in mud as soon as you use it

IMHO its largely snake oil from my real world experiences. I do lube my chain[ iregularly] but i certainly dont get the ultrasonic cleaner out after each ride as it would give me a perfectly clean chain for almost 3/4mile
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redefined_cycles
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by redefined_cycles »

YMMV

i used to read that as You Make Me Vomit :lol:
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fatbikephil
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by fatbikephil »

Not sure about all the heating up nonsense - looks like more trouble than its worth. I've had good results with squirt - you do need to put plenty on, wipe it over the whole chain and leave it for an hour or so. This has lasted into day 2 on a wet ish trip and is very resistant to corrosion. Thereafter I use normal chain lube. But squirt wax good for day rides and the chain doesn't collect as much gunge. Now using some finish line wax (also water based) but not as good as squirt.

For winter hacks where I've just used oil on the chain, I've found that you get salt water mixed in with the oil and this can corrode the chain away under the layer of gunge. Regular gunking and re-lubing is the only answer to that or use a sacrificial winter chain and sproks....

On the motorbike I'm using wurth spray wax which needs a daily top up in wet weather but is good in that it alos doesn;t collect gunge. I tried it once on the bike and its not as good as squirt.
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Zippy
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Zippy »

I’ve got an ultrasonic cleaner which makes chain and component cleaning a breeze. My commuter bike is a good test subject for trying stuff out, enough to give it a work out, but I’m not too previous about it, and longevity is the name of the game.
I’ve been trying paraffin wax (kerrawax iirc) and it definitely lasts longer than more traditional lubes (after much faffing I found white lightning epic ride to be good cost to performance ratio as I could buy it in bulk quite cheaply on ebay…, yes I’ve tried other lubes that last twice as long, but they cost 3 times as much…).

Anyone any idea how much longer the putoline stuff lasts? Say compared to my straight-ish paraffin wax or other standard lubes. What other stuff do they put in it? Lubes in a bottle are just generally a solvent carrier for the waxy stuff as it is – but I’ve not really looked into it great detail. I think peter verdone had some good information from way back, but he’s still not come to a conclusion particularly, and there was that other study using a machine, but that was more based on efficiency/longevity in a lab environment rather than the realities of a chain getting fired with muck and grit….and it’s the muck and grit that causes the wear.
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thenorthwind
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by thenorthwind »

I've used in pretty much exclusively for the last year or two. It's not the be-all-and-end-all, but I do think it works better than conventional lube. I'm the kind of person, who, having got round to cleaning and lubing a chain, has to scrub every last bit of crud off it, so it doesn't actually take any longer to remove the chain, wax it, and replace.

I actually think bikepacking is one of best uses for Putoline. There's only so bad a chain can get on a day ride and then you can sort it out at home. But pedalling a squeaky chain round knowing it'll still be squeaky when you start again in the morning is purgatory. I don't want to carry a full bottle of chain lube, but I've done longer trips where I've gone to beg a bit of lube/oil from a bike shop/garage.

A couple of things I've realised/decided recently:

- It's worth buying extra chains and rotating, so they can be waxed at leisure, a few at a time, and there's always a fresh one when you need it (or should be). Difficult to keep track of what's what speed and been on what bike though.

- Although theoretically they don't need cleaning before re-waxing, for heavy soiling, a good soak in a bottle of diesel (other, more refined/expensive, solvents are available) is probably a good idea. Make sure it's completely dry though! Compressed air is probably a good idea here.

- The excess does need dripping/wiping off, which means after a wet ride wiping with something like GT85 is necessary if you don't want an orange chain. It's mainly aesthetic though.
ericrobo
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by ericrobo »

I change my chain after every wash, probably every couple of weeks.
(And recycle it (if it can be recycled ... I mean put it in the council bin for recycling) as soon as it’s stretch is nearly 0.5 mm)

I clean it with unleaded petrol. Hang it to dry, then it gets waxed (as per the Aussie video)

You can do this if you have time, but a big p.i.t.a. If you work.

Then before I ride I put Smoove on ( it’s £13 odd, but lasts a long time)

The chain does get a bit of rust after a wet ride but it does not collect grime and dirt and mud.

The secret is to give it a good wipe after a ride then about an hour after that apply more Smoove ready for tomorrow, if you’re multi-day.
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Zippy
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Zippy »

I've been doing a bit more reading on the subject, trying to find out what I can. The MSDS for putoline wax is distinctly unavailable, but from what I understand through internet hearsay is that it contains graphite, and possibly some PTFE or maybe moly sulphide.
I think I may buy some powdered graphite and try adding it to my paraffin wax, and see how it goes…

I have to say, the bulk of the paraffin wax when my chains are really ratty do enable them to keep going a bit longer, I'm hoping the graphite will help the paraffin stay, or enhance the durability of it's lubricating properties.

The problem with a lot of the write up's of other people's experience is that lot's of people are only doing 100 miles a month, and commuting, 100 miles comes and goes in a matter of days. Taking the chain off once a week is a bit too much faff, every 3 weeks is more palatable, and currently I can't quite manage that and have to start using my lubes in a bottle which will only last a day or 2 in crap weather…whereas the paraffin wax will last a bit over a week.
Lazarus
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Lazarus »

I change my chain after every wash, probably every couple of weeks.
(And recycle it (if it can be recycled ... I mean put it in the council bin for recycling) as soon as it’s stretch is nearly 0.5 mm)
I really wish I had the money and time to do an actual experiment as I dont think its needed as there is only personal anecdote its hard to be sure either way I certainly have not bought a chain in the last two years so thats 7,000 but across a few bikes.

I am sure the industry wont be telling us all its snakeoil.
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Mike
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Mike »

Nope but i am testing some Squirt wax lube
Gummikuh
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Re: Anyone tried putoline chain wax ?

Post by Gummikuh »

Hi.

I use Putoline and it seems to last for a few days of the sort of riding we do, that said if it is truly biblical then not a lot will stay on, the worst is thick mud falling off the rear tyre onto the chain, sucking all the lubricant off.
I bought a super cheap deep fat fryer from LIdl and it is simply plug it in let it melt, toss in chain first attaching a hook fashioned from a coat hanger (don't forget this bit), wait a bit pull it out and hang it up, let it drip dry.
It is nasty sticky stuff, and is a nightmare to get off your clothes and every part of the transmission ends up black and sticky thick.
I tend to do my commuter bike (400km a month) once a month.
Others not so much.
If anyone wants to try then you are welcome to pop over.
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