Lubricating a Bicycle Chain using Paraffin

Step 6 Remount the chain

Now, remount the chain, being careful to thread it through your derailleur properly. You're ready to go.

A final note: The beauty of this method is, there's nothing else to do. The other parts of your bike (the chainwheels and cluster) don't need any lubrication and they stay really clean. As does the rest of your bike and you.

Lather, rinse, repeat every 300-400 miles or so.

If you like this Instructable about non-obvious bicycling lore, you might like my blog, Practical Cyclist. Give it a visit!

Happy riding!

Comments

[chiefredelk]

For years I have put used wax in containers of hot water. This cleans the wax.. The wax melts comes to the surface the dirt goes to the bottom.. Remove the heat source and let the water wax cool down. Before the wax becomes hard carefully cut along the edges and remove.. By testing you will find the right temperature. The wax should be soft but not hard then it can be rolled up or cut in pieces..For melting wax I use a cheap one burner electric unit from Wallyworld.. I think less than 20 bucks.. A big metal can that some foods come in works well..I will try this wax trick on a chain saw chain.. I also ride a bike a lot and will be using this method on all my bike chains. I have a chain break tool so I don't use a master link for removal..

[boxofish]

Right on! This looks like a great idea and I'm gonna give it a shot. Just have to locate a wax heater now. Nice one!

[kill-a-watt]

use a double boiler. Get a large empty tin can or something and throw your pound of paraffin in that. Take the can and put it in a sauce pot that has water in it. As long as you have plenty of water in the pot, the wax will not go over 212F. Lay some newspaper on your kitchen counter. when it comes time to pull the chain out, take the pot-water-wax-can-chain together off the stove and over the newspaper, and then remove the chain from the can. This way the newspaper can be a safe distance away from the stove, and yet you won't drip wax on the stove.

[Akoi Meexx]

Excellent idea, I knew there had to be some reason I had a double-boiler at home.

[kill-a-watt]

there's no reason not to use a real double boiler, but as I said I use a regular pot, and an old juice can with the wax.

put an inch or two of water in the pan, but not so much that the can with wax floats.

When you are done, you can just lift out the can 'o wax and allow everything to cool.

I haven't done the chain wax thing yet, but I use mine to make "buddy burners", to waterproof matches, and to dip tools in to prevent rust.

I store the can on top of the fridge where I can dump in the odd scrap of cheese wax or a broken crayon in for the next melt.