Chain waxing has grown exponentially more popular in recent years. Once reserved for only the most die-hard cyclists, it was a niche chain maintenance process that seemed too much hassle for most riders. That’s shifted as our understanding of its benefits evolved. Early proponents were interested in increased drivetrain efficiency. But as wax’s clear benefits in terms of chain wear and extended component life became clear, it has become a genuine mainstream option.
Until the wax revolution, oiling your chain was as ingrained in bicycle maintenance as pumping up your tyres. The process was seemingly well understood, and it appeared to be the most simple and effective way to keep bikes running smoothly and silently.
The original premise of this story was to pit wax and oil head-to-head, helping explain when each form of lubricant is best. This quickly took a change of tack as the evidence supporting wax in all but a few expectations quickly started to mount up. Although oil lube isn’t completely dead, longevity testing in a range of conditions shows that wax certainly has the upper hand even in situations where oil was previously thought to be superior – if you are willing to invest some time in the process.
How does wax work?
Most waxes contain additives that help increase the chain’s efficiency by reducing the friction between the individual plates and rollers. These additives create a smooth layer over the chain’s surfaces, reducing the friction caused by the individual parts of the chain articulating around each other.
But the most significant advantage of wax over wet oil-based lubricants is that it is far more resistant to picking up and carrying contaminants; even simple candle wax performs well in wear testing. Whether applied as a drip or hot melt, chain wax dries as a solid or semi-solid, so dirt and detritus are far less susceptible to being picked up by the chain, and any that is doesn’t get pushed into the links and rollers; instead, it just sits where it was picked up, allowing it to be cleaned off with a simple post-ride wipe down.
This is where wax’s biggest advantage lies. Especially at first, chain wax was presented as a watt-saving upgrade first and foremost; however, the real benefit to consumers is that it can greatly extend the life of your drivetrain components. Based on Adam Kerin’s testing at Zero Friction Cycling (ZFC) – which uses a 10,000 km test cycle with testing blocks of dry and wet conditions, with and without contaminants – the total cost to run an 11-speed Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain can vary seismically depending on the lubrication used.
If you take SRAM’s new 13-speed Red AXS XPLR groupset, a cassette costs £600 / €675 / US$600 / AU$1,030, so extending its life by two to three times suddenly seems like a worthwhile investment. The offset, if there is one, is that waxing a chain takes more time initially. To effectively wax a chain, it has to be fully stripped of the factory grease in which it’s packed. That grease, if left intact, prevents the wax from penetrating into the chain and will also attract dirt and contaminants while riding. It’s not a difficult process, but it takes a bit of time. (This, however, may be changing with the advent of products like Silca’s StripChip, which degrease and wax a factory chain in one step.)
There are two types of wax application, drip-on and immersion. Drip wax is applied similarly to a traditional oil-based lubricant. The wax is suspended in a liquid carrier, which coats the link and then evaporates, leaving a semi-solid layer of wax that penetrates into the chain internals. In immersion waxing, the chain is removed from the bike and placed in a bath of hot liquid wax for a period of time and then removed and allowed to cool. The result is a chain coated in wax lubrication. Although drip-on and hot wax are both commonly referred to as wax, some important differences separate the two that we will get into later.
Waxing isn’t new but fully understanding its benefits is
Although it has only recently entered the mainstream, chain waxing was practised for years before it broke onto the main stage. Josh Poertner, founder of Silca, sells both traditional oil and wax lubes but is a strong wax proponent. As he explains, “I learned hot waxing when I was a junior from a coach, I think it was just paraffin with PTFE. It made no sound and it felt like something [good].” Although this type of chain wax is a distant relative of the highly evolved waxes used today, it was the spark that inspired Poertner to explore the potential of wax treatments.
“I developed my first hot wax in 2008; we did it for Fabian Cancellara at the Olympics, but I thought, ‘Nobody’s going to buy this, nobody’s going to do it.’”
This ultimately led Poertner to develop a drip-on wax emulsion, first released in 2020, which could be applied to the chain in situ. Although other brands were already offering emulsion drip-on wax, Josh explains, “We spent so much time, almost three years figuring out how to get the hot melt wax into the drip and within like three weeks of launching the drip, our inbox was full of people going, ‘Well, you said the hot wax is faster. We want the hot wax.’”
Chain waxing has significantly grown as a practice in the past five to 10 years and is now a relatively standard option for performance-orientated riders. This is, however, where the benefits of chain waxing become diluted for the average rider. The discussion is often headlined by watt savings as the reason wax is superior to other lubricants.
This creates a narrative that a wax’s primary use case is for riders looking to squeeze every performance gain out of their bikes. In reality, chain waxing has a lot of appeal for everyday recreational riders based on its ability to significantly extend component life.
Chain wax myth-busting
According to Kerin and Poertner, many riders’ reservations about wax versus lube – although once maybe true – are now outdated. Some of the common myths I presented to them were:
Myth 1: wax doesn’t work in wet and harsh conditions.
Reality: ZFC’s testing includes harsh condition testing and shows that on the whole wax holds up better than oil.
When asked what the biggest misconception about hot wax was, Kerin and Poertner immediately noted the belief that it only works in dry weather. “I think the biggest misconception would be that it doesn’t work in wet and ‘harsh’ conditions,” said Kerin.
Poertner concurs: “Wax is vastly superior in those conditions,” he contends. ZFC’s testing includes several “blocks” where contamination is added to the chain to simulate riding in dusty and muddy conditions. Of some three dozen products tested in this protocol, immersion waxes take the top five spots, and six of the top 10. The other four are drip-on waxes. Both categories strongly outperform traditional oil lubes, some of which did not survive the full testing process.
The misconception results from the unmissable fact that waxed chains are noisier than oiled chains when they fail. “The way I always try to describe it is that a wet lube is very good at hiding when it has failed,” says Poertner. “The rider continues to think it’s doing a great job well after it’s completely failed and it’s doing a terrible job.”
Wax’s primary weakness is that if you ride in wet and especially salty conditions, a waxed chain is prone to surface corrosion if it is left after a wet ride without being dried and wiped down. Kerin says, “You just can’t park it after a wet ride for a day and not have your chain rust.” Because wax sits in the chain, it allows water to interact with its external faces. If you leave your wet bike after a ride without wiping the chain dry, you encourage the chain to oxidise.
The easy fix? Simply wipe your chain and apply compatible wax drip lube if you aren’t going to rewax. Make sure to do this after each wet ride until you’re able to hot wax the chain again.
Myth 2: Wax doesn’t work in freezing conditions.
Reality: The current generation of chain wax does struggle at sub-zero temperatures. This is because they harden up, making it more challenging to break the chain in.
Wax is an organic lipophilic compound – basically an oil – that is solid at ambient temperatures. Silca has found through its own testing that softer waxes – which essentially have a higher oil content – perform better in lower-temperature environments because they do not harden as much as the temperature drops. “It has to be the right type of oil as some oils are solvents to the wax and can break down and damage the long-chain molecules,” says Poertner.
You can also split the difference between wax and oil. Poertner recommends that Silca users add the brand’s Synergetic oil lube to the wax. That increases the oil content, and, adds Poertner, “it also has a corrosion additive in it, which improves the corrosion resistance of the wax.” It does, however, mean the chain will pick up more contaminants than with wax alone.
While Kerin also believes a waxed chain will outperform a wet lubricated chain in freezing conditions, he admits that “the hassle of breaking that wax treatment in when it’s freezing cold can be a bit of a drag.” The break-in period can take around an hour of draggy riding depending on how hard the wax is. To speed up the process, Kerin suggests a 15-minute trainer session will get the chain running smoothly and efficiently.
Myth 3: Wax breaks down more quickly than oil lube.
Reality: That’s a common misunderstanding. It is easy to assume that wax breaks down far quicker than oil because it might start to sound noisy and dry. As Poertner explains, that sound is actually a positive: it lets you know that the lube has failed and needs to be re-applied. Even when a wet lube is a saturated, black paste that is grinding your drivetrain to powder, it may run silently, leading riders to assume it is still performing well.
Poertner recalls a reluctant wax convert at the end of the Unbound gravel race, who said at the end of the 200-mile race it sounded like the drivetrain was broken down. “I thought, ‘Oh, this is terrible.’ And then I cleaned it, threw my chain checker on, and it measured 0% wear.” Meanwhile, riders on traditional oil lubes may have finished with quiet-sounding drivetrains that needed extensive replacment parts.
Where does drip-on wax fit in?
Drip-on waxes are a halfway house between full immersion waxing and traditional wet oil lubes. These have some of the benefits of hot wax with the quick and familiar method of application that we are accustomed to with wet lubes. Based on ZFC longevity testing, Effetto Mariposa Flower Power drip-on wax and Silca’s Super Secret lube are some of the best-performing drip-on wax lubes.
Using a drip-on wax means the chain still has to undergo the same initial prep as one destined for immersion waxing. But as with immersion wax, once done it doesn’t need to be repeated. Further, the chain can be waxed on the bike, so you don’t need to break the chain and replace the quick link each time like with hot wax.
When reapplying the drip-on wax, all that needs to be done is wipe the chain with a microfibre cloth to clean off contamination and debris. Then, reapply the wax and leave it to dry for an extended period. Once the lube is on and dry, no further wiping is required unless you ride in wet conditions. Drip-on waxes offer the fastest and easiest way to lubricate your chain.
These wax emulsions do have some drawbacks compared to immersion hot waxes. Firstly, they do not last as long. meaning the reapplication frequency will be far higher. You’ll use more drip wax, resulting in a higher maintenance cost (but still lower than oil-based lubes).
Drip-on waxes take far longer to dry than hot wax because the liquid carrier takes time to evaporate. Depending on the conditions you store your bike in and the specific drip-on wax used, the wax emulsion can take four to eight hours to dry.
A common mistake with drip-on waxes is that people use them like traditional wet lube and simply apply them just before heading out the door. But without allowing drying time, the wax doesn’t penetrate into the links, meaning it won’t last as long. If the liquid carrier is still present, it acts much like an oil-based lube and is susceptible to attracting contaminants even in the dry. And it will easily wash away in the wet. Rather than lubricating the chain before a ride, it is best practice to lubricate the chain post-ride to ensure it has plenty of time to dry before its next outing.
Drip-on wax lubes aren’t quite as long-lasting as immersion wax because they rely on a carrier to transport the wax into the chain’s links. However, when that carrier evaporates, it leaves gaps inside the chain without wax coverage. This can make drip-on lubes less effective than immersion hot wax, which covers the entire chain purely with wax.
Lubricating your chain twice with the drip-on lube is a simple method to reduce this potential issue. The second round of lubrication should be done once the first has thoroughly dried; this way, the drip-on wax will fill the existing voids, and when it dries, the coverage will be more uniform. Of course, this process takes a lot of time and requires planning.
Drip-on wax can be used exclusively, however it is best used as an interim measure between immersion wax treatments. Many drip-on waxes are fully compatible with immersion waxing and can be combined however, if there is any doubt then it is best to stick to the same brands drip-on and immersion wax. After several applications of the drip-on wax, the chain can be easily cleaned and re-waxed using the immersion method. This allows for easier resets and maintenance with minimal mess. As Kerin points out, “The great thing about what we call the combo or the hybrid approach is that it just takes that pressure off because they can just hot wax their chain and then re-lube the next few times with their wax drip.”
Based on ZFC data, the best drip-on wax is around twice as cost effective as the best performing wet lube. Even making this relatively simple change can significantly improve the life of your drivetrain over conventional wet lubricants.
ZFC also perform single-application tests. This is as it sounds; the chain is treated with the lubricant once and then tested until it reaches a “wear rate jump point.” Essentially this is the point at which the chain measures a tangible amount of wear and signifies that the lubricant is exhausted and would need to be replaced. In this test, the top performers differ from those in the 10,000 km wear tests, but note how the massive difference between oil and wax disappears once any kind of contamination enters the equation.
| Lube | Real world clean | Real world dry gravel | Real world extreme |
| Silca Synerg-E (Oil) | 3,138 km | 480 km | 50 km |
| Rex Black Diamond (Immersion wax) | 1,867 km | 489 km | 100 km |
| Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower (drip-on) | 650 km | 450 km | 100 km |
One of the real advantages of drip-on wax is that it can be done anywhere without needing specific tools. This makes it a legitimate option for bikepackers and adventure riders who might be out for days on end. An immersion-waxed chain will only carry you so far before it needs reapplication. Out in the sticks, this isn’t a practical option. However, topping up with a drip-on wax is simple and effective. The only thing to consider is giving the wax long enough to dry.
Drip-on wax is a more user-friendly alternative to immersion waxing. It provides many of the benefits of immersion waxing without the need to melt any wax down or remove your chain to apply it. Drip-on wax’s versatility makes it more appealing than hot wax in some settings.
Another benefit of using wax – drip or immersion – is that cleaning the chain of old wax can be done using just a quick bath in boiling water. This means that chains can be cleaned with relative ease and without the need for chemicals to flush through the chain. Just make sure to fully dry your chain before re-waxing.
A place (or two) for wet lubricants
While the data may say wax is best, you don’t have to go far to hear otherwise – whether it’s from a cycling maintenance product company, a forum, someone on a group ride, or a local mechanic.
In this context, when looking at wax versus oil-based lubricants, the term wet lubricants refers to the state of the applied lubricant. A wax, whether a hot melt immersion wax or a drip-on, will dry and create a solid layer of lubrication. In contrast, an oil-based lube will remain liquid on the chain once applied. Where things get confusing is that some oil-based lubricants are labelled as dry, such as Muc-Off’s Dry lube, which is actually a wet lube that is designed for dry conditions rather than being a dry lube.
To find out why wet oil-based lubricants are often still the most common pick, I spoke to Joshua Simmons, owner of NixFrixShun (NFS), to find out from a performance oil lubrication brand. He quickly pointed out that the suitability of the type of lubricant you use can vary regionally.
Giving the comparison of the dusty clay roads of Texas and the clean asphalt of Washington, DC, Simmons explains how different the performance of oil-based lubricants can be depending on the environment.
“It would be very disappointing, no matter what they put on their chain in Texas versus someone in a relatively untaxing physical environment.” In a cleaner environment like the roads around DC Simmons says, “They could go 400-500 miles with one application of my very ordinary but well-formulated petroleum lubricant.” In an environment with more contamination present, this will quickly drop off swinging in favour of a wax lubricant.
In the table in the previous section in very clean conditions, Silca’s Synerg-E oil has the longest single application run time. This shows that where contamination can be avoided oil can perform as well as wax. The issue is that most of us are not blessed with perfectly clean roads to ride.
According to ZFC’s independent testing, NixFrixShun’s Ultimate Bicycle Chain lube sits fourth out of all the wet lubricants tested. These tests show that even this premium lubricant falls behind hot wax. However, it is in the same ballpark as some drip-on wax lubes tested.
Simmons points out that the initial prep for waxing a new chain is far more intensive than prepping for an oil-based application. “The factory lubricant is absolutely bonkers. It’s great, but it’s heavy, and it will protect your chain.”
When it comes to removing the factory grease Simmons suggests using very hot water, a good surfactant, and a scrub brush to clean up the chain the best you can. Unlike for a wax treatment, if some of the factory grease remains this is not a huge issue and over the course of a few flush cleans it will all be removed.
On this method of chain cleaning, Simmons says, “That does not work for some lubricants. Wax lubricants would be one of them because they really do need a very clean chain. If you put some of these wax lubricants on top of petroleum lubricant, there will be a fight. It’s not going to end well.” While wax requires more initial prep, wet lube requires more care in ongoing maintenance; to get optimal performance, you need to thoroughly clean your drivetrain before re-lubing – something many riders neglect and which adds time to bike washes.
Another factor is the quick-attach links that are almost ubiquitous in drivetrains today. Simmons also raises concerns about the frequent removal of the chain for re-waxing with his reservations seated in the use – or rather re-use – of these quick links: “I loudly object to any notion of removing a chain. A working chain is a working chain. Don’t take it off. I’ll make some concessions to high-quality removable links if they’re maintained and replaced regularly. The problem is nobody I know does that.”
This is still an ongoing debate, with conflicting advice circulating, but both SRAM and Shimano state that their quick links are not designed to be re-used. In reality, many riders report they re-use quick links without issue. Your practice is a personal decision, but if a link no longer has a positive snap when joined or broken, it absolutely needs replacing. Err on the side of caution. It’s not worth risking a bad crash to get another few hundred km out of an $8 chain link. Alternately, Wippermann’s line of Connex links is pricey by comparison but is designed to be re-used.
Midland Chain Waxing is another retailer of wet lubes and waxes. This British-based shop sells a wide array of products, including from Finnish ski and bike care brand Rex. Rex’s Black Diamond wax tested as the third-best hot wax (and third overall), and the Rex Black Diamond wet lube came in second place in that category, just behind Silca’s Synergetic.
With MCW selling both wax and wet lubes, I asked founder Alex Whitt his advice on when customers would be better off using the wet lube over the wax.
“Both have their advantages and disadvantages,” he said. “Personally, I pick wax for almost all applications due, and this is mainly longevity it can offer on your components as well as some marginal gains for me it wins almost every time.
“I run wet lube on my turbo and recommend that my customers do the same. This is due to being in a ‘usually’ clean environment where it’s unlikely to attract dust and grit.”
Typically, indoor trainers are used in the living room, garage, or balcony, locations that are unlikely to cause a wet lube to become contaminated and begin acting like a grinding paste. This clean environment also allows wet lubes to retain their lubricating properties longer than wax in perfectly clean environments. Whitt also points out that wax can flake off, which is not ideal if you train in your living room.
Not all oils are made the same
The performance you will get from an oil-based lubricant can vary massively. The running costs of the worst-performing oil in ZFC’s tests are 500% greater than the best-performing product in the category.
One key component of a high-performance oil is it has very low runout. This essentially means that the oil stays where it has been put. Simmons explains, “There’s no discernable benefit to lubricating anything other than the pins and the rollers.”
Lower-quality lubricants with higher runout lead to a lot of oil gathering on the external surfaces of the chain, where it picks up contaminants. This is where the issues for oil begin, as you quickly develop a form of liquid sandpaper that can grind away at components.
Even the best-quality oil lubes will suffer some degree of runout. Aggressively wiping the external surfaces of the chain will remove any oil that has gathered, minimising the potential for contamination to be carried internally.
Simmons shares Poertner’s sentiment regarding poor-quality oil lubes: “You pour it on your chain, and the chain is glistening. It’s quiet because it’s heavy; it clings to the plates and chainrings. It’s quiet, but it’s also dirty.”
Although testing shows wax to be the best option for wear protection and watt savings in many cases, it is essential for those who want to use a wet oil lubricant to invest in an objectively high-performing option. Based on ZFC testing, Silca’s Synergetic, NFS Ultimate Bicycle Lube, and Rex’s Black Diamond are the best performing wet oil lubes in terms of drivetrain longevity.
What’s right for you?
So is chain waxing right for everyone? Josh Poertner’s catchphrase is “It depends.” But there are many more scenarios for which it is the right choice than for which it’s not. That said, both drip-on or immersion waxing require more exacting chain preparation than with oil waxing, especially in the initial cleaning phase. Ultimately this is a good thing, but does mean that compared to just throwing on some oil before a ride you will need to set aside a little more time.
Again, bikes used exclusively on indoor trainers are a good application for wet lubes. And if you have a cheap commuter bike, says Kerin, the cost savings from wax probably won’t add up (although avoiding chain marks on pants is another vote in wax’s favour). And if you regularly ride in very wet weather and don’t want to religiously wipe and wax your chain after every ride, wax’s vulnerability to rust may cancel out the cost savings as well.
The connotation of chain wax as the preserve of racers looking to save precious watts obscures the potential cost-saving benefits that waxing can provide to the greater cycling population. Arguably, saving a few hundred dollars per year is a bigger selling point to most than the ability to enjoy their Sunday café ride at an immeasurably faster pace than before. For most riders, wax vs. oil can be boiled down to a cost:reward ratio. “You’ve got to choose which is the less crap path for you,” says Kerin. “That can often be dictated by how much your stuff’s worth.”
The cost of replacement parts rises quickly with component tiers; a Shimano 105 chain costs £36 / €40 / US$33, and a SRAM Rival chain costs £45 / €50 / US$40. But even a rider on Shimano CUES may want to preserve parts as long as possible.
| Cost per 10,000 km | Best hot wax | Best oil lube | Best drip wax | Worst oil lube (*) |
| Molten Speed Wax | Silca Synergetic | Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower wax | Finish Line Wet | |
| Chains | £18 / €22 / US$23 / AU$36 | £81 / €98 / US$103 / AU$162 | £44 / €53 / US$55 / AU$88 | £156 / €190 / US$197 / AU$315 |
| Cassettes | £66 / €80 / US$84 / AU$132 | £297 / €359 / US$379 / AU$594 | £162 / €193 / US$201 / AU$323 | £579 / €696 / US$723 / AU$1,155 |
| Combined | £84 / €102 / US$107 / AU$168 | £378 / €457 / US$482 / AU$756 | £206 / €246 / US$256 / AU$411 | £737 / €886 / US$920 / AU$1,470 |
| Added cost per 10,000 km | N/A | £294 / €355 / US$375 / AU$588 | £122 / €144 / US$149 / AU$243 | £653 / €785 / US$815 / AU$1,302 |
Whitt, from Midland Chain Waxing, puts it perfectly: “Waxing is certainly a fast-growing market, and I feel this is mainly being driven by the costs of components and the data showing how much a waxed drivetrain can save you.”
For everyone’s pocket, chain wax should be the future for all but a handful of expectations. Moving from a mid-performance oil to a top-performing immersion wax could save you around £750 / €900 / US$940 / AU$1,500 (when chainrings are also considered) given that many recreational riders cover more than 10,000 km per year as sa imple change of lubricant could fund a riding holiday or some serious upgrades.
Looking to the future
So, in most cases waxing your chain is a worthwhile switch from traditional wet oil lubes. The cost-saving, efficiency gains, and time savings (over proper wet lube chain maintenance) are favourable for wax, but as we have discussed, some areas still need to be cracked.
Poertner and Kerin agree that wax has yet to truly nail cold-weather performance. The long break-in period is a step too far for some to continue using wax through the cold winter months. In the future, we could see different wax blends emerge that are better suited to colder conditions. One method is to increase the oil content of the wax; however, this would need to be balanced with the product’s longevity.
Also, if you live somewhere like northern Europe or the upper Midwest in the United States, where winter and the shoulder seasons leading in and out of it are particularly wet, and more importantly roads are salty, using an oil-based wet lube may be worthwhile. If you tend to get back from a ride and want to get warm, clean and have something eat, and your bike is simply parked up and forgotten about until the next day, then an oil-based lube will help prevent surface rusting. Wiping down your chain at the end of a ride with a microfibre cloth and applying a drip-on wax is a simple remedy, but failing to do so can cost you a chain fairly quickly.
Kerin believes that Silca’s exploration of tuning additives, like its SpeedChip and EnduranceChip formulations, could become more widespread in the coming years. The ability to dial in the properties of the wax depending on how you want it to behave allows for a custom approach that riders have not had until now. Deciding whether to offer better protection against wear in training or have a super low-friction wax for competition could prove to be a popular approach.
With the world beginning to take a more conscious stance on the environmental impact products can have, Kerin believes there is a vacancy for a bio wax that is more environmentally friendly than the current offerings on the market. “The bio front will inevitably come to immersive waxing, with some major players perhaps marketing bio wax because many people wax for cleanliness and low wear are paying more for additives they don’t want,” he says.
“They don’t need WS2, graphene, graphite, or molybdenum disulfide. They just want a great wax base blend that’s going to have decent endurance and doesn’t have all the crap in there. For them, they might simply want the most environmentally friendly option.”
On this front, it is worth noting a few brands are ahead of the curve in this respect: Simplyfast offers a hot melt style wax that is non-toxic, biodegradable, and contains no PFAS or metals. For those looking to use a drip-on wax, there is Effetto Mariposa’s sunflower oil-based Flowerpower, and Mountain Flow offers a plant-based drip-on wax. Both are biodegradeable and petroleum- and additive-free. On the subject of additives, while it’s petroleum-based, it’s worth noting that the fourth-best performer in ZFC’s wear testing is straight-ahead paraffin candle wax.
Especially in light of that result, it would be unsurprising to see some bigger names in the industry join these brands with a new range of environmentally friendly products, especially for riders looking to simply extend their drivetrain life span.
The growing popularity of drip-on waxes and the hybrid approach are paving the way for mainstream adoption. This could potentially revolutionise how cyclists approach chain maintenance and maximise the lifespan of their drivetrain components. Ultimately, if you want to care for your bike, the data suggests that making the jump to wax, whether hot melt or drip-on, is likely the right decision.
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