So you could not have one chain in soak whilst using the other one?
Chain Rotation
- Thread starter PedallingNowhereSlowly
- Start date
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So you could not have one chain in soak whilst using the other one?
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Yes, of course you could, in which case you would just be rotating the two.
But given it costs electricity to heat the wax, it is more efficient t wax a few at the same time.
It isn't something I have ever done because I haven't (yet) run waxed chains. But if and when I do run waxed chains, I will almost certainly do it that way.
For regular wet lubes, I see no significant benefit to rotating chains, and have never done it.
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Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Ah none then 😂
OP
OP
PedallingNowhereSlowly
Senior Member
It's just like batch cooking isn't it?
A dirty chain wears faster. It takes a minute to swap out a chain. It takes several minutes to properly clean one and re-lube it. Bonus points if using waxed chains because the drive train stays clean. But one thing I used to do with a wet lubed (oiled chain) when pushed for time, was drop a chain off, floss the cassette and clean what I can with baby wipes in a couple of minutes and put a fresh chain on.
There was a time I did the same thing with bikes. Ride one until it needed fettling. Ride another until it needed fettling. Ride a third till it needed fetlling. And when I got a free Saturday/Sunday, go through the lot.
But again, with this kind of optimisation, it doesn't really matter so long as its good enough for who it's for.
A dirty chain wears faster. It takes a minute to swap out a chain. It takes several minutes to properly clean one and re-lube it. Bonus points if using waxed chains because the drive train stays clean. But one thing I used to do with a wet lubed (oiled chain) when pushed for time, was drop a chain off, floss the cassette and clean what I can with baby wipes in a couple of minutes and put a fresh chain on.
There was a time I did the same thing with bikes. Ride one until it needed fettling. Ride another until it needed fettling. Ride a third till it needed fetlling. And when I got a free Saturday/Sunday, go through the lot.
But again, with this kind of optimisation, it doesn't really matter so long as its good enough for who it's for.
OP
OP
PedallingNowhereSlowly
Senior Member
So?
I have ridden Audaxes historically and ridden long multi-day bike rides in grotty weather only using wet lube. On one particular ride where it rained heavily for the entire day, there was not a drop of lubricant left on the chain (Finish Line Green, FTR) and the next morning the freewheel had seized up.
Thankfully I'd packed lubricant and with a bit of brute force unseized the freewheel for the next day's riding.
My experiences of waxing so far have measured up to the hype. A lack of evidence that something does work is not evidence it won't work.
If I were to ride a 600km Audax on that bike, it's exactly what I'd do. Unfortunately I'm not afforded the luxury of doing that at the moment.
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Must admit I just ride my bikes and do not do a lot of cleaning etc, I have never found the need to, the cross bike got jet washed and lubed after every race, the MTB the same, the TT bike, when something was going wrong, the road bikes when they got really dirty. I am just trying to get my head around the benefits of rotating multiple chains and how it could benefit me. I do however rotate my tyres, as that seems to get me moving better.
OP
OP
PedallingNowhereSlowly
Senior Member
Can probably blame a dose of OCD and years of owning air cooled Volkswagens. As reliable as UK rain if you stayed on top of maintaining them and hellishly unreliable when you don't.
I cut my teeth dealing in air cooled VW vehicles, back in the late seventies and eighties.
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
After 5 pages of having my brain fried at how complicated drivetrain maintenance CAN be, we finally get to the bottom of it!
As PNS said, it's horses for courses. Personally I am happy to take the financial hit (for all it is) and replace whatever components need replaced a little more regularly.
That was my guess at the beginning, or a troll post.
sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Absolutely.
I’m also happy (And I literally mean happy) to pi55 money into the wind, for my hobby, for something that consumes a fair part of my life and for something that I really enjoy.
If that means I service bikes ahead of time, change parts before they absolutely need going, buy parts ‘just because’’ have 4 spare pairs of the same shorts; and a hoarde of brand new spare parts for multiple bikes just incase - that’s absolutely my prerogative.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I understand the nirvana that you're chasing, but then gains are so minimal it makes absolutely zero difference to the cassette:chain replacement ratio for the likes of me and Mickle, so I can't seen it being any different for anyone else. The time spent isn't worth a gain so small that the likes of us can't even see it.
Get a bike with belt drive if it's keeping you up at night.
Get a bike with belt drive if it's keeping you up at night.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Indeed a cassette will easily see 25,000 miles with no chain rotation, oil for lubrication, and no degreasing. Can not see the point of all this regular faff.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I swap the same chain between my bikes, I’m thinking of doing the same with the brake pads.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Don’t forget to turn the front wheel round every week to even out wear.
