You should've rinsed your chain with Isopropyl alcohol or acetone or any other solvent that evaporates after you degreased, not with straight water. Rinsing with water doesn't ensure that you removed all the residue from degreasing. Some of the black wax you were wiping off after your first ride may have been residue that was trapped in the rollers of the chain after rinsing with water. Degrease another new chain properly and check results again.
Got a question. I'm gonna use this on my new chain. What if i decide to switch back to oil-based lube? What's the procedure removing the Squirt? Also does the dried Squirt wax not go on the rim brake line and contaminate it?
@@HarrieH The side of the chain that is in contact with the teeth of the chainwheels. So best apply it to the upper part of the chain that is closest to the ground. By applying it this way, your chainwheels get a lube or in this case wax as well. I hope this helps :)
Actually watch the Silca super secret lube chain installation video where Josh mentions the best way he has found to apply is on top of the cassette then backpedal while it's crosschained. This pulls/pushes the wax into the rollers most effectively
1) you need to clean properly your chain as first (and this was not done) 2) you need to apply Squirt from inside (not from above, or at least the first from inside, then second from opposite side) 3) you should leave the chain to dry in between by 24h for second application
@@jnk4president change gears to make cross chain line…front big ,rear biggest gear..to stretch chain..inside means first layer of squirt should be applied from inner (bottom side) where your rear-derailleur is..hope it makes more clear
I think it's a pretty good drip lube. However, your chain will get dirty, especially in wet conditions (and it doesn't last long when it's wet). In dry conditions, it attracts much less dirt than oil based lubes. Also, putting the bottle into warm water before application for a few minutes helps with better penetration into the chain, as it can be quite viscous.
Thank you for commenting and sharing your knowledge. I agree with you... a chain will get dirty, it's up to the user to maintain it. I'll use your method of putting the bottle in warm hot to make it easier to apply. Makes sense 👍🏽
I'm using Squirt more than 4 years on my mtb and road bikes. Durability it's insane, one application on road in mixed conditions last about 500 km, while on mtb last about 200 km. There's no more grease dust on my bikes, no more cleaning and degreasing, my life became more simplier :) In rain and wet conditions works more better than when it's dry. Naturally, wax is watter repelent so it's using watter like a lubricant and there is less friction. After completely cleaning the chain and puting first application of the Squirt, there is no need to clean chain before next application. Just wipe the chain with soft rag, apply Squirt from the inside of chain and leave it for minimum 4 hours to dry.
Hey Ozren, thank you for your comment. Good to hear that you have had a good experience with Squirt. I don't think I cleaned my chain enough before the first application. If I go back to using squirt then I will properly clean my chain with something really strong before applying. Safe riding friend! 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman i'm using technical gas, without any additives. You can buy it in any hardware store. Just leave the chain in it for 30 minutes, i'm using old cycling watter bottle. Remember to wear gloves and protection glasses ;)
Best thing to do with new chain is to degrease with mineral spirits or petrol to remove the factory grease then follow with degreaser then denatured alcohol to remove any residue and water. Heat the chain with a hair dryer to fully dry it. Now you need to truly wax the chain with a molten wax product. This will get wax into every space on the chain to block access of water and dirt getting in to cause wear. Once chain installed your ready to go. As for Squirt I think it’s a great produce to use to apply to your chain in between your hot wax treatments while out on multi day rides.
I switched to Squirt after years of using Muc Off dry and wet lubes after a recommendation from Johnny and for me, it felt so much smoother and less friction in the drivetrain than the oil lubes. Yes there can be more faff in application but for it didn't change much for me because of my OCD in bike cleaning. Applying lube to a chain was a overnight thing regardless of oil or wax, first to allow the chain to dry completely after cleaning (not just the surface, as this can be done with a rag, but dry between the pins and rollers), and second to allow the lube to work its way and settle between the pins and rollers before wiping off any excess. So from the outside there should be little to no surface lube for an oil based lube, this will help keep the chain cleaner for longer.
Hey Han! Thanks for sharing your experience and your tips 😁 It seems like there is a split decision for the lube in the comments and online in general. I'm going to continue using (as I have a whole bottle) and see how it works out through the summer. 👍🏽 Bring on the good weather so we don't have to worry soo much about dirty bikes 🤣
I used it for about a year . Found it good . I’ve moved on to the slow cooker and molten wax method now 😅 keeps the chain super clean . Another great video buddy 👍🏻
Hey, mate, I watched your informative video which is one of the reasons for giving this lube a try 👍🏽 - The more I use it the more I am liking it. There seems to be mixed opinions in the comments and online. "I’ve moved on to the slow cooker and molten wax method now" - That sounds like an operation 🤣🤣 - To be honest I've seen how clean your bike is in all your insta pics so I shouldn't be surprised haha. On a serious note, what is the molten wax method... `I've not got a scooby!!
@@JourdainColeman Yea it’s a mixed one mate some love it some hate it me personally I liked it . The molten wax method lol it’s where your deep clean the chain in petrol and then white spirit , few times depends on the chain then once you’ve given it a good clean let it soak in petrol over night . Next day melt down your wax and ptfe then pop your chain in . Let the wax set , crack the excess wax off and fit . Lasts about 200k , stays squeaky clean . 👍🏻 Bit more effort than the squirt but it’s slightly more effective. All depends how clean you want to keep your chain really mate! 😅
A great way to completely strip the chain is using an ultrasonic cleaner with a heater and a strong solvent (outside is best due to fumes). Then a heat gun or airgun to dry it.
For the initial clean, just let the chain soak in a small bottle of petrol. Then degrease, then methylated spirits, and it’s properly cleaned... The residue post tide is normal, I found the same with wax immersion too. I always wipe the chain with a rag after every ride to remove any muck. I reapply squirt every 150km or so...
Hey Patric, thanks for the information and tips. I think that initial clean is likely the most important step. I may redo that clean and do the same for the chainrings and rear derailleur as well. I've been re applying every 100 miles or so so I'll stick with that schedule. 👍🏽
@@HarrieH normally I just pedal backwards by hand, running the chain through a cloth a few times to remove any muck and debris, then just re apply. If the chain has grit, then I’ll wash with some spray on citrus cleaner, and wash off with a garden hose prior.
Degreaser, followed by mineral spirits, followed by isopropyl alcohol and the chain will be clean. Let dry, apply two coats at first and reapply when the chain gets noisy. Wipe down the chain with a cloth after every ride. That dirt that you are seeing in the wax expelling dirt from the inside of the chain. That's how it works, this is normal. Squirt works very well, so does Smoove.
Tip to clean your chain faster: Use a bidon or bottle you don't care about. Put chain inside, pour in degreaser and shake the hell out of it for a minute. Pour out degrease, rinse with water and repeat 2-3x :)
Hey Dwight, that's actually a great idea. I'm due some new bottles so I'll use my old ones to clean the chain. "Shake the hell out of it"... I can visualize it as we speak.
I just switched my commuter bike to Squirt over the weekend. My objective is to have a clean chain that keeps my trousers from getting stained on my way to work. Hopefully this does the business
I would just use neat degreaser from the get go. It’s too dilute with water. Then rinse the degreaser off the chain with lots of clean water and fairy liquid. Then rinse the chain again but this time just with clean water. Then allow chain to dry completely overnight. Then apply the Squirt the following day. Should see better results I think.
Hey Paddy! Thanks for the information. Yeah, I agree, I think I need something stronger to tackle that factory grease and really make sure it's removed. Then rinse and wait as you said. I'll give that a try soon.
Thanks for the info. I have same problem like you have. I cleaned the new chain 2, 3 times properly but I still have waxy gunk that annoying me because it make black dots on my floor. After cycling rainly day, the cleanliness of chain is much worse.
A hot wax can be good. I used to make and sell it on the bay. I use it. Do not use waterbased degreaser they are essentially soapy water and dont remove the packing grease. Parafin petrol acetone white spirit isopropyl alcohol will strip a chain. You will have had water in the links fron your washing when you applied your wax. Bad. Get a hard wax with ptfe and tungsten disulphide in it. If u make it 1pound wax 10g ptfe 2g tungsten disulphide
Did you clean the chainrings and jockey wheels before replacing the chain? That dirt may have transferred from the teeth to the chain rollers. It's very good lube, my main stay of riding is on back roads covered in water and mud and it's amazing how clean my chain stays.
Hey! thank you for your comment (and tips). I did clean them, but as with the chain... not clean enough. I am going to redo the whole process and make sure that I use something powerful to strip that grease completely. Good to hear that you have had a good experience with Squirt 👍🏽
I have used the same three products as you, I have found my chain spotless after a few rides with Squirt. With the muc off products your chain does get dirty. I guess it does depend how much dirt gets kicked up on your ride. I use white spirit and meths to clean my chain, shake in a jar with the lid on, totally gets everything off. I also watch Katies videos and applied the same. I did get good results with Squirt and you are right in what you say about when to apply and habits
Hey Steve, cheers for commenting and sharing your experience/knowledge. I think I'm going to use a method similar to the one you have mentioned. Use a really strong degreaser, seal the chain in a tin something similar and shake. 👍🏽
The chain gets black, that's normal. It's just really easy to remove it from both the chain and your hands because it's not a mush of oil and dirt but just dirt lying on the wax. What annoys me about wax is the amount of shit it leaves on the jockey wheels and chainrings. But still use squirt. The re-applying is much easier then with oil where you have to clean the chain very often. I think in the summer I will switch to dry lube on my road bike.
Idealy you want to soak it in Benzin, then Whitespirits, then some alkohol for atleast 12 hours each. That way it will be grease and oil free and squirt will stick to it much better. With Squirt my chain lasted for 11 months on my gravel commuter bicycle.
I have't tried wax and this looked pretty clean for the distances you were riding. Cycling in London every bit of your bike is going to get a layer of particulate on it that will turn your finger black
Did any of you that have tried it, actually cleaned your WHOLE drivetrain? Cleaning the chain, but leaving old oil and dirt on your chainring(s), cassette and derailleur is only doing half the job...
There's not any single lube that won't attract any dirt at all...that's bollocks...compared to other lubes out there your chain looks pretty clean after all those rides...you shouldn't complain that much, it's accumulating very small amounts of grit and gunk..muc off dry lube is ok, but for longer rides it tends to "dry" way too fast..the wet one is a huge no-no..also, the ceramic from muc-off is slightly better for reducing friction, but it's damn sticky and attracts a lot of dirt and also it's very messy when cleaned off the chain and it leaves a weird residue on certain surfaces afterwards...heard the finish line lubes are great value for what they offer, but haven't used them yet..i might give them a try soon
This product had been tested along others and it came out as the worst on actually lubrication - it almost had the same wear as the test with nothing on it. It is a wax mixed with 70% water - hence the long drying time. The only part where you need lubrication is inside the rollers. Outside of the chain has to be as dry as possible. Inside the rollers the wax will be pushed out because of the friction while riding. Thuis ends up on your jockey wheels - hard and black wax. The viscosity of oil will make the oil flow back into the roller, wax cannot flow back. The first 100kms it is a real silent ride. But after that the functionality is gone. Ten years ago i used this lube too but the time needed afterwards to get all the hardened wax of the components made me go back to oil.
Thanks for the info! There seems to be a real mix of people loving the stuff and people not liking it #marmite Personally I use oil, I find it easier, it's tried and tested, no fancy application. 👍🏽
Question... If let's say you wash your bike, do you need to repeat the total stripping of the lube (squirt) then reapply once more or do you just clean it conventionally then apply another coat in the chain? By the way, what I did on my stock chain is I first doused it in kerosene. After a few minutes, I doused and brushed it with a degreaser. That helped in totally removing the stock oil of the new chain
Hey Marcy, Washing our bike - No I don't think that you need to re-apply. But do bear in mind that you don't wash the chain as you would normally with a degreaser (because it doesn't need it). This is my understanding anyway. Thanks for the tip on the removal of the stock oil. I definitely need to find some stronger stuff to strip it right down.
All wax-based bicycle chain lubes we've tested so far - no matter the type of wax used - produced fairly poor results during friction testing (SRV tribometer). This is probably caused for wax-based lubricants - unlike oil-based ones - are unable to relubricate the contact area after having been pushed aside.
Current update on Squirt? Still using it? Bought one and want to try this on a new chain.Can the dried wax go on the rim brake line and contaminate it? Also what is the procedure if i decide to switch back to oil-based lube?
I stopped using it a while ago, to be honest, they is so much emphasis on the user to get it right (as seen in the comments). I wanted something simple that I can just apply before a ride
Great review, good to see some mileage and the results. It's too bad you needed to completely and deeply degrease the chain to apply it, that means all the manufacturing oil was stripped out of the rollers exposing the metal and I bet some minor oxidization on those inner parts happened when exposed to the elements in clean water and the air for a short time. That could be some of the black residue coming out mixed with dirt from your rides. Almost any metal reacts to oxygen and other elements when not coated in oil. It could also be the metal reacting with the wax, not sure what happens with wax and friction or oxidization on metal.
Hey, thanks for your comment. I've had a lot of comments on this video saying I needed to use a stronger degreaser, petrol seems to be the common solution. However, from my point of view, I don't want to buy a new chain and then have to strip it in petrol just to use Squirt. Just my two cents. Many people seem to really like it and have used it for years. Maybe I'll give it a try one day in the future.
Im not sure that you REALLY stripped you new chain, yes you got most of it, but the first ride is an indication that you didn't get all the factory stuff.
Yeah, I agree! Other people have also said the same thing. I'll potentially repeat the process with some much stronger products to removed the initial wax.
That chain was not properly stripped of the factory lube. It takes a lot more than a soak in degreaser and a brush. Soak it in petrol for 8hrs, then degreaser for 4hrs and then rinse it in alcohol until it is clear and there is no impurities. I do this before wax dipping my chains and does strip it completely.
The question you should ask.........does the wax prevent dirt from getting inside the links? Wax = Barrier Would dirt, get inside, a dry wax? The outside of the chain can always get dirty. You can always wipe that off. It's inside the links that you don't want getting dirty.
As the wax is more solid, you have to wonder if parts of the dried wax move a little and if that barrier does not remain fully intact letting some dirt and dust into the chain links. A wet oil at least you know it's flowing around the rollers in the links as the chain moves and usually keeping the metal of the chain parts coated.
Hey Philip, I guess this is one benefit of the Squirt lube. In answer to your question, I would say yes, you need to keep the whole drivechain as clean as possible. I used to take the chain off and give it a good clean every couple of weeks using degreaser. As well as the whole drivechain to be honest. Make sure to regrease properly though 😁 Black chain = bad Sparkling clean chain = Good I hope that helps 👍🏽
I used to use Muc-off lubes (wet and dry). I've not used any other to be honest. My routine would be something like... 1. Clean whole drivechain so it's spotless 2. Apply oil based lube 3. Re apply every 50 miles or so 4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 when the chain dirty I hope that helps you, mate 👍🏽
Curious to see what you'd think of NFS or SIlca Synergetic, which are two extremely good wet lubes that did very well in ZFC's chain longevity testing.
@@JourdainColeman Unfortunately I have not. I'm finishing up a bottle of Squirt and then was planning to move on to a better wax based product. When I first got Squirt it was either that, Smoove, or Molten Speed wax as the top picks. There are a bunch of really good newer products out now that crush Squirt in ZFC testing, so it will probably be one of those.
Why are you applying lube to the outside of the chain? Always apply to the inside since that's where the contact is. You are only putting lube where dirt and grit can get stuck.
I use the Squirt ebike lube on my two ebikes. Works very well. Helps with the increased stress put on the chain from the motor. It helps to lessen friction. But I’ve only used it for about 3 weeks. So, too early to tell if there’s a difference in wear and tear. However I noticed immediately the chains were quieter and shifting was much smoother. I put the same ebike lube on my Roubaix and noticed the same. Smooth shift & quiet chain.
Great video! Just tried it out. While I was a fan initially It's quite expensive and only lasted two rides. Do you know if simple degreaser will remove it? Thanks!
I've tried this stuff twice. The first time about four years ago. It was a gloppy mess, and ridiculously time consuming. I've now given it a second chance. Brand new Dura-Ace chain, properly degreased through and though. Same time consuming, gloppy mess. It's just as time consuming to prep the chain as a hot wax treatment, and the application process is more time consuming, while the squirt does not stay as clean or last as long as a hot wax treatment. Waste of money and time for me.
Thanks for the info. I think you summed it up well when you spoke about all the prep work that needs to go into it. Especially if you are changing a used bike to Squirt. Like many of these products, I'm sure some people have had a good experience, but each scenario is different. What are you using now out of curiosity?
@@JourdainColeman I’ve just gone back to using rock n roll gold. I clean the chain and cogs whenever it looks or feels dirty using the Park chain cleaning machine, chain brite, and a cog brush. Then I rinse with water, dry it with air hose, and lube. Whole process takes about 10-15 minutes tops.
A bit late to the party. I noticed you used 'bike cleaner' to clean the chain. That will not do the job - you need to use petrol or turpentine and degreaser and then alcohol as mentioned below. Also, the rest of the drivetrain must be completely clean as well - cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings, otherwise that dirt will contaminate the newly lubed chain..
Yeah, a few people mentioned this. I didn't do that step correctly. I also think it's a lot of work to get squirt to work correctly. I've moved away from it and use a traditional lube now 👍🏼
Ya man I’ve used that wax lube.. over winter, and it’s accumulated quite a bit of muc. I’m not totally sold. Switched back to ceramic muc off wet lube.
Interesting that you are not totally sold on the Squirt chain lube. There seems to be mixed opinions in the comments. I'm going to give it a try for the rest of the bottle and see where I'm at in a few months. As always, thanks for watching and interacting 👍🏽😁
@@JourdainColeman thanks bro.. in a slight tangent. Just watched a disturbing video on fb of a gang trying to steal a bunch of locked bikes in Victoria park in broad daylight. I’ve seen from your videos that you tend to cycle through there often, so be careful and keep your eyes open. Sadly that area is a hot spot. I live near there and it’s really disturbing to know that these guys can do this in broad daylight.
I've seen some videos like that as well. These people literally have no shame what so ever. I do cycle around those ways although I would never lock my bike up. It's either in the house or I'm sat on it. I've seen/heard to many horror stories to let it out my sight. Some of these bikes are so valuable... a gold mine for these thief's. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to let people know and mention it every now and again in the videos. 👍🏽
I really like this stuff. I'll apply this a few days before I go on a ride and then when I'm heading out I'll have a thick coat of wax. What I've noticed is that it dries in a breaks off bit by bit taking the dirt with it. I'll then just give the chain a wipe with a dry cloth or a light brush and reapply.
Eh? What? I'm surprised that you considered that teeny-weeny bit of muck (on the paper towel) to be significant after 35-odd miles of riding around London. Surely you jest, dear boy? It's an uncovered, lubricated bike chain with hundreds of sliding, rolling, crunching, grinding moving parts. Expecting to retain a perfectly clean chain outdoors seems a bit unrealistic to me. The air is full of dust, soot, exhaust particles, tyre rubber and other nasties that'll stick no matter how 'dry' your waxed lube claims to be. Any substance capable of forming a film and effectively lubricating moving parts MUST be able to pick up dirt as the bits slide over each other. It couldn't do its job otherwise. If you were riding on rollers indoors with the windows shut you might have a point, but not outdoors in deepest, darkest Britain. I'm not a proper cyclist, but I do 70 road-miles per week, every week (business, not pleasure, in West Yorkshire) on a 22 year-old bike that cost me £130 new. My chain is thick with black gunge because I'm skint and use 10W-40 car engine oil to lubricate it (I just happened to have some in the garage). It gets a weekly wipe down with a rag soaked in white spirit, and a monthly(-ish) wash in one of those £6.00 chain-scrubbing tools with the rotating brushes. Yes, serious cyclists will be horrified, fretting about drag and friction and lost watts and component wear and whatnot, but I'm not bothered. The bike's cheap and uses the cheapest available parts. It works well enough for me. My current no-name chain [£4.00] is over five years old and still functioning satisfactorily. Why worry? My motto is: if pedalling's hard, eat more porridge!😁 And if you think that picking up a bit of road dust on your chain is bad, you should see the state of your lungs...😲
Your chain was still dirty, you didn't clean it good enough inside the rollers, I soak mine in gas, it dries fast and clean, also you don't get oil on the bike from the chain spray, so you don't have to use detergent on the bike, detergent is not good for bearings, or anything else, I only use water to clean my bike, my chain is never as dirty as yours on any of my bikes.. Road, gravel, mountain..
Thanks for the tips, much appreciated! I agree with what you have said, and many people have said the same thing. I think the key to the wax lubes is to spend the most time cleaning the wax of the original chain. To be honest I've moved back to wax lubes for now. I'll maybe give Squirt another go when I have some petrol lying around. 👍🏽
you forgot to take in account the chain longevity. this is the biggest difference in waxing the chain...DURABILITY... Using wax instead of oil can extend chain life 3 or 4 times !!!! (not sure if this aplies to squirt compared to hot wax)
Hey Titus, good point. It was more of an initial test. It would be good to test the same chain side by side one using wax and the other standard lube. I'd like to do that but there are too many variables to test that fairly. Maybe in the future.
I don't think durability of the chain comes into this as the lube is designed to reduce friction. Chain wear is actually the chain stretching and it can also wear out your chainrings and cassette cogs. This lube is not going to stop your chain from stretching over time from cycling. If anything it reduces the life of a chain because the wax reduces the flex of the chain as it gets into the gaps and solidifies. It then acts as a wedge to pop off the plates on your chain as your chain can't flex enough when you change gears.
@@edt6488 wellllll This is not true. If You study the issue you will see that the so called stretch comes from the round pins that chage their diameter because of metal to metal friction Wax and ptfee gives much better lubrication for the small pins...hence the longer life. A well maintained wax chain can go for 15k km....vs 3,4k with oil based lube
It looks like you didn't get rid off this shimano "oil". Try use proper degreaser maybe? Something stronger for sure. And try to leave wax for at least 12h after application (overnight?) I use squirt for 3 to 4 seasons now on road bike and mtb and I've never seen anything like this oily thing on your finger.
Hey Lukasz, cheers for the tips. I agree, I think there may have been some residue. A few people have mentioned cleaning in petrol so I may give that a try. Good to hear that you have been using Squirt for years without issue, that gives me confidence 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman it's good but I am not sure if it's perfect ;-) My two Shimano XT 12s chains got a bit rusty after rainy/snowy rides. And still not sure if it was because I left it wet after ride, or my careless waxing technique is not optimal or the chain itself likes to get rust (heard some rumors...). And for sure you need some time to learn how much of wax is enough to have clean chain and clean cassette, cranks and frame. Though it's still way way better then all I've used before. Thanks for this test and all the best mate!
Thank you for the information, Lukasz! All very helpful 👍🏽 I agree that it's certainly cleaner than any other oil based lube that I have used before. 😁 Safe riding, friend!!
You can’t avoid the bits of tyre and brake dust that come off the roads. It’s still a lot better than the filthy black greasy coating you get with wet lube.
Thanks for the info Charles. I've had a real mix of feedback from the comments. I agree it's far less dirty and collects less crap than the traditional oil based lubes. I think I needed to strip the chain better. I'll try your tip of boiling water 👌🏾
I'm not sure if this is recommended for bearings. I would assume you would need some proper bearing grease, I don't think that this will be good enough for that.
Well, I'm back using Muc off. But as many of the comments have suggested I don't think I stripped my chain enough at the start of the process. Reviews will tell you that squirt is better... I no longer use it. I hope that helps.
I found the exact same thing. Feel the fenwicks degreaser wasn’t strong enough compared to white spirit for example on the brand new chain... Exactly the same. Hopefully the factory grease will come off sooner rather than later... Even after one ride, I get black build up / flaking of wax.. Will see how it goes in the coming months !
Hey Gus, I agreed, it seem that the Fenwicks just doesn't do the job. I need to get something stronger to really strip the chain. I'm going to redo the whole process at some point and make sure that the chain is sparkling clean before I apply the Wax. From the comments I also applied too much so i'll reduce the amount. 👍🏽
hi mate, nice video. i use squirt for about 2 years now, are you sure about the application of the wax? usually you apply the wax on the lower chain from the top. i agree the fact that it has to be dry before riding can be annoying but i couldn't imagine going back to a normal lube. the wax doesn't stick to the hands and can be rubbed off and you don't mess up your room with nasty oily stains. video from squirt with the right application: ruclips.net/video/A8pLqcm36xQ/видео.html
It seems everyone that has swapped to Squirt chain lube loves it and would not go back. The more I use it the more I like it to be honest. You are certainly right about the mess with oil based lubes, I don't miss that one bit 😁 - How has it been for you with chain wear? I've heard good things but I've not been using it long enough to comment. One questions I do have... Do you ever give the chain a full deep clean? Strip all the wax and then re-apply or do you just use a rag to clean it down? Cheers for the link as well, much appreciated! 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman To be honest I don't clean my chain that often. Mostly I use warm water and a cloth to rub the chain clean. I rewax after about 100-150km (more often in winter), I used my last chain for about 2 years, didn't count the total distance. I have a new bike and the wear of the chain seems to be pretty good, but I can't tell you the exact numbers. One last thing to mention, yes the wax is not that cheap but for me one bottle holds extremely long. I think I ordered the first bottle in in 2018-2019, up to now I bought only two bottles one is almost empty the other one has about 3/4 left. Keep growing your channel! Greetings from Germany 🤙🏾
A viewer from Germany! Amazing 🤙🏾 Very good point about the wax lasting a long time. I've been applying it every 100 miles or so but I've hardly made a dent in the bottle. I'm going to stick with it for this summer 👌🏾 Safe, riding friend!! :)
I have been using that chain wax since the day i bought my CF bike, Nov 2019.....now at 3700 km and chain is very clean looking like brand new. BTW We live in a very dry climate.....
You are putting way too much wax and on the wrong side of the chain. I had the same problem first time bc I put way too much and on the outside of the chain. Second time I only put a small drop on each roller and the inside of the chain and the dirt disappeared.
Thanks for sharing and taking the time to comment! Other people have also mention this. I think I'm going to start form zero and do the whole process again. Strip the chain, apply less and apply to the inside of the rollers. 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman the initial process of stripping the factory grease is very important. That alone was an hour process as I let the chain sit in the degreaser a minimum 30minutes and then brushing, washing and cleaning off the degreaser. Here’s a link of the video I watched when I first used squirt: ruclips.net/video/ZaSK72RJv30/видео.html
This lube is like toothpaste , you have to work it into the chain. Lay it flat after cleaning and pour lube on and work it in with a toothbrush. Let dry and install. Laying it on top will do nothing, won't get into the rollers and side plates.
Tu as mal dégraissé ta chaine c'est pour cela que la chaine reste sale après quelques sorties à vélo. Il faut également dégraisser entièrement les plateaux et la cassettes ainsi que les galets de dérailleur !
@@JourdainColeman Super Secret chain lube by Silca ( www.silca.cc ). I have been using SQUIRT for a couple years also. I haven't tried Silca's Super Secret yet.
You should've rinsed your chain with Isopropyl alcohol or acetone or any other solvent that evaporates after you degreased, not with straight water. Rinsing with water doesn't ensure that you removed all the residue from degreasing. Some of the black wax you were wiping off after your first ride may have been residue that was trapped in the rollers of the chain after rinsing with water. Degrease another new chain properly and check results again.
Got a question. I'm gonna use this on my new chain. What if i decide to switch back to oil-based lube? What's the procedure removing the Squirt? Also does the dried Squirt wax not go on the rim brake line and contaminate it?
Hot water does the job.@@leftyseel8658
Putting it on the inside of the chain and not outside like you did helps too
Hey Noa, thanks for the comment/advice! Other people have mentioned this as well so I now only add to the inside of the chain👌🏼👍🏼
Wat do you mean by the 'inside'?
@@HarrieH The side of the chain that is in contact with the teeth of the chainwheels. So best apply it to the upper part of the chain that is closest to the ground. By applying it this way, your chainwheels get a lube or in this case wax as well. I hope this helps :)
Indeed, apply inside side and choose a gear set that cross the chain most.
That way the wax can go inside the rollers easier.
Actually watch the Silca super secret lube chain installation video where Josh mentions the best way he has found to apply is on top of the cassette then backpedal while it's crosschained. This pulls/pushes the wax into the rollers most effectively
1) you need to clean properly your chain as first (and this was not done)
2) you need to apply Squirt from inside (not from above, or at least the first from inside, then second from opposite side)
3) you should leave the chain to dry in between by 24h for second application
All great points. I may try using Squirt again in the future and use the tips you and other have left in the comments. 👍🏽
İ was looking for this coment👍🏻
what do you mean apply from "inside"? im confused. thanks
@@jnk4president change gears to make cross chain line…front big ,rear biggest gear..to stretch chain..inside means first layer of squirt should be applied from inner (bottom side) where your rear-derailleur is..hope it makes more clear
I think it's a pretty good drip lube. However, your chain will get dirty, especially in wet conditions (and it doesn't last long when it's wet). In dry conditions, it attracts much less dirt than oil based lubes. Also, putting the bottle into warm water before application for a few minutes helps with better penetration into the chain, as it can be quite viscous.
Thank you for commenting and sharing your knowledge. I agree with you... a chain will get dirty, it's up to the user to maintain it. I'll use your method of putting the bottle in warm hot to make it easier to apply. Makes sense 👍🏽
I add Teflon powder to heated up Squirt then mix well and it becomes very slippery with noticeable reduction in noise and reduction in resistance.
I'm using Squirt more than 4 years on my mtb and road bikes. Durability it's insane, one application on road in mixed conditions last about 500 km, while on mtb last about 200 km. There's no more grease dust on my bikes, no more cleaning and degreasing, my life became more simplier :)
In rain and wet conditions works more better than when it's dry. Naturally, wax is watter repelent so it's using watter like a lubricant and there is less friction.
After completely cleaning the chain and puting first application of the Squirt, there is no need to clean chain before next application. Just wipe the chain with soft rag, apply Squirt from the inside of chain and leave it for minimum 4 hours to dry.
Hey Ozren, thank you for your comment. Good to hear that you have had a good experience with Squirt. I don't think I cleaned my chain enough before the first application.
If I go back to using squirt then I will properly clean my chain with something really strong before applying.
Safe riding friend! 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman i'm using technical gas, without any additives. You can buy it in any hardware store. Just leave the chain in it for 30 minutes, i'm using old cycling watter bottle. Remember to wear gloves and protection glasses ;)
What about the durability in rain.. in rain do we need to lube after every ride, say every 50 km?
Best thing to do with new chain is to degrease with mineral spirits or petrol to remove the factory grease then follow with degreaser then denatured alcohol to remove any residue and water. Heat the chain with a hair dryer to fully dry it. Now you need to truly wax the chain with a molten wax product. This will get wax into every space on the chain to block access of water and dirt getting in to cause wear. Once chain installed your ready to go. As for Squirt I think it’s a great produce to use to apply to your chain in between your hot wax treatments while out on multi day rides.
Good video - It demonstrates the logic that any chain with any wax or lube is going to get dirty - to pretend otherwise is fantasy!!
This is true, that's where I'm at currently 👍🏽
I switched to Squirt after years of using Muc Off dry and wet lubes after a recommendation from Johnny and for me, it felt so much smoother and less friction in the drivetrain than the oil lubes.
Yes there can be more faff in application but for it didn't change much for me because of my OCD in bike cleaning. Applying lube to a chain was a overnight thing regardless of oil or wax, first to allow the chain to dry completely after cleaning (not just the surface, as this can be done with a rag, but dry between the pins and rollers), and second to allow the lube to work its way and settle between the pins and rollers before wiping off any excess. So from the outside there should be little to no surface lube for an oil based lube, this will help keep the chain cleaner for longer.
Hey Han! Thanks for sharing your experience and your tips 😁
It seems like there is a split decision for the lube in the comments and online in general. I'm going to continue using (as I have a whole bottle) and see how it works out through the summer. 👍🏽
Bring on the good weather so we don't have to worry soo much about dirty bikes 🤣
I used it for about a year . Found it good . I’ve moved on to the slow cooker and molten wax method now 😅 keeps the chain super clean . Another great video buddy 👍🏻
Hey, mate, I watched your informative video which is one of the reasons for giving this lube a try 👍🏽 - The more I use it the more I am liking it. There seems to be mixed opinions in the comments and online.
"I’ve moved on to the slow cooker and molten wax method now" - That sounds like an operation 🤣🤣 - To be honest I've seen how clean your bike is in all your insta pics so I shouldn't be surprised haha. On a serious note, what is the molten wax method... `I've not got a scooby!!
@@JourdainColeman Yea it’s a mixed one mate some love it some hate it me personally I liked it .
The molten wax method lol it’s where your deep clean the chain in petrol and then white spirit , few times depends on the chain then once you’ve given it a good clean let it soak in petrol over night .
Next day melt down your wax and ptfe then pop your chain in .
Let the wax set , crack the excess wax off and fit . Lasts about 200k , stays squeaky clean . 👍🏻
Bit more effort than the squirt but it’s slightly more effective.
All depends how clean you want to keep your chain really mate! 😅
A great way to completely strip the chain is using an ultrasonic cleaner with a heater and a strong solvent (outside is best due to fumes). Then a heat gun or airgun to dry it.
I nede to get myself an untrasonic cleaner. I've had me eye on one for a while. 👍🏽
For the initial clean, just let the chain soak in a small bottle of petrol. Then degrease, then methylated spirits, and it’s properly cleaned...
The residue post tide is normal, I found the same with wax immersion too. I always wipe the chain with a rag after every ride to remove any muck. I reapply squirt every 150km or so...
Hey Patric, thanks for the information and tips.
I think that initial clean is likely the most important step. I may redo that clean and do the same for the chainrings and rear derailleur as well.
I've been re applying every 100 miles or so so I'll stick with that schedule. 👍🏽
How to reapply it. Do you have to do the whole cleaning process again?
@@HarrieH normally I just pedal backwards by hand, running the chain through a cloth a few times to remove any muck and debris, then just re apply. If the chain has grit, then I’ll wash with some spray on citrus cleaner, and wash off with a garden hose prior.
That is how it's done!
Degreaser, followed by mineral spirits, followed by isopropyl alcohol and the chain will be clean. Let dry, apply two coats at first and reapply when the chain gets noisy. Wipe down the chain with a cloth after every ride. That dirt that you are seeing in the wax expelling dirt from the inside of the chain. That's how it works, this is normal. Squirt works very well, so does Smoove.
Tip to clean your chain faster: Use a bidon or bottle you don't care about. Put chain inside, pour in degreaser and shake the hell out of it for a minute. Pour out degrease, rinse with water and repeat 2-3x :)
Hey Dwight, that's actually a great idea. I'm due some new bottles so I'll use my old ones to clean the chain. "Shake the hell out of it"... I can visualize it as we speak.
I just switched my commuter bike to Squirt over the weekend. My objective is to have a clean chain that keeps my trousers from getting stained on my way to work. Hopefully this does the business
if youre a commuter, a belt drive will be a night and day difference. you wont ever need to worry about cleaning or staying clean.
I would just use neat degreaser from the get go. It’s too dilute with water. Then rinse the degreaser off the chain with lots of clean water and fairy liquid. Then rinse the chain again but this time just with clean water. Then allow chain to dry completely overnight. Then apply the Squirt the following day. Should see better results I think.
Hey Paddy! Thanks for the information. Yeah, I agree, I think I need something stronger to tackle that factory grease and really make sure it's removed. Then rinse and wait as you said. I'll give that a try soon.
Thanks for the info. I have same problem like you have. I cleaned the new chain 2, 3 times properly but I still have waxy gunk that annoying me because it make black dots on my floor. After cycling rainly day, the cleanliness of chain is much worse.
A hot wax can be good. I used to make and sell it on the bay. I use it. Do not use waterbased degreaser they are essentially soapy water and dont remove the packing grease. Parafin petrol acetone white spirit isopropyl alcohol will strip a chain.
You will have had water in the links fron your washing when you applied your wax. Bad.
Get a hard wax with ptfe and tungsten disulphide in it.
If u make it 1pound wax 10g ptfe 2g tungsten disulphide
Nice one Jourdain, always on point. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! 👍🏽😁🚴🏽♂️
Did you clean the chainrings and jockey wheels before replacing the chain? That dirt may have transferred from the teeth to the chain rollers. It's very good lube, my main stay of riding is on back roads covered in water and mud and it's amazing how clean my chain stays.
Hey! thank you for your comment (and tips). I did clean them, but as with the chain... not clean enough. I am going to redo the whole process and make sure that I use something powerful to strip that grease completely. Good to hear that you have had a good experience with Squirt 👍🏽
I have used the same three products as you, I have found my chain spotless after a few rides with Squirt. With the muc off products your chain does get dirty.
I guess it does depend how much dirt gets kicked up on your ride.
I use white spirit and meths to clean my chain, shake in a jar with the lid on, totally gets everything off.
I also watch Katies videos and applied the same. I did get good results with Squirt and you are right in what you say about when to apply and habits
Hey Steve, cheers for commenting and sharing your experience/knowledge. I think I'm going to use a method similar to the one you have mentioned. Use a really strong degreaser, seal the chain in a tin something similar and shake. 👍🏽
The chain gets black, that's normal. It's just really easy to remove it from both the chain and your hands because it's not a mush of oil and dirt but just dirt lying on the wax.
What annoys me about wax is the amount of shit it leaves on the jockey wheels and chainrings. But still use squirt. The re-applying is much easier then with oil where you have to clean the chain very often. I think in the summer I will switch to dry lube on my road bike.
Idealy you want to soak it in Benzin, then Whitespirits, then some alkohol for atleast 12 hours each. That way it will be grease and oil free and squirt will stick to it much better. With Squirt my chain lasted for 11 months on my gravel commuter bicycle.
Benzine !!! 😮 extremely hazardous product. I would stick to regular petrol which is just as effective and benzene free
I have't tried wax and this looked pretty clean for the distances you were riding. Cycling in London every bit of your bike is going to get a layer of particulate on it that will turn your finger black
Jourdain -read the instructions,be happy...Squirt is definitely worth it!
Did any of you that have tried it, actually cleaned your WHOLE drivetrain? Cleaning the chain, but leaving old oil and dirt on your chainring(s), cassette and derailleur is only doing half the job...
Definitely wear gloves everyone please when using degreaser chemicals and ideally safety glasses
There's not any single lube that won't attract any dirt at all...that's bollocks...compared to other lubes out there your chain looks pretty clean after all those rides...you shouldn't complain that much, it's accumulating very small amounts of grit and gunk..muc off dry lube is ok, but for longer rides it tends to "dry" way too fast..the wet one is a huge no-no..also, the ceramic from muc-off is slightly better for reducing friction, but it's damn sticky and attracts a lot of dirt and also it's very messy when cleaned off the chain and it leaves a weird residue on certain surfaces afterwards...heard the finish line lubes are great value for what they offer, but haven't used them yet..i might give them a try soon
This product had been tested along others and it came out as the worst on actually lubrication - it almost had the same wear as the test with nothing on it. It is a wax mixed with 70% water - hence the long drying time. The only part where you need lubrication is inside the rollers. Outside of the chain has to be as dry as possible.
Inside the rollers the wax will be pushed out because of the friction while riding. Thuis ends up on your jockey wheels - hard and black wax. The viscosity of oil will make the oil flow back into the roller, wax cannot flow back.
The first 100kms it is a real silent ride. But after that the functionality is gone.
Ten years ago i used this lube too but the time needed afterwards to get all the hardened wax of the components made me go back to oil.
Thanks for the info! There seems to be a real mix of people loving the stuff and people not liking it #marmite
Personally I use oil, I find it easier, it's tried and tested, no fancy application. 👍🏽
Why do you not rotate the pedals 30-40 times backwards after waxing. Then the wax get into the chain. Rotate until you can not see any wax.
Been using it years - single coat is all you need I put way less on. Rub with rag after a ride if needed and reapply.
Cheers my friend! I'll put less on next time around 👍🏽 - Good to hear you've been using it years 👌🏾
Question... If let's say you wash your bike, do you need to repeat the total stripping of the lube (squirt) then reapply once more or do you just clean it conventionally then apply another coat in the chain?
By the way, what I did on my stock chain is I first doused it in kerosene. After a few minutes, I doused and brushed it with a degreaser. That helped in totally removing the stock oil of the new chain
Hey Marcy,
Washing our bike - No I don't think that you need to re-apply. But do bear in mind that you don't wash the chain as you would normally with a degreaser (because it doesn't need it). This is my understanding anyway.
Thanks for the tip on the removal of the stock oil. I definitely need to find some stronger stuff to strip it right down.
@@JourdainColeman thanks mate
Is it have to clean the chain after the first ride? If i already put two coats like in the video?
All wax-based bicycle chain lubes we've tested so far - no matter the type of wax used - produced fairly poor results during friction testing (SRV tribometer). This is probably caused for wax-based lubricants - unlike oil-based ones - are unable to relubricate the contact area after having been pushed aside.
The friction testing machines are making it to warm what a bike doesnt do
Current update on Squirt? Still using it? Bought one and want to try this on a new chain.Can the dried wax go on the rim brake line and contaminate it? Also what is the procedure if i decide to switch back to oil-based lube?
I stopped using it a while ago, to be honest, they is so much emphasis on the user to get it right (as seen in the comments). I wanted something simple that I can just apply before a ride
Great review, good to see some mileage and the results. It's too bad you needed to completely and deeply degrease the chain to apply it, that means all the manufacturing oil was stripped out of the rollers exposing the metal and I bet some minor oxidization on those inner parts happened when exposed to the elements in clean water and the air for a short time. That could be some of the black residue coming out mixed with dirt from your rides. Almost any metal reacts to oxygen and other elements when not coated in oil. It could also be the metal reacting with the wax, not sure what happens with wax and friction or oxidization on metal.
Hey, thanks for your comment. I've had a lot of comments on this video saying I needed to use a stronger degreaser, petrol seems to be the common solution. However, from my point of view, I don't want to buy a new chain and then have to strip it in petrol just to use Squirt. Just my two cents. Many people seem to really like it and have used it for years. Maybe I'll give it a try one day in the future.
Unless you also clean your rear cassette you will get oil ?
Im not sure that you REALLY stripped you new chain, yes you got most of it, but the first ride is an indication that you didn't get all the factory stuff.
Yeah, I agree! Other people have also said the same thing. I'll potentially repeat the process with some much stronger products to removed the initial wax.
That chain was not properly stripped of the factory lube. It takes a lot more than a soak in degreaser and a brush. Soak it in petrol for 8hrs, then degreaser for 4hrs and then rinse it in alcohol until it is clear and there is no impurities. I do this before wax dipping my chains and does strip it completely.
Many people have also said the same thing. Next time I do it i'll use some petrol. Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience. 👍🏽
wash out in cellulose thinners to totally strip it, then apply wax
The question you should ask.........does the wax prevent dirt from getting inside the links?
Wax = Barrier
Would dirt, get inside, a dry wax?
The outside of the chain can always get dirty. You can always wipe that off. It's inside the links that you don't want getting dirty.
True that! Good point 👌🏾
As the wax is more solid, you have to wonder if parts of the dried wax move a little and if that barrier does not remain fully intact letting some dirt and dust into the chain links. A wet oil at least you know it's flowing around the rollers in the links as the chain moves and usually keeping the metal of the chain parts coated.
i use wet muc off laid it on yesterday and todays ride white bike was covered in black oil, should i of wipe chain today lol. i'm a noob
Hey Philip, I guess this is one benefit of the Squirt lube.
In answer to your question, I would say yes, you need to keep the whole drivechain as clean as possible. I used to take the chain off and give it a good clean every couple of weeks using degreaser. As well as the whole drivechain to be honest. Make sure to regrease properly though 😁
Black chain = bad
Sparkling clean chain = Good
I hope that helps 👍🏽
Really great video, just let down by some bad advice mostly picked up in the comments.
Yeah, many comments on the application 👍🏽 - I've not used it since to be honest and I'm happy with standard lubes.
Hi, what is your best oil based chain lubes? and how long they last?
I used to use Muc-off lubes (wet and dry). I've not used any other to be honest. My routine would be something like...
1. Clean whole drivechain so it's spotless
2. Apply oil based lube
3. Re apply every 50 miles or so
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 when the chain dirty
I hope that helps you, mate 👍🏽
Curious to see what you'd think of NFS or SIlca Synergetic, which are two extremely good wet lubes that did very well in ZFC's chain longevity testing.
I've not heard of those two lubes. To be honest I'm back to oil based lube now so i may give one of them a try. Have you used either of them? 😁
@@JourdainColeman Unfortunately I have not.
I'm finishing up a bottle of Squirt and then was planning to move on to a better wax based product. When I first got Squirt it was either that, Smoove, or Molten Speed wax as the top picks. There are a bunch of really good newer products out now that crush Squirt in ZFC testing, so it will probably be one of those.
Why are you applying lube to the outside of the chain? Always apply to the inside since that's where the contact is. You are only putting lube where dirt and grit can get stuck.
Someone else also mentioned this so thank you for pointing it out 😁 - I will only apply form the inner from now on 👍🏽
I use the Squirt ebike lube on my two ebikes. Works very well. Helps with the increased stress put on the chain from the motor. It helps to lessen friction. But I’ve only used it for about 3 weeks. So, too early to tell if there’s a difference in wear and tear. However I noticed immediately the chains were quieter and shifting was much smoother. I put the same ebike lube on my Roubaix and noticed the same. Smooth shift & quiet chain.
You should be putting the drip wax on the inside of the chain
Great video! Just tried it out. While I was a fan initially It's quite expensive and only lasted two rides. Do you know if simple degreaser will remove it? Thanks!
toluene will remoove the wax desolving it .
I've tried this stuff twice. The first time about four years ago. It was a gloppy mess, and ridiculously time consuming. I've now given it a second chance. Brand new Dura-Ace chain, properly degreased through and though. Same time consuming, gloppy mess. It's just as time consuming to prep the chain as a hot wax treatment, and the application process is more time consuming, while the squirt does not stay as clean or last as long as a hot wax treatment. Waste of money and time for me.
Thanks for the info. I think you summed it up well when you spoke about all the prep work that needs to go into it. Especially if you are changing a used bike to Squirt. Like many of these products, I'm sure some people have had a good experience, but each scenario is different. What are you using now out of curiosity?
@@JourdainColeman I’ve just gone back to using rock n roll gold. I clean the chain and cogs whenever it looks or feels dirty using the Park chain cleaning machine, chain brite, and a cog brush. Then I rinse with water, dry it with air hose, and lube. Whole process takes about 10-15 minutes tops.
I had the exact same experience. I found it to be a very short lasting lube.
You did not clean your chain properly
What you prefer muc off dry lube or squirt chain lub?
I'm currently using Muc off 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman thanks. i’m using muc off c3 ceramic dry lube do you have some opinion? Or know someone who knows?
@@corsatdrwhat's different between muc dry lube and muc ceramic lube?
A bit late to the party. I noticed you used 'bike cleaner' to clean the chain. That will not do the job - you need to use petrol or turpentine and degreaser and then alcohol as mentioned below. Also, the rest of the drivetrain must be completely clean as well - cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings, otherwise that dirt will contaminate the newly lubed chain..
Yeah, a few people mentioned this. I didn't do that step correctly. I also think it's a lot of work to get squirt to work correctly. I've moved away from it and use a traditional lube now 👍🏼
Ya man I’ve used that wax lube.. over winter, and it’s accumulated quite a bit of muc. I’m not totally sold. Switched back to ceramic muc off wet lube.
Interesting that you are not totally sold on the Squirt chain lube. There seems to be mixed opinions in the comments. I'm going to give it a try for the rest of the bottle and see where I'm at in a few months. As always, thanks for watching and interacting 👍🏽😁
@@JourdainColeman thanks bro.. in a slight tangent. Just watched a disturbing video on fb of a gang trying to steal a bunch of locked bikes in Victoria park in broad daylight. I’ve seen from your videos that you tend to cycle through there often, so be careful and keep your eyes open. Sadly that area is a hot spot. I live near there and it’s really disturbing to know that these guys can do this in broad daylight.
I've seen some videos like that as well. These people literally have no shame what so ever. I do cycle around those ways although I would never lock my bike up. It's either in the house or I'm sat on it. I've seen/heard to many horror stories to let it out my sight. Some of these bikes are so valuable... a gold mine for these thief's.
Thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to let people know and mention it every now and again in the videos. 👍🏽
I really like this stuff. I'll apply this a few days before I go on a ride and then when I'm heading out I'll have a thick coat of wax. What I've noticed is that it dries in a breaks off bit by bit taking the dirt with it. I'll then just give the chain a wipe with a dry cloth or a light brush and reapply.
Eh? What? I'm surprised that you considered that teeny-weeny bit of muck (on the paper towel) to be significant after 35-odd miles of riding around London. Surely you jest, dear boy? It's an uncovered, lubricated bike chain with hundreds of sliding, rolling, crunching, grinding moving parts.
Expecting to retain a perfectly clean chain outdoors seems a bit unrealistic to me. The air is full of dust, soot, exhaust particles, tyre rubber and other nasties that'll stick no matter how 'dry' your waxed lube claims to be. Any substance capable of forming a film and effectively lubricating moving parts MUST be able to pick up dirt as the bits slide over each other. It couldn't do its job otherwise.
If you were riding on rollers indoors with the windows shut you might have a point, but not outdoors in deepest, darkest Britain.
I'm not a proper cyclist, but I do 70 road-miles per week, every week (business, not pleasure, in West Yorkshire) on a 22 year-old bike that cost me £130 new. My chain is thick with black gunge because I'm skint and use 10W-40 car engine oil to lubricate it (I just happened to have some in the garage). It gets a weekly wipe down with a rag soaked in white spirit, and a monthly(-ish) wash in one of those £6.00 chain-scrubbing tools with the rotating brushes.
Yes, serious cyclists will be horrified, fretting about drag and friction and lost watts and component wear and whatnot, but I'm not bothered. The bike's cheap and uses the cheapest available parts. It works well enough for me. My current no-name chain [£4.00] is over five years old and still functioning satisfactorily. Why worry? My motto is: if pedalling's hard, eat more porridge!😁
And if you think that picking up a bit of road dust on your chain is bad, you should see the state of your lungs...😲
Can it be used in wet conditions too??
That is correct, this can be used in wet conditions 👌🏾
Your chain was still dirty, you didn't clean it good enough inside the rollers, I soak mine in gas, it dries fast and clean, also you don't get oil on the bike from the chain spray, so you don't have to use detergent on the bike, detergent is not good for bearings, or anything else, I only use water to clean my bike, my chain is never as dirty as yours on any of my bikes.. Road, gravel, mountain..
Thanks for the tips, much appreciated! I agree with what you have said, and many people have said the same thing. I think the key to the wax lubes is to spend the most time cleaning the wax of the original chain. To be honest I've moved back to wax lubes for now. I'll maybe give Squirt another go when I have some petrol lying around. 👍🏽
you forgot to take in account the chain longevity.
this is the biggest difference in waxing the chain...DURABILITY...
Using wax instead of oil can extend chain life 3 or 4 times !!!! (not sure if this aplies to squirt compared to hot wax)
Hey Titus, good point. It was more of an initial test. It would be good to test the same chain side by side one using wax and the other standard lube. I'd like to do that but there are too many variables to test that fairly. Maybe in the future.
I don't think durability of the chain comes into this as the lube is designed to reduce friction. Chain wear is actually the chain stretching and it can also wear out your chainrings and cassette cogs. This lube is not going to stop your chain from stretching over time from cycling.
If anything it reduces the life of a chain because the wax reduces the flex of the chain as it gets into the gaps and solidifies. It then acts as a wedge to pop off the plates on your chain as your chain can't flex enough when you change gears.
@@edt6488 wellllll
This is not true.
If You study the issue you will see that the so called stretch comes from the round pins that chage their diameter because of metal to metal friction
Wax and ptfee gives much better lubrication for the small pins...hence the longer life.
A well maintained wax chain can go for 15k km....vs 3,4k with oil based lube
It looks like you didn't get rid off this shimano "oil". Try use proper degreaser maybe? Something stronger for sure. And try to leave wax for at least 12h after application (overnight?) I use squirt for 3 to 4 seasons now on road bike and mtb and I've never seen anything like this oily thing on your finger.
Hey Lukasz, cheers for the tips. I agree, I think there may have been some residue. A few people have mentioned cleaning in petrol so I may give that a try.
Good to hear that you have been using Squirt for years without issue, that gives me confidence 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman it's good but I am not sure if it's perfect ;-) My two Shimano XT 12s chains got a bit rusty after rainy/snowy rides. And still not sure if it was because I left it wet after ride, or my careless waxing technique is not optimal or the chain itself likes to get rust (heard some rumors...). And for sure you need some time to learn how much of wax is enough to have clean chain and clean cassette, cranks and frame. Though it's still way way better then all I've used before. Thanks for this test and all the best mate!
Thank you for the information, Lukasz! All very helpful 👍🏽
I agree that it's certainly cleaner than any other oil based lube that I have used before. 😁 Safe riding, friend!!
Es la mejor cera para mi no dudes de ella
You can’t avoid the bits of tyre and brake dust that come off the roads. It’s still a lot better than the filthy black greasy coating you get with wet lube.
Thanks for the info Charles. I've had a real mix of feedback from the comments. I agree it's far less dirty and collects less crap than the traditional oil based lubes. I think I needed to strip the chain better.
I'll try your tip of boiling water 👌🏾
Non hai pulito anche pacco pignoni e pulegge del cambio posteriore.
Can use it for skateboard bearings?
I'm not sure if this is recommended for bearings. I would assume you would need some proper bearing grease, I don't think that this will be good enough for that.
Just degrease chain with elbow grease from B&M and use Finish Line Dry once a week.
Yeah, I think this is probably the best option. I've stopped using Squirt for now and moved back to oil based lubricants. 👍🏽
Is this better than muc off dry ?
Well, I'm back using Muc off. But as many of the comments have suggested I don't think I stripped my chain enough at the start of the process. Reviews will tell you that squirt is better... I no longer use it. I hope that helps.
My LUBE🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I LOVE IT & ITS AFFORDABLE 😉
It seems many people have had a good experience with this chain lube!! Glad it's working for you, friend!!
Boiling water does a good job after degreaser.
I'll give this a try! Thanks for your comment 😁
I found the exact same thing. Feel the fenwicks degreaser wasn’t strong enough compared to white spirit for example on the brand new chain...
Exactly the same. Hopefully the factory grease will come off sooner rather than later...
Even after one ride, I get black build up / flaking of wax..
Will see how it goes in the coming months !
Hey Gus, I agreed, it seem that the Fenwicks just doesn't do the job. I need to get something stronger to really strip the chain.
I'm going to redo the whole process at some point and make sure that the chain is sparkling clean before I apply the Wax. From the comments I also applied too much so i'll reduce the amount. 👍🏽
Think i put too much on too and didn’t wipe off either! Will get there eventually!
hi mate, nice video. i use squirt for about 2 years now, are you sure about the application of the wax? usually you apply the wax on the lower chain from the top. i agree the fact that it has to be dry before riding can be annoying but i couldn't imagine going back to a normal lube. the wax doesn't stick to the hands and can be rubbed off and you don't mess up your room with nasty oily stains.
video from squirt with the right application: ruclips.net/video/A8pLqcm36xQ/видео.html
It seems everyone that has swapped to Squirt chain lube loves it and would not go back. The more I use it the more I like it to be honest. You are certainly right about the mess with oil based lubes, I don't miss that one bit 😁 - How has it been for you with chain wear? I've heard good things but I've not been using it long enough to comment.
One questions I do have... Do you ever give the chain a full deep clean? Strip all the wax and then re-apply or do you just use a rag to clean it down?
Cheers for the link as well, much appreciated! 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman To be honest I don't clean my chain that often. Mostly I use warm water and a cloth to rub the chain clean. I rewax after about 100-150km (more often in winter), I used my last chain for about 2 years, didn't count the total distance. I have a new bike and the wear of the chain seems to be pretty good, but I can't tell you the exact numbers.
One last thing to mention, yes the wax is not that cheap but for me one bottle holds extremely long. I think I ordered the first bottle in in 2018-2019, up to now I bought only two bottles one is almost empty the other one has about 3/4 left.
Keep growing your channel!
Greetings from Germany 🤙🏾
A viewer from Germany! Amazing 🤙🏾
Very good point about the wax lasting a long time. I've been applying it every 100 miles or so but I've hardly made a dent in the bottle.
I'm going to stick with it for this summer 👌🏾
Safe, riding friend!! :)
I have been using that chain wax since the day i bought my CF bike, Nov 2019.....now at 3700 km and chain is very clean looking like brand new. BTW We live in a very dry climate.....
Hey Greydon, good to hear it's working well for you. Like many comments have said I don' think that I cleaned my chain/drivechain throughly enough.
You are putting way too much wax and on the wrong side of the chain. I had the same problem first time bc I put way too much and on the outside of the chain. Second time I only put a small drop on each roller and the inside of the chain and the dirt disappeared.
Thanks for sharing and taking the time to comment! Other people have also mention this. I think I'm going to start form zero and do the whole process again. Strip the chain, apply less and apply to the inside of the rollers. 👍🏽
@@JourdainColeman the initial process of stripping the factory grease is very important. That alone was an hour process as I let the chain sit in the degreaser a minimum 30minutes and then brushing, washing and cleaning off the degreaser.
Here’s a link of the video I watched when I first used squirt: ruclips.net/video/ZaSK72RJv30/видео.html
Ottimo lubrificante 👍
This lube is like toothpaste , you have to work it into the chain. Lay it flat after cleaning and pour lube on and work it in with a toothbrush. Let dry and install. Laying it on top will do nothing, won't get into the rollers and side plates.
Thanks for the tips 👍🏽 - I'll give this a try next time around
The worst lube I’ve tried…muc-off also…so far really satisfied with BLUB ceramic, not attracting dirt, no gunk, and silent …
Interesting... I'll.habeba research 👍🏼
You clean chain but not the casette and chainring
Yeah, I needed to clean everything better to be honest. Next time I'll use petrol. 👍🏼
Yep. I mean before you apply the wax or any lube it would be best to clean all parts of the drivetrain. Anyway, cool video 👍🤙
Silca is better
Tu as mal dégraissé ta chaine c'est pour cela que la chaine reste sale après quelques sorties à vélo. Il faut également dégraisser entièrement les plateaux et la cassettes ainsi que les galets de dérailleur !
Don't fit a chain only to take it off again, that quick link you have there might be single use only 🙈 Wouldn't want a snap mid power session
Hey Nick, we deffinately don't want it snapping 👍🏽
Wax slow your bike and chafe your chain and transmission.
Best Bike Chain Lube. Hahaha not even close.
What is then??
@@gazg00 Absoluteblack Graphenlube is the best but expensive. Ceramic speed UFO Drip New Formula is much cheaper and not too far behind. I use it too.
Initially clean chain using a park tool chain cleaner on the bike, then remove it and clean in dishwater. Dry it and apply squirt on the bike, bingo👍
Thanks for sharing. I'll try this in the future. I've not sued the Park Tools chain cleaner before. Would you recommend?
@@JourdainColeman yes mate, it scrubs the chain while putting degreaser over it, catching most of the mess
That's how you end up with a rusty damaged chain. Don't use the dishwasher.
@@jasons407 I use dishwater, in a sink, and I don't get rain so no rust at all. Current chain has 8000 km on it and still 👍
@@lanzaroterider365 Oops I entirely misread "dishwater" as "dish*washer*"! Sorry about that, thanks for the clarification. :)
Nope, has to be Super Secret !
🤣
@@JourdainColeman Super Secret chain lube by Silca ( www.silca.cc ). I have been using SQUIRT for a couple years also. I haven't tried Silca's Super Secret yet.
Kowboy cowgirls that’s who popcorn playas
Praia let park praise park
manufacturers don't recommend removing the original oil
This is true! I'm currently back using normal oil based lubricants for now anyway 👍🏽
@@JourdainColemanplease specify brand