Do you have an MTB-Tech-related question for us here at GMBN Tech? Use the hashtag #AskGMBNTech with your comment for a chance to be featured on the channel! 👇
#AskGMBNTech Hi, I have Rockrider XC500 with Rockshox Reba from 2021. Yesterday while stoped I spotted that the dust covers on left side (one with air velve) has popped out all the way. I pushed it down with my fingers as much as I could, lock out the fork and came back home. Should I be worried that someting broke or it just has to be serviced? I would propably fix it myself if it be just service.
#AskGMBNTech Hi, i'm new to mtb and the channel and it's really a great ressource : maybe i missed it with the tons of videos you've already made but i can't find anything on that and it seems i'm not the only newbie to have a hard time finding a decent fork because my 2020 orbea mx bike has a 1 1/8 steerer and most fork are tapered these days : my understanding is that it's possible to adapt a tapered one with a specific bottom cup but i also read people not being fans of that solution : so what about it ? would you recommand it ? a thorough video on how to do that would be great ! Cheers !
#askGMBNTech I have a Canyon Torque 29“ (2022) and Im thinking to install a 27.5“ wheel in the back. Is that possible without changing anything else, or do I habe to change anything for that action somewhere else on the bike? Love your videos!
@@foxtrotkilo1270 There's a good chance it's possible, but even if it is,: it will not make the bike more playfull without the added issue of a lower bb (double your current pedalstrikes, move a spacer from under to over your stem, slide your saddle forward on it's rails, and still feeling like the bike "isn't what it's supposed to be". I'd recommend testing a dedicated mullet. if it's all that to you, sell your current and buy new/occassion... Cheers! ;)
I hotwax my mtb chains and ride all year round in Sweden, in conditions about as miserable as they get. In fact the wax seems to last slightly longer in wet conditions than when it's dry and dusty. Chains last forever though, so I'll rather do some extra work up front with cleaning off the factory grease, and save a bit of time after every ride. Plus having a dry chain is really nice when you have to work on the bike. So yes just do a hotwax video already!
I live in Vancouver, Canada. I get to ride the trails on the North Shore any time (don’t hate me!😂). We have pretty the same if not wetter weather as you in the UK. I’ve recently switched to waxing my chains (road and mountain). I use the AbsoluteBlack graphene wax for my chains. It is more work to get started waxing your own chain. Got a used crockpot ($20) from a local second hand store. Cleaning the chain you definitely want to do properly. I degrease with Acetone, I use a mason jar to shake the chain up well. Make sure to let the chain dry of well before waxing. I let the chain soak in the melted wax and let it cool to 50-52 Celsius (I bought a IR thermometer (45$) to get easy temp readings. I found from liquid to ~50C takes about 1 1/2 hours of room temp cooling once I’ve shut the pot off. Pull the chain out slowly and hang vertically. Place some wax paper under to catch any drippings so you can reuse them. Reason I went to waxing? Mainly it keeps my entire drivetrain clean. Mud/dirt doesn’t stick and my chain always comes out clean even after a wet and muddy ride. Also no more chain oil tattoos! Yes it’s a lot more work. For me it’s worth it. Definitely give it a try. Keep up all the great content.
My understanding (from Zero Friction), waxing is even better for awful conditions, because it keeps things so much cleaner. It's good for road, but apparently amazing for mtb and gravel. Also, can dramatically increase chain (and therefore, everything else) life.
Curiously, this is usually said by people from Australia (like ZeFr or OZ cycles), where durt is mostly sand. Here in Europe my findings are so, that mud is oily enough to stick to wax too. And even though it prevents ingress underneath the roller and keeps the chain from stretching, the grinding paste on the outside damages the cogs and outer links even faster than wet lube. Also notice that cyclocross riders don't wax, as far as I know
@@irfuel go out shopping, get a candle and drag it back home out the street. And look for yourself how 'nothing' sticks to paraffin. When oil gets too dirty, at least it can drip off sometimes, contaminated wax stays on untill it flakes and leaves bare metal.
@@irfuel as someone who was waxing them too I'm just trying to say that conditions vary from place to place. And only few are represented by lab tests.
Dang people! GCM & GMBN did not just jump on Silca's waxing chain bandwagon, they're playing the lead guitar and lead vocals!! 🤣🤣 Been hot melt waxing my MTB chains (actually all my chains) for about a year now works great! Its great product! Have two chains I alternate, so I double the kilometres I can ride between the waxing process repeats.
I wax my chains on my Specialized Kenevo and Enduro. Of course the initial deep cleaning takes hours and a lot of brakecleaner, alcohol and swishing. But after every Factory oil is removed and you let it soak in the wax, it's sooo good! Rewaxing after every 200km is fine. And with the links, just be gentle, the sram links in my case, are pretty durable. So far, cassette, chain and chainring are almost as good as new. Chains still no measurable stretch after 1500km.
Gah..... This is the "sticking point" for me. The 200km relube. I'm absolutely intrigued by hot waxing, and Zero Friction's multiple chain technique would save a number of problems I'd encounter with my gravel biking (I often have a bike well away from home). If I could use the appropriate bottle lube to "top up" my chains, I'd probably be all over it.
I have been riding wax for years, and specifically started to keep sand from sticking to my chain. A few observations: When using a drip lube (Silca in my case) let let the chain hang loose while it drys (cage lock on Sram, and I bent a coat hanger to pull the cage toward the chain ring on my xt drive train) This lets a thicker layer of film dry on the pins and I would guess gives an extra 50% life between applications. It also really helps to blow the chain out with compressed air before adding new lube if you can. This is a bigger deal the finer the dust is, and I started doing it every time after moving to CA where we have really fine clay dust everywhere. I blow out, wipe down and lube after almost every ride. I can get 40-60 mtb miles before it starts getting crunchy, but given how easy the process is vs oil lube it is worth it even if I only put in 20. On really long rides (>40 mtb / 70 gravel / 100 road miles) or bike touring trips I bring a tiny bottle of lube, and touch up first thing during a break (cleaning usually not necessary), as giving it time to dry is very important. Chain life with all this is good enough that I consistently wear out aluminum chain rings before the chain (probably 400 hours of ride time for my last mtb chain)
I chased a creak on my hardtail all summer a decade ago, tried greasing and cleaning everything imaginable, could never find it, and then I got off the bike mid-ride at one point and I heard the creak off the bike and then I found that it was one of the nylon buckles on my Camelback. That's why it only happened on the trail and never while I was working on the bike. 🙄🤨🤔😏
I use the silca super secret wax , epic for all condition , chain stays super clean , use to use the muc off lubes , chain would be super dirty as after one ride , even after follow the process and letting it dry over night
Doddy, please make contact with Adam from Zero Friction Cycling regarding waxing before making a full video on the topic. Im sure he would love the opportunity to share his independent testing results, development knowledge, and it would be great to discuss the implications of UK conditions with him. The wax process actually seems like less time and effort over the life of a chain as once waxed it barely needs cleaning and all the mess that involves. I started out with it on my commuter bike and have been impressed enough to recently wax my mtb chain too.
Wax is great for mtb if its dry and dusty/sandy. It runs far cleaner. Its ok in the wet as well, but you need to retreat after very wet ride to avoid the outside of the chain rusting. Its a bit too much work for me in winter.
I always wax my chains on my roadbike and on mtb works great for both the mud and dirt doesn't stick to it as much as with regular lube. You can get cheap (€80) ultrasonic cleaners that work fine. If you enjoy working on your bike it's definetly worth it. You also don't get the thick black greasy mess on every cog.
I´ve been hotwaxing My chains for about two years now, and have recently startet to top it with Peatyá chain lube, and it works very well. In the winter I ride in pretty muddy conditions, and I don´t hear the crunching noise from the drivetrain, after switching to hotwaxing - and it´s much easier to clean the drivetrain, it normally just use water and a brush.
I hot wax BECAUSE, when I ride and I cross a stream dry lube washes right off. If is use we lube my drivetrain is super dirty on the rest of the trail. Wax is most compatible with varied riding conditions and easier to clean.
To those that hot wax their MTB chain,, how many km's between waxes ? What are your contitions? Do you notice surface rust on the outer links? I hot wax my hybrid road bike and its good for 500km but i do notice surface rust , and that bike never sees water. Wondering how the MTB chain will fair with puddles and weekly washing. Currently use Squirt on the MTB, reapplied every ride if bike needed washing
ive been doing it a while now, made my own paraffin wax mix which includes oils and PTFE powder. so much easier on the drivetrain and cleaning and servicing is far nicer 👍
Moved to the Silca Super Secret recently on two fat bikes and my XC MTB, so far have been pleased with the results in my summer arid dusty Colorado conditions. Question, is GMBN not sponsored by Silca like GCN?🤔
Hi Doddy really enjoy the weekly content ! As others have mentioned I would really encourage you to look at the work of Adam at Zero Friction Cycling regarding chain and drivetrain life particularly for off-road. From personal experience I ride solely MTB and was influenced by common marketing around chain lubrication which often have outlandish claims. I was using mostly widely recommended brands of wet and dry lubes which contained oil based carriers and the mess this creates is appalling. After wearing out several expensive XT cassettes and chains after no more than 1500km of riding I went in search for a better solution. I have found there is a general acceptance in the MTB community that black oily contamination on a drive train is “normal” and needing to use heavy degreasers every ride is also standard practice. After changing to mspeedwax I have not used a single drop of degreaser on my drivetrain since and I have over 2500km on a chain and cassette with virtually no wear evident. I am absolutely an advocate for wax and it really is not a hard process to maintain.
To be honest, the best thing i have tried in MTB the past two years is switching from traditional chain lube to Squirt wax based chain lube. Its great in all conditions, quite in the worst conditions and you drivetrain will stay super clean compared to traditional chain lubes.
Waxing is the way to go. Once you remove all the oil from your drivetrain its very easy to maintain. There are many wax lubes that you can apply while the chain is on the bike. I use a crock pot with hot wax. Its better than oil based lubes in all conditions.
Creeking...I found it was my seatpost! Although correctly specked and tightly clamped the third party seatpost was moving slightly probably pivoting round the seat clamp. After changing out the BB, pedals etc, with no change, I added some electrical insulation tape to lower part of the seatpost and the annoying sound stopped!!
about chasing down creaks and squeaks: recently I was chasing one on my bike and it turned out it was some dirt or metal chip between seatpost and inner side of frame. I wouldn't have thought of that :)
I use Parafin wax, a ultrasonic cleaner and a water bath to warm the wax. The result is, noticeable less resistance in the drive chain. But it is tedious in process.
I have a 26" Fat Bike frame, with a rear 27.5+(3.0), and front 29(2.6), and 160mm travel fork, works pretty well actually. Took the head angle from 71(with the 26 rigid fork), to 64 degrees. "Enduro hardtail" on a budget. Chunky rear tire with low psi and insert takes care of the small bumps, pnw suspension dropper takes care of the larger ones.
I had a Santa Cruz Megatower V1 which is designed for 29, and I put all around 27.5, the bike felt amazing descending, the lower center of gravity felt god-like confidence, but it had difficulty going uphill, my pedals touched a few times some rocks.but not big deal. Then I switched to a mullet with 29 front and the bike felt as amazing as before but with higher rolling speed over rough terrain, and still hurt a little the climbing capability because of the seat angle.
This stuff is great and just as easy to apply as any other drip lube. The GMBN channel is sponsored by Mucoff so you have to take their advice here with a dum truck load of salt.
Wild idea for finding a squeak. First u need a friend. Switch bikes, use a pvc pipe to focus ur hearing on the possible suspects. Idea comes from finding squeaks in engines.
On one also had a single speed road bike called "El Pompino". I wonder if their XC hardtail, the Whippet. Is called that as it's the only whippet they can race with Peta getting upset.
I tried waxing the chain on a hard tail I mainly ride on the road last year. I used plain candle wax. In the end of summer, it was great, but didn't last long at all in the winter with our salted roads. I would try it again mow I have a full suspension bike too which I'll use less in the winter.
Here in So CAL conditions are extra dry for most of the year and Waxing MTB chain is the way to go. Since its dry vs wet or dry lube it keeps the dust off the chanin and drive train and this minimizes the amount of cleaning and maintenance. Will never use lube again.
Had a terrible creak somewhere in the rear triangle of my then new Orbea Oiz, turned out to be the main spring of the rear derailleur being bone-dry and rubbing on itself. Bit of grease fixed it. Dealer said they'd seen it before on this type of derailleur (Shimano XT) 😬
when talking about your bike making noises… i just sent my second sram carbon cranks back to sram. they started making cracking noises where the axle is pressed into the crank. happened also on the other side
I wax my chain. Works great for me but I don’t ride when wet. Our trails are shut down if wet. I only have to soak my chain a few times a summer or until I get caught in the rain. It keeps it super clean and therefore fast
Yes you can install a 27.5 fork on a frame that stock had a 29er installed. It will change the geometry into a completely different bike. Unless you go with a much longer travel 27.5 fork, the steering angle will be much more steep. You can install a 27.5 wheel on a 29 fork though. It too will change the steering angle, but not as drastically. You could also install a 27.5+ tire on the front on a 27.5 rim. That would be the closest steering angle to stock. As stated, it also lowers the bottom bracket height, and therefore the pedal plane. So pedal strikes have the likelihood of increasing. All said, you can do just about anything you want, but, will it improve your bike?
Ive been chasing creaking sounds on my bike a couple of weeks before. I ended up some cracked and broken outer plate on my chain. Its newly installed chain and runs less than 500km after i replaced it from my stock chain of sram sx groupset. I decided to replaced it to nx chain but it ends up to get easily broken and I dont know the reason about that easily to be cracked. So last week I decided to replaced it a new kmc chain and the creaking sound are gone now.
Loving wax (bad conditions mainland Europe). I’ll start with Boeshield for a few rides (cleans out the old or fabric grease.. ) and then top up with (squirt) wax.. amazing durability and cleanliness. Tried in all seasons on my singlespeed, commuter and MTB.. now I’m looking at a big spray bottle for MX-bike chains (dries within the hour!) motocross people know… lower cost than the bicycle drip shit .. amazing stuff (maxima wax)
Peatys dry lube is the holy grail for summer lubes, got to re- apply after a few rides , doesn't attract dirt like others greatly reducing chain wear - win win ☀️👍🏻😎
Why all the waffling and uncertainty about chain waxing??? Of course it's good to do!! C'mon man. As with road cycling, however, you need to be weary of wet conditions. Rain allows dirt to become embedded into the wax deep inside the chain. If you wanted absolute best chain performance and wear, after every wet ride you need to do a full chain clean and re-apply the wax. For convenience, run two sets of chains, with one stored chain being waxed and ready to use. After a wet ride, swap this onto your bike and then do the full clean and wax of the other chain at your leaisure.
Chain waxing is not voodoo, you don't need an ultrasonic cleaner (these machines are not the miracle cleaner you think they are) I use silca hot wax and top up with their drip wax. Ride all year round UK weather. White spirit pre clean oily bike chain, second clean with silca degreaser, third with meths. Dry, submerge in wax, cool and fit to the bike. After a couple dusty rides micro fibre cloth and then apply drop wax night before riding. Wet ride, rinse and dry chain off, apply drip wax. After a while you may choose to hot wax again, cleaning process is just boiling water to remove old wax. And then dip in hot wax again.
#AskGMBNTech Hello guys! I’ve got a cannondale habit with internal cable routing where the housing/cables are loose and rattle in the frame. Any tips on how to stop that? Thanks guys and love the show
#askgmbntech What happened to the dakar style forks with rubber protection on the stanchions? Used to be quite normal in the 90's but today I never see it. Would personally use it cause I don't like to clean the bike every day
Designers don't think it looks _cool_ , so they dumped the idea on sporty bikes. European commuters still come with them. You can find aftermarket equivalents such as "Lizard skins fork boots" which are neoprene sleeves that close with velcro and can be cut to required length. Indeed, forks with such covers provide much more hours of reliable performance before needing a cleanup/tune.
#askgmbntech Great video! I know suspension should be serviced (rockshox at least) every 50 hours or so, it seems a bit vague to me as I don't know if it's 50 hours on DH, 50 hours on average including slow climbs and if the fork and rear sus both suffer from riding at the same rate (on this 50+- hour service time). I would love to know what are some common signs that your suspension needs a service, mine are currently at my local bike shop and the rear shock (fox float x) was bottoming out really hard with 30% sag on "normal" use and my front fork (RS Zeb) was losing small bump sensibility, I think this topic could make for a great video, have a good one!
It refers more to Fox forks, but the principle is largely the same - we touch on this in a previous #AskGMBNTech video here: ruclips.net/video/pqv9GfXD-jY/видео.html Hopefully it helps!
#AskGMBNTech I'm going to add Rimpact inserts to my wheels soon for an Alps trip in a few months, I usually tun 19 PSI front and 21 Rear, do I run the same pressure or look to go lower to compensate for insert?
#AskGMBNTech Hi Doddy - love your tech advice and now need it my self. I have BrandX dropper, i tryed to service it. When i try to remove the atuater (the bottom) one of the screws is bustede. I can not remove it, hence can not service my dropper. What can i do?
#AskGMBNTech Any tips for rear brake performance? My Tecktro Orion has *never* worked well in the rear, even after multiple bleeds, caliper lubrication, pad changes, pad sanding, rotor sanding, re-alignments, etc. Both pistons on one side are kind of always hanging out, so they rub on the rotor, but still have very little stopping power. I'm at a loss.
bleed again use fewer oil. if that solves the problem. Buy new pads and make the rotor and the caliper as clean as u can. dont sand. and take ur time to bed in them. on top ask ur self. was this brake new or used? didt the pistons ever left the caliper or did u or some one els had truble to push them back? maybe the pistons allready are damaged and cant retreat properly
#AskGMBNTech. Maybe you answered this but I just need confirmation. Does converting a mullet to non-mullet improves pedaling for XC, trail, and non-eduro lines? Will having a spare 27.5 front wheel make your mullet an all around bike? Will this damage the frame between the rear shock linkage? Is going from 63.7 headtube angle to 65 dangerous for the bike's design? Some forks have labels such as 29/27.5. Does that cover the modification? I tested this theory and I found climbing better, turns easier, and peddling efficiency. Should I continue this trend or will I pay the price later?
#AskGMBNTech with manufacturers like Specialized, not producing a 27.5 full suspensions frame anymore, is it fair to say that 27.5 will be gone shortly? Also, with many people preferring the size, would be worth showing what downgrade of a mullet setup to a full 27.5 does to the geometry, ride, timings, clearance etc? I think that could be a fun and interesting video.
I mostly ride in dry dusty conditions so waxing my chain works pretty well. I only do it sometimes though as the process is a bit annoying, but otherwise I only use dry lube and if it's a little bit wet out then ill just clean my chain after and use dry lube again not a big deal.
fyi if you really want to wax your chain, most all wax is soluble in heptane (somewhat common in carburetor cleaner - but who runs a carb on their car now ;)? ) and as a low molecular weight hydrocarbon heptane gets into nooks and crannies very well, carrying the wax with it, then evaporates (environmental nasty as well). Just an fyi - personally I don't it, heptane is moderately nasty, I just use a light oil and clean my chain/re-oil almost every ride.
How difficult would it be to change a traditional drive train to one with an internal gear hub? Has anyone done that on a trekking or mtbike? #AskGMBNTech
Hi, is the CyclOn Premium Graphene Hot Wax suited for mtb in rainy muddy conditions? You are not convinced it is the best for mtb, however cyclon does say it is suited for mtb and water proof? Not sure if this is a new product. Thanks #askGMBNTech
I use the same transmission fluid that I use in my car also on my bike chain. It does an excellent job as a chain lube and it's also cheaper than dedicated chain lube.
Might well be. Had a noise from the rear as well. Searched and searched, until I took out my saddle post, cleaned the post and the frame hole (some minor sand stuck in there), put a bit of lube and.....gone
#AskGMBNTech Love the Hello Dave, got one about a year ago, loving it! it would be great if someone from GMBN can do a ride plus a in depth review. Thank you.
#AskGMBNTech Wouldn't it be a great idea if knee and elbow pad manufacturers sold replacement sleeves for their D30 pads? My Fox kneepads are about a year old, ripped up from my pedals. The pads will last forever but the sleeves (despite being sewed up) will soon be ready for the bin, it seems a waste!
I understand GMBN is sponsored by a brand that doesnt make wax lube, but the lack of knowledge about it and deliberate misinformation is embarrassing, even for sponsored content 😂
Yeah, mine’s been of-and-on at least a dozen times. I carry a spare usually, but never once broken one. I did (once) improperly seat the link and it popped apart in the first 100’. Found the pieces, put them back on, and still running.
Waxing chains. I eventually had to try it. Not suited to wet conditions, no. Expect your chains to rust. Happened to me, and a mid-level bike worth several thousand dollars looks ridiculous with a rusty chain. Not convinced about longevity either, but I was using basic supermarket candlewax. 2c
…it CAN be suited to wet conditions. The method from the ‘90s (probably even before) is you dissolve motor oil with the paraffin in different proportions depending on the conditions. Extremely wet conditions you might be up to 1/3 oil, dry conditions more like 1/4 oil.
I live in a very wet area in the winter months, with snow and loads of salt! I've been waxing my fatbike chain for many years, but officially since 2010/2011 and have absolutely no rust. It seems that we actually put salt on the roads and then plow later to move the slush off the roads, so unfortunately, way too much salt being used here. All of our vehicles will show you that same thing, sadly.
No, because we've seen just how little friction protection they offer. Squirt is pretty garbage for actual friction reduction, as are other waxes, and they actually increase drag. There's a great test done Simply Mountain Biking showing just how mediocre it is.
A dollar worth of gasoline will clean your chain way better than a hypersonic whatever he just said😂 whatever it is sounds expensive, and labor-intensive
Do you have an MTB-Tech-related question for us here at GMBN Tech? Use the hashtag #AskGMBNTech with your comment for a chance to be featured on the channel! 👇
doddy doesnt understand 27.5 is more fun and maneuverable
#AskGMBNTech Hi, I have Rockrider XC500 with Rockshox Reba from 2021. Yesterday while stoped I spotted that the dust covers on left side (one with air velve) has popped out all the way. I pushed it down with my fingers as much as I could, lock out the fork and came back home. Should I be worried that someting broke or it just has to be serviced? I would propably fix it myself if it be just service.
#AskGMBNTech Hi, i'm new to mtb and the channel and it's really a great ressource : maybe i missed it with the tons of videos you've already made but i can't find anything on that and it seems i'm not the only newbie to have a hard time finding a decent fork because my 2020 orbea mx bike has a 1 1/8 steerer and most fork are tapered these days : my understanding is that it's possible to adapt a tapered one with a specific bottom cup but i also read people not being fans of that solution : so what about it ? would you recommand it ? a thorough video on how to do that would be great ! Cheers !
#askGMBNTech I have a Canyon Torque 29“ (2022) and Im thinking to install a 27.5“ wheel in the back. Is that possible without changing anything else, or do I habe to change anything for that action somewhere else on the bike? Love your videos!
@@foxtrotkilo1270 There's a good chance it's possible, but even if it is,: it will not make the bike more playfull without the added issue of a lower bb (double your current pedalstrikes, move a spacer from under to over your stem, slide your saddle forward on it's rails, and still feeling like the bike "isn't what it's supposed to be". I'd recommend testing a dedicated mullet. if it's all that to you, sell your current and buy new/occassion... Cheers! ;)
I’m a MTB’r and have been waxing my chains since the ‘90s. Clean & smooth FTW.
I hotwax my mtb chains and ride all year round in Sweden, in conditions about as miserable as they get. In fact the wax seems to last slightly longer in wet conditions than when it's dry and dusty. Chains last forever though, so I'll rather do some extra work up front with cleaning off the factory grease, and save a bit of time after every ride. Plus having a dry chain is really nice when you have to work on the bike. So yes just do a hotwax video already!
What brand of wax do you use?
I live in Vancouver, Canada. I get to ride the trails on the North Shore any time (don’t hate me!😂). We have pretty the same if not wetter weather as you in the UK. I’ve recently switched to waxing my chains (road and mountain). I use the AbsoluteBlack graphene wax for my chains.
It is more work to get started waxing your own chain. Got a used crockpot ($20) from a local second hand store. Cleaning the chain you definitely want to do properly. I degrease with Acetone, I use a mason jar to shake the chain up well.
Make sure to let the chain dry of well before waxing. I let the chain soak in the melted wax and let it cool to 50-52 Celsius (I bought a IR thermometer (45$) to get easy temp readings. I found from liquid to ~50C takes about 1 1/2 hours of room temp cooling once I’ve shut the pot off.
Pull the chain out slowly and hang vertically. Place some wax paper under to catch any drippings so you can reuse them.
Reason I went to waxing? Mainly it keeps my entire drivetrain clean. Mud/dirt doesn’t stick and my chain always comes out clean even after a wet and muddy ride. Also no more chain oil tattoos!
Yes it’s a lot more work. For me it’s worth it. Definitely give it a try.
Keep up all the great content.
Doddy no one is using quick links only once!
A new quick link every time, I don't do that particular step myself 😂
You don't have to.
Neither do I.😬
Waxed my new build bike chain SRAM X01. The whole transmission is now cleaner and quieter.
My understanding (from Zero Friction), waxing is even better for awful conditions, because it keeps things so much cleaner. It's good for road, but apparently amazing for mtb and gravel. Also, can dramatically increase chain (and therefore, everything else) life.
Curiously, this is usually said by people from Australia (like ZeFr or OZ cycles), where durt is mostly sand. Here in Europe my findings are so, that mud is oily enough to stick to wax too. And even though it prevents ingress underneath the roller and keeps the chain from stretching, the grinding paste on the outside damages the cogs and outer links even faster than wet lube.
Also notice that cyclocross riders don't wax, as far as I know
@@feedbackzaloop as an Aussie, interesting perspective, cheers.
Would that muck destroy any lube?
@@richardhaselwood9478 seems like so: amount of lube plays greater role and expensive lubes full of additives don't have as great of an advantage
@@irfuel go out shopping, get a candle and drag it back home out the street. And look for yourself how 'nothing' sticks to paraffin.
When oil gets too dirty, at least it can drip off sometimes, contaminated wax stays on untill it flakes and leaves bare metal.
@@irfuel as someone who was waxing them too I'm just trying to say that conditions vary from place to place. And only few are represented by lab tests.
Dang people! GCM & GMBN did not just jump on Silca's waxing chain bandwagon, they're playing the lead guitar and lead vocals!! 🤣🤣
Been hot melt waxing my MTB chains (actually all my chains) for about a year now works great! Its great product!
Have two chains I alternate, so I double the kilometres I can ride between the waxing process repeats.
I wax my chains on my Specialized Kenevo and Enduro. Of course the initial deep cleaning takes hours and a lot of brakecleaner, alcohol and swishing. But after every Factory oil is removed and you let it soak in the wax, it's sooo good! Rewaxing after every 200km is fine. And with the links, just be gentle, the sram links in my case, are pretty durable. So far, cassette, chain and chainring are almost as good as new. Chains still no measurable stretch after 1500km.
Gah..... This is the "sticking point" for me. The 200km relube.
I'm absolutely intrigued by hot waxing, and Zero Friction's multiple chain technique would save a number of problems I'd encounter with my gravel biking (I often have a bike well away from home).
If I could use the appropriate bottle lube to "top up" my chains, I'd probably be all over it.
I have been riding wax for years, and specifically started to keep sand from sticking to my chain. A few observations:
When using a drip lube (Silca in my case) let let the chain hang loose while it drys (cage lock on Sram, and I bent a coat hanger to pull the cage toward the chain ring on my xt drive train) This lets a thicker layer of film dry on the pins and I would guess gives an extra 50% life between applications. It also really helps to blow the chain out with compressed air before adding new lube if you can. This is a bigger deal the finer the dust is, and I started doing it every time after moving to CA where we have really fine clay dust everywhere.
I blow out, wipe down and lube after almost every ride. I can get 40-60 mtb miles before it starts getting crunchy, but given how easy the process is vs oil lube it is worth it even if I only put in 20.
On really long rides (>40 mtb / 70 gravel / 100 road miles) or bike touring trips I bring a tiny bottle of lube, and touch up first thing during a break (cleaning usually not necessary), as giving it time to dry is very important.
Chain life with all this is good enough that I consistently wear out aluminum chain rings before the chain (probably 400 hours of ride time for my last mtb chain)
@@irfuel 15-20 minutes is usually enough to get it going again. At least with the solvent suspension lubes. Not sure about the water based.
I chased a creak on my hardtail all summer a decade ago, tried greasing and cleaning everything imaginable, could never find it, and then I got off the bike mid-ride at one point and I heard the creak off the bike and then I found that it was one of the nylon buckles on my Camelback. That's why it only happened on the trail and never while I was working on the bike. 🙄🤨🤔😏
Been hotwaxing all my chains for the last two years and highly recommend it.
I've used wax for MTB for many many years now :)
I use the silca super secret wax , epic for all condition , chain stays super clean , use to use the muc off lubes , chain would be super dirty as after one ride , even after follow the process and letting it dry over night
This man is a legend! So much knowledge and so clearly presented 🤘🏻
Doddy, please make contact with Adam from Zero Friction Cycling regarding waxing before making a full video on the topic. Im sure he would love the opportunity to share his independent testing results, development knowledge, and it would be great to discuss the implications of UK conditions with him. The wax process actually seems like less time and effort over the life of a chain as once waxed it barely needs cleaning and all the mess that involves. I started out with it on my commuter bike and have been impressed enough to recently wax my mtb chain too.
Seconded...
Totally agree. Talk to someone like zerofriction who actually tests this, not just a lube manufacturer who may have biases.
You want test data from the guy selling the product? His "independent" testing I'm sure is the best source of truth
Independent as you can get ! Look at his methods and website
Wax is great for mtb if its dry and dusty/sandy. It runs far cleaner. Its ok in the wet as well, but you need to retreat after very wet ride to avoid the outside of the chain rusting. Its a bit too much work for me in winter.
I always wax my chains on my roadbike and on mtb works great for both the mud and dirt doesn't stick to it as much as with regular lube. You can get cheap (€80) ultrasonic cleaners that work fine. If you enjoy working on your bike it's definetly worth it. You also don't get the thick black greasy mess on every cog.
I´ve been hotwaxing My chains for about two years now, and have recently startet to top it with Peatyá chain lube, and it works very well.
In the winter I ride in pretty muddy conditions, and I don´t hear the crunching noise from the drivetrain, after switching to hotwaxing - and it´s much easier to clean the drivetrain, it normally just use water and a brush.
I hot wax BECAUSE, when I ride and I cross a stream dry lube washes right off. If is use we lube my drivetrain is super dirty on the rest of the trail. Wax is most compatible with varied riding conditions and easier to clean.
Chain hot waxing is a best and cheapest thing you can do to your drivetrain.
To those that hot wax their MTB chain,, how many km's between waxes ? What are your contitions? Do you notice surface rust on the outer links? I hot wax my hybrid road bike and its good for 500km but i do notice surface rust , and that bike never sees water. Wondering how the MTB chain will fair with puddles and weekly washing. Currently use Squirt on the MTB, reapplied every ride if bike needed washing
Welcom back doddie. The world missed you
ive been doing it a while now, made my own paraffin wax mix which includes oils and PTFE powder.
so much easier on the drivetrain and cleaning and servicing is far nicer 👍
Moved to the Silca Super Secret recently on two fat bikes and my XC MTB, so far have been pleased with the results in my summer arid dusty Colorado conditions. Question, is GMBN not sponsored by Silca like GCN?🤔
Hi Doddy really enjoy the weekly content ! As others have mentioned I would really encourage you to look at the work of Adam at Zero Friction Cycling regarding chain and drivetrain life particularly for off-road. From personal experience I ride solely MTB and was influenced by common marketing around chain lubrication which often have outlandish claims. I was using mostly widely recommended brands of wet and dry lubes which contained oil based carriers and the mess this creates is appalling. After wearing out several expensive XT cassettes and chains after no more than 1500km of riding I went in search for a better solution. I have found there is a general acceptance in the MTB community that black oily contamination on a drive train is “normal” and needing to use heavy degreasers every ride is also standard practice. After changing to mspeedwax I have not used a single drop of degreaser on my drivetrain since and I have over 2500km on a chain and cassette with virtually no wear evident. I am absolutely an advocate for wax and it really is not a hard process to maintain.
To be honest, the best thing i have tried in MTB the past two years is switching from traditional chain lube to Squirt wax based chain lube.
Its great in all conditions, quite in the worst conditions and you drivetrain will stay super clean compared to traditional chain lubes.
Waxing is the way to go. Once you remove all the oil from your drivetrain its very easy to maintain. There are many wax lubes that you can apply while the chain is on the bike. I use a crock pot with hot wax. Its better than oil based lubes in all conditions.
Creeking...I found it was my seatpost! Although correctly specked and tightly clamped the third party seatpost was moving slightly probably pivoting round the seat clamp. After changing out the BB, pedals etc, with no change, I added some electrical insulation tape to lower part of the seatpost and the annoying sound stopped!!
Roadies also wax their legs, I won't be doing that either 😂
Nah we just get laser 😂
about chasing down creaks and squeaks: recently I was chasing one on my bike and it turned out it was some dirt or metal chip between seatpost and inner side of frame. I wouldn't have thought of that :)
I use Parafin wax, a ultrasonic cleaner and a water bath to warm the wax. The result is, noticeable less resistance in the drive chain. But it is tedious in process.
Your sponsorship deal with Mucoff makes it imposdible to give unbiased advice.
I have a 26" Fat Bike frame, with a rear 27.5+(3.0), and front 29(2.6), and 160mm travel fork, works pretty well actually. Took the head angle from 71(with the 26 rigid fork), to 64 degrees.
"Enduro hardtail" on a budget.
Chunky rear tire with low psi and insert takes care of the small bumps, pnw suspension dropper takes care of the larger ones.
I had a Santa Cruz Megatower V1 which is designed for 29, and I put all around 27.5, the bike felt amazing descending, the lower center of gravity felt god-like confidence, but it had difficulty going uphill, my pedals touched a few times some rocks.but not big deal. Then I switched to a mullet with 29 front and the bike felt as amazing as before but with higher rolling speed over rough terrain, and still hurt a little the climbing capability because of the seat angle.
It is so easy to maintain a shiny MTB chain with wax! I use CeramicSpeed UFO Drip
This stuff is great and just as easy to apply as any other drip lube. The GMBN channel is sponsored by Mucoff so you have to take their advice here with a dum truck load of salt.
Doddy, you are a walking MTB encyclopedia! You deserve a statue ;)
Wild idea for finding a squeak. First u need a friend. Switch bikes, use a pvc pipe to focus ur hearing on the possible suspects. Idea comes from finding squeaks in engines.
had a creek that i found out was a broken rear axle that i rode on for a few rides
I rode in dry 🏜️ conditions almost exclusively
....hot wax works AMAZING vs lube (even 'dry' lubes)
On one also had a single speed road bike called "El Pompino". I wonder if their XC hardtail, the Whippet. Is called that as it's the only whippet they can race with Peta getting upset.
Also, my friend used my 27.5 wheels on his 29er bike. He said it felt slightly strange, bb lower to ground, but that's about it
I tried waxing the chain on a hard tail I mainly ride on the road last year. I used plain candle wax. In the end of summer, it was great, but didn't last long at all in the winter with our salted roads. I would try it again mow I have a full suspension bike too which I'll use less in the winter.
Here in So CAL conditions are extra dry for most of the year and Waxing MTB chain is the way to go. Since its dry vs wet or dry lube it keeps the dust off the chanin and drive train and this minimizes the amount of cleaning and maintenance. Will never use lube again.
Had a terrible creak somewhere in the rear triangle of my then new Orbea Oiz, turned out to be the main spring of the rear derailleur being bone-dry and rubbing on itself. Bit of grease fixed it. Dealer said they'd seen it before on this type of derailleur (Shimano XT) 😬
when talking about your bike making noises… i just sent my second sram carbon cranks back to sram. they started making cracking noises where the axle is pressed into the crank. happened also on the other side
Hot wax bath definitely works. Bit of a hassle doing it each year.
I wax my chain. Works great for me but I don’t ride when wet. Our trails are shut down if wet. I only have to soak my chain a few times a summer or until I get caught in the rain. It keeps it super clean and therefore fast
Yes you can install a 27.5 fork on a frame that stock had a 29er installed. It will change the geometry into a completely different bike. Unless you go with a much longer travel 27.5 fork, the steering angle will be much more steep. You can install a 27.5 wheel on a 29 fork though. It too will change the steering angle, but not as drastically. You could also install a 27.5+ tire on the front on a 27.5 rim. That would be the closest steering angle to stock. As stated, it also lowers the bottom bracket height, and therefore the pedal plane. So pedal strikes have the likelihood of increasing. All said, you can do just about anything you want, but, will it improve your bike?
Ive been chasing creaking sounds on my bike a couple of weeks before. I ended up some cracked and broken outer plate on my chain. Its newly installed chain and runs less than 500km after i replaced it from my stock chain of sram sx groupset. I decided to replaced it to nx chain but it ends up to get easily broken and I dont know the reason about that easily to be cracked. So last week I decided to replaced it a new kmc chain and the creaking sound are gone now.
On-One are part of Planet X, they called in the administrators last week. There will probably be a few bargains around over the next few weeks.
Loving wax (bad conditions mainland Europe). I’ll start with Boeshield for a few rides (cleans out the old or fabric grease.. ) and then top up with (squirt) wax.. amazing durability and cleanliness. Tried in all seasons on my singlespeed, commuter and MTB.. now I’m looking at a big spray bottle for MX-bike chains (dries within the hour!) motocross people know… lower cost than the bicycle drip shit .. amazing stuff (maxima wax)
Another great show guys. Keep it up. Cheers
I've used quick links over and over again , NEVER an issue . Manufacturers just want to take more money from you !
Waxed chain for life.
Peatys dry lube is the holy grail for summer lubes, got to re- apply after a few rides , doesn't attract dirt like others greatly reducing chain wear - win win ☀️👍🏻😎
Why all the waffling and uncertainty about chain waxing??? Of course it's good to do!! C'mon man. As with road cycling, however, you need to be weary of wet conditions. Rain allows dirt to become embedded into the wax deep inside the chain. If you wanted absolute best chain performance and wear, after every wet ride you need to do a full chain clean and re-apply the wax. For convenience, run two sets of chains, with one stored chain being waxed and ready to use. After a wet ride, swap this onto your bike and then do the full clean and wax of the other chain at your leaisure.
Hello Dave hardball! Freakin' awesome hardtail!
Today's random fact - 'Hello Dave' (from the League of Gentlemen) was filmed just up the road from FarmerJohn's MTB park. Explains a lot
Good knowledge!
Chain waxing is not voodoo, you don't need an ultrasonic cleaner (these machines are not the miracle cleaner you think they are) I use silca hot wax and top up with their drip wax. Ride all year round UK weather. White spirit pre clean oily bike chain, second clean with silca degreaser, third with meths. Dry, submerge in wax, cool and fit to the bike. After a couple dusty rides micro fibre cloth and then apply drop wax night before riding. Wet ride, rinse and dry chain off, apply drip wax. After a while you may choose to hot wax again, cleaning process is just boiling water to remove old wax. And then dip in hot wax again.
#AskGMBNTech Hello guys! I’ve got a cannondale habit with internal cable routing where the housing/cables are loose and rattle in the frame. Any tips on how to stop that? Thanks guys and love the show
#askgmbntech What happened to the dakar style forks with rubber protection on the stanchions? Used to be quite normal in the 90's but today I never see it. Would personally use it cause I don't like to clean the bike every day
Designers don't think it looks _cool_ , so they dumped the idea on sporty bikes. European commuters still come with them. You can find aftermarket equivalents such as "Lizard skins fork boots" which are neoprene sleeves that close with velcro and can be cut to required length. Indeed, forks with such covers provide much more hours of reliable performance before needing a cleanup/tune.
#askgmbntech Great video! I know suspension should be serviced (rockshox at least) every 50 hours or so, it seems a bit vague to me as I don't know if it's 50 hours on DH, 50 hours on average including slow climbs and if the fork and rear sus both suffer from riding at the same rate (on this 50+- hour service time). I would love to know what are some common signs that your suspension needs a service, mine are currently at my local bike shop and the rear shock (fox float x) was bottoming out really hard with 30% sag on "normal" use and my front fork (RS Zeb) was losing small bump sensibility, I think this topic could make for a great video, have a good one!
It refers more to Fox forks, but the principle is largely the same - we touch on this in a previous #AskGMBNTech video here: ruclips.net/video/pqv9GfXD-jY/видео.html
Hopefully it helps!
Once you wax, you don't go back!
#AskGMBNTech I'm going to add Rimpact inserts to my wheels soon for an Alps trip in a few months, I usually tun 19 PSI front and 21 Rear, do I run the same pressure or look to go lower to compensate for insert?
#AskGMBNTech Hi Doddy - love your tech advice and now need it my self. I have BrandX dropper, i tryed to service it. When i try to remove the atuater (the bottom) one of the screws is bustede. I can not remove it, hence can not service my dropper. What can i do?
#AskGMBNTech Any tips for rear brake performance? My Tecktro Orion has *never* worked well in the rear, even after multiple bleeds, caliper lubrication, pad changes, pad sanding, rotor sanding, re-alignments, etc. Both pistons on one side are kind of always hanging out, so they rub on the rotor, but still have very little stopping power. I'm at a loss.
bleed again use fewer oil. if that solves the problem. Buy new pads and make the rotor and the caliper as clean as u can. dont sand. and take ur time to bed in them.
on top ask ur self. was this brake new or used? didt the pistons ever left the caliper or did u or some one els had truble to push them back? maybe the pistons allready are damaged and cant retreat properly
#AskGMBNTech. Maybe you answered this but I just need confirmation. Does converting a mullet to non-mullet improves pedaling for XC, trail, and non-eduro lines? Will having a spare 27.5 front wheel make your mullet an all around bike? Will this damage the frame between the rear shock linkage? Is going from 63.7 headtube angle to 65 dangerous for the bike's design? Some forks have labels such as 29/27.5. Does that cover the modification? I tested this theory and I found climbing better, turns easier, and peddling efficiency. Should I continue this trend or will I pay the price later?
i do use wax too although i can say wax doesn't last as long as lube does
This new guy seems pretty decent.
#AskGMBNTech with manufacturers like Specialized, not producing a 27.5 full suspensions frame anymore, is it fair to say that 27.5 will be gone shortly?
Also, with many people preferring the size, would be worth showing what downgrade of a mullet setup to a full 27.5 does to the geometry, ride, timings, clearance etc? I think that could be a fun and interesting video.
I mostly ride in dry dusty conditions so waxing my chain works pretty well. I only do it sometimes though as the process is a bit annoying, but otherwise I only use dry lube and if it's a little bit wet out then ill just clean my chain after and use dry lube again not a big deal.
fyi if you really want to wax your chain, most all wax is soluble in heptane (somewhat common in carburetor cleaner - but who runs a carb on their car now ;)? ) and as a low molecular weight hydrocarbon heptane gets into nooks and crannies very well, carrying the wax with it, then evaporates (environmental nasty as well). Just an fyi - personally I don't it, heptane is moderately nasty, I just use a light oil and clean my chain/re-oil almost every ride.
How difficult would it be to change a traditional drive train to one with an internal gear hub? Has anyone done that on a trekking or mtbike? #AskGMBNTech
#askgmbntech is it possible to put a fox grip2 damper in an marzocchi z1 fork
Hi, is the CyclOn Premium Graphene Hot Wax suited for mtb in rainy muddy conditions? You are not convinced it is the best for mtb, however cyclon does say it is suited for mtb and water proof? Not sure if this is a new product. Thanks #askGMBNTech
I use the same transmission fluid that I use in my car also on my bike chain. It does an excellent job as a chain lube and it's also cheaper than dedicated chain lube.
#AskGMBNTech Question. Can I change hubs on a wheelset that's configured as tubeless, without resorting to at least removing the tubeless rim tape?
6:45 it's your saddle mount.
Might well be. Had a noise from the rear as well. Searched and searched, until I took out my saddle post, cleaned the post and the frame hole (some minor sand stuck in there), put a bit of lube and.....gone
i tried waxing my chain, either i didn't use proper wax, or it doesn't really work for enduro
#AskGMBNTech Love the Hello Dave, got one about a year ago, loving it! it would be great if someone from GMBN can do a ride plus a in depth review. Thank you.
#AskGMBNTech Wouldn't it be a great idea if knee and elbow pad manufacturers sold replacement sleeves for their D30 pads? My Fox kneepads are about a year old, ripped up from my pedals. The pads will last forever but the sleeves (despite being sewed up) will soon be ready for the bin, it seems a waste!
So... a video about Waxing a chain for MTB use, when? :)
I understand GMBN is sponsored by a brand that doesnt make wax lube, but the lack of knowledge about it and deliberate misinformation is embarrassing, even for sponsored content 😂
Yt exists to sell products or bullshit ideas. Big channels are always selling something.
Consider yourself lucky that it's been raining for so long, everywhere else in Europe is burning.
No. The reason. It collects dust in the summer. If you clean your bike after every ride. Just use wet ride lube.
You don't have replace the quick link every time the chain is apart. Stop spreading nonsense!
Yeah, mine’s been of-and-on at least a dozen times. I carry a spare usually, but never once broken one.
I did (once) improperly seat the link and it popped apart in the first 100’. Found the pieces, put them back on, and still running.
Cool video.
Yes its called finishline dry lube it has wax and teflon in it.
Lube is better
Waxing chains. I eventually had to try it. Not suited to wet conditions, no. Expect your chains to rust. Happened to me, and a mid-level bike worth several thousand dollars looks ridiculous with a rusty chain. Not convinced about longevity either, but I was using basic supermarket candlewax. 2c
…it CAN be suited to wet conditions.
The method from the ‘90s (probably even before) is you dissolve motor oil with the paraffin in different proportions depending on the conditions. Extremely wet conditions you might be up to 1/3 oil, dry conditions more like 1/4 oil.
I live in a very wet area in the winter months, with snow and loads of salt! I've been waxing my fatbike chain for many years, but officially since 2010/2011 and have absolutely no rust. It seems that we actually put salt on the roads and then plow later to move the slush off the roads, so unfortunately, way too much salt being used here. All of our vehicles will show you that same thing, sadly.
@@irfuel I only have a cheap model 😁
Christmas is a pagan believe
I am wondering if the hiatus was because he fell foul of a new zeitgeist.
Laughing that I expect not many of your viewers have ever heard of the league of gentlemen.
No, because we've seen just how little friction protection they offer. Squirt is pretty garbage for actual friction reduction, as are other waxes, and they actually increase drag.
There's a great test done Simply Mountain Biking showing just how mediocre it is.
A dollar worth of gasoline will clean your chain way better than a hypersonic whatever he just said😂 whatever it is sounds expensive, and labor-intensive
Nothing at all amusing about jokes at the expense of impaired people - let's leave 'jokes' like that in the past, where they belong....