Switching to a waxed chain could take minutes off your Ironman bike split, without riding any harder – and here’s why

Waxing your bike chain is one of the best ways to improve your drivetrain efficiency. By coating the chain finely in low-friction wax, it’s a clean way to lubricate your chain (say goodbye to those tell-tale chain grease calf tattoos!). And not only does a waxed chain help to extend the life of your components. It can also unlock free speed which can add up to several minutes off your bike split in a long distance triathlon.

But don’t just take my word for it. I spoke to John Thompson from Molten Speed Wax – the wax you’ll find on the chains of some of the world’s fastest cyclists and triathletes – to get his take on the benefits of a waxed chain for triathlon, and how to go about it yourself. Keep reading to unlock free watts!

Chain wax vs traditional chain lube or oil – what’s the difference?

Before I dive into John’s insights, let’s quickly recap what I actually mean by a waxed chain. Traditional chain lube or oil is dripped on to the chain while it is still in place on the bike. You wax a bike chain off the bike, by immersing it in a cycling-specific blend of melted wax before removing it, leaving it to cool and installing it on your bike. The process leaves a fine coating of low-friction wax which is the cleanest and most effective way to lubricate your chain. That improved efficiency can save you several watts on the bike at triathlon race speeds – which can help you take minutes off your bike split without having to push any harder.

What are the benefits of chain waxing for triathletes?

So that’s what chain waxing is. But you might be thinking it sounds like a lot more hassle compared to just simply dropping some oil or lube onto your chain, spinning the cranks a few times and cracking on. So why take the extra time to wax your chain?

Watt savings

“Wax is simply the fastest lubricant available, period,” says Thompson. “Virtually every world record, world championship or Olympic gold in any cycling discipline has been won on wax.”

Waxing is more efficient than traditional lube because the molten wax can better penetrate the parts of the chain, such as the links and rollers. More comprehensive penetration improves lubrication and drivetrain efficiency usually by at least 1% and as much as 3%. 

Drivetrain efficiency refers to how much of the energy you apply to the pedals is lost through the chain before it turns the rear wheel. Greater efficiency enables you to ride at a given speed at lower power or go faster for the same effort, all things being equal. 

And that can actually add up to quite a significant amount of time once you get up to Ironman distance racing. According to the Velobike software, going from a poorly maintained drivetrain (which has a typical a mechanical efficiency of 0.94) to the 0.98 mechanical efficiency achievable with a waxed chain will increase your speed at 250 watts from 37km/h to 37.6km/h. Over the 180km Ironman bike leg, that saves you six minutes.

Cleaner

Watt savings aside, a waxed chain is a far better choice than oil-based lube on a bike you store in the house or travel with.

“Wax is super clean, a triathlete can pack a bike for travel without worrying about grease transferring to the bag, hands or clothes,” says Thompson. 

Less wear – why a waxed chain could cost you less money in the long run

A waxed chain wears much slower than a chain coated in chain oil. This is because the outside of a waxed chain is clean and dry. This attracts fewer contaminants than an oiled chain with liquid on the inside and outside. 

Besides wearing itself, a contaminated chain eats away at potentially expensive chainrings and cassettes. 

According to independent testing by Zero Friction Cycling, immersive wax has the lowest ‘cost to run’ of any chain lubricant. Running costs take into account not only the price of the lube per kilometre of riding, but also the cost of having to replace worn out components. 

Despite costing more per application, wax wears parts slower – if at all. Costing you much less in the long run. 

Zero Friction Cycling found that 10,000km of riding on an 11-speed Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain will cost you $365.95, nearly a third as much as the next cheapest option, drip wax (wax dissolved in a solution of water). As drivetrains become 12- and 13-speed, they aren’t getting cheaper.

For context, the cost of running the same groupset with other lubes run into the thousands of dollars.

Longevity

In dry conditions, a waxed chain will run efficiently for hundreds of kilometres, easily long enough for an IRONMAN bike leg.

Thompson says: “A waxed chain can last hundreds of miles, but for maximum efficiency and low cost to run, wax every 200 miles or immediately after riding in wet conditions.”

As Thompson points out, wax does wash off in the wet. But you should clean and reapply any chain lube after a wet ride. The benefit of wax is that it remains the most efficient and clean lubricant in wet conditions. A drivetrain coated in wet lube will be far harder to clean after getting caught in a deluge.

How to wax your chain

The likes of Molten Speed Wax and Silca have very detailed chain waxing guides and videos, which I recommend referring to. But for now Thompson has summarised the essential chain waxing steps for us. Bear in mind that brands may have slightly different instructions for their wax blend – so check the specific details on whatever wax you’ve bought.

What you’ll need

1. Melter (a small slow cooker is ideal)

2. Swisher tool 

3. PVC pipe or wooden dowel 

4. Master link tool to remove and install chain on bike

5. Wax

A hook or pin in a wall to hang the cooling wax from is useful. A food thermometer to measure the temperature of the wax helps a lot too.

Step by step chain waxing instructions

• Start with a new chain, it’s easier to clean and wax a new chain rather than one that has been ridden
• Remove the grease and oil from the chain (and drivetrain components). This only has to be done once, but it’s necessary so that the wax adheres to the chain
• Heat the wax to 93 degrees centigrade and “swish” the chain for 30 seconds
• Allow the chain to cool completely, then break the links free by pulling the chain over a piece of PVC pipe

Chain waxing tips

Thompson also notes that after the chain is cleaned of grease and waxed the first time, the chain can simply be rewaxed without cleaning.

This multi-step initial cleaning phase for chain waxing typically involves harsh chemicals like methylated spirits and can seem off-putting. I don’t like handling or disposing of these products, so I use Silca’s Chain Stripper instead. This non-toxic product gets a factory chain ready to wax in about 10 minutes. I think the higher cost per use is well worth it. 

Always use a crockpot or slow cooker to melt the wax instead of a stove. Never use a microwave. 

If you have a 1x drivetrain for triathlon, Thompson adds: “A freshly waxed chain will need to be pressed down onto the chainring when installing the chain. 

“This is normal and after a few pedal strokes the chain will mesh smoothly as the excess wax is pushed out between the plates.”

Notes on safety

Double check you’ve properly routed the chain through the derailleur pulley wheels – I’ll hold my hand up and say I’ve missed one of the derailleur cage tabs before!

After installing the master / quick link on a waxed chain, Thompson says: “Check visually on both sides of the link to confirm the master link is fully locked and the pins are in their respective slots.”

Most chain manufacturers say their quick links are not reusable, although many people do use them multiple times without issue. To be extra safe, use a fresh quick link every time or buy reusable quick links from KMC or YBN. 

The links of a waxed chain will be stiff even after you’ve broken the links by hand to fit it to the bike. So you’ll need to further ‘break in’ in the chain by riding for at least 20 minutes before a race. I find it’s best to ride in the small chainring and move the chain across the cassette so it articulates. 

Chain waxing vs wax-based chain lube

Using a wax-based chain lube, also known as drip wax is seen as a half-way house between using a standard wet lube and fully immersive chain waxing.

Some of the best wax chain lubes are reasonable fast and clean. For some people, using them is more convenient than waxing. Indeed you can top up the coating of a waxed chain with with drip wax.

However, the proper preparation process for chain waxing and wax-based chain lube is similar. I’m among those who argue that you might as well go the whole way to optimise drivetrain efficiency and longevity. 

Should you wax your chain?

I used wax-based chain lube for a number of years before starting waxing my chains last year. Initially I did it to gain a few watts for time-trialling and to look after SRAM Red eTap drivetrain, which it is hard to source replacement parts for.

And if you’re going to use a waxed chain at all, it makes sense to use one on your race bike.

In fact, Thompson recommends having a dedicated race chain that gets special treatment.

“It’s a great idea to keep a chain for race only use for maximum drivetrain efficiency,” he adds.

“Wax it twice as often as a training chain or even after every race to keep it as clean and protected as possible. 

“The equation for the fastest chain is simple: the cleanest chain waxed in the cleanest wax will have the lowest amount of friction.”

Pre-waxed chains 

To receive the benefits of a waxed chain without investing in a home-waxing set-up, you can buy a pre-waxed chain online. You can use one until the wax wears off then apply wax lube.

Some companies will also rewax your chain if you send it back to them for an additional fee. In the UK, for example, WattShop and Midland Chain Waxing provide this service. 

But when you get in the habit of chain waxing, it’s simple to do so for training as well. 

Now I also use a waxed chain on my endurance and gravel bikes because I prefer the cleanliness, efficiency and convenience of wax. 

I spend way less time than I used to cleaning their drivetrains because wax picks up minimal dirt. As a result, the wear rate of my chains and the cost of replacing them has significantly dropped. I find it easier to remove a chain, drop it in the slow cooker of wax then reinstall it than regularly and messily applying wax lube.