Pedros Ice Wax - use it or lose it?

[hrstrat57]

Got a bottle of Pedros Ice Wax given to me.

Do I put this stuff on my Ultegra drive train or no?

Still running the factory lube....bike only has about 750 miles on it and I still have a nice back up bike for wet days so she hasn't gotten wet yet.....I put some on the backup bike (Campy Chorus) and it wasn't a disaster.

Did a couple of searches but I was surprised I couldn't find too much said about Ice Wax.....

So when the factory lube runs dry or finally get dirty do I use this stuff or lose it.....it was free after all.

Or do I get some other stuff......

[Dr_John]

You haven't lubed your chain at all in 750 miles? That's way too long in my opinion.

While you might not have found a discussion specifically on IceWax, there will be many on wax lubes versus wet lubes. Many, including me, prefer a wet lube (Prolink, Home-brew, whatever) over wax lubes for a variety of reasons.

About the only thing I use wax lubes on are frame cable guides.

[curlybike]

Wax lube=Crap

[alexb618]

ice wax is horrible

i am a wax guy (rock n roll gold) but this stuff is WRONG

[unit]

I can not speak for the masses, but I can tell you my story.

I saw many people bashing wax type lubes for ages and always wondered what *they* were doing wrong because wax worked fine for me.

I would apply it before every ride (perhaps every other ride at times) and after a couple weeks the chain looked like a big black rubberband. Eventually the buildup was thick enough that I would take a steel brush to my chain to remove all the thick buildup and create a big mess on my floor. Then I would begin re-applying the lube.

Once in a while (less frequently) I would pull my cranks and cassette and similarly de-crap the whole thing. After removing the thick layers of waxy buildup I would rebuild.

This lube worked fine for me and all was well. But I listened to the bigmouths around here and wondered, so I thought I would give wet lube a throw...just so I could prove them wrong and dismiss their jeers from my mind.

Well, I am not going back. Wet lube does not build up and everything feels smoother at the end of my ride. Wet lube seems to do its job for much longer, and does not build up.

I apply it regularly, but I simply wipe the chain down prior to new lube application (this takes about 10 seconds of back spin of the cranks with shop towel in hand).

At about the same intervals I remove the chain and thoroughly clean it, but it takes half the time since there is not layers of black wax (grit/wax...this stuff bonds like cement). I also rotate through several chains to "share the wear" for what that is worth.

So there you have it. Do not believe the hype....(figure it out for yourself).

If you got the lube for free, you may want to try it. I have several bottles of that stuff laying around that I no longer use. Ignorance was bliss, but using the right lube is even better (we are talking bikes here).

[C-40]

If someone told you it was advisable to ride 750 miles without lubing your chain, you got very bad advice.

Although the product applied at the factory has some lubricating qualities, no lube lasts for 750 miles. By now I expect that your chain has already suffered a lot of wear.

I'm not wild about ice wax, but it's sure better than nothing. I use an inexpensive, but highly effective home brew. I've used a 4/1 mix of mineral spirits and synthetic motor oil for many years, but most recently, I've switched to a 6/1 mix of naptha and 80/90W synthetic gear lube. I still apply it every 100 miles or so, to insure maximum chain life.

I always wipe the exterior of a new chain with a rag dampened with a little mineral spirits to remove the greasy stuff from the exterior of the chain. I also apply my lube to a new chain, before it's ridden the first time.

[DIRT BOY]

I use it and like it on my MTBs. I just apply it before every ride. Byt themd end of a good and soemtimes wet rides, most of it is removed and ready to be relubed/waxed. Wet lubes suck for dusty and diret ride around here on the MTB.

On a road bike I hate it. Does not last more then 50 miles and does build up.

Buy pro-link or make your own homebrew.

[kiwisimon]

use it and see if you like it. I used it and had no problems. wipe off the excess when you apply it and thats it!

[yakky]

I like it for my mountain bike, most of it is gone after a ride, and I just re-apply. However, like others have mentioned, I get tons of buildup on a road bike.

[Alan Ross]

I have used PEDROs Ice wax and switched it out for the market leader(I forget the name but ya'all know what I mean) when I was waxing my chain a millennium ago. The problem was the build up of wax and dirt especially that pesky wax it got all over everything. I have since switched to PROLINK which I love but can get expensive. I am re-thinking a home brew. Also sometimes I used paint thinner or kerosene (in a very green safe for the environment manner) to take the chain back to raw metal and then slather the PROLINK on. Never a problem with build up etc. Never did like the lube properties of wax.

[pigpen]

I use it in combination with wet.
Sounds sort of strange but it works for me.
I put it on the chain at night, let it dry. Wipe it off in the morning (it sort of cleans the chain but encapsulating the grime) Then apply wet lube.
Thus I really use it to remove grime not as a lube.

[hrstrat57]

Prolink installed.....thx folks....

expensive tho....

[Dr_John]

Prolink installed.....thx folks....

expensive tho....

I alternate home brew with ProLink to keep costs down. I know it's probably in my head, but ProLink just seems to work a bit better. I lube about once/week (~200-250 miles) and wipe my chain off after each ride.

[Jwiffle]

If you are getting so much buildup with wax lubes, or any lubes, it is because you are not properly lubing your chain. I've used wax lube for years and never had a problem. Drip on each roller, let sit for a minute, wipe off excess, let dry for a couple hours (or day since usually reapplying after a ride). Has never built up for me, keeps the chain looking clean, seems to work pretty well.

I see it all the time in our shop, the lube-lovers. You don't necessarily need to lube before and after every ride. You do need to wipe your chain off prior to adding lube. You also need to wipe off the excess lube a few minutes after lubing, whether you are using wax, teflon, or whatever.

Anyway, as for the OPs question, I haven't used Pedro's Ice wax, but I've used White Lightning and a couple other wax lubes with good luck.

[dead flag blues]

Lose it. I've got 3 bottles for whomever would like it.

[Kerry Irons]

I've used White Lightning and a couple other wax lubes with good luck.

IME wax lube crap out almost instantly if you get wet to any extent. When the water goes away (assuming it quits raining) then your chain starts squeaking. That means damage