New Silca Stripchip

[KonaSS]

Originally Posted by dustyrider

I guess I’m worried about the same thing you are since you do rinse your really dirty chains off before you wax them. This could be one of those limitations of communication over the internet. But the silca videos I watched before jumping into the waxing game never made me think that the waxing process actually cleans the chain. I’m no expert though!

There is just no need to reclean unless you have done something to make it dirty, like ride in the rain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVo8MttQmyY

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I drop my chains into boiling water before I re-wax, then dry in the toaster oven. Even then, I don't get all the water out it seems, and when I drop the chain into the hot wax some steam comes out at first!

I haven't tried this yet, but I've heard hanging the chain and blasting it with a hair drying is good for drying the chain.

[Mikej]

I wonder if a second crockpot with water would let the wax melt out, then dry it in the oven (no wife home obviously) and the dunk it in the wax pot.

[amerikaner]

Just watched the video...impressive. I know some are saying it's for lazy folks but when trying to degrease a chain there are so many possible chemicals that are used and hopefully properly disposed of. One big thing for me is less waste overall and less polution!

[dustyrider]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

There is just no need to reclean unless you have done something to make it dirty, like ride in the rain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVo8MttQmyY

I went to the source since it had been awhile, and I even re-learned that I can skip the completely dry chain step! 6:47 is your way and then 8:28 is my way. Except I just got a couple of used pans from the local Salvation Army.

Silca Velo

[robertbb]

Be careful using this stuff.

I of course don't know what's in the formulation and it might be fine, but I do recall hearing Hambini talk recently about how one of Silca's other products uses a highly toxic substance that while marketed as something new is actually well known in his industry and is (or at least is facing) bans due to how carcinogenic it is.

[KonaSS]

I missed the detail on not having to dry too. Thanks for sharing!

[nmrt]

Can you share a link? I'd like to know what the putative carcenogenic chemical is and in which of Silca's product it is found. Thanks.

Originally Posted by robertbb

Be careful using this stuff.

I of course don't know what's in the formulation and it might be fine, but I do recall hearing Hambini talk recently about how one of Silca's other products uses a highly toxic substance that while marketed as something new is actually well known in his industry and is (or at least is facing) bans due to how carcinogenic it is.

[m_sasso]

I am the only bike rider that sees this as a never ending money suck based on dormancy and ineptitude that adds nothing to the betterment of cycling?

How complicated can you make a relatively simple process of cleaning and waxing a chain.

Reminds me of another simple process made complicated by laziness and stupidity, eating highly over processed food wrapped in plastic, when eating a banana or an apple will realize the same result.

Silica I like most of your pumps, this, thanks for adding to world I don't want to see from the seat of my bike!

[Talrand]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

How complicated can you make a relatively simple process of cleaning and waxing a chain.

How is removing a step from a process making it more complicated?

If this works as advertised you're going from:
1. Clean factory lube off a new chain.
2. Wax chain.

to
1. Wax factory lubed chain with this thing added into the wax.

You're clearly just desperate to complain (whining about gels is literally completely off topic here...), have you considered yelling at clouds some more?

[gravelreformist]

Originally Posted by robertbb

Be careful using this stuff.

I of course don't know what's in the formulation and it might be fine, but I do recall hearing Hambini talk recently about how one of Silca's other products uses a highly toxic substance that while marketed as something new is actually well known in his industry and is (or at least is facing) bans due to how carcinogenic it is.

And this is why that guy has the reputation he does. Silca has safety data sheets available for download directly on the pages for most of their products. I assume it will be there for this product eventually as well.

If you have some more specific information, please share it.

[Mikej]

https://bikerumor.com/silca-stripchi...ier-than-ever/

Seems like this process came from the food industry, so most likely already patented and Silca is just paying for the rights? Note, article doesnt say anything is patented, just my speculation. Also note, the Silca bag of wax is 500 g and one chip uses 400 g of Silca wax. AB Graphine drip is my personal choice, and at this point its cost vs Silca's preferred method is looking like a deal!

[AngryScientist]

I can fully appreciate that I sound like a retrogrouch old dog unwilling to learn new tricks these days. It just seems to me that in the past few years there is a never ending stream of products that are getting released to deal with an area of cycling that I have never given much thought to.

During the riding season, I drip some oil based lube on my chain every so often, wipe the chain down every couple of rides, and when the bike gets really dirty I wash it with water and dish soap.

I read through this thread, and it seems like instead of my shelf with a small bottle of chain lube and a bottle of dish soap, I'm seeing people use hair dryers, hot water kettles, thrift store crock pots and a boatload of boutique-ee products.

I would never question someone on how much money or time they spend playing with bikes, but it sure seems to me like in recent years there is more and more done to erode the "simplicity" of what being a cyclist means to me.

I recognize that some of the other big trends in cycling which I also reject, like disc brakes and electronic shifting might actually make a difference in the cycling experience, but all this song and dance associated with lubing a chain?

[gravelreformist]

Originally Posted by Mikej

https://bikerumor.com/silca-stripchi...ier-than-ever/

Seems like this process came from the food industry, so most likely already patented and Silca is just paying for the rights? Note, article doesnt say anything is patented, just my speculation. Also note, the Silca bag of wax is 500 g and one chip uses 400 g of Silca wax. AB Graphine drip is my personal choice, and at this point its cost vs Silca's preferred method is looking like a deal!

I presume that while the copy on Silca's page does say that the Strip Chip is only for use with factory greased chains, that using it once does not render the rest of the wax unusable. A 500g bag of Silca wax is good for about 10,000 miles of riding for me.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I can fully appreciate that I sound like a retrogrouch old dog unwilling to learn new tricks these days. It just seems to me that in the past few years there is a never ending stream of products that are getting released to deal with an area of cycling that I have never given much thought to.

During the riding season, I drip some oil based lube on my chain every so often, wipe the chain down every couple of rides, and when the bike gets really dirty I wash it with water and dish soap.

I read through this thread, and it seems like instead of my shelf with a small bottle of chain lube and a bottle of dish soap, I'm seeing people use hair dryers, hot water kettles, thrift store crock pots and a boatload of boutique-ee products.

I would never question someone on how much money or time they spend playing with bikes, but it sure seems to me like in recent years there is more and more done to erode the "simplicity" of what being a cyclist means to me.

I recognize that some of the other big trends in cycling which I also reject, like disc brakes and electronic shifting might actually make a difference in the cycling experience, but all this song and dance associated with lubing a chain?

And....some people have a couple bikes and some people have like twenty eight.