Is this “the holy grail” of chain optimisation?
We’ve spotted the Lidl-Trek team using a prototype automatic chain waxing machine at the 2024 Tour de France.
The device – made by Belgian brand, Cyclowax – is claimed to be “the holy grail” of immersive chain waxing, as it can wax a chain without removing it from the bike.
The machine, which looks somewhat akin to a smart trainer, holds a bike in place via the rear wheel and slowly draws the chain through a compartment containing melted paraffin wax (and other friction-reducing additives).
According to Cyclowax, the device is being used by the Lidl-Trek team at this year’s Tour de France, alongside more traditional chain waxing equipment (two heated ultrasonic cleaners), to enable the team to run waxed chains for every stage.
In theory, this could offer the team a performance advantage compared to riders and teams using more traditional chain lubricants.
Prior to the start of the race, we spoke to Cyclowax about how the device works and its ambitions for the machine.
An on-bike chain waxing revolution?
Chain waxing is often touted as a watt-saving, wear-reducing goldilocks solution to bicycle chain lubrication.
However, according to Cyclowax, one of the biggest hurdles riders face when using waxed chains is the need for the chain to be removed from the bike for re-waxing.
Waxed chains typically last for around 300 to 400km in dry conditions before needing to be re-waxed.
After riding in wet conditions, waxed chains need to be immediately dried and re-waxed to prevent corrosion.
For professional or keen amateur riders, this can necessitate removing the chain from the bike for re-waxing after almost every ride.
Not only does this require a significant investment in time and effort – which is difficult for professional team mechanics who have dozens of bikes to clean and maintain every day at races such as the Tour – but the cost of replacement chain pins or quick-links can easily add up over time.
With its automatic chain waxing device, Cyclowax is looking to solve this conundrum.
How does the Cyclowax automatic chain waxing machine work?
A bike is mounted on the prototype device in a similar manner to a smart trainer or bike stand.
A section of chain below the non-drive side chainstay is then placed within a compartment that clamps around it.
According to Cyclowax, this compartment contains a small ‘valley’ of wax, a heating element and a mechanism to slowly pull the chain through the valley.
When switched on, the heating element melts the wax, then the chain is automatically drawn through it.
As the chain exits the compartment, the wax solidifies on the chain as it cools to the ambient temperature.
After around 30 minutes, the whole chain will be waxed and freshly lubricated. The waxing compartment will then automatically pop open to release the chain and bike.
At this point, the rider simply needs to run through the gears on the bike (on a workstand, for example) to free the links of solidified wax and allow the chain to articulate properly before riding.
Cyclowax says the device is only designed to re-wax chains that have already been waxed or fully stripped of all factory grease.
It isn’t like Silca’s StripChip and Ultimate Chain Waxing System, which allows a chain to be degreased and waxed in one fell swoop.
For riders who don’t wish to degrease their own chains at home, though, Cyclowax sells ready-to-ride waxed chains for a variety of drivetrains, from 10- to 13-speed and for track bikes.
Chain waxing at the Tour de France
As an official partner to the Lidl-Trek team, Cyclowax has supplied the team with pre-waxed SRAM Red AXS chains for the 2024 Tour de France, and the equipment for the mechanics to re-wax them.
As the automatic device can only do one chain at a time (we saw Giulio Ciccone’s bike being put through the machine after his final pre-Tour training ride), the Lidl-Trek mechanics will also be using more traditional methods to re-wax team chains.
Cyclowax has provided the team with two heated ultrasonic cleaners, to be used in a two-step process.
The first ultrasonic cleaner contains its ‘Basic’ wax blend and is intended to flush the chain of contaminants.
The second step then involves dipping the chain in a special ‘Performance Pro’ wax, which is blended with additional friction-reducing additives (Cyclowax is coy on its specific formula).
Following this, the chain is removed and stiff links can then be broken and the chain re-installed on a bike.
How much does the Cyclowax automatic chain waxing machine cost?
As it’s currently in prototype form, Cyclowax told us it couldn’t estimate an eventual price for its automatic chain waxing machine.
Given the brand’s standard, off-bike waxing kit (which consists of a 500ml wax heater with an integrated stand) costs £101, we suspect it won’t be cheap.
Despite this, Cyclowax says its sights are firmly set on making the device appealing to individual riders and not simply local bike shops.
At a glance, we think that’s an ambitious objective, but we can certainly see it as a way for bike shops to offer quick and easy chain waxing services to their customers.
Either way, though, we’re intrigued.
Cyclowax says it made every effort to get the prototype device ready for use at the Tour, so it doesn’t know when a final, production-ready version will launch.
As always, though, when it does you can be sure we’ll bring you all of the details.