AJA 29: Hot Wax on a Hot Day
It's an Ask Josh Anything episode! We talk about The Rule of 105, the extent to which "bigger is better" is true for fairings, whether tire inserts need to be factored in when using air pressure calculators, why you might get conflicting recommendations from different air pressure calculators, how many watts a slow-turning old derailleur cog might cost you, the challenges a hot day might bring to your waxed chain, and more. So much more. Some people might say too much more, but we are not those people, and we're betting you are not either. Don't miss this episode, and keep your questions coming!
Got a question you’d like to ask? Text or leave a voicemail at the Marginal Gains Hotline: +1-317-343-4506 or just leave a comment in this post!
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Wow, now I can truly go Marginal – gains to the max!
I hot wax our fatbike chains. We ride them in northern Minnesota, in winter. Temps between 45 F and Minus 30 F.
If I understand Josh correctly:
1: too high of a melt point wax creates additional friction at low temps from ‘breaking’ the hard wax.
2: waxes have gotten higher melt points over the years.
Luckily for me, I have a bag of 2021 Silca hot wax.
So, I will save that for the winter fatbike waxing!
Why do some drip wax brands recommend reappling after spraying the bike with clean water (not even bike wash), to remove Arizona desert dust from the bike?
Shouldn’t wax be resistant to clean water?
Thx Ron
Dr. Griffon – Thanks for listening to our show and leaving a comment. If you have any suggestions for dealing with dust on drivetrains here on earth, boy we’d love to hear what a NASA scientist thinks.
I have been happily using the Silca sealant system in my gravel tires and my MTB tires for a little ova year. It has come time to refresh them with new fiber foam sealant.
My question is how much of the old sealant and dried-on carbon fiber filaments do I need to clean off? If they need to be totally clean, how do you suggest I go about it? I have tried the Silca sealant cleaner and a toothbrush, but it has not been effective. I’m using Challenge cotton casing tires.
Thank you for all the amazing products and the informative podcast!!
Kalli
Hello Marginal Gainers,
I‘d love to hear Josh‘s take on quick links.As far as I can see all 12-speed quick links are single use. (Shimano clearly says it, KMC says „up to 5 times“ (under which conditions do you reach 5?), YBN says „reusable“ but also „consider using a new one each time“).
A quick link is about 5 bucks so this quickly becomes the main cost factor with taking the chain off the bike for cleaning and lubrication every 300 or so km.
Would you trust a re-used quick link in a full on sprint?
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