Why does my chain creak without cleaning and lubing every 100km?

Equipment
1

I have a road bike with Shimano 105 mechanical groupset (Trek Domane SL5). After I thoroughly clean the chain and re-lube it’s perfectly silent, but only for only about 100 km. After that I start getting horrible creaking whenever I go above 200 W or so. Adding more lube alone doesn’t help. I need to take off the chain, degrease it, and reapply lube to get another 100 km of silence. I’m riding on clean, dry roads. Any ideas?

This is the whole process I use to clean/lube the chain.

  1. Remove chain
  2. Chain goes through degreaser bath in Gatorade bottle (x3)
  3. Chain goes through acetone bath in Gatorade bottle
  4. Cassette, chainrings and jockey wheels get degreased, brushed, and rinsed.
  5. Wait at least 1 hour for chain to dry thoroughly
  6. Re-install chain
  7. One drop of Silca Super-Secret drip on wax goes on each roller.
  8. Wipe off excess wax from outside of chain, chainrings, cog, jockey wheels

I know the creaking is coming from the chain because it’s silent after this cleaning process even when I mash on the pedals. Plus, the bottom bracket was recently replaced.

This is really frustrating me. Thanks for any ideas!

2

You shouldn’t need to degrease a chain more than once when you are using wax. After the initial chain strip I only use hot water (boiled in a kettle) when I need to strip the wax off the chain due to the chain getting dirty whilst out riding in the rain/dirt. As you’re riding in the dry, that shouldn’t really be an issue either.

My guess would be not enough lube is getting deep into the pins and rollers. When you’re backpedalling to put the lube on the chain try doing it in the most extreme crosschaining you can (ie big-big), it helps open everything up and get the wax deeper into the chain.

I do hot melt wax and find I get about 300-500km from an application before I start hearing noise but just a reapplication of either silca drip wax (if im in a rush) or another hot melt application will quiet things down. If the chain isn’t dirty I just give it a quick wipe with a rag and reapply the wax, no cleaning.

Also some chains are better at accepting wax than others due to coating on the chain etc. Are you using a KMC chain? I’ve had issues with some of them and waxing.

3

I agree with @Eightball.

Is the drip wax designed to be used as a standalone lube?

I thought it was for maintaining a hot-melted chain..

If you’re not hot-melting, I’d maybe pick up a thinner chain lube that works well for the conditions you’re riding in.

4

I believe if you’re using it as a standalone solution, silca suggest you need to build up a few layers of the stuff to fully peneratete the chain unlike a hot melt solution which gets into all those inner parts straight away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcowq02pXw&t=5s

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5

I understand the idea of the layering up in theory, but in practice I find subsequent applications after I’ve already been out for a ride just seem to result in dirty wax emulsion falling off the chain onto the floor instead of sticking to the chain and drying in place. Seems like I’m wasting product.

Maybe I can commit to the 3rd layer and see.

6

You’re always going to get surface wax coming off, it’s just the nature of the product. The stuff on the surface doesn’t really matter all that much. It’s the wax deeper in the chain (in the pins and rollers) that’s most important.

Also you are leaving the wax on the chain overnight or at least for a few hours before riding it right?

7

Thanks for the suggestions. I always let the chain sit at least overnight after applying the drip wax.

Next time I’ll do three days of applications and try cross-chaining for better penetration. Also looking forward to stripping the chain with hot water instead of chemicals for the next big cleaning. Will report back

8

As others said, the drop wax is intended to be used either as a one-coating top off for melted wax or applied as several coatings if the chain is not already melt waxed.

Drip wax process :
0. If previously using an oil based lube, fully degrease and dry the drivetrain.

  1. Wipe the chain free of dirt and loose wax before applying drip wax.
  2. Shift your bike into your biggest gears front and rear
  3. While backpedaling, apply the drip wax, one drop per roller, to the chain right before where it contacts the big rear cog. This is where the chain flexes from angled to straight, which pumps the wax into the pins and rollers.
  4. While the wax is still wet, slowly pedal forwards and shift through every gear, making sure to get several rotations in each gear. This distributes wax into the gears.
  5. Wipe off any lube that got on the frame or wheels. Wipe off ONLY the outer plates of the chain, not the rollers (top / bottom)
  6. Let each coating of the wax emulsion dry for at least 8 hours to dry. If it looks or feels wet at all, it needs more time to dry. If your chain wasn’t melt waxed before then you’ll want to apply at least 4 coats, preferably 6.

It could also be improperly adjusted derailleurs. The sides of the chain aren’t supposed to rub on anything. When there’s enough wax on the chain it can suppress the noise until that outer coating wears off.

Also, many people misroute the chain through the rear derailleur. Make sure it’s not touching any metal between the pulleys.

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9

Don’t do that if you’re drip waxing. Just wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Water will want to stay in all the crevices of the chain and keep the wax from penetrating.

The only thing you should do is wipe it down with a microfiber cloth

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