ITEM NUMBER: 909

Black Diamond Hot Wax

HOT MELT BICYCLE CHAIN WAX

LOWEST POSSIBLE FRICTION, BEST DIRT REPELLENCY, AND EASIER MAINTENANCE

Hot waxing is an increasingly popular method for lubricating bicycle chains. The solid wax does not collect dirt, keeping the entire transmission of the bike clean and repelling dirt more effectively than traditional chain lubes. BLACK DIAMOND HOT WAX combines Black Diamond’s proven effective additive technology with over 70 years of wax experience from Rex. By switching to hot waxing, bike cleaning becomes much easier, and drivetrain component wear is dramatically decreased in long-term use. Hot-waxed chains don’t stain and do not require powerful solvents for cleaning. Instead, they can be easily cleaned with hot water only.

HIGH-END TWO-STEP WAXING OPTION IN A SINGLE PACKAGE OF WAX

We transformed the already thoroughly tested and effective Black Diamond additive technology onto a solid Rex wax base. To ensure high manufacturing quality, we put all the Black Diamond additives into one black piece, which is hand-cast in our product development laboratory in Hartola. The black additive piece can be thought of as a bottle of Black Diamond chain lube in solid form! The eleven white Rex paraffin blocks, carefully selected for their wax mixture, are combined with the additive block to guarantee the best lubrication performance on the market. By melting all the pieces (11+1 blend) together, you get a wax mixture that works perfectly in all conditions.

For an extremely durable mixture for even the longest rides and races, melt the black additive piece with four pieces of base wax (4+1 blend). The remaining seven blocks of wax can be used as a cleaning pre-treatment wax to keep the
4+1 blend clean and maintain its high performance for longer. With the two-stage wax treatment option in one package, you get everything you need for optimal chain lubrication.

To put it shortly, the 4+1 blend gives class-leading performance in dry-conditions, while the 11+1 does the same in wet conditions. We also sell the additives block separately, so you can fine tune your own blend!

A LEADING SKI WAX BRAND & A LEADING LUBRICANT TESTING FACILITY

Rex has been asked many times about hot wax for chains, and we knew that we, if anyone, had to make this product. Our wax-based chain lubes had set the bar high, and we knew that a second-best wax was not worth doing. Several years of testing off-road, on the road, and in the Australian Zero Friction Cycling laboratory finally refined the composition.

In tests simulating road riding, Rex clearly outperformed the leading chain waxes on the market.

Read the test results here: https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/lubetesting/

How long does one waxing last?

According to Zero Friction Cycling tests, the wear protection provided by a single waxing can last up to 1500 km. At this point, the chain may become noisy, but the lubrication still functions. When considering durability, it’s important to distinguish between the duration of wear protection and the pleasant noise level. In real-life scenarios, the chain often starts sounding loud after 500 km (though everyone has their own assessment of what is considered loud and what is not). With a shorter waxing interval, the chain tends to be quieter. Thanks to the record-breaking lubrication capability, you can confidently extend the waxing interval—your chain is effectively protected against wear.

Can wax be reused?

Wax can be reheated as long as there’s enough of it. Store the cooled wax in the same container in which you melted it. To maintain its lubrication properties, it’s crucial to keep the amount of sand and dust accumulating in the wax as minimal as possible.

How shoud the chains be cleaned before re-waxing?

At a minimum, wiping with a cloth is sufficient. Chains waxed with heat accumulate very little dirt. However, to keep the wax as clean as possible, it’s advisable to rinse the chains with hot water or boil them in water. Hot water melts the wax, allowing the dirt attached to the wax to come off. There’s no need for solvent cleaning. NOTE! Never put wet chains into wax hotter than 100°C, and avoid heating wax above 100°C; it’s unnecessary!

What should be used as supplementary lubrication between waxings?

Instead of applying a top-up lubricant between waxings, we recommend to wax three chains at once, and then cycle through them. You can quickly switch to the next freshly waxed chain on your bike. Using multiple chains also distributes wear across them, and waxing three chains at once, for example, extends the interval when you have to heat up the wax pot again. Any water-based emulsion drip wax should be compatible as a top-up lubricant. We don’t recommend using anything oily, because it will attach dirt and affect the adhesion of next waxing, unless cleaned thoroughly.

However, For long rides and epic races, you can use Black Diamond chain lube for supplementary lubrication, since it has no drying time and comes in a pocket-sized bottle. In this case, thorough cleaning before a new heat waxing is necessary because the oiliness of the chain oil hinders the adhesion of the next waxing to the chain.

Does Rex Black Diamond contain PFAS?

No. Rex Black Diamond Hot Wax is completely free of forever chemicals like PFAS.