Waxed chain problems and tyres with no sealant: GCN Tech Clinic

Alex Paton and Ollie Bridgewood are in the clinic answering your latest tech and maintenance-related questions. This week they are explaining the benefits of mywindsock and why tubeless sealant is essential for tubeless tyres.

I would like to fit bigger chainrings to my Shimano Ultegra crankset however, Ultegra rings only go up to 52/36. Is there a way I can fit larger rings to my cranks?

There are plenty of after-market options available for fitting bigger rings to your cranks. If you are straying away from the Shimano range you might find that there is an uneven join between the cranks and the chainrings. If this is particularly important getting a complete replacement chainset would be an option.

If you are going to replace your chainrings with after-market ones the most important thing to check is that they have the same bolt circle diameter (BCD) as your cranks. This information should be stamped onto your current chainrings but if you have any doubts check on your crank manufacturer's website.

How can I use mywindsock.com to get benefits on my rides?

To get the most out of mywindsock.com the first step is to link your Strava account to your profile, this will allow any ride data uploaded to Strava to automatically upload to mywindsock. To get the very best from mywindsock they do offer a premium membership that opens up a greater range of functionality.

Ollie likes to use it for planning when to go and take a Strava KOM. By analysing the segment and the weather forecast it will let you know when the best day is for targeting your highlighted segments. It can also be used for planning a ride to make the most effective use of the tailwind on the day.

Can I run tubeless tyres without the sealant?

As a general rule of thumb, no. Most tyres and wheelsets rely on the tubeless sealant to create the initial airtight seal. Although tubeless tyres can be seated on the rim without sealant it will likely struggle to hold air for any period of time.

If you want to try and reduce the mess that tubeless tyres can cause, especially when swapping tyres over you can try using a reduced volume of tubeless sealant. This will compromise just how effective it is at sealing punctures but it will be enough to create an airtight seal on the rim of the wheel and tyre.

If the only reason you are looking to avoid tubeless sealant is because of the mess it can make, there are specially formulated sealant cleaners. These break down the sealant and make it easy to remove and clean off surfaces and components.

My waxed chain is rusting inside the links, is there a way to prevent this from happening?

This is something that limits the use of waxed chains in damp climates. As the chain wax is worn off the surfaces of the chain it leaves exposed metal open to the elements. Any moisture that sits on these parts of the chain can cause rusting.

In conditions like this, a waxed chain might not be the most appropriate solution. Instead, a premium drip on oil-based lube is going to give a better all-around weather seal to the chain, keeping it protected from moisture ingress.

Can quick links actually be reused multiple times or do I need to use a new one every time?

Most quick links on the market are labelled as single-use. This is mostly due to brands being cautious with what they recommend to protect themselves as well as users. In reality, quick links can be used multiple times. If you are going to reuse a quick link it is important to ensure that when you refit it there is a positive engagement when it snaps back into place. If the link is getting to the point where it can easily be refitted or removed then it’s time to look at replacing it.

Is it worth changing my Zipp wheels to Enve? Are there any advantages to swapping brands?

There are a lot of factors unaccounted for in this question that need to be considered. Most importantly the wheels you have and the wheels you are looking to replace them with. If you are looking at using deeper wheels there will be a performance benefit, however just how much depends on the depths of your current wheels and the new ones.

Wheels in general are system dependent on their optimal performance, meaning that a wheel that might be faster in one bike, might be slower in the other. It depends on how the wheel interacts with the air, frame and rider all in one package. The cost of swapping premium carbon wheels is significant and one of the most expensive upgrades you can do to your bike. In this case it might not yield any performance benefits at all.

Instead of your wheels, the tyres you use could be a far cheaper alternative that can provide measurable benefits to the performance of the bike. Premium TT-specific tyres are going to have minimal rolling resistance and could present a greater wattage saving than swapping wheelsets.

I have bought a second-hand bike signed by Francesco Moser. How do I make sure I don’t rub the signature off when I clean the bike?

Firstly if you do have a retro bike that has genuinely been signed by Francesco Moser we would be tempted to say not to ride it and instead display it or get in touch with a collector. Nevertheless, if you are adamant about using the bike and it needs to be cleaned, the best bet could be to use a clear coat of lacquer over the signature area. However this does come at a risk of making the signature run so always consult a professional before doing this.

Do you have a tech question you want answered? You can leave it under the comments of this YouTube video or in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

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