Silca StripChip review

Silca’s StripChip offers a promising solution to streamline the hot-immersion chain waxing procedure, aiming for simplicity and efficiency by eliminating the need to degrease a factory-fresh chain. While it achieves some success in this regard, there remains room for improvement to truly deliver on the promise of a straightforward process. 

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I have been using hot-immersion waxing for several years and while the process requires more time and effort than regular off-the-shelf lube, there are ways to streamline and simplify it. Techniques such as batch cooking and cooking with temperature control can significantly enhance efficiency. While it’s feasible to use a saucepan, most immersion wax users may prefer slow cookers due to their straightforward temperature management – which is crucial for achieving the desired wax thickness before application.

Silca StripChip – Technical details

When hot waxing a new or used chain with an oil-based lubricant, it is vital to completely remove any oil or the standard grease on the chain or the wax will not adhere to the metal. Adding the chain and some strong degreaser to an empty bottle and giving it a vigorous shake is one simple and low-cost method. I use an ultrasonic cleaner with turps substitute, followed by a soak in methylated spirits, and then left to dry before the chain is placed into hot wax. This method is more involved and the initial ultrasonic cleaner is a big outlay.

Silca StripChip – Blocks.jpg, by Matthew Page

If this sounds like a faff, and too much work, but you still want the promised benefits, you might be the type of person Silca is aiming StripChip towards. You will need to melt the wax, and a slow cooker, or perhaps the recently announced Silca chain wax system, are possible options, but instead of degreasing, you add one chunk StripChip to 300g of dry wax (just over ½ packet of Silca Secret Chain Blend Hot Melt Wax. The ingredients within StripChip use a process called oleo gelation, which entails the conversion of liquid oils into semi-solid or solid gels through the incorporation of structuring agents or oleo gelators, and this is a process primarily being used within the food industry at present. StripChip comes as a pack of six chocolate-block style pieces, each block works for one new chain, meaning it will add just over £4 to the cost of each new chain.

Silca StripChip – Application

Even for those unfamiliar with chain waxing, the process is quite simple. I used a cheap slow cooker, deciding to start a fresh pot to allow me to directly compare against the usual method. The StripChip needs a higher temperature to work than normal waxing, with 125 degrees Celsius required as opposed to the usual 90-100 degrees. Other slow cookers may be different, but for my tests, it meant leaving it on the high setting for at least 30 minutes longer to reach the temperature needed.

Silca StripChip – Cooker.jpg, by Matthew Page

Once it reaches 125 degrees, stir it for 30 seconds and leave it to soak for 10 minutes, before stirring for another 30 seconds – and then start reducing the temperature. Remove the chain when it reaches 75 degrees, close to the point at which the wax is beginning to harden on the surface. There are plenty of guides and ideas for the process but my method is to string the chain onto a bent spoke to allow easy stirring and a way to hang it up to dry and cool.

Once it is cooled, the chain will be solid, and the wax needs to be broken on each link to allow the chain to run smoothly once installed. For this, I have an unused jockey wheel rigged up, which makes the process quite simple and quick. Or you can simply break the wax on each link individually.

Silca StripChip – Performance and longevity

The initial impression of the chain structure and hardness of the wax is like standard immersion wax but more dried wax was present on the outer edges of the links compared to hot immersion without a StripChip present. It would have been possible to have scraped it all off, although it would have been time-consuming, but I left it in place to see how it might last or affect performance.

The first ride was like throwing it in at the deep end with a very wet 125km gravel ride comprising 50/50 on/off-road with a mix of surfaces. After a brief dry spell 50km into the ride, the chain was still coated but, after the full 125km, the chain was audibly dry with no wax remaining. These conditions were some of the more extreme, and I would not expect any drip or immersion wax to have lasted the full distance.

Silca StripChip – Layers.jpg, by Matthew Page

During dry weather rides, it lasted over 200 kilometres, and, on a more typically damp ride, over 100km can be expected. It would be difficult to perform a fair and direct comparison with Silca Secret Chain Blend Hot Melt Wax without a StripChip – but I do not believe there is a significant difference in longevity. A lab would be needed to test performance.

Following multiple rides and re-applications with the same chain and wax, the performance and longevity remained consistent. 

Silca StripChip – Verdict

Currently, there is no direct competitor to StripChip and the main alternative options are to either degrease the chain using another method or drip wax.

Considering a cost of just over £4 per chain, StripChip does not add a significant cost to each application and, when compared against oil-based chain lubricants, the reduction in drivetrain wear should cancel out the cost.

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