From mess to centerpiece
How we created the first all-in-one waxing kit and the world's fastest chain wax heater.
Hot waxing bike chains has been a beloved technique for decades, praised by enthusiasts for its cleanliness, ease of use, and exceptional performance. Hot waxed chains stay clean longer and last much longer because they attract far less dirt than oil-lubed chains. Triathletes, time trialists, and maintenance enthusiasts all swear by hot waxing, although finding this method requires some digging.
Despite its benefits, chain lubrication has traditionally been dominated by oil and liquid waxes, both of which attract dirt. Local bike shops are filled with chain oils and degreasers, which most cyclists use for their chains.
We understand why many cyclists haven’t tried hot waxing. Before Cyclowax, you had to gather various products from a hardware store to set up a DIY waxing station, creating a significant barrier.
Since Cyclowax was founded in 2020, our mission has been simple: make hot waxing more accessible and appealing to more cyclists. We believe this superior technique deserves a wider audience. We aim to demonstrate why cyclists should switch to hot wax and escape the messy, endless cycle of lubing and degreasing.
To make hot waxing more attractive, we identified and addressed the barriers that kept people away:
- Complexity: We simplified the process with easy-to-follow instructions.
- Accessibility: We created an all-in-one kit to eliminate the need for multiple products.
- Convenience: Our app connects to Strava to track mileage and remind users when to rewax.
By lowering these barriers, we’ve made hot waxing more exciting and accessible to a broader audience.
All-in-one kit
To begin, you need to purchase waxing gear from a cycling company, not a hardware store. Ideally, you'd buy a single product with everything needed for hot waxing. That's why we created the Clean Chain Starter Kit, the world's first all-in-one product for cyclists. It simplifies the switch to waxing and represents a significant advancement in the industry.
Simple instructions
In the past, waxing focused on watts saved and required many tools. We've simplified this with easy how-to videos for converting and maintaining a hot waxed chain. For cyclists, the real benefit is the convenience and cleanliness. Waxing takes 3 minutes, eliminates constant degreasing and lubing, and keeps your chain clean, preventing dirty hands. This simplicity and peace of mind are our key messages.
The chain is already waxed
When you wanted to switch to hot waxing, they need to degrease their bike first, and the chain can be particularly tricky and messy. To make things easier, we created the Clean Chain Starter Kit, which comes with a chain that's already degreased and waxed. This way, you can skip the messy steps and switch to hot waxing effortlessly.
The heater has to be fast
We tested a heater with about 20 cyclists to get their feedback on hot waxing. They found the waxing process took only 5 minutes, but melting the wax took around 40 minutes.
We discovered that our initial heater was too slow, prompting us to experiment with its electronics late into the night. After extensive testing, we developed a combination of multiple heating elements that reduced the wax melting time to 8-10 minutes. This innovation means the entire waxing process, including the cool-down period, now takes only 15-20 minutes. This breakthrough effectively removed a major barrier, making hot waxing much more efficient and accessible for cyclists.
Support for new users
Our goal wasn't to cater to existing waxers but to introduce non-waxers to the benefits of waxing. That's why we focus heavily on onboarding and answering questions from the beginning. We even created an app that connects to Strava, allowing users to track their mileage and know when it's time to rewax.
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