Hey all,
I’m running a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain on my Cube Agree Pro (2025) and recently switched to hot waxing using Silca.
Here’s the situation:
- Chain A: ridden ~1300 km, hot waxed, runs super smooth and quiet
- Chain B: freshly prepped and hot waxed (same process), 0 km
- I swapped to Chain B for the first time… and it’s noticeably louder
- Noise is on all gears, sounds “dry” and seems to come mostly from the derailleur pulley wheels
- I made sure to break in all the links really well after waxing
What I’m wondering:
- Did my cassette already wear in to Chain A after 1300 km?
- Could I have messed up the degreasing or waxing on Chain B even though I followed the same steps?
- Is this normal when you don’t rotate chains from the start?
- Or is it more likely something like dry pulley wheels?
The weird part is how different they feel — Chain A is basically silent, Chain B sounds rough/dry right away.
Anyone experienced this when switching to a second waxed chain later on? Does it go away after some riding, or should I redo the prep?
Appreciate any insights 🙏