How does wax improve the smoothness of my bikes pedaling? Ive heard claims that waxing the chain reduces friction and increases pedaling efficiency, but Im skeptical about the actual mechanisms behind this. Is it simply a matter of reducing the coefficient of friction between the chain and sprockets, or are there other factors at play? Does the wax fill in microscopic imperfections in the metal surfaces, or does it alter the way the chain articulates over the sprockets? Furthermore, are there any studies or data that quantify the actual benefits of waxing versus other chain lubrication methods? Id love to see some hard numbers or scientific explanations to back up the anecdotal evidence.