Drivetrain Efficiency Calculator

Estimate drivetrain power losses based on chain condition, lubrication, and cross-chaining. See how many watts you can save with a clean chain.

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How It Works

A clean, well-lubricated bicycle chain is 96-98.5% efficient. A dirty chain drops to 93-95% — losing 5-14 watts at 200W. Chain wax (Molten Speed Wax, Silca Hot Melt) achieves the lowest friction: 1.5-3W loss. Quality wet lubes: 3-5W. Dry lubes: 4-6W. Dirty chain: 8-14W. Cross-chaining (big-big or small-small) adds 0.5-3W of friction and accelerates wear. Ceramic bearings save only 0.5-1W — far less than simply keeping your chain clean. A $10 chain cleaning is the best performance upgrade in cycling.