OUR FAB STORY
Adam Johnstone and Kevin Niesler, a couple of Aussie battlers with a passion for cycling found a need for a quality Australian-produced molten chain wax.
A conversation over coffee one morning sparked an idea, then over (many) more coffees the idea grew to a plan and the Niestone partnership was born... and quickly became the proud owners of a LOT of paraffin wax! After thorough research, they successfully sourced the top-quality ingredients needed, including the hard-to-aquire PTFE (Teflon) and WS Tungsten Disulphide in nano particle powders.
The quest to produce a high-quality chain wax then went into overdrive. Adam and Kevin tweaked and tested their formula until eventually they were satisfied that it ticked all the boxes.
-
Capable of withstanding the harshest weather and environments
-
Long lasting
-
Extremely low wearing
-
Clean
-
Quiet
-
Super smooth pedalling, with a power saving of 5+ watts
Proudly presenting....
The faces behind Niestone
Adam Johnstone
Kevin Niesler
Adam brings a wealth of technical knowledge to theNiestone table. He spent the first 15 years of his working life as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic in the Army, where he developed a keen interest in tribology (the study of friction, wear, lubrication and the science behind interacting surfaces in motion) His next job as a diesel fitter saw him responsible for oil and lubricant analysis for a wide range of Caterpillar machinery. He further honed his mechanical experience as Workshop Manager for a bus company, and he now teaches Mechanical and Engineering at TAFE -- it's almost as if his whole working life has been in preparation for his role in producing a high-quality wax lubricant for bicycle chains!
Kevin’s love of cycling didn’t develop until he was in his 40s. After seeing his super-fit 60-year-old neighbour ride up a nearby mountain four times a week, Kevin decided to repair his old bike and join him. It took five rest stops to get to the top – but the fire was stoked. Over the next year he rode up the mountain another 200 times, and it didn’t take long to discover he had an affinity for adrenaline-filled full-tilt descents. These days he revels in all-day riding adventures, the challenge of steep hills, and of course, the wild descents that follow!
Adam's cycling habit started when he was as kid and grew to a passion as an adult when he moved to Cairns FNQ and became involved in the local cycling community. After exploring the spectacular MTB trails and tasting success in cross country events, he found his niche on the road bike and now revels in the social and competitive nature of racing.
Known as the 'Nutty Professor' of Niestone, Adam loves researching all things cycling, and coming up with new ideas to make cycling faster/more efficient/more enjoyable. Cracking the code to the exact ratios needed for the anti-wear additives crucial to Pow3r Wax's success as a premium-quality chain wax was one of those Ah-ha moments Adam lives for.
Like Adam, Kevin is continually on the lookout for ways to improve performance. Although aware of chain waxing, it wasn’t until he heard first-hand of the many benefits from a wax-converted friend that he was convinced to give it a go. He loved the improved efficiency, but was disappointed when he couldn’t find an Australian-made product.
When Kevin’s entrepreneurial nature and keen business sense spot an opportunity to work in an area he is passionate about he becomes perpetual motion personified. Any hours not spent running his successful IT company, were devoted to working zealously on Niestone tasks such as researching and sourcing ingredients, mixing the product, designing packaging, and creating a website. But the Niestone Ninja’s favourite task by far was testing the durability of the wax, with exploits like the 350km, 2200m elevation, Cairns to Cooktown in a day ride.
Update!
Our Neistone Ninja, Kevin, has traded in waxing chains for breaking the chains of suburbia and is not off on a caravan adventure around Australia. While we'll miss his meticulous approach to blending and packaging our silky smooth Pow3rwax, we're excited to be continuting to provide cyclists with the means to achieve clean, efficient chains.
Thanks Kev, for the memories and laughs, enjoy the trip
