The part about the grit buildup on your jockey wheels almost being gone is what got me. You mean to tell me wax actually keeps that black gunk from caking up in there? I have spent way too many evenings scraping that stuff off with a pick and a rag. I ride in dusty stuff too, not monsoon level, but plenty of grit, and oil just turns into grinding paste out here. If wax holds up in real dirt and not just clean road miles, that changes things for me.

Ha, I spent my first two months just making my knife duller in new and creative ways, so you're already ahead of me. Freehand is one of those things where the guy with the rods will always have a prettier edge, but mine fits in my pocket, so I'll keep crying about it.

Have you tried resting the dough for 10 or 15 minutes right after mixing? That lets the flour soak up the water and the gluten starts forming on its own, so you only have to knead for like 5 to 8 minutes instead of 15. My arms thanked me big time once I figured that out.