Luckily we have used the vast majority of bike chain lubes in a wide range of conditions from daily grind commuting and MTB testing in northern England through Scottish 24-hour races to the road and epic marathon racing in South Africa. Formed from a secret blend of synthetic oils, polymers and anti-wear additives, it’s the stickiest recipe here, but still fluid enough to flow onto a chain easily. Private DH Tracks on the Oregon Coast with Kyle Jameson... How To Lube Your Bike Chain: A Beginner's Guide. Make sure you read and follow the instructions as the performance difference can be dramatic depending on prep. Thank you for signing up to . But now just use Rock-n-Roll Gold; easier and lasts 60+ miles. Wiping the excess off will also coat the outside plates for corrosion resistance on cheaper non-stainless chains and then you’re good to go. Best Bike Trails | Just like wet oil, it is composed of oil and anti-friction elements, but the oil is less viscous. DuPont Teflon Dry Self-Cleaning Bicycle Chain Lube The most long-lasting lubricants are not simply cleaned with water, but rather, require chemical cleaning products. Unlike most dry/wax types, this doesn't scab off and evict contaminant as you ride, … Extended run-time between reapplication and reduced wear makes the initially steep price a wise investment if you’re a high-mileage or horrible conditions rider. Rock “N” Roll Gold Lube falls somewhere between a wet and dry lube, and it’s one of the company’s newest (and, they might add, more expensive) offerings. You will receive a verification email shortly. save. And great article Chris… for some reason I missed the part about hybrid lubes in Chris’s article but I’ve figured out what it is…. It’s just viscous enough to allow sparing application to each roller through the twist nozzle and from there, a quick chain rotation will propagate it into all the relevant friction surfaces. Make sure you shake the bottle properly before applying, wipe off the excess and let it cure for four hours or more before riding. Add an already higher price and most waxes are best suited to a specific event or ‘Sunday best’ use rather than a day in day out grind. In fact, a few of our survey respondents report doing just that. Company   Widgets, Explore   The actual proportion of lubricant in dry mixes can be extremely low (around 10%) though with the carrier fluid just evaporating off and leaving the chain to go squeaky and increase friction very rapidly. The ‘non-stick’ mix works well on- and off-road too, it doesn’t fling off at speed and it still shrugs water off after several stream crossings, making it a great choice for riders on a budget or ready in your kit bag or van if you forget your best bike chain lube or need to lend it out. Best Dry Lube. 1,955 Reviews. We rate 10 of our favorite options for off- and on-road. Every hundred miles? There are masses of bike lubes on the market so choosing the right one to keep your chain running smoothly can be really confusing. There’s no curing routine and it runs relatively clean and quiet, though it can’t compete with the fast-feeling of the best bike chain lubes. In other tests we’ve seen, results haven't been quite as glowing but our own experience puts it firmly into the ‘brand new chain’ feel category even on tired transmissions. Dry Chain Lube. As with other hybrid lubes, Epic Ride seeks to blend the advantages of both wet and dry lubes. While they’re the cleanest lube solution, the wax coating can start to crack and fall off very quickly too so they need to be ‘topped up’ regularly. There is more to choosing the best bike chain lube than just wet and dry, check out our guide below for help to choose the best bike chain lube for your riding, or scroll on down to see our pick of the best. ProGold says their ProLink chain lube “does not build up or become tacky” and it “sheds dirt, mud, and abrasives.” The company packages the lube in a number of different ways, from drip bottles to aerosol sprays and even an applicator pen. ... all to reveal the best chain lubes available, ... for both road and MTB, I always recommend a very fast 100% dry lube. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Personally I use Finish Line dry in either bottle or spray. Drive train dry lube, best one to buy? Aside from that the lube can be used to lube any other parts of your bike, not only your chain. You will notice that your chain will be dry to the touch, but it is lubricated. Ultra-clean, high-performance, transmission-boosting wax lube. Jeff you’re right. Sort by. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, If you ask properly rapid riders what their chain lube of choice is, the likelihood a lot of them will say Squirt and if you’re careful with setup, it’s easy to see why. Please refresh the page and try again. White Lightning Epic Ride lube is the prototypical hybrid lube, and was even awarded a patent back in 1999. If you don’t enjoy frequent lube application or forget to lube your MTB chain, wet lube is probably your best option, since wet lubes last much longer, and doesn’t require time to dry upon re-application. Overall the best offer you can get for the money you pay, the RnR Gold Lube is the best bike chain lube! That way the tiny 50ml bottle should last a decent time, although it’s definitely an expensive product for luxury mechanics, not last-minute lubers. Location and climate makes a huge impact on what you use. It’s a simple question with no simple answer. Wet lubes stay moist and sticky to resist washing off in bad weather, but tend to attract more dirt and build up a manky mess on chainring teeth, jockey wheels etc. With a name like Boeshield T-9, it has to be good, right? What is the best Chain lube for MTB and where can I buy bulk(1Lt-5Lt).To pay R100 for 100ml is crazy,Please Help. It’s ready to go within an hour, although an overnight cure is optimum. The ideal time to lubricate your bike would be the night before your planned ride to let it penetrate the chain links and coat them thoroughly. As an ideal lube for mountain use, you get a product that’s smooth and easy to use. Add a good price per ml and it’s a decent workhorse chain lube for the worst conditions. Wax lubes go on wet for penetration and then solidify to basically create an ultra-thin ‘bearing surface’ that resists dirt build-up too so they’re great if you want to keep hands and clothes clean. I used to home brew by lube; 1 oz motor oil + 3 parts mineral spirits + 1 part WD-40. Therefore, dry lube is obviously to be used in dry conditions. A can of it also lasts a long time. Muc-Off’s dry bike chain lube is their offering for dry dusty riding conditions. I put a new chain on in Spring so I have it at it’s best in drier months then by end of winter it needs replacing. Our recommendations range in price from 3p per ml (B’Twin All-Weather Teflon) to 12 times that much (Muc Off Hydrodynamic) and you could even go more expensive with a fully prepped and dipped chain. Its wet-weather recipe is designed to create minimum issues downstream of any rivers you cross while riding. Almost any lube will leave black residue on the chain but the dry ones leave less. Overall, competition among the top 10 (and beyond) was fairly close, demonstrating just how many great chain lube options are on the market today. The tackier coating means it doesn’t feel as super slick as the fastest waxes, and you can see a light grey film on the chain as it collects a bit of dirt over time. Tri-Flow Superior is a wet lube with a distinctive bubble gum smell that’s formulated with PTFE, the same stuff used to make Gore-Tex. There’s no specific application process: you just apply the mid-weight mix onto your chain and you’re good to go. If you ride in wet conditions, wet lube has a tendency to collect dirt and grit, so its a good idea to clean your bike after riding. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2021 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Unique slippery sludge formula gives smooth and protective results. Muc-Off spent years developing its Hydrodynamic lube with Team Sky and British Cycling and according to its lab tests, the waxy lube drops chain drag dramatically. Once a week?………. New York, lifes too short to worry about what oil to put on your chain! Aaron uses dry lube in summer here so we’re split 50/50. Gives ‘brand new transmission’ feel without excessive set-up faff. NY 10036. Once applied it takes a serious amount of wear and weather to shift it and it’s overkill on the road unless conditions are particularly grim. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links in this article. Apart from some real bargains - like the Decathlon - expect to pay 6-8p per ml for a decent wet lube that’ll perform well in all conditions. MTB Podcast | These wet and dry lubes have all been tried and tested by us in all conditions and have received a score of over four out of five in their review. Rock n Roll Absolute Dry Chain Lube is a super-clean-running formula designed primarily for the drier months, but several very soggy weeks suggest it's one of the most tenacious. Additives in the oil give it a noticeably quick feel in terms of pedaling and shifting straight away. Finish Line’s Cross Country lube has been around forever and the sticky blood-red mix is still a great way to keep squeak and rust at bay in the worst conditions. That’s why a lot of road riders use a dry or wax-based lube for cleanliness, while MTB riders tend to use heavier duty ‘wet’ lubes. This mix typically lasted me about 30+ miles in dry southwest conditions—as long as most other, more expensive, bike specific chain lubes. Flipside question: Is there a lube you’ve tried that just didn’t work out? . It stays clean and noise/grit-free for longer than the fastest lab waxes and it’s one of the few we’d recommend for off-road use whether that’s gravel bikes, cyclo-crossers, or MTB. Discover the best Bike Lube in Best Sellers. IMBA Epics | When you’re deciding on the best Dry Lube for your bike chain, make sure you’re choosing something that is biodegradable. Wet lubes always appear thicker than dry lubes, and this is why it’s easy for such lubes to build upon the chain and get tacky. A dry lube is applied as a liquid, before drying out to the leave the chain covered in the lubricating e… Others need more meticulous setup, with ‘curing’ times varying from a few minutes before use to several hours/overnight to get the best results. Pro Gold’s wax lubes and dry chain lubes are some of the best on the market. My take is that checking your chain for wear every so often is far more important than lube choice for … This stuff goes on your chain as a solvent that dries. That means you need to be generous with the dosage you flood onto the cassette end of the chain, rather than dropping onto each link. I just use dry lube as the wet lubes makes a mess. All chain lubes are not created equal. Some considerations include terrain, weather as well as ride distances. We even know some MTB photographers and testers who routinely ignore free samples of other bike chain lubes and instead buy their own Purple Extreme to keep their transmissions alive on the longest, grimmest days. And if none of these lubes are to your liking, try blending your own! We also don’t typically encounter loose conditions, so I don’t find dust and sand sticking to my wet chain too often. Most brands produce a ‘wet’ lube and a ‘dry’ lube. If you missed it, I highly recommend giving it a read! That might not always be the right choice though, particularly in dusty conditions, so no surprise that two of the best waxy lubes here - Squirt and Smoove - are from sunny South Africa. Fenwicks is very secretive about what’s in the metallic green sludge that used to be called ‘Stealth Road’ but now comes labeled as ‘Professional’. 11 comments. Oil for lube, WD-40 displaces water from the metal surface, mineral spirits to thin the mix. The ultra-high film strength means it lasts brilliantly in the most extreme situations such as older Bosch motor e-bikes with tiny drive sprockets or any high torque/high friction riding situation. Bike Perfect is supported by its audience. Terms | Privacy, First published December 8, 2016 @ 4:05:00. Support Us | Set up is a little more faffy than some as it requires at least four hours of curing, and you need to make sure the bottle temperature is over 8-degrees before using it, so don’t forget that if you’re in an unheated shed or workshop. Lubricants tend to fall into one of two main categories: wet or dry. © When I moved to Colorado wet lube just attracted a ton of dirt and dust. The best bike chain lube for dry dusty weather conditions. whys that? This ‘curing’ process can take several hours though and while some chains can be done in situ others are best pulled off and totally immersed before refitting and use. Just drip the midnight liquid onto your chain and the ‘non-stick’ Teflon-enriched mix will find its way into the various bearing surfaces. This will leave you with a very shiny and very fast-feeling transmission and lab tests we’ve seen back up the minimal drag, minimal wear feel. No longer will you have to put up with a dirty chain or clunky gear changes — just a quick application of any of ProGold’s high-quality lubes and you’ll be off and riding again in no time. Application is easy via the pipette-style bottle and you even get a UV torch to check that the blue-dyed fluid has penetrated all the link junctions without using excessive amounts. While we didn’t specifically ask for readers’ grease and bike wash preferences, dozens of readers chimed in with recommendations for these products. Do it.). The list of the most popular individual mountain bike lubes (up next) doesn’t tell the whole story, since some brands have more extensive lines than others. Fenwicks has been working hard for over 20 years to reduce the environmental impact of its products before the wheels on the eco bandwagon even started squeaking. After dripping the tea-colored oil out of its unassuming bottle, it didn’t take us long to understand the fuss either. You still need a thoroughly cleaned transmission for best results but you only need one relatively sparing application to coat the inner chain and rollers. Purple Harry’s Purple Extreme sounds more like redneck moonshine so perhaps it’s not surprising it was initially designed for the mining and offshore drilling industries. While shifting can be a little sluggish and there’s palpable grind through the pedals if it gets really messy, corrosion proofing is excellent and you’ll have to go a long way to get through to the squeak. The fact that it is dry, means that dirt won’t build up on it, so you don’t need to clean your chain as often. Capillary coverage is rapid and consistent with a quick spin of the chain which suits less careful mechanics. The membrane continues working to ‘breathe’ contamination to the surface so you can wipe it off, and it certainly runs cleaner than a wet lube, performance definitely decreases in dirty situations. On top of this, there is a good chance it will wash off on the ground or during cleanings. Best MTB Gear | They propagate right through the chain to resist corrosion and they are generally ready to work straight away. Outstanding ready-to-go lubrication at a great price. Every month? This hybrid lube is designed for both wet and dry conditions. This lube provides a durable coating in a proprietary no-wax formula won't leave a sticky residue on your drivetrain. The WD-40 wet lube is for wet, muddy and extreme conditions - perfect for mountain biking and cyclocross. So what are the lubes we recommend, why do we rate them, and what do you need to look for to find the right one for you? Muc-Off Bio Dry Lube. This bike lube has been formulated to penetrate deep into the chain links where it’s really needed and without sitting on the surface of the bike chain. It runs really clean, collecting minimal gunk elsewhere in the drivetrain in environments as diverse as its native South African dust or Scottish granite grinding paste. All lubes work better on a properly cleaned chain with no embedded grit, grime or old lube, so get yourself some chain cleaner at the same time as the lube. The chain lubricant might dry off and your drivetrain starts to squeak before the next time you clean your bike. Every other time I ride? Ideally, you’d want to lube your chain when it’s clean. While it’s relatively pricey don’t be mean with the amount you put on, properly douse the chain to make sure the wax gets everywhere. Avoid common “dry’ chain lubes if either durability or watts matter. Don’t wipe afterwards though, just be ready to scrape the excess wax off jockey wheels once you start riding. Still, it’s interesting to note that mountain bikers are pretty evenly split between wet lubes and dry lubes. report. In fact, it’s a match for almost anything in all but the most extreme conditions (which is where the slightly more expensive ‘Rolls Pro’ mix comes in) and if you want an even faster feeling mix the company does a summer ‘race oil’ too. just put some oil on and get out and ride! Then again, with fat biking in winter, you’ll see wet lube usage increase, but I still wouldn’t have guessed it’d be more than dry. Based on our survey, White Lightning Wash & Shine stands out as the top choice for washing and waxing mountain bike frames. Thoughts? You won’t have to add more constantly, and it will maintain the chain and gears clean to prevent any buildup or corrosion issue. #10: Squirt Long Lasting Dry Lube hide. 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