Remember- these are my personal findings. my goal? to find the best lubricant for my drive train while riding gravel roads of Iowa, primarily.
These comparisons were done for entertainment and are not "scientific" in any way. They represent my observations and the findings are my opinions. If you can draw any good wisdom from any of this, then that's great, but I am not responsible for poor results, damage, or anything negative that you may experience by following any actions I have taken while doing these "Lube-Off" tests.
The Standard Disclaimer applies to certain cases here, but for probably 80% of these I either got them as a swag item at a race or I bought them outright. I am going to place an '*' by the ones that were provided at no charge to me.
Got it? You ARE Responsible For You. Yes you are.
Now then....
Wet Lubes:
The following lubricants were tried for Winter/Wet lube conditions and are listed as "Good", Better", and "Best". The lubricants at the bottom outside of a category basically failed me.
Best: Pedros Chainj*.
Better: Pro Link Gold, Lilly Lube, DuMonde Tech*
Good: Smooth Operator Lube*, Tri-Flow
Uncategorized: WD-40, WPL Lube,
Dry Lubes:
Again, the following lubricants were tried for dry/Summer conditions. Same categories.
Best: DuMonde Tech*, Muc-Off C3 Ceramic,
Better: Scc Tech Lube, (Same as Wolf Tooth's), NixFrixShun Blue Devil, Rock & Roll Gold
Good: Pro Link Gold, Boeshield T-9, Squirt Lube
Uncategorized: aMTBer Products*,
Next Up: The new lubricants will be added to this list soon. They are the SILCA "Super-Secret" lube and the Eco Bike Lube "EcoSheep Mountain" lube.
The "Lube-Off" tests have been off and on going on this site since 2006. Over that time my 'go-to" lubricant for most gravel conditions- wet or dry- in Iowa, has been DuMonde Tech. Properly put on initially, this has out-performed all the other lubricants here that I've listed.
The others, especially the Muc-Off, and to a slightly lesser extent, the SCC Tech and Blue Devil, has been really good. Probably so good that most of you would be absolutely fine with them. The "Better" lubes are pretty darn good, but the others above them are so darn good, that I had to put them down into an average category. Those in the "Good" categories will get you by, but they are not the best lubricants out there, again- in my experience.
If a lubricant falls into the "Uncategorized" list, then, again this is MY OPINION, they are abject failures for my purposes and intended uses. Harsh? Yes, but I expect a lot out of my lubrication. They must protect my drive train parts AND be a lubricant. Most of the time, a problem with procedure, longevity, or a problem with attracting grit, grunge, and grime will land a lubricant outside of my categories.
I'm sure some of you have some strongly held opinions when it comes to lubricants. Just know that I don't mind your comments, but you probably are not going to change my mind about any of these I've tried. Just so you know before you invest a lot of energy trying to sway me on one of my listed lubes here.
*NOTE The asterisk indicates a lube for which the Standard Disclaimer applies.
Stay tuned for the continuation of the Lube-Off soon.....
9 comments:
Greets GT, I want my lube to also smell nice, 😊
@Skidmark - DuMonde Tech makes a lube that smells like coffee. :>)
I find myself really looking forward to your sheep test. It definitely adds to the entertainment, especially for those of us who have settled on lube choices!
@Blain - Let's be perfectly clear- I am NOT testing 'sheep"! I am testing SHEEP OIL LUBRICANT for a bicycle chain. :>)
Big difference! LOL!
Just wondering your thoughts on chain waxing (not the time consuming procedure but just once it's on) or prewaxed chains ? People that do it sure swear by it
@Eric - The "aMTBer" was a wax based chain lubricant that worked great until it got wet, which washed it off immediately, and if it stayed dry, it flaked off and I had to reapply at much shorter intervals than I would have otherwise with my "Best" lubes on this list.
Also- to really be legit, and for best results, you really should strip the old wax off first- every time you re-wax. Otherwise you risk wax build up and that can cause accelerated wear.
Modern wax based lubricants say that they have overcome this issue. We will see with the SILCA I just got.
Great list! It's interesting; I usually only use the NFS in muddy and wet conditions. I thought it collected too much grit to be good for a dry lube.
This is such a helpful resource, thank you for the painstaking care putting this together.
I have a couple followup questions (you may have already written about this, but I can't recall):
1. Some of these lubes claim they "clean and lubricate". What do you think about those claims? Is it worth it to keep this type of lube in the car or office for moments when you realize a chain is dirty or in need of a touch up before a ride?
2. Do you have a preferred technique for prepping the chain and applying lube? I assume the Dumonde Tech is pretty particular about how this should be done.
Thanks in advance for your time and thank you again for your great writing.
@Sam Placette - Thank you for the questions.
1- That's tough to say. It depends on your riding and terrain, but in my experience, some actually do help to clean the chain. I've found that Pro-Gold and the SCC Tech lubes to be particularly notable in that way. But others are maybe claiming that, but not really living up to it. (I can think of some wax based lubricants that were like this.) The second part of your question is really answered by each particular lubricants website in there application procedures, (usually), but some websites are pretty lame in that area. Always write the manufacturer when in question here, but is it worth it to carry a small bottle to re-apply lube? Yes! especially on the bike when engaging unforeseen severe conditions.
2. You can find many chain stripping techniques described on You Tube, but I typically will use a degreaser, then a bath in some Dawn/warm water with maybe a bit of brushing, (depending on how gunked up the chain is) and then a rinsing in warm water with an air drying using compressed air or by using centrifugal force by swinging the chain in the air.(Watch out for overhead objects! Not recommended for indoors!)
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