NOTE: The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" is an occasional series here on the
blog where I pit chain lubrication products against each other to see
what- if any- chain lubrication products are good for riding on gravel.
These reviews are my opinions only and are not meant to be taken as the
final word on any of these products.
Okay folks, this is another update on the "Lube-Off" which started earlier this year with two new contenders. One of those being SILCA's "Super-Secret Lube", a wax based lube that had a much easier protocol for using than doing the wax-potting method typically required to use a wax for lubricating a chain. My last update was in June here.
This is a longer term update. First, I was so impressed with Super-Secret that I kept using it on the Black Mountain Cycles bike and I also put it on the new drive train for the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. The two bikes have been ridden a lot of miles on very dusty roads. I saw where the Weather Service mentioned that many reporting stations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin had reported their driest Septembers in over 130 years. Huh! No wonder the roads were so dusty!
Additionally, I think I may have reapplied the lube to the pink BMC but I know that's it. One reapplication because I could hear some noise. Anyway, the rest of the time it was just riding with zero maintenance whatsoever. So, that meant no wipe-downs, no reapps, (other than that one) nothing.
 |
| That's fairly impressive, if I do say so myself. |
 |
| Again, pretty impressive. |
So, as you can see, there isn't much 'gunk' (sticky, tacky, gooey residue from a mixture of chain lube , metal, and dirt) and I hardly could get anything on my finger but a few bits of dirt ad dust. I will also add that the chain felt slick. Not at all wet, but slick.
After I took these images I did take a terry cloth rag and I wiped the chain down. I saw very little residue on the rag and the chain shined up nicely. So, that's pretty darn good there. Keep in mind, this period that the bike was used was one of the driest, and therefore one of the distiest, we've ever seen here.
 |
| Pretty much just a dust residue here. |
Even the cassette looked just dusty, no real 'gunk' accumulations to speak of at all. Okay, now I am really impressed. So, what does this all mean? Well, after many years of DuMonde Tech domination, I think we have a new champion on our hands here, that's what it means.
While I still think DuMonde Tech is really, really good stuff. It's just that the Super-Secret lube is a bit nicer in a couple of areas. One is that it is a bit more forgiving in its initial application. It also has an even cleaner performance than DuMonde Tech, which is saying something. It lasts on the chain a long time. Finally, given the extremely dusty conditions, I have to hand it to SILCA. This is really good lube, it is easy to use, and easy to maintain.
Once again, SILCA did not sponsor this review. I bought and paid for the Super-Secret Lube with my own money. See the "Standard Disclaimer Page" for further explanation.
What's your favorite chemical for stripping the factory lube from a new chain. I've been using the three jar method with mineral spirits.I works ok but I think it could be better. Brake cleaner is probably carcinogenic and acetone is a fire hazard. I suppose gasoline would work but I wouldn't want it in my basement near a water heater.
ReplyDelete@Phillip Cowan: I have used a couple of things. I would either use something like Muc-Off Bio Degreaser or WD-40 as a way to breakdown that stock coating. Then I put the chain in a solution of Dawn dish soap and warm water and stir/shake it up like crazy in a covered container. Drain that off. Do it again if need be, but typically about five minutes does the trick for me. Rinse in warm water. Then I dry it thoroughly using a whipping against a cardboard box, (try it on a dirty chain and see how much more stuff you knock out of a chain you thought was clean!) or I take it outside if it is warm enough and, doing my best Pete Townshend imitation, I windmill it around for a bit- with an eye to any overhead obstructions- and that will dry out a chain quickly. OR you can take a hair dryer and do it that way. Compressed air is another option. Just get it as dried out as possible.
ReplyDeleteThen apply lube.
The Silca sounds nice for dry conditions, but do you still think that DuMonde is best for wet conditions?
ReplyDelete@eBikeADV - Both are actually okay for mildly wet scenarios. For real rain, wet snow, or consistently wet conditions, I'd use something like DuMonde Tech only IF you follow the strict application instructions.
ReplyDeleteI did a Wet Lube post round - up in 2016 here: https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2016/02/guitar-ted-lube-off-wet-season-finale.html
I always had great lube retention results with Finish Line Wet Lube as well, but keep in mind- Truly "wet" lube will attract debris and dirt. There is no "easy button" when it comes to rainy commutes, snowy/wet slush, or constant riding through mud and water puddles. You'll be cleaning and re-lubing a LOT if you want to keep that chain alive longer.
Thx for sharing your experiences and good to know that this new stuff is dethroning your long-touted Dumonde Tech.
ReplyDeleteBased on your writings, I have been sampling Dumonde Tech on one of my bikes starting this Spring (started on a chain I could put in my mouth as per your instructions). My initial experience was as you have stated but I simply don't get the mileage or continued cleanliness that you seem to while seemingly following the same directions to wipe down chain before reaaplication, one drop per roller, let sit overnight, wipe off excess. (Chicago location so similar weather conditions to IA)
Coincidentally, I got some of this new Secret Sauce and a bag of the SILCA SECRET CHAIN BLEND - HOT MELT WAX and plan to test my winter bike and a decent-weather bike by starting the process from a new stripped/cleaned chain with the hot melt wax and then reaaplying with the SS drip. Curious if you would find any additional revelation with starting from a hot wax preparation.
@ENB - To answer your question: "Curious if you would find any additional revelation with starting from a hot wax preparation." Well, I have a bag of hot melt wax around here somewhere and I don't really have any plans to use it. Cooking wax in a pot, dipping, drying, THEN mounting a chain? Why?
ReplyDeleteWhat I have going on here with the Super-Secret lube is way easier and just look at the images. I mean, how much better can THAT get?
I don't see a "cost" vs benefit win when it comes to hot melt wax. It very well may work great, but I am not convinced that it is THAT much better than what I have going on that all that extra equipment and fuss would be worth the juice.
So, no- I probably will never do a hot melt wax deal.
@ENB I have done the melt wax. It is a mess and a hassle. You end up with a very stiff chain that you then need to manually work each link by hand to loosen up or you will get lots of wax buildup on your cassette as it flakes off. That buildup actually caused my chain to skip in the smallest gears until I realized what was going on and cleaned the wax off.
ReplyDeleteSince I already have the melt wax and a dedicated hot pot for it, I might as well use it up. But I will only use it for a brand new chain. After that, I will use the drip wax to maintain it. If I hadn’t already invested in this stuff, I would just use the drip wax from the start and not bother with the fuss, as GT said.
THE KING IS DEAD
ReplyDeleteLONG LIVE THE KING