The Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Super-Secret 2.0 Update 2

  NOTICE:  The Guitar Ted 'Lube-Off' is a comparison of different lubrication products for bicycle chains that is undertaken in 'real world' conditions in a set way. Then I compare and contrast the results with past 'Lube-Off' products to see "which one is best for me". This is done for entertainment purposes and the reader should apply their own reasoning and discernment while reading my 'Lube-Off' entries. What works for me may not work for you at all.

Hey all! It is time for a quick update on the Super-Secret v2 lube. The last update on this lube can be seen HERE. 

In this update I will show you the chain and cassette and discuss how things were done throughout a very rainy period of time here in Iowa. My aim is to discover how this updated lube does in dry conditions, so I had to pick and choose when I could actually ride the bike this lube is on so I would not contaminate the process with rain or moisture. Let me tell ya....it wasn't easy!

I also am going to do a bit of a bonus side bar to the Lube-Off which I typically would not do. However; a situation arose in the comments which prompted me to investigate a couple of things more deeply. 

First of all, my mechanic friend in Chicago had mentioned he had read the articles on the Super-Secret v2. He had already used the V1 product and was familiar with it. But he was excited about the V2 product, so he purchased some to try out. Interestingly, he mentioned he thought the V2 did not cure/dry out as quickly as the V1 product did. 

So, I ran a test on this which I will share at the end of this article. I also will address how I apply Super-Secret in both of its versions and show why my method is valid. 

Now, on to the update on how this lube is doing, (V2) and what I expect going forward into the final stage of the Lube-Off. 

As stated, it hasn't been easy finding dry, dusty terrain around here! But I have been making miles on the lube and I have a couple observation.Firstly, and most importantly, it seems to have cured completely. This now is acting like I thought it should quite a while ago. Now, I have thoughts on this, so I'll hold off until later in this article. 

Secondly, the bike shifts really well, and the chain is not super-noisy, as it can be with some dry lubricants. Oiled chains, or wet lube chains are generally much quieter. Drip wax chains vary in this manner, and some other lubes, like DuMonde Tech, are really noisy. I don't mind Super-Secret V2, as it is on the quieter end of the scale, but it is not 'silent' either. 

Okay, you can see above here that the chain is pretty clean. It is 'gunk-free' and the cassette looks fine. Again, I haven't been in any "severe" dust yet, but I should get that done soon. But with that left, I still am pretty impressed by this lube so far. 

But why did it not cure right away? Yeah, the only thing I can come up with is that Stan's degreaser, which I was sure I got off the chain, but..... Maybe even a tiny amount of this degreaser keeps the drip wax from curing 100% for a while.  

Now, I wanted to get into a very nit-picky lubricant application discussion where the placement of the drip lube on the chain is coming into debate. SILCA says you should apply lube while backpedaling the chain and by dripping the lube on top of the chain where it is about to interface with the cassette. 

I disagree with this and adhere to applying lube on the inner run of the chain between the lower jockey wheel and where the chain interfaces with the lower part of a front chain ring. I could get into all the minutiae of the reasons why, but suffice it to say that I believe in gravity, centrifugal forces, and using the least amount of lube possible. 

SILCA claims their method is better and proven by "science", but hasn't proffered up any evidence other than to say, "we said so".  SILCA also dismisses my using minimal amounts of Super-Secret so it does not "just drip off onto the floor", and does not address where the lubricant drips off to by using their method. Maybe they will. But here is what I did.... 

I took two spare lengths of new chain which were cut off when installing on other bicycles. I cleaned the living daylights out of both using a degreaser first, then some Dawn dish soap followed up by a water rinse and drying. 

I then applied one drop of Super Secret V1 on the longer length of chain on top of each roller and one drop of the V2 on the shorter length of chain on each roller.  

I noted the time and waited 24 hours to check and see how they cured. This would prove out whether or not V2 was slower to cure than V1. I also was looking to see if gravity would wick the lubricant through the rollers and on to the absorbent shop towel I had the chains on. This would prove, without any mechanical manipulation of the chain, whether or not my chain lubrication method was a valid way to do a drip wax application or not. 

After 24 hours you can see how the lubricants both worked their way through the chain and on to the shop rag. Interestingly, I noted straight away upon application that V1 was much less viscous than the V2. By the way, I shook both bottles several minutes before applying the lubes. 

This is why there is more absorbed residue from the V1 chain, but both did show that the drip wax made it through the chain side plates, rollers, and pins, to get on to the shop rag and be absorbed before they cured. 

Finally, I could find no discernible wetness from either chain. Both seemed to have fully cured in 24 hours, which is my standard, not SILCA's, by the way. 

Both chains were very slightly discolored and both were very slippery! So, I think our curing issues are an anomaly, and I will not hold what I experienced with the V2 curing against it. However; I am also fully convinced my chain lubrication method is perfectly fine as well. 

Keep in mind that what you see soaked into the shop rag is all the work of gravity, and was evident not long after I applied the lubricants. Had I been working on a drive train installation, the cogs, chain rings, and gravity all would have worked to wick the lube through to the inner parts of the chain with no issues at all. 

I'm not going to say SILCA is wrong about how they do their drip wax application, but I also can see how I have been applying lubricant is not inferior to their way of doing things. Full stop. I also can see how V1 works through the chain, due to it being less viscous, easier than V2 does, but both end up getting where you need it. 

Anyway, nitpicking. You do you. I'll stick to how I do this until I see a better way. 

Next I hope to put this all to bed after a few dustier rides. I'm pretty sure I have what I need from the Stan's Polar Drip, but the Triboflux and this Super-Secret v2 still need some more riding time. Stay tuned.....