Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2025: An Update

 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.  

Update: Well, it has been since May when I introduced this year's contenders for the new Lube-Off. (Here is that intro) 

Now it is time for an update. I'll start out with the previous lubes I have used which are in the rotation and conclude with the Stan's Biodegradable lube., First up - The Flowerpower lubed Honeman Flyer. 

I was riding the Honemann Flyer over the weekend and noted the chain was starting to sound noisy. This is a cry for help! I will clean it with a dry rag and hit it again with the Flowerpower lube. I last lubed the chain in May at the start of this run of testing.

This lube was the winner of the last Lube-Off equaling, or in some ways, bettering, the SILCA Super-Secret wax lube. Both are wax based lubricants, but the Flowerpower was just a bit better in terms of dealing with dusty, dry conditions.

The Super-Secret lube is on the Noble GX5. I have done a fair amount of riding on this bike and the lube is holding up well. If I recall correctly, I remember hearing the chain a bit more than usual last I rode the bike, so this one may also be in need of a refresh as well. 

The Stan's lube is on the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD. I have ridden this bike a bit, but not quite as much as the Noble or the Honeman Flyer. The lube is doing fine. You'll see here in a minute the images of each. I will comment further on all three after the images.

The DuMonde Tech is on my Raleigh Tamland which I haven't hardly ridden at all this year. (Maybe a commute and test ride?) I'll have to get this one out more this Fall and catch up with the results later. I'm not as concerned with this lube though as I am fully aware of how it works and I have had years of usage on various bicycles with which to draw my conclusions from.

Images next. Captions will guide you as to what lube is being shown.

Flowerpower Wax

Touch-Test results for Flowerpower Wax

SILCA Super-Secret wax lubricant

Touch-Test results for the Super-Secret Wax lubricant.

Stan's Biodegradable Dry lubricant

Touch-Test results for Stan's Biodegradable Dry lubricant.

Comments: So the two wax based lubricants seem to be dealing with dry conditions in the same way as I have seen in the past. There is a tiny bit of dust accumulation on the inner chain plates, but the chains wipe clean with a dry rag and the performance is good to great with little chain noise or wear.

It is necessary to note with these lubricants their propensity to be washed away in wetter conditions. So, as an example, if you ride in areas with water crossings, or get caught in intermittent showers often, I wouldn't recommend these as being good lubricants. But for completely dry conditions these two keep the chain happy for a long time with little accumulation of gunk and dust.

The Stan's is "good", but it isn't as good as the other two. I might suggest here the fact of little to no information being provided on Stan's end makes judging this lube more difficult. Is it wax based? Petroleum based? Something else? I don't know other than it is "biodegradable". It may be the Stan's holds up better to wet conditions as well, but I have not tested this out. I may try it if I get the chance, but my main focus here is on the dry conditions. 

So Far... If I called the test over today, the Stan's lube would lose, but this isn't a bad thing. The Flowerpower Wax and SILCA\s lube are just awesome and it would be hard to top these two lubricants. I've seen DuMonde Tech be as good and even slightly better, in terms of longevity and cleanliness. However; DuMonde Tech is harder to apply correctly the first time, and if you don't get it right, it will be an abject failure compared to the two wax based lubes in this test. 

Stan's might prove to be a longer-lasting lube than either of the two wax based lubricants here. This is something I will monitor going into Fall and will figure into my final evaluation. But Stan's doesn't seem as good as the two wax based lubes as of now. Good, but not great.  

Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2025: The Introduction

 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.  

Okay, it is high time to kick off this season's Guitar Ted Lube-Off competition! Last year I tried a new lubricant from Effetto Mariposa called "Flowerpower" which did okay. Actually it did better than okay, it was one of the best lubricants I've tried for dry conditions. The final results of last year's contest can be seen HERE.

This year I have a new contender and I am going to pitch it against the Flowerpower lube, SILCA's Super-Secret lube, and DuMonde Tech, the latter two of the three being perennial "best lubes" in year's past. The idea is to see which lubricant will be best over a riding season in dry, dusty gravel riding conditions.

The Stan's BioBased Dry Lubricant is the new lube on the test and while it doesn't really say what it is, I am pretty sure I am safe in saying this is not a wax-based lubricant. There are no real detailed instructions for application for this lubricant, nor any idea given for what to expect for longevity. Essentially I will be on my own in this regard. My plan was to strip the chain down, (already done), apply the BioBased Dry sparingly, (done), and wipe down the chain after application (done) then start riding, (also done).

I'll have some first impressions soon. I want to log a few more rides before I chime in with any  first impressions. I will say my expectations are that this lube will end up being dirtier in the long run since it isn't wax based, but then again, neither is DuMonde Tech and I have seen really clean results with it in the past. So, maybe Stan's lube will surprise me here.

All chains will get stripped clean, reapplied with their individual lubricants, and then the riding shall commence! One minor point: The Honeman Flyer single speed bike is currently running Flowerpower so I'll keep running that chain as is and do a long-term report with that bike.

So, to recap: Effetto Mariposa's Flowerpower Wax Lubricant, DuMonde Tech, SILCA Super-Secret Lube, and Stan's BioBased Dry lube are the contenders this year. I also will be updating my over all lube post detailing all the different lubricants used for a reference. The last update to the post was in 2022.  

Stay tuned for updates.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Mid-Summer Update

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. None of the companies represented in this Lube-Off have any knowledge of this review, nor are they sponsoring me at all.  

The last update was way back in June which you can read HERE. The contenders, once again, are the Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower Wax Lube, DuMonde Tech, and SILCA Super-Secret Lube. Since that time I have not re-lubricated any of the chains. I have not ridden the Raleigh (DuMonde Tech) all that much since then but I did start riding the Black Mountain Cycles MCD more which has the SILCA Super-Secret Lube on the chain. This time I'll contrast the Super-Secret Lube against the Flowerpower Wax lube.

Flowerpower Wax: 

The weather went from drought conditions to flooding in the last period between updates here. Interestingly, the Flowerpower chains looked like they did at the last update when all the riding was done in very dusty conditions. 

I thought that the Nobel GX5, being the geared bike I have set up with this lube, was noisier than I recall. The single speed King Fab bike seemed about the same, but it is a single speed, so... 

Compared to the Super-Secret lube the noise was a bit louder and I also thought that the Super-Secret felt slicker during the Touch Test. which didn't show much dirt off the rollers, but none of the chains did, really. I did wipe all the chains down with a cloth afterward and a strange finding was seen on both Flowerpower Wax chains. I saw a fair amount of black residue and some with a red tint. This was odd because I haven't ridden in red dirt, with the exception of the single speed, at all. Could that have been some rust? 

It's like - why bother with this test?

I checked all the chains for wear and both geared bikes barely register any wear at all while the single speed chain shows about 30% wear. Odd that, but the chain is a lesser quality piece on the single speed. 

After wiping the chains down with a cloth, neither the Super-Secret or Flowerpower Wax chains seemed to need lubricating, but I may do that and then go through the rest of Summer before I get to my final verdict. 

The red residue puzzles me. The single speed was ridden on red dirt roads in Oklahoma, but the GX5 has not been anywhere near red dirt, and yet it showed the same residue. My only conclusion is that this was caused by the Flowerpower Wax somehow. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this as the test goes on. 

SILCA Super-Secret Lube:

This stuff works great but this time the chain for the Super-Secret lube looked worse than the other two with the Flowerpower Wax lubricant.

The dust was caked on a bit thicker, especially in the inner plates area. This did not seem to bother anything, but it was notable. As stated above, this chain also does not show any wear. 

This chain, when wiped down, did not show any red residue, but it did show a little black residue. Much less residue than the Flowerpower Wax lubed chains. I will say that this bike has been running this Super-Secret Lube since last year, so the lack of chain wear is impressive.

I am finding it a bit strange that I am seeing more residue now than I was when things were dusty and dry. Perhaps the moister roads have caused this? That would be my guess. It certainly doesn't seem to matter in regard to the Touch Test which shows almost nothing on all three chains. 

Just because - Here is the Honeman Flyer's chain.

So Far... 

The differences between these two lubricants are minimal. The residue issues notwithstanding, both work about the same and both have about the same longevity in terms of time between lubing. As stated, the Flowerpower chains seemed a bit noisier and maybe less slick than did the Super-Secret lubed chain. 

The accumulation of dust is surprising on all three chains. I will be paying attention to this in my final analysis. I also hope to get the DuMonde Tech chain back in the mix before I end this round of the Lube-Off, but we will see. 

I am looking at the beginning of September for the final word on this round to be written up. Until then I don't see a lot of major changes developing between the three lubricants. They all seem to be pretty good, so far. 

Stay tuned...

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Update On Testing

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. None of the companies represented in this Lube-Off have any knowledge of this review, nor are they sponsoring me at all. 

It has been a while since I've posted anything concerning the latest Lube-Off testing so I thought it would be a good idea to touch base with how things are coming along. You can check in on the last update HERE if you'd like. A brief recap: The Honeman Flyer and the Noble GX5 got the new lube, the Flowerpower lube, and the Raleigh Tamland Two has DuMonde Tech, my old #1 choice, while the Black Mountain Cycles MCD and the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 have SILCA  Super-Secret lube on their chains. 

The Raleigh has been run a fair amount already this year, as well as the Honeman Flyer, so we will definitely be looking at those two bike closely in this post. The Noble GX5 has a few rides on it now, but not as much as the others, while I have yet to really get out on the T-6 at all this year. The MCD has seen very few rides as well. Gotta get that changed here soon though! 

Flowerpower on the Honeman Flyer's chain

Flowerpower: 

This lube, from Effetto Marip[osa, is pretty impressive so far. Keeping in mind that this is the same application from the very beginning of the test and the red dirt of Oklahoma was all over this chain at one point, I have to say that this Flowerpower stuff is very good. 

You can see from my "touch-test" that it doesn't leave much residue on my finger after wiping a section of the chain. In fact, I had to swipe the chain twice to get anything to appear on my finger! 

I think one thing to keep in mind here is that what the side plates of the chain - both inner and outer - look like is of much less concern than how the rollers look. That is the business end of a chain, so to speak, and the part that is important to have lubricated. Now, having the side plates clean is a goal worth having, but dust here means nothing. A build-up of gunk, however, is a different matter. I'll have a bit more to say about Flowerpower in a bit here....

DuMonde Tech on the Raleigh Tamland Two chain.

DuMonde Tech: 

This was my #1 lube for years. It still is really good, but it is very hard to get on correctly. I'm pretty sure I put too much of it on when I applied it and I tried to only put on one drop on each roller. It doesn't take too much of this lube to cause a bit of build-up, as you can see from the bigger image. 

However; the touch-test showed little to be concerned about. I will say that this lube feels tackier to the touch than either the SILCA or the Flowerpower does. 

Again, it still is a good lube and I recommend it, but you have to have a clean chain and you cannot use too much. A little DuMonde goes a long way. That said, the SILCA and the Flowerpower lubes are easier to deal with during application, although again - you must have a pristine, clean chain. 

Any of these lubes are still easier and less equipment intensive than waxing a chain. So, if you are thinking of that as an alternative which is better, maybe it is, but it takes more futzing around, which I rather would not have to do. 

Flowerpower lube on the Noble GX5 chain.

Flowerpower (again):

This time I took a look at the chain on the Noble GX5 since I just did a 30 mile ride on it the other day. It was pretty dusty, but not crazy dusty, like Mid-South or how it has been here for the majority of the last two years. 

Also, it should be noted that I have not ridden the Noble near as many miles as I have the Honeman Flyer this year, so far. That may change here in a hurry as there is another test being done that requires the use of this bike. So, miles will accumulate on this lube/chain combo soon enough. 

With all of that, I still am pretty impressed here with what I am seeing. I should also note that the chain shifts really well and is pretty quiet. Of course, that cannot be determined from the Honeman Flyer since it is a single speed bike, so this was of note to me. 

So Far... Okay, well I think we have a very strong contender here in the Flowerpower lubricant. The SILCA Super-Secret lube is going to have some stiff competition here. The current #1 lube is on my MCD and Standard Rando bikes and I'll have to get those two out to start making some comparisons to the Flowerpower lube. The MCD will for sure get into the mix because it has a couple of components being tested on it right now as well. 

Stay tuned! I'll be back with another Lube-Off update this Summer!

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Flowerpower Wax Intro

Wax Lubricant Claims 4 Season Effectiveness:

 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. None of the companies represented in this Lube-Off have any knowledge of this review, nor are they sponsoring me at all.

Okay, so here we go with another Guitar Ted Lube-Off! This time the new lubricant is Effetto Mariposa's "Flowerpower Wax". This is a drip wax chain lube that is supposedly akin to the old-fashioned melt chain wax in as far as how it will affect your chain. The main benefit of Flowerpower, as is the case with other lubricants of this ilk, is that you do not have to remove the chain to lubricate it. 

Well.....kind of. 

You should degrease your chain completely before applying this, or any, chain lubricant, especially the first time you use it. So, to best do that degreasing, you should remove the chain. Yes, after this the chain removal does not have to happen, that is unless you need another deep cleaning of the chain. In my case, I doubt that will be necessary as we are looking at mostly dry gravel road usage here. The point is, you should remove the chain for degreasing. That is, if you want the best possible results. You don't have to do this. Thus my "kind of" statement above. 

The Noble GX5 will get the new lubricant this time out.

Impressions: I ordered and paid for this direct from Effetto Mariposa, so it was shipped from Switzerland and delivery took about a week. With taxes and all it ended up costing $33.00USD for a 100ml size sample. Note that the web site claims this costs $21.00.  This compares with the 120ml bottle of SILCA Super-Secret lube at $25.00USD

I don't know what it is, but I've noticed lately that several things I have received of late in terms of new consumer products have arrived with dismal, or no directions. It seems as though that no paper instructions, or as in the case with this Flowerpower lube, no directions at all, with the product is now "normal". Effetto Mariposa has directions buried in their FAQ which should come with the product, in my opinion. Note: There is also a somewhat informative application video on the site, but it gives you no indication for when to reapply this lubricant. I find this to be unacceptable, but maybe I'm just an old man yelling at the sky here. 

Image courtesy of King Fabrications' social media.

The lubricant in the Flowerpower bottle is very white in color and has a very faint smell, neither pleasant or unpleasant. It seems to have a thicker viscosity than Super-Secret lube does, and it felt waxy on my finger. This tracks with what Effetto Mariposa claims as they claim the wax content is over 50% for the lube. 

The Test Bikes: I'm probably also going to apply this on the chain that I use for the new Honeman Flyer which is incoming from King Fabrications any day now. That will be a single speed application, despite the appearance of a derailleur hangar in the image there. 

I have the Super-Secret lube on the BMC MCD and on the Twin Six Standard Rando. DuMonde Tech is currently on the Raleigh Tamland Two and on my Pofahl Signature single speed.  

Test Procedure: The bikes will all be ridden throughout this season until Fall when the test will end. I will have periodic updates throughout the Spring and Summer. Testing will be for shifting performance, (unless it is a single speed bike), lubricant lifespan before reapplication is necessary, and I'll be looking to see if the lubricants are effective at keeping the drive train free from gunk and dust build-up. 

In the case of these wax based lubricants, like the Super-Secret and Flowerpower lubes, the idea is that you will have to wipe down the chain from time to time, essentially "dusting" it off. DuMonde Tech doesn't require this, by the way, so that will have to be accounted for as we go along. 

So Far... Well, this is a kind of pricey lube and I don't like the lack of any instructions with the product. So as far as presentation and first impressions go, this has been a disappointing experience so far. But....That will all be in the rear view mirror soon enough, once I start riding with the stuff. The next update should come soon with a look at the application process and first ride impressions. 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" 2024 Intro

Announcing The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" 2024:

As you long-time blog readers will know, I periodically run my lubrication tests for chain lube. I call them "Lube-Offs" and I generally pit a few lubricants against each other by applying them to my bicycles, running them for a season of riding, and then analyzing the results.  

My expectations are for "dry lubricants" which will be used for gravel riding, primarily. Those expectations are as follows:

• No "gunk build-up" on the chain, jockey wheels, or cassette and crank rings. 
• Slippery feel to chain even after many miles.
• Ease of application and re-application.
• Resistant to wet conditions, but not impervious to them. I want to be able to rely on the lube even if I have a low water crossing, or get caught in a shower. 
• No dirt or gritty residue when checking the chain with my "Finger Test". 

This round will be much like the previous rounds where I have pitted a challenger against my current "best" dry chain lube. That is now SILCA's Super-Secret Chain Lube. You may also remember that I am a big fan of DuMonde Tech. So, I thought it might prove to be a good test to have these two pitted against a newcomer. 

And what will that new lubricant be? Well, I came across an interesting new contender with a nice set of results from some well-respected testers. So, let's introduce you to....

Effetto Mariposa's Flowerpower Wax Chain Lube:

From the webpage for the lubricant:

• Creates a solid layer of wax between the moving parts of the chain, reducing friction, noise and increasing the life of the chain
• Unlike lubricating oils, it does not dirty clothes and resists contamination by dirt and dust very well
• Thanks to the sunflower seed wax, it is very resistant to water and is ideal in any season, on and off-road
• High wax to water ratio (over 50%!)
• Rapidly biodegradable: it does not contain PTFE, sulphides, graphene or other chemicals harmful to the environment
• Evaluated by Zero Friction Cycling as the best drip lubricant ever tested

Okay, so that's pretty impressive. I have already purchased a bottle of this stuff and it is on the way to G-Ted Headquarters. (From Switzerland!) So, when it gets here I will choose a bike to put the stuff on and we'll get on to testing this lubricants heady claims out on real gravel in Iowa. 

By the way, the DuMonde Tech was freshly installed on the new chain I just put on the Tamland Two. The SILCA Super-Secret lube is on the Noble GX5, the Twin Six Standard Rando v2, and the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. I'll likely clean off the SILCA Super Secret lube from one of those bikes and put the Flowerpower on that bike.  All I am waiting on is for the Effetto Mariposa lube to arrive and the test can begin.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the season.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: SCC Tech Lube Results

 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. 

Okay, the time has come for me to render a final verdict on the SCC Tech Lube. I also have a bit of news on this lube which I will share first. But even before that, if you missed the last update on this lube, you can click this link to go back and read that. Plus there is another link there to take you to the intro. 

 Now for the news: Wolf Tooth recently introduced their chain lube, which- as it turns out- is this very SCC Tech Lube! They call it "WT-1" but it is the same lubricant as this SCC Tech stuff I already have. So, you are essentially getting a review on the WT-1 as well. Bonus! (The link takes you to my "FN&V" post where I detailed the news on that lube.)

The SCC Tech Lube left a little residue on the cassette, and maybe a bit on the inner plates of the chain.

As far as how this lube performed overall, I would say that it is pretty darn good stuff. I was a bit put off initially by all the black residue that milked out of the chain to begin with, but SCC Tech claims this is the lube doing its 'self-cleaning' thing. Okay.....I decided to bite, and in the end? The lube started to behave in a way that didn't collect more dust and grit, stayed slippery, and kept this chain relatively quiet. I did follow the advice of SCC Tech to wipe down the chain with a rag from time to time, but even this became less of a need as time went on during the test. 

SCC Tech Lube passes the 'Touch Test' with flying colors.

As far as my 'Touch Test' goes, SCC Tech did very well once the lube settled in and quit milking out all that black residue. This ended up being on par with DuMonde Tech and the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic lube. Pretty impressive! 

Shift quality remained excellent throughout the test, but for whatever reason, this lube - or probably this Wippermann chain- is a chunky, loud shifting deal at times. I'm blaming the chain here, because as this lube got drier, the chain shifts got louder. Less wet stuff to damp noise is what that is. So the shifting seemed great, it was just this chain, I think, which was a bit on the loud side when shifting at times. 

At the end of the day, I slot this lubricant in at Number Three on my all-time Lube-Off list. It just is not as clean overall as DuMonde Tech nor as good as the Muc-Off in this regard. The SCC Tech Lube also has that initial period of 'self-cleaning', which can be a bit more maintenance intensive as you should be wiping that off periodically as this process works itself out. That's an extra step neither of the top-two lubricants I have tested require. 

But......SCC Tech Lube is not just a dry conditions lubricant either, so if you see that as a step above from a versatility standpoint, I would take that point and maybe say the SCC Tech Lube could be the better lubricant in those situations where you need an all-around conditions lubricant. So, it depends on how you look at this. I am testing for dry conditions only here, so take that into consideration in my final verdict. 

SCC Tech Lube vs NixFrixShun "Blue Devil" Lubricant: 

 

So, this round featured the two 'blue' colored lubricants, NixFrixShun's Blue Devil and the SCC Tech Lube. The Blue Devil lube's final verdict is here at this link. So, what do I think about the Blue Devil against the SCC Tech Lube? I feel Blue Devil is pretty good, but it was clearly more apt to gather grit and gunk on the side plates of the chain and on the derailleur jockey wheels than the SCC Tech. While Blue Devil kept the chain quiet and shifting really well, it just is not as clean, so it falls below the SCC Tech in that category. Had the SCC Tech Lube stayed dirty as it was out of the gate, this would have ended up being a tie, but the SCC Tech seems to get better with age, in terms of staying gunk-free. 

I will concede that Blue Devil is also listed as an 'all-conditions' lubricant, so it may have staying power through wet and muddy conditions that I did not test for. Again though- it just doesn't stay as clean over-all. To my way of thinking, dirt and gunk on the chain equals a possibility for advanced wear on components, besides slowing you down a tiny bit. That's especially not good in these times where getting new parts is tough, or impossible in some cases. We want to make our parts last as long as possible. A clean drive train goes a long ways toward that goal. 

So, that's a wrap on this round of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off". I'll check into some lubricants for the next round, but it was clear that many of you thought that I needed to check out the Silca Super Secret Chain Lube and one reader suggested this lube from Prestacycle that has made some amazing claims. Many also suggested Silca's Synergetic lube, but Silca lists this as a 'wet lube' and typically anything specifically listed as such fails miserably in my testing. Remember- dry, dusty, dirty conditions are what I will be subjecting these chains and lubricants to. So, I think it is a bit unfair to put a 'wet lube' up against my proven winners in a 'dry conditions' testing environment. Convince me otherwise and I may change my mind.....

So, this is my ranking so far: DuMonde Tech, Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube, SCC Tech Lube. I would heartily recommend any of these three for dry, gravel, dirt road, or pavement use. 

Okay, a final note:  I bought the SCC tech Lube and the NixFrixShun Blue devil lubricants for this round of the Lube-Off. I was not paid nor bribed for these posts and I try to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: SCC Tech Lube Results

 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. 

Okay, the time has come for me to render a final verdict on the SCC Tech Lube. I also have a bit of news on this lube which I will share first. But even before that, if you missed the last update on this lube, you can click this link to go back and read that. Plus there is another link there to take you to the intro. 

 Now for the news: Wolf Tooth recently introduced their chain lube, which- as it turns out- is this very SCC Tech Lube! They call it "WT-1" but it is the same lubricant as this SCC Tech stuff I already have. So, you are essentially getting a review on the WT-1 as well. Bonus! (The link takes you to my "FN&V" post where I detailed the news on that lube.)

The SCC Tech Lube left a little residue on the cassette, and maybe a bit on the inner plates of the chain.

As far as how this lube performed overall, I would say that it is pretty darn good stuff. I was a bit put off initially by all the black residue that milked out of the chain to begin with, but SCC Tech claims this is the lube doing its 'self-cleaning' thing. Okay.....I decided to bite, and in the end? The lube started to behave in a way that didn't collect more dust and grit, stayed slippery, and kept this chain relatively quiet. I did follow the advice of SCC Tech to wipe down the chain with a rag from time to time, but even this became less of a need as time went on during the test. 

SCC Tech Lube passes the 'Touch Test' with flying colors.

As far as my 'Touch Test' goes, SCC Tech did very well once the lube settled in and quit milking out all that black residue. This ended up being on par with DuMonde Tech and the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic lube. Pretty impressive! 

Shift quality remained excellent throughout the test, but for whatever reason, this lube - or probably this Wippermann chain- is a chunky, loud shifting deal at times. I'm blaming the chain here, because as this lube got drier, the chain shifts got louder. Less wet stuff to damp noise is what that is. So the shifting seemed great, it was just this chain, I think, which was a bit on the loud side when shifting at times. 

At the end of the day, I slot this lubricant in at Number Three on my all-time Lube-Off list. It just is not as clean overall as DuMonde Tech nor as good as the Muc-Off in this regard. The SCC Tech Lube also has that initial period of 'self-cleaning', which can be a bit more maintenance intensive as you should be wiping that off periodically as this process works itself out. That's an extra step neither of the top-two lubricants I have tested require. 

But......SCC Tech Lube is not just a dry conditions lubricant either, so if you see that as a step above from a versatility standpoint, I would take that point and maybe say the SCC Tech Lube could be the better lubricant in those situations where you need an all-around conditions lubricant. So, it depends on how you look at this. I am testing for dry conditions only here, so take that into consideration in my final verdict. 

SCC Tech Lube vs NixFrixShun "Blue Devil" Lubricant: 

 

So, this round featured the two 'blue' colored lubricants, NixFrixShun's Blue Devil and the SCC Tech Lube. The Blue Devil lube's final verdict is here at this link. So, what do I think about the Blue Devil against the SCC Tech Lube? I feel Blue Devil is pretty good, but it was clearly more apt to gather grit and gunk on the side plates of the chain and on the derailleur jockey wheels than the SCC Tech. While Blue Devil kept the chain quiet and shifting really well, it just is not as clean, so it falls below the SCC Tech in that category. Had the SCC Tech Lube stayed dirty as it was out of the gate, this would have ended up being a tie, but the SCC Tech seems to get better with age, in terms of staying gunk-free. 

I will concede that Blue Devil is also listed as an 'all-conditions' lubricant, so it may have staying power through wet and muddy conditions that I did not test for. Again though- it just doesn't stay as clean over-all. To my way of thinking, dirt and gunk on the chain equals a possibility for advanced wear on components, besides slowing you down a tiny bit. That's especially not good in these times where getting new parts is tough, or impossible in some cases. We want to make our parts last as long as possible. A clean drive train goes a long ways toward that goal. 

So, that's a wrap on this round of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off". I'll check into some lubricants for the next round, but it was clear that many of you thought that I needed to check out the Silca Super Secret Chain Lube and one reader suggested this lube from Prestacycle that has made some amazing claims. Many also suggested Silca's Synergetic lube, but Silca lists this as a 'wet lube' and typically anything specifically listed as such fails miserably in my testing. Remember- dry, dusty, dirty conditions are what I will be subjecting these chains and lubricants to. So, I think it is a bit unfair to put a 'wet lube' up against my proven winners in a 'dry conditions' testing environment. Convince me otherwise and I may change my mind.....

So, this is my ranking so far: DuMonde Tech, Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube, SCC Tech Lube. I would heartily recommend any of these three for dry, gravel, dirt road, or pavement use. 

Okay, a final note:  I bought the SCC tech Lube and the NixFrixShun Blue devil lubricants for this round of the Lube-Off. I was not paid nor bribed for these posts and I try to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Results And Remarks

aMTBer Smoothe Lube 1.5, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube (L-R)

The latest round of the Guitar Ted Lube-Off is now over and this post will be a review of the three contenders with over-all remarks and a second look at one of these due to a certain claim I wanted to explore a bit more.

First off, the over-all"winner" was Lilly Lube. Now for the context- This round was about exploring lubes for use in more Wintry, wetter, muddy conditions. The results are based upon how each of these lubricants performed in these conditions. I have a few outliers to cover here, but the end results are what they are. It was pretty clear which lube actually worked versus the others. Plus, there is a certain characteristic which Lilly Lube has that makes it poke out above the other two lubes in this round.

Okay, with that out of the way, here are my final remarks on each of these lubes. You might be surprised at which one I considered to be the least effective. Here we go......

The WPL Wet Lube had a big promise of being a lube for endurance efforts and made for wetter conditions. In my test it really fell flat. For one thing, it didn't make it through the six hour test before it was really pretty much dried up. Not only that, it caused a bit of gunky build-up on the cassette teeth and on the chain's side plates. The worst thing was that whatever was left became sticky enough that it caused chain suck on my 3X drive train when shifting from the middle ring to the big ring. Yeah....weird and not good. I'll come back to this later in this post.

Over-all I was disappointed in the WPL Wet Lube. It just wasn't anywhere near what I needed in performance for a severe conditions lube. I don't often have a product which I cannot really recommend for at least some uses, but this lube just is not good.

Good, but not good at what I was after.

Next up is the Smoothe Lube 1.5 from aMTBer. I had pretty high expectations for this one as my friend in SoCal is pretty high on the performance of this lube in a mountain biking and gravel riding context. Where he lives they really don't ride in wet stuff at all. So, no surprise here when I found that the Smoothe Lube dropped right off as soon as the chain got wet. In fact, I had to plan on avoiding anything wet with this lube when after I had done a fender test, the chain got so squeaky it was embarrassing. I started the test all over again with this lube, ran it six hours plus, and found it to be lacking in endurance. It just needs to be reapplied at more regular intervals.

Okay, so what if I had- say after three hours- reapplied the lube? I probably would have a pretty good opinion of it for dry conditions only. But here's the thing- there are a LOT of lubes that do not require such short usage intervals. So, why bother with this one? It cannot hack even a little wet riding, and it requires more maintenance. Nope. That ain't gonna cut it here. Not when I have DuMonde Tech and Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube choices which don't fail at the slightest hint of water and outlast this Smoothe Lube by hours and hours of use on gravel.

Smoothe Lube 1.5- Good, but not good enough.

Lilly Lube was used over the WPL on this bike to check out a claim of Lilly Lube.

That brings me to Lilly Lube which ended up being the clear winner in this round. Not only did it resist washing off in water or through muddy patches, but it resisted gunk build-up, and left a slippery feel on the chain after six-plus hours.

But Lilly Lube made a claim which I was intrigued by. They said this lube was not only good for wet and dry conditions, but it also was self-cleaning. It worked as a chain cleaner, much in the same way as Pro Gold lube does, which I am familiar with. I used Pro-Gold for a number of years before switching to DuMonde Tech. Pro Gold would break down gunk and clean up a chain upon application. Would Lilly Lube do the same?

I decided to try this out on the Fargo which I had used the not-so-good WPL lube on. It did exactly as advertised, breaking down the gunk-ified chain goo and washing it out as I applied the Lilly Lube quite liberally. Yes- you go through more chain lube doing this. That's one downside of not only this lube, but Pro Gold as well. Now- did the drive train work better after applying Lilly Lube? 

The answer? Yes! No more chain suck, and I could feel the drive train working more efficiently. Remember up above when I said I'd get back about the chain suck issue? Well, it became quite clear after I put Lilly Lube on the Fargo's chain that it was the poor performance of WPL Lube that was at issue when it came to front shifting performance. The Lilly Lube cleared that up straight away.

After three more hours of riding, some through muddy patches, the chain looks much cleaner, although the 'Touch Test' reveals a good streak of dirty, slippery stuff, I am pleased to see that Lilly Lube has the intended effects on the chain. I imagine after a few more applications the rollers would work out the dirt and the chain would eventually be cleaner than it is now. Or I could get in there and clean it out with degreaser and start fresh. But the point is- Lilly Lube's claim holds up.

So, the next round of the Lube-Off will include this Lilly Lube and two more new lubes yet to be determined. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Results And Remarks

aMTBer Smoothe Lube 1.5, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube (L-R)

The latest round of the Guitar Ted Lube-Off is now over and this post will be a review of the three contenders with over-all remarks and a second look at one of these due to a certain claim I wanted to explore a bit more.

First off, the over-all"winner" was Lilly Lube. Now for the context- This round was about exploring lubes for use in more Wintry, wetter, muddy conditions. The results are based upon how each of these lubricants performed in these conditions. I have a few outliers to cover here, but the end results are what they are. It was pretty clear which lube actually worked versus the others. Plus, there is a certain characteristic which Lilly Lube has that makes it poke out above the other two lubes in this round.

Okay, with that out of the way, here are my final remarks on each of these lubes. You might be surprised at which one I considered to be the least effective. Here we go......

The WPL Wet Lube had a big promise of being a lube for endurance efforts and made for wetter conditions. In my test it really fell flat. For one thing, it didn't make it through the six hour test before it was really pretty much dried up. Not only that, it caused a bit of gunky build-up on the cassette teeth and on the chain's side plates. The worst thing was that whatever was left became sticky enough that it caused chain suck on my 3X drive train when shifting from the middle ring to the big ring. Yeah....weird and not good. I'll come back to this later in this post.

Over-all I was disappointed in the WPL Wet Lube. It just wasn't anywhere near what I needed in performance for a severe conditions lube. I don't often have a product which I cannot really recommend for at least some uses, but this lube just is not good.

Good, but not good at what I was after.

Next up is the Smoothe Lube 1.5 from aMTBer. I had pretty high expectations for this one as my friend in SoCal is pretty high on the performance of this lube in a mountain biking and gravel riding context. Where he lives they really don't ride in wet stuff at all. So, no surprise here when I found that the Smoothe Lube dropped right off as soon as the chain got wet. In fact, I had to plan on avoiding anything wet with this lube when after I had done a fender test, the chain got so squeaky it was embarrassing. I started the test all over again with this lube, ran it six hours plus, and found it to be lacking in endurance. It just needs to be reapplied at more regular intervals.

Okay, so what if I had- say after three hours- reapplied the lube? I probably would have a pretty good opinion of it for dry conditions only. But here's the thing- there are a LOT of lubes that do not require such short usage intervals. So, why bother with this one? It cannot hack even a little wet riding, and it requires more maintenance. Nope. That ain't gonna cut it here. Not when I have DuMonde Tech and Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube choices which don't fail at the slightest hint of water and outlast this Smoothe Lube by hours and hours of use on gravel.

Smoothe Lube 1.5- Good, but not good enough.

Lilly Lube was used over the WPL on this bike to check out a claim of Lilly Lube.

That brings me to Lilly Lube which ended up being the clear winner in this round. Not only did it resist washing off in water or through muddy patches, but it resisted gunk build-up, and left a slippery feel on the chain after six-plus hours.

But Lilly Lube made a claim which I was intrigued by. They said this lube was not only good for wet and dry conditions, but it also was self-cleaning. It worked as a chain cleaner, much in the same way as Pro Gold lube does, which I am familiar with. I used Pro-Gold for a number of years before switching to DuMonde Tech. Pro Gold would break down gunk and clean up a chain upon application. Would Lilly Lube do the same?

I decided to try this out on the Fargo which I had used the not-so-good WPL lube on. It did exactly as advertised, breaking down the gunk-ified chain goo and washing it out as I applied the Lilly Lube quite liberally. Yes- you go through more chain lube doing this. That's one downside of not only this lube, but Pro Gold as well. Now- did the drive train work better after applying Lilly Lube? 

The answer? Yes! No more chain suck, and I could feel the drive train working more efficiently. Remember up above when I said I'd get back about the chain suck issue? Well, it became quite clear after I put Lilly Lube on the Fargo's chain that it was the poor performance of WPL Lube that was at issue when it came to front shifting performance. The Lilly Lube cleared that up straight away.

After three more hours of riding, some through muddy patches, the chain looks much cleaner, although the 'Touch Test' reveals a good streak of dirty, slippery stuff, I am pleased to see that Lilly Lube has the intended effects on the chain. I imagine after a few more applications the rollers would work out the dirt and the chain would eventually be cleaner than it is now. Or I could get in there and clean it out with degreaser and start fresh. But the point is- Lilly Lube's claim holds up.

So, the next round of the Lube-Off will include this Lilly Lube and two more new lubes yet to be determined. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Smoothe Lube 1.2 Update

Guitar Ted Lube Off Update: aMTBer Products Smoothe Lube 1.2: 

Note: If you missed the introduction to this round, please go HERE and catch up with things. 

Okay, so I wanted to bring you all up to speed with the Smoothe Lube because it has been a bit of a different experience so far. Remember, this is a lube developed in SoCal, and they typically shun wet weather riding there, although admittedly, they don't say that this is an "all weather lube" either. My point in testing it in a bit of wet stuff was that, to be fair, the last round I did featured a bit of wet, messy riding, and I wanted a bit of consistency there for references sake. So, on one occasion, I rode the Smoothe Lube 1.2 in some wet, sloppy conditions for all of about 10-15 minutes. (Only as long as it took me to realize that the splash guard I was using was a miserable failure. A wet bum put an end to that test!)

So, let me also back up a bit. I have a bit of "insider" knowledge here as my friend Grannygear in SoCal uses this stuff. The maker insists upon a rather, (in my opinion) tedious and unrealistic application/break in technique for this lube. Which, frankly, would have put me off this lube straight away because none of the others I have found which work well require a tenth as much detail. Too fiddly? Then it is not for me.

Well, Grannygear put me straight and fortunately the best results are not necessarily predicated upon following the creator's arduous application/break-in procedure. I started off- as I always do- with a stripped and cleaned chain. This time it was a Shimano XT chain for 11 speed. I applied the Smoothe Lube and broke it in with about an hour and a half use before the wet ride. I found that my quiet shifting GRX was now not so quiet. Grannygear confirmed that this was the case, but further usage of the bike would result in a quieter drive train. Unfortunately, the wet ride happened.

That's when I found out that it doesn't take much "wet" to completely wash off the Smoothe Lube 1.2. As I stated, I maybe rode in the sloppy stuff for 10-15 minutes max. The next day my chain sounded as if it had been infested with mice! I had no choice at the time but to borrow some lube to quiet it down, (Muc-Off Dry, by the way) and then I had to start this test from scratch.

A close look at the chain after about 20 minutes post application #2.

I cleaned the chain again, reapplied the lube, let it set for about an hour until it looked dry and felt pretty dry, then rode it for about 20 minutes. To the left here you can see the current state of the chain and lube.

That "dark matter" you see on the inside of the inner plates will dry up and flake off, just like last time, and then I should be good to go for this 6 hour run on this lube. One thing I know- I cannot run this lube in any kind of wet weather without immediate reapplication. That's already going to put a big "ding" on this lube's final verdict. I simply do not have to tip-toe around wet, mucky stuff with the DuMonde Tech or with the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube. Other lubes I have tried also resist wet riding better than I have seen with Smoothe Lube 1.2.

So, I cannot recommend this lube if you think you'll be hitting wet areas or riding on a day with predicted rain, unless you plan on applying a new coat right away after the chain gets wet. Maybe that sounds a bit strict, but in this test, I am being pretty particular. The "bar has been set pretty high" and to knock off the reigning champ and the nearest competitors, any lube I try has to meet these higher standards. So, perhaps Smoothe Lube works "just fine for you", like it does for Grannygear. (It's his go-to lube, by the way), but for me and my test? Not quite there. But still, I am willing to give this a fair shake in totally dry conditions, so onward.......

I hope to get the other two lubes up and running here soon. I will be using the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD for one and the other lube will go on the old Gen I Fargo again. I have a new "control" bike to test these against. Well, not a new bike, just a different bike for the comparison to DuMonde Tech. That is still currently the best lube I know of for gravel riding here in the Mid-West.

The ol' Raleigh Tamland Two.

Current state of the chain. (See description below)

The Raleigh Tamland Two has DuMonde Tech on there and, to be honest, I have no idea how long it's been there! By the looks of things I would say that at some point during a ride I must have stopped and reapplied due to chain noise, and then kept riding. That's one thing about this lube, if you reapply on the fly it will attract a bit of build up. You can readily see that on the inner plates here and if you squint, on the cassette cogs as well. Typical "wrong application" but necessary when you totally neglect the chain and keep riding, as I must have been doing here. Anyway....

The "Touch Test" reveals that only the plates are dirty- not the rollers.

Where the chain hits the cogs it is clean. That was the result of the "Touch Test". What is that? Well, I run my index finger across the inner run of the chain for about two inches and whatever comes off I show you. As you can see here, only the plate's edges were dirty. The rollers didn't leave any residue and the chain felt slippery to the touch. It isn't noisy, and so I can keep on going here with no issues.

Again- I've no idea how long that original application has been there, but I'd bet it was 2018 sometime when I first applied it. And the Tamland was used for tire and other testing last year, so it got ridden a fair amount. In fact, it was filthy before I cleaned it up for these photos. This Riding Gravel article shows the underside of the bottom bracket before I cleaned it. So as you can see there, I am not kidding about the dirt! 

So, as we can see, DuMonde Tech can take a licking, and the long term results are astounding, really. This is the bar, as I mentioned earlier, which these contenders have to match or surpass. It won't be easy, as I've found out over the years, to beat the Champ.

So I have a LOT of riding to get to, and hopefully I can get to it, if the government doesn't take bicycling away from us here due to the current state of affairs. The Smoothe Lube will get a fresh "six hour clock" and I'll also start using the other two lubes in the test, (see the link at the top of this post if you want to learn more), and then I'll be back with some "mid-term" results sooner than later. Spring has been chilly and a bit wet so far, so I'm hoping for a bit more warmth and some Sun wouldn't hurt.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Smoothe Lube 1.2 Update

Guitar Ted Lube Off Update: aMTBer Products Smoothe Lube 1.2: 

Note: If you missed the introduction to this round, please go HERE and catch up with things. 

Okay, so I wanted to bring you all up to speed with the Smoothe Lube because it has been a bit of a different experience so far. Remember, this is a lube developed in SoCal, and they typically shun wet weather riding there, although admittedly, they don't say that this is an "all weather lube" either. My point in testing it in a bit of wet stuff was that, to be fair, the last round I did featured a bit of wet, messy riding, and I wanted a bit of consistency there for references sake. So, on one occasion, I rode the Smoothe Lube 1.2 in some wet, sloppy conditions for all of about 10-15 minutes. (Only as long as it took me to realize that the splash guard I was using was a miserable failure. A wet bum put an end to that test!)

So, let me also back up a bit. I have a bit of "insider" knowledge here as my friend Grannygear in SoCal uses this stuff. The maker insists upon a rather, (in my opinion) tedious and unrealistic application/break in technique for this lube. Which, frankly, would have put me off this lube straight away because none of the others I have found which work well require a tenth as much detail. Too fiddly? Then it is not for me.

Well, Grannygear put me straight and fortunately the best results are not necessarily predicated upon following the creator's arduous application/break-in procedure. I started off- as I always do- with a stripped and cleaned chain. This time it was a Shimano XT chain for 11 speed. I applied the Smoothe Lube and broke it in with about an hour and a half use before the wet ride. I found that my quiet shifting GRX was now not so quiet. Grannygear confirmed that this was the case, but further usage of the bike would result in a quieter drive train. Unfortunately, the wet ride happened.

That's when I found out that it doesn't take much "wet" to completely wash off the Smoothe Lube 1.2. As I stated, I maybe rode in the sloppy stuff for 10-15 minutes max. The next day my chain sounded as if it had been infested with mice! I had no choice at the time but to borrow some lube to quiet it down, (Muc-Off Dry, by the way) and then I had to start this test from scratch.

A close look at the chain after about 20 minutes post application #2.

I cleaned the chain again, reapplied the lube, let it set for about an hour until it looked dry and felt pretty dry, then rode it for about 20 minutes. To the left here you can see the current state of the chain and lube.

That "dark matter" you see on the inside of the inner plates will dry up and flake off, just like last time, and then I should be good to go for this 6 hour run on this lube. One thing I know- I cannot run this lube in any kind of wet weather without immediate reapplication. That's already going to put a big "ding" on this lube's final verdict. I simply do not have to tip-toe around wet, mucky stuff with the DuMonde Tech or with the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube. Other lubes I have tried also resist wet riding better than I have seen with Smoothe Lube 1.2.

So, I cannot recommend this lube if you think you'll be hitting wet areas or riding on a day with predicted rain, unless you plan on applying a new coat right away after the chain gets wet. Maybe that sounds a bit strict, but in this test, I am being pretty particular. The "bar has been set pretty high" and to knock off the reigning champ and the nearest competitors, any lube I try has to meet these higher standards. So, perhaps Smoothe Lube works "just fine for you", like it does for Grannygear. (It's his go-to lube, by the way), but for me and my test? Not quite there. But still, I am willing to give this a fair shake in totally dry conditions, so onward.......

I hope to get the other two lubes up and running here soon. I will be using the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD for one and the other lube will go on the old Gen I Fargo again. I have a new "control" bike to test these against. Well, not a new bike, just a different bike for the comparison to DuMonde Tech. That is still currently the best lube I know of for gravel riding here in the Mid-West.

The ol' Raleigh Tamland Two.

Current state of the chain. (See description below)

The Raleigh Tamland Two has DuMonde Tech on there and, to be honest, I have no idea how long it's been there! By the looks of things I would say that at some point during a ride I must have stopped and reapplied due to chain noise, and then kept riding. That's one thing about this lube, if you reapply on the fly it will attract a bit of build up. You can readily see that on the inner plates here and if you squint, on the cassette cogs as well. Typical "wrong application" but necessary when you totally neglect the chain and keep riding, as I must have been doing here. Anyway....

The "Touch Test" reveals that only the plates are dirty- not the rollers.

Where the chain hits the cogs it is clean. That was the result of the "Touch Test". What is that? Well, I run my index finger across the inner run of the chain for about two inches and whatever comes off I show you. As you can see here, only the plate's edges were dirty. The rollers didn't leave any residue and the chain felt slippery to the touch. It isn't noisy, and so I can keep on going here with no issues.

Again- I've no idea how long that original application has been there, but I'd bet it was 2018 sometime when I first applied it. And the Tamland was used for tire and other testing last year, so it got ridden a fair amount. In fact, it was filthy before I cleaned it up for these photos. This Riding Gravel article shows the underside of the bottom bracket before I cleaned it. So as you can see there, I am not kidding about the dirt! 

So, as we can see, DuMonde Tech can take a licking, and the long term results are astounding, really. This is the bar, as I mentioned earlier, which these contenders have to match or surpass. It won't be easy, as I've found out over the years, to beat the Champ.

So I have a LOT of riding to get to, and hopefully I can get to it, if the government doesn't take bicycling away from us here due to the current state of affairs. The Smoothe Lube will get a fresh "six hour clock" and I'll also start using the other two lubes in the test, (see the link at the top of this post if you want to learn more), and then I'll be back with some "mid-term" results sooner than later. Spring has been chilly and a bit wet so far, so I'm hoping for a bit more warmth and some Sun wouldn't hurt.