Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Results For 2024

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 folks! The results are in and I have a decision on this year's contenders. This test has been carried out over the past several months on Iowa gravel roads in dry, dusty conditions. Things changed in terms of conditions over the Summer and this played into the results. But before we get to all that I wanted to link back to the previous posts so you can check on how things progressed throughout this test, if you care to do that. 

Introduction, Update #1, Update #2, Update #3, and Update #4. 

 Overall Comments: 

This test was conducted in only dry conditions. Starting out it was extremely dry! We were in severe drought conditions at the beginning which created copious amounts of dust on every ride. But since the month of July we have come out of that and now have had plenteous amounts of rainfall to the point which we have come out of drought conditions completely. 

This has had the effect of returning the roads to "normal" dry conditions with far less dust. The latest results have bourne this out and while that has been noted it did not affect the outcome. So, with all the hoopla out of the way, let's get stuck in......

SILCA Super-Secret Lube:

This was the winner last year and was clearly superior to the contenders last season. I expected the Super-Secret Lube to do exceptionally well with the super-dusty conditions since we experienced similar conditions last year. 

Overall Super-Secret Lube is easy to apply, lasts a long time in the tested conditions, and cleans up well when a micro-fiber cloth is used to knock off accumulated dust. Jockey wheels stay relatively free from "gunk" build-up also, which is nice to see. The same applies for chain rings which saw minimal gunk accumulations over the testing period. Chain wear is normal with Super-Secret lube and the chain rollers seem to self-clean well, which I attribute the low-wear to when using this lubricant. 

The "Touch-Test" revealed a similar amount of dirt/dust which I have seen come off chains I've used Super-Secret lube on in the past. No surprises there! While I was tempted to re-lube this chain I resisted and after several miles in dusty conditions I was not at all surprised to see that this lube, which was applied last year, is still holding up quite nicely. 

Noises in the drive train are normal. You do get a bit more chain noise with these dry lubricants since oil damps vibrations and therefore quiets down chain noise. However; it is not necessarily an indication of excessive wear issues and anyway, on gravel roads, in wind, with all that loose rock, you are not going to hear your chain making noise until it is too late to do anything about it. 

Flowerpower Wax Lubricant:

This was a new entrant to the lubrication choices recently and so I thought, after reading the marketing hype, I should give this a try. So far, it has been a very, very impressive lube.

All throughout the test Flowerpower Wax has shown a cleaner level of performance, in terms of what sticks to it, versus anything I've yet tried. It will accumulate dirt, as I found out after riding Mid-South's red dirt roads, but talk about an extreme condition! That is about as bad as anything I am aware of, and after a wipe-down, the chain was fine. 

Noise was comparable to SILCA's wax lubricant, so that is a wash, and to be expected anyway. The shifting performance was on par with SILCA as well, so no real issues with that either. Longevity of use before needing reapplication? Also on par with SILCA and most other lubricants I've grown to admire and use in the past. 

So, the only real difference I see here is in cleanliness. The Flowerpower Wax leaves very little residue and very little build-up on chain rings and jockey wheels. The chain appears cleaner as well. If I had to tip one way or the other here I think my hand goes for the Flowerpower Wax lubricant. 

Final Verdict: Honestly, either one here is worthy of your consideration for a dry conditions lubricant for chains. Both are stellar in regard to cleanliness, lubricity, and longevity between applications. This may be different when it comes to exposure to moisture or wet conditions, but that sort of thing was not in my parameters for testing. 

I'm very tempted to give the nod to Flowerpower Wax lubricant here, but there is one thing that separates these lubes, the SILCA and the Effetto Mariposa brands, and that is cost and availability. My bottle of Flowerpower Wax came from Switzerland and cost $33.00 with shipping and took a week to get to me. The SILCA Super-Secret Lube cost $25.00 total and has 25ml more lube in the bottle. Plus it took less time to get to me.

SILCA literally spams the cycling social media and you are in for a constant stream of emails if you sign on to their list. Effetto Mariposa? Who can name the last time anyone has seen a post or social media mention for them? I know we all grow weary of constant bombardment from brands, but tell me, how else do these brands get any notice? We don't employ paper, physical media anymore so advertisements are dead. There is no radio, T.V., or other mainstream way for brands like this to get their messages out. So while you might not agree, I have to tip the hat to SILCA for at least being the brand you've heard about and maybe even trust. Effetto Mariposa? Meh... Not that their stuff is untrustworthy, no! Far from it! But you are not going to find them unless you specifically seek them out, maybe even due to this post! 

Considering all angles this is a tie. If I only look at it from my perspective? Flowerpower wins the day. Again - both lubricants are excellent. You cannot go wrong with either one, but Flowerpower does cost more. So, choose according to your needs and values there. 

 Thus ends another season for the Guitar Ted Lube-Off. I'll be back again next year with another run at it with something else that hits my radar here in the field of chain lubricant. If you have any suggestions for lubricants let me know in the comments or you can always reach me via my email at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions and as always, keep ridin' those bicycles!

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!

Review: Effetto Mariposa Shelter Road 0.6 Frame Tape

 Note: This review of Effetto Mariposa's Shelter Road 0.6 tape is being done independently of their knowledge and the product was paid for by Guitar Ted. 

Years ago I used some Effetto Mariposa Shelter Tape on a custom made frame I had done back in 2007. That frame ended up in the hands of a co-worker of mine. He came to me one day and asked what this weird clear "sticker" was on the downtube of that frame. Then I remembered....

Oh! Shelter Tape! That stuff that prevents rocks and other debris from chipping your paint, or helps prevent cable rub. That stuff! It was a timely remembrance since I had just received another custom made frame and custom paint job on it and the fork which I was concerned about since it was on a bike to be ridden on gravel. 

So, I decided to give the Shelter Tape another try. By this time Effetto Mariposa had added a few options within the range of protective tapes which allowed me to choose the slightly less thick "Road" version of Shelter Tape. I ordered some up, received it recently, and now I am ready to start this review.

What It Is: Shelter Road 0.6 Tape is a two-part tape. The outer layer is a scratch resistant material which is mated to a visco-elastic 0.4mm layer. This visco-elastic layer helps transmit shock through the tape and not into the frame material. 

The Road version is available in rolls measuring 50mm X 1m, 80mm X 1 m, 58mm X 5m, 80mm X 5m, all at 0.6mm thick. 

The adhesion process takes about 8 hours for Shelter Tape to reach "optimal bonding" after which time normal use of the bicycle or washing the bike will not affect it. I can attest to the holding power of Shelter Tape as my old custom frame showed no visual evidence of any of the tape edges lifting. As well, the tape was still clear and not yellowed after all these years. 

The size I ordered was the 50mm X 1m and the price before shipping was $32.00. Shipping from Switzerland, the home of Effetto Mariposa, cost about another $10.00. You can also find Shelter Tape at bicycle dealers who carry their products and there you can probably save a bit on shipping from overseas. 

The Shelter Tape has an adhesive which is a bit on the aggressive side.

Installation: Shelter Tape has an adhesive which is covered with a backing tape, kind of like a vinyl sticker might have. It is wise to cut the tape into the desired length, width, and shape before taking that backing tape off as the adhesive is pretty aggressive and finger prints will show if you touch the adhesive side. 

Surface preparation included a wipe-down to knock off any dust or dirt, then a quick wipe-down with some isopropyl alcohol. A clean, dry surface is imperative to achieving the best results. Once you have all the preparations done, it is time to apply the tape. 

The 50mm wide width was perfect for my steel frame and the 1 meter length was just barely long enough to get everything I wanted to cover covered. I ended up doing the entire length of the down tube, the bottom bracket shell, the potential rub areas in the fork crown and chain stays, and the top of the right chain stay. 

After taping the Shelter Tape is pretty invisible to most folks.

Impressions: The Shelter Road 0.6 was about the same experience as I remembered from handling it before. One must exercise a lot of care and patience to get a great result. I might suggest conning a friend into doing the job for you if you have a short attention span and details are not your thing. While it is possible to pull the tape back off while installing, it is nearly impossible to do that and not ruin the tape. So, all the preparation is very important and care in installing is paramount. 

I was pretty pleased with my outcome. It took about an hour total to install it including preparations. The tape is pretty invisible, but you can see it if you look closely at a bike which is using Shelter Tape. I don't mind that as having no paint damage is more important to me than being able to see where the tape edges are at on the frame.

While you can see the tape edges, you have to know where to look.

Expectations: The visco-elastic tape is claimed to be able to damp vibrations from gravel riding. Effetto Mariposa makes this bold claim and I will be interested in seeing if this is true. 

Otherwise I expect the Shelter Tape to ward off any dings and scratches inherent in gravel riding. I probably could have done the chain stays on the underneath side to really get 100% protection from rocks, but I did not have enough Shelter Tape to do that. I don't expect to see a lot of damage down there though, but we will see and it will be a nice contrast to see how Shelter Tape does protect things if that area does see rock hits. 

Stay tuned for updates, but I wouldn't expect anything until I get a lot more rides in on this bike.

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