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": Introducing The Next Round

(L-R) aMTBRer Products "Smoothe Lube 1.2, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Chain Lube

Guitar Ted Productions "Lube Off" Intro:

Readers will remember last Fall when I pitted three lubes against each other and found the Champ, DuMonde Tech, to be the winner by a hair over the excellent Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube.

By the way, can we just go ahead and say that "chain lube" and a short company name is all we need? I mean, good golly! Some of these lubes are a fair jaw-cracker.

Anyway, here are the next three lubricants I have to pit against each other. One was supposed to have been in the last round, but came too late to be included. I am adding it to this round along with two new-comers. Note- I did not pay for any of these lubricants. I have not been bribed, nor have I been paid to make these posts. These lubricants were either free samples or sent in specifically to be tested and reviewed by me. I will strive to give my honest thoughts and views throughout.

First up we have an independently made and developed lubricant from SoCal, the aMTBer Products Smoothe Lube 1.2. Here's the blurb from their site:

• Our premium chain lube for Gravel and XC MTB. Designed for silent performance on higher cadence efforts from a wax drivetrain system and still stay incredibly clean and fast.  Can be used solely on a fresh clean chain, or as a supplement for your wax-dipped chains, and can be used with Original Smoothe Lube as the maintenance coat between rides.  

Notes; This lube is a wax based lube. It has a very detailed, specific application process, but follow-up lubrication applications are simple*. Claims to not wash off with a bike cleaning of soapy water. Note: Rinse with water while washing your bike. Product is unaffected by soap and bike wash products. *Also- the instructions strongly recommend pre-ride maintenance using a brush application process. Yes.....before each ride. Although I'm told it can go for a "few rides" in between applications as long as those rides are not particularly long ones.

Next we have the Lilly Lube Premium Bicycle Chain Lubricant, also an independently developed product out of SoCal. On to the marketing blurb.....

• EP (Extreme Pressure) additives for superior film strength
• Contains proprietary additives that reduce friction
• Cleans every time you use it
• Petroleum based lubricant
• No added scents or dyes
• Made in the USA   

Notes: The site says this one is good as a wet and a dry lube. NOT a wax based lube, but claims to have "minimal attraction" to dirt and grit. Strictly instructs user to apply 8 hours ahead of a ride. Also, and very interestingly, the application process doubles as a chain cleaning process. Kind of reminiscent of Pro Gold lube in that way. No hints given as to when to re-apply Lilly Lube are given on their site. Hmmm.....

Next up we have WPL Wet Chain Lube from Canada. This one is neither wax based, nor petroleum based, but is made from a combination of oleochemicals (animal and plant based), antioxidants, and seed oils. It is certified biodegradable. Okay, now onto the marketing blurb:

•  Premium bio-based formula made with natural ingredients
• EmulsifiteTM technology provides dynamic cleaning abilities and prevents black goop build-up
• Long-lasting formula improves pedal efficiency by reducing chain wear and friction
• For use on bicycle chains, shifters, derailleurs and cables
• Biodegradable, non-toxic, PTFE-free formula is environmentally friendly
• Made in Canada

Notes: Claims it prevents "black goop build-up". Also claims that when washing with high pressure water, a chemical reacts to help clean the chain.  Regular splashing and running through puddles apparently doesn't affect this lube. Says this is especially good in wet conditions and for ultra-endurance efforts. Pretty straight forward application technique, and suggests reapplication when chain gets dirty.

The Fargo refreshed for 2020 duty, now going on 12 years old!

Comments: The aMTBer lube has already been used some, and so that one will get reviewed first. Then I'll move on to the other two. I'm planning on keeping the six hour use formula in place here, as that was the baseline for the test last Fall. NOTE- the aMTBer lube specifically calls out a pre-ride brush-on ritual for their product, and as you can probably guess, I have a big problem with that. But we'll play by their rules and I have a plan to test this particular lube straight-up as I would prefer to use it.

The other two lubes give no particular time limitations, nor do they call out for "time specific" re-applications as you use the lube, only really saying that you might re-apply when the chain gets dirty. We'll see how long that takes. Either way, the six hour time period is the test protocol here.

I will also be using the "Touch Test" to ascertain how much black goop I gather on these chains as the test progresses. This is a simple wipe of the chain with my index finger across about two inches of the chain's inner run. Whatever comes off, I photograph that and show you. The more gunk/black stuff, the lower down the rung the lube goes on the ratings.

Okay, I think it will be good to briefly go over the champion DuMonde Tech's characteristics here. It is a lube that remains uncannily clean, always out-performing the contenders on the Touch Test and in terms of longevity when it comes to use. Reapplications are few and far between. There is a strict first application protocol, but if it is followed, yeah.... Nothing comes close except the Muc-Off Ceramic C3 Dry, which is very similar in performance results for me.

So, low maintenance, dry, clean looking chains that feel slippery to the touch, and quiet, smooth shifts are the benchmarks. Also- I am taking the perspective of a gravel road rider, primarily. So resistance to grit and dust build up is a big plus in my eyes. Of course, your basic lubrication attributes must be maintained as well, or what's the point, right? As a side note- I readied the Fargo Gen I for this test yesterday.

 Let's see what these contenders bring to the table. Stay tuned........

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off": Introducing The Next Round

(L-R) aMTBRer Products "Smoothe Lube 1.2, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Chain Lube

Guitar Ted Productions "Lube Off" Intro:

Readers will remember last Fall when I pitted three lubes against each other and found the Champ, DuMonde Tech, to be the winner by a hair over the excellent Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube.

By the way, can we just go ahead and say that "chain lube" and a short company name is all we need? I mean, good golly! Some of these lubes are a fair jaw-cracker.

Anyway, here are the next three lubricants I have to pit against each other. One was supposed to have been in the last round, but came too late to be included. I am adding it to this round along with two new-comers. Note- I did not pay for any of these lubricants. I have not been bribed, nor have I been paid to make these posts. These lubricants were either free samples or sent in specifically to be tested and reviewed by me. I will strive to give my honest thoughts and views throughout.

First up we have an independently made and developed lubricant from SoCal, the aMTBer Products Smoothe Lube 1.2. Here's the blurb from their site:

• Our premium chain lube for Gravel and XC MTB. Designed for silent performance on higher cadence efforts from a wax drivetrain system and still stay incredibly clean and fast.  Can be used solely on a fresh clean chain, or as a supplement for your wax-dipped chains, and can be used with Original Smoothe Lube as the maintenance coat between rides.  

Notes; This lube is a wax based lube. It has a very detailed, specific application process, but follow-up lubrication applications are simple*. Claims to not wash off with a bike cleaning of soapy water. Note: Rinse with water while washing your bike. Product is unaffected by soap and bike wash products. *Also- the instructions strongly recommend pre-ride maintenance using a brush application process. Yes.....before each ride. Although I'm told it can go for a "few rides" in between applications as long as those rides are not particularly long ones.

Next we have the Lilly Lube Premium Bicycle Chain Lubricant, also an independently developed product out of SoCal. On to the marketing blurb.....

• EP (Extreme Pressure) additives for superior film strength
• Contains proprietary additives that reduce friction
• Cleans every time you use it
• Petroleum based lubricant
• No added scents or dyes
• Made in the USA   

Notes: The site says this one is good as a wet and a dry lube. NOT a wax based lube, but claims to have "minimal attraction" to dirt and grit. Strictly instructs user to apply 8 hours ahead of a ride. Also, and very interestingly, the application process doubles as a chain cleaning process. Kind of reminiscent of Pro Gold lube in that way. No hints given as to when to re-apply Lilly Lube are given on their site. Hmmm.....

Next up we have WPL Wet Chain Lube from Canada. This one is neither wax based, nor petroleum based, but is made from a combination of oleochemicals (animal and plant based), antioxidants, and seed oils. It is certified biodegradable. Okay, now onto the marketing blurb:

•  Premium bio-based formula made with natural ingredients
• EmulsifiteTM technology provides dynamic cleaning abilities and prevents black goop build-up
• Long-lasting formula improves pedal efficiency by reducing chain wear and friction
• For use on bicycle chains, shifters, derailleurs and cables
• Biodegradable, non-toxic, PTFE-free formula is environmentally friendly
• Made in Canada

Notes: Claims it prevents "black goop build-up". Also claims that when washing with high pressure water, a chemical reacts to help clean the chain.  Regular splashing and running through puddles apparently doesn't affect this lube. Says this is especially good in wet conditions and for ultra-endurance efforts. Pretty straight forward application technique, and suggests reapplication when chain gets dirty.

The Fargo refreshed for 2020 duty, now going on 12 years old!

Comments: The aMTBer lube has already been used some, and so that one will get reviewed first. Then I'll move on to the other two. I'm planning on keeping the six hour use formula in place here, as that was the baseline for the test last Fall. NOTE- the aMTBer lube specifically calls out a pre-ride brush-on ritual for their product, and as you can probably guess, I have a big problem with that. But we'll play by their rules and I have a plan to test this particular lube straight-up as I would prefer to use it.

The other two lubes give no particular time limitations, nor do they call out for "time specific" re-applications as you use the lube, only really saying that you might re-apply when the chain gets dirty. We'll see how long that takes. Either way, the six hour time period is the test protocol here.

I will also be using the "Touch Test" to ascertain how much black goop I gather on these chains as the test progresses. This is a simple wipe of the chain with my index finger across about two inches of the chain's inner run. Whatever comes off, I photograph that and show you. The more gunk/black stuff, the lower down the rung the lube goes on the ratings.

Okay, I think it will be good to briefly go over the champion DuMonde Tech's characteristics here. It is a lube that remains uncannily clean, always out-performing the contenders on the Touch Test and in terms of longevity when it comes to use. Reapplications are few and far between. There is a strict first application protocol, but if it is followed, yeah.... Nothing comes close except the Muc-Off Ceramic C3 Dry, which is very similar in performance results for me.

So, low maintenance, dry, clean looking chains that feel slippery to the touch, and quiet, smooth shifts are the benchmarks. Also- I am taking the perspective of a gravel road rider, primarily. So resistance to grit and dust build up is a big plus in my eyes. Of course, your basic lubrication attributes must be maintained as well, or what's the point, right? As a side note- I readied the Fargo Gen I for this test yesterday.

 Let's see what these contenders bring to the table. Stay tuned........

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Results And Commentary

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Okay, the final results, as determined by me, Guitar Ted, have been rendered in this round of the "Lube-Off". First, for reference:

Note: For the Introduction to the contenders and procedures used in this test, please see THIS POST. Also please note that the possibility of a fourth contender never materialized, so this test is just between the three lubes mentioned in the introduction. 

 The first update on the Muc-Off lube can be read here. The Squirt Lube post can be read here.The "Final Update" concerning DuMonde Tech can be found HERE.

It was tough this time to determine a winner. Usually, that hasn't been the case in the past with DuMonde Tech simply blowing away the other challengers. I think all three lubes I tested this time are worthy choices, so let's get that out of the way first thing. I could live the rest of my days using any one of them and not have a lot of nits with any of the trio. That said, there is a "best, "better", and a "good" choice here. I'll start off by telling you right up front that DuMonde Tech is still the best of the lot, so if you want to skip the rest of this post, go ahead.

The rest of you- read on.......

 "Good"- Squirt Lube:

Squirt did well. It stayed slick until the six hour mark and then it was definitely done. To be fair, the label suggests reapplication after six hours of use. (Thus the six hour limit used for the Muc-Off and the six more hours on an already used DuMonde Tech set up)

The thing is, you have to re-up at least every six hours of riding, if not more often. This means cleaning up the chain first, drying, then reapplication of Squirt- that is if you want to do this "right". But however you see that going down or not, the fact is that you are going to go through a lot more lube than with the other two choices here. That means more overall expenses. (You'll need to replace the lube at a quicker rate, besides any cleaning or what have you.)

The other nit I had with Squirt lube was that it attracted a fine coating of dust on everything the Squirt lube touched. Dust means accelerated wear. It wouldn't be terrible, as Squirt didn't seem to "gunk-up" like other wax based lubricants have that have gone through the Lube-Off in the past. Squirt is BY FAR the best wax based lubricant with the LEAST amount of fuss to apply it. It is biodegradable. It uses water as a lubricant carrier. So, there is a lot here to like. But the other lubes did not coat the drive train bits in a fine dust, so while it isn't a major deal, it knocks this choice down a notch for me.

"Better" - Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube:

Now here is where it got tough. The Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube was fantastic and really gave DuMonde Tech a run for its money here.

After six hours the Muc-Off lube was still rockin' and it had a ton of life left in it. The "Touch Test" revealed a nice, slippery feel and the chain looked pretty good after a six hour stint that even included some wet mud and water spray. The lube actually hung on pretty well, despite that more severe test, and it shows me that a little abuse is okay with Muc-Off. That's a great trait. I was thinking Muc-Off might actually topple DuMonde Tech off the pinnacle of lube dominance here at Guitar Ted Productions. But for one minor nit- it would have. 

Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube had just a hint of gunky build up. DuMonde Tech- if used properly and applied correctly- doesn't do this. Again. I could take Muc-Off C3 and live happily ever after. I recommend it as a good lube for gravel, but DuMonde Tech is jussssst a little bit better....... 

And The Winner: DuMonde Tech:

Yep. Use this stuff correctly and you will have a chain and cassette that simply sparkles throughout miles and miles of gravel travel with zero gunky build up and you should experience a long chain life. But you HAVE to apply it according to label instructions. If you do not- it sucks, plain and simple. The magic here is in the preparation. And actually- that is true with all lubes. Most folks do not take the time necessary to "do things right" and there is no "easy button" when it comes to exposed chain and gear derailleur drive trains. You simply must do due diligence or your results will suffer.  

That said, IF you do use DuMonde Tech correctly, it is one of the easiest lubes to "live with". As shown by this run of the "Lube-Off", chain maintenance is minimized with this lube, whereas lubes like Squirt are actually pretty high maintenance. Also, DuMonde Tech runs really clean, and is a bit cleaner than the Muc-Off C3, but not by much. Again- I'll continue to use the Muc-Off product going forward as well. I want to see a longer term use of the lube, like I have seen with this DuMonde Tech, and then compare results.

Thanks for checking out this edition of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off". Please note that I was not paid, nor bribed for this review of these three lubricants. I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. My results may not reflect others experiences and any results I have shown are simply my own and may not necessarily mean anyone else will experience these products similarly.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Results And Commentary

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Okay, the final results, as determined by me, Guitar Ted, have been rendered in this round of the "Lube-Off". First, for reference:

Note: For the Introduction to the contenders and procedures used in this test, please see THIS POST. Also please note that the possibility of a fourth contender never materialized, so this test is just between the three lubes mentioned in the introduction. 

 The first update on the Muc-Off lube can be read here. The Squirt Lube post can be read here.The "Final Update" concerning DuMonde Tech can be found HERE.

It was tough this time to determine a winner. Usually, that hasn't been the case in the past with DuMonde Tech simply blowing away the other challengers. I think all three lubes I tested this time are worthy choices, so let's get that out of the way first thing. I could live the rest of my days using any one of them and not have a lot of nits with any of the trio. That said, there is a "best, "better", and a "good" choice here. I'll start off by telling you right up front that DuMonde Tech is still the best of the lot, so if you want to skip the rest of this post, go ahead.

The rest of you- read on.......

 "Good"- Squirt Lube:

Squirt did well. It stayed slick until the six hour mark and then it was definitely done. To be fair, the label suggests reapplication after six hours of use. (Thus the six hour limit used for the Muc-Off and the six more hours on an already used DuMonde Tech set up)

The thing is, you have to re-up at least every six hours of riding, if not more often. This means cleaning up the chain first, drying, then reapplication of Squirt- that is if you want to do this "right". But however you see that going down or not, the fact is that you are going to go through a lot more lube than with the other two choices here. That means more overall expenses. (You'll need to replace the lube at a quicker rate, besides any cleaning or what have you.)

The other nit I had with Squirt lube was that it attracted a fine coating of dust on everything the Squirt lube touched. Dust means accelerated wear. It wouldn't be terrible, as Squirt didn't seem to "gunk-up" like other wax based lubricants have that have gone through the Lube-Off in the past. Squirt is BY FAR the best wax based lubricant with the LEAST amount of fuss to apply it. It is biodegradable. It uses water as a lubricant carrier. So, there is a lot here to like. But the other lubes did not coat the drive train bits in a fine dust, so while it isn't a major deal, it knocks this choice down a notch for me.

"Better" - Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube:

Now here is where it got tough. The Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube was fantastic and really gave DuMonde Tech a run for its money here.

After six hours the Muc-Off lube was still rockin' and it had a ton of life left in it. The "Touch Test" revealed a nice, slippery feel and the chain looked pretty good after a six hour stint that even included some wet mud and water spray. The lube actually hung on pretty well, despite that more severe test, and it shows me that a little abuse is okay with Muc-Off. That's a great trait. I was thinking Muc-Off might actually topple DuMonde Tech off the pinnacle of lube dominance here at Guitar Ted Productions. But for one minor nit- it would have. 

Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube had just a hint of gunky build up. DuMonde Tech- if used properly and applied correctly- doesn't do this. Again. I could take Muc-Off C3 and live happily ever after. I recommend it as a good lube for gravel, but DuMonde Tech is jussssst a little bit better....... 

And The Winner: DuMonde Tech:

Yep. Use this stuff correctly and you will have a chain and cassette that simply sparkles throughout miles and miles of gravel travel with zero gunky build up and you should experience a long chain life. But you HAVE to apply it according to label instructions. If you do not- it sucks, plain and simple. The magic here is in the preparation. And actually- that is true with all lubes. Most folks do not take the time necessary to "do things right" and there is no "easy button" when it comes to exposed chain and gear derailleur drive trains. You simply must do due diligence or your results will suffer.  

That said, IF you do use DuMonde Tech correctly, it is one of the easiest lubes to "live with". As shown by this run of the "Lube-Off", chain maintenance is minimized with this lube, whereas lubes like Squirt are actually pretty high maintenance. Also, DuMonde Tech runs really clean, and is a bit cleaner than the Muc-Off C3, but not by much. Again- I'll continue to use the Muc-Off product going forward as well. I want to see a longer term use of the lube, like I have seen with this DuMonde Tech, and then compare results.

Thanks for checking out this edition of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off". Please note that I was not paid, nor bribed for this review of these three lubricants. I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. My results may not reflect others experiences and any results I have shown are simply my own and may not necessarily mean anyone else will experience these products similarly.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Update

Lube-Off Update: Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Lube Dry-

Note: For the Introduction to the contenders and procedures used in this test, please see THIS POST. Also please note that the possibility of a fourth contender never materialized, so this test is just between the three lubes mentioned in the introduction. 

Okay, with the six hour limit reached on the first test lube, the C3 Ceramic Dry, by Muc-Off, I am going to take this opportunity to show you my findings. Currently I am almost done with the Squirt lube, and then I will move on to the "control" lube, the DuMonde Tech.

"Dry" lubes are a bit of an irony. Describing something as "dry" that is made to lubricate? Doesn't compute when you stop to consider it, but these lubes are also "conditions specific" as well as being "less messy", so the meaning of "dry lube" is a bit vague in terms of what to expect. I thought I would take a brief moment to give you my take, and then apply that to what I saw with regard to the C3 Ceramic lube, and then also give a quick thought on the DuMonde Tech.

In my view, the "dry" in dry lube is meaning that this lube works best in conditions where moisture in the riding environment is at a minimum, and I also expect less mess. Now, what is "less mess"? Well, I don't expect any build up of "gunk", dirt, or greasy build up at all. Lubes for chains that are "wet" lubes, in contrast, are meant for the more extreme cases where you ride in mud, through water, in snow and slush, or rain. Those "wet" lubes are harder to wash away, stay on the chain doing their job longer in severe conditions, and yes.....the chain will look a fright. I'm all good as long as there is lubrication in those cases. But for this "dry" lube, I don't want to see anything like that. With that said, let's take a look at how the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Lube did.

Close up of the chain after 6+ hours

Close up of the cassette after 6+ hours.

Okay, so first things first. The C3 Ceramic Dry lube was run mostly on gravel roads and a big chunk of the time was on some wetter, messy gravel. (Note the seat stay on the cassette image) So, the C3 actually had some "severe level" exposure to grit, mud, and water. The cassette was new when the test started. The latter part of the six hours was on typical, Iowa gravel and it was dry and dusty.

Comments:  Impressive. This lube seems like it does pretty well in gravel conditions, and given that things got so mucky at one point my drive train was skipping and I was fearing I may rip off my derailleur at any moment for about a mile, this is doubly impressive. The chain and cassette are not 100% clean, as you might notice, but there is a distinct lack of greasy build up, and there is little to speak of here in terms of dust or dirt. The chain is not noisy. Shifting was spot on, with the exception of the extreme mucky mile, but that wasn't the fault of the lube.

The Touch Test revealed some gritty build-up.

When I did the "Touch Test" I found some gritty debris left on my finger. the chain felt mildly slick, not oily, and I did not detect anything "wet" at all. This was done in three places around the chain's length.

Contrast this to the current state of the chain with DuMonde Tech on it, (last lubricated in the Summer.....maybe?), I had none of that gritty residue and the chain felt slippery to the touch. Plus, that chain and cassette look cleaner than what I have here with the C3, and that looks great.

So, as I said- Impressive. The Muc-Off Ceramic C3 lube does what a dry lube should do. It leaves your chain slick, cleaner than you'd expect after 6 hours of gravel travel, and free from rust. I had some "outside of the parameters" conditions with this lube and it still held its own. It's got potential here to be as good as DuMonde Tech in my opinion. But let's run the entire test and then I'll make the final verdict.

Speaking of which, I have an hour and a half left to go on the Squirt l then it will be on to the DuMonde Tech lubed bike and after I run that for six hours we'll be ready for the final word. I plan on stopping by with my take on the Squirt lube here in a bit. Maybe later this week even. The C3 lubed bike is getting a complete overhaul/remake/upgrade here, so that chain will not be seeing anymore gravel travel for the near future. That bike will be the subject of tomorrow's post, along with what's happening to it. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Update

Lube-Off Update: Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Lube Dry-

Note: For the Introduction to the contenders and procedures used in this test, please see THIS POST. Also please note that the possibility of a fourth contender never materialized, so this test is just between the three lubes mentioned in the introduction. 

Okay, with the six hour limit reached on the first test lube, the C3 Ceramic Dry, by Muc-Off, I am going to take this opportunity to show you my findings. Currently I am almost done with the Squirt lube, and then I will move on to the "control" lube, the DuMonde Tech.

"Dry" lubes are a bit of an irony. Describing something as "dry" that is made to lubricate? Doesn't compute when you stop to consider it, but these lubes are also "conditions specific" as well as being "less messy", so the meaning of "dry lube" is a bit vague in terms of what to expect. I thought I would take a brief moment to give you my take, and then apply that to what I saw with regard to the C3 Ceramic lube, and then also give a quick thought on the DuMonde Tech.

In my view, the "dry" in dry lube is meaning that this lube works best in conditions where moisture in the riding environment is at a minimum, and I also expect less mess. Now, what is "less mess"? Well, I don't expect any build up of "gunk", dirt, or greasy build up at all. Lubes for chains that are "wet" lubes, in contrast, are meant for the more extreme cases where you ride in mud, through water, in snow and slush, or rain. Those "wet" lubes are harder to wash away, stay on the chain doing their job longer in severe conditions, and yes.....the chain will look a fright. I'm all good as long as there is lubrication in those cases. But for this "dry" lube, I don't want to see anything like that. With that said, let's take a look at how the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Lube did.

Close up of the chain after 6+ hours

Close up of the cassette after 6+ hours.

Okay, so first things first. The C3 Ceramic Dry lube was run mostly on gravel roads and a big chunk of the time was on some wetter, messy gravel. (Note the seat stay on the cassette image) So, the C3 actually had some "severe level" exposure to grit, mud, and water. The cassette was new when the test started. The latter part of the six hours was on typical, Iowa gravel and it was dry and dusty.

Comments:  Impressive. This lube seems like it does pretty well in gravel conditions, and given that things got so mucky at one point my drive train was skipping and I was fearing I may rip off my derailleur at any moment for about a mile, this is doubly impressive. The chain and cassette are not 100% clean, as you might notice, but there is a distinct lack of greasy build up, and there is little to speak of here in terms of dust or dirt. The chain is not noisy. Shifting was spot on, with the exception of the extreme mucky mile, but that wasn't the fault of the lube.

The Touch Test revealed some gritty build-up.

When I did the "Touch Test" I found some gritty debris left on my finger. the chain felt mildly slick, not oily, and I did not detect anything "wet" at all. This was done in three places around the chain's length.

Contrast this to the current state of the chain with DuMonde Tech on it, (last lubricated in the Summer.....maybe?), I had none of that gritty residue and the chain felt slippery to the touch. Plus, that chain and cassette look cleaner than what I have here with the C3, and that looks great.

So, as I said- Impressive. The Muc-Off Ceramic C3 lube does what a dry lube should do. It leaves your chain slick, cleaner than you'd expect after 6 hours of gravel travel, and free from rust. I had some "outside of the parameters" conditions with this lube and it still held its own. It's got potential here to be as good as DuMonde Tech in my opinion. But let's run the entire test and then I'll make the final verdict.

Speaking of which, I have an hour and a half left to go on the Squirt l then it will be on to the DuMonde Tech lubed bike and after I run that for six hours we'll be ready for the final word. I plan on stopping by with my take on the Squirt lube here in a bit. Maybe later this week even. The C3 lubed bike is getting a complete overhaul/remake/upgrade here, so that chain will not be seeing anymore gravel travel for the near future. That bike will be the subject of tomorrow's post, along with what's happening to it. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: The Contenders (So Far)

Muc-Off "Dry" version of their C3 Ceramic lube. (With UV gizmo)

The weekend was the pits as far as getting any riding in for me. Saturday was sketchy and I had errands. Then on Sunday, it rained a lot of the day and I woke up with a splitting head ache. (No alcohol involved) I have had a mild head cold of late and it kind of kicked into gear Sunday. No matter. It wasn't a great day for riding anyway.

So, in the meantime I dug into maintenance and some projects down in the "Lab" here at Guitar Ted Production's headquarters. One of those tasks was to get the three bikes I had in mind to use for the test set up with the lubes for the new "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" challenge, which I mentioned in the "FN&V" on Friday, of course. So, here we go, the three challengers, the bikes, and news on something that I just became aware of Friday.

Muc Off C3 Ceramic Lube/ Noble Bikes GX5: The new contender, Muc Off, with the C3 Ceramic lube, is on the Noble Bikes GX5 for this test. This bike has a SRAM Force 1X 11 drive train. The chain and the rest of the drive train is in pretty good shape.

Squirt Lube/ Fargo Gen I: The well known Fargo Gen I is the bike I chose to use the Squirt lube on. The drive train on the Fargo Gen I is a 3 X 9 and it is in a pretty worn state, but not out of spec......yet! I am expecting to find that I will need to be upgrading the bike with new parts soon. That said, it has shifted great and I have experienced no issues with it since I began riding this set up this year again.

DuMonde Tech/ Black Mountain Cycles MCD: Finally, the last bike in the test is the BMC MCD, otherwise known as the "Bubblegum Princess". The drive train on this bike is a 2X 11 set up and it has a ton of life left in it yet. This bike started out with DuMonde Tech lubricant and the chain is still the original one I started with last year when the bike was new.

The "Bubblegum Princess", as seen at the Solstice 100 earlier this year.

How The Chains Were Prepared: The BMC MCD was originally set up with DuMonde Tech on a brand new chain by stripping off the stock grease/coating and then applying the DuMonde Tech lube as prescribed by DuMonde Tech. I think I have re-applied a couple of times. DuMonde Tech recommends that when you hear chain noise that you put a drop on each roller and then continue use. So, currently the chain hasn't been lubed in a LONG time but until I hear anymore noises, I am not re-applying lube.

The Muc Off instructions were to strip the chain of any lube and dirt, dry it off, and apply a liberal dosage of the C3 lube to the chain. Muc Off says that it is recommended to let the lube set up for several hours before riding, but I am letting these all sit for a day+ at least, so no worries there. Muc Off also supplies you with what looks like a little key fob/key ring dealie. In reality, this is a tiny UV light emitter. Muc Off advises the end user to use the UV light to see if your lube application got the C3 down into the rollers and pins of your chain.

Muc Off C3 chain lube UV's out to a light blue color, which you can see by using the supplied UV emitter that comes in the box with the lube. 

In the image above you can see how the C3 has penetrated the pin/plate interface somewhat. This is kind of interesting since it seems like 80% of what I put on is......gone. If the UV thing is any indication, that is. Hmmm.... It feels like it has tons of lube on it, but we'll see. I'll get around to talking about the "touch test" in a second......

For the Squirt lube I did a similar clean-dry-lube procedure as I did for the Muc Off. Oh! By the way, I used Muc Off's Bio Chain Degreaser to clean these followed up with a water rinse, according to Muc Off's instructions. Okay, with that out of the way, Squirt recommends one drop of lube per roller, but that it is okay if you go a little bit more liberally than that. I did something toward the "little more liberal" approach. Squirt then recommends that you let the bike sit overnight. I did this.

Touch Test: The "Touch Test" is what I do to see if (a) a chain has any lube on it, and how much, (b) to see the condition of the lube, If it is dirty, and how much "grit" is in it, and (c) to see if the chain is "dry", rusty, or has a lot of friction. So, we can eliminate "c", somewhat, from consideration here, but the other two points are valid to look in to here. The test is performed by taking my index finger tip, "rolling" the rollers of the chain from the side that engages the teeth of the drive train components, and then observing any residue that is left behind on my finger tip. Sometimes I also focus on what the "feel" is, as I roll those rollers, since, as with dry lube, you often don't get any residue off on your finger tip.

Results: Muc Off C3 felt slick, but left no residue on my finger after a day. I did get some after 3 hours. This was a bit of a surprise seeing as how the UV test revealed very little lube there, at least from what I could see. Hmm..... My recommendation would be to let the Muc Off C3 sit overnight after an application. The Squirt Lube felt dry. Like a dry chain, but maybe a bit less friction? No residue to speak of there either. Impressive. Squirt says an application of their standard lube, which is what I am using here, should last up to 6 hours of road riding. (They haven't seen the "roads" I am gonna ride though!) DuMonde Tech generally doesn't feel like anything is on the chain, and after dusting mine off on the BMC, I found this to be true again. No residue after wiping down with a dry cotton cloth.

Okay, Squirt says to go 6 hours before a re-application of their lube, so I think that should make for a good time to check back in on things. That means I have 18 hours of riding to do! Oh! And about that bit of a surprise I mentioned from Friday- I have heard from Grannygear that there is a new lube that someone wants RidingGravel.com to test, so if that comes in time to insert that into this Lube-Off, there will be a fourth contender. Stay tuned......UPDATED 2/4/20: That lube mentioned in this paragraph didn't show up until late December of last year. I have a few hours on it, but it did not make the test. I plan on doing an updated "Lube Off" post in 2020 once I have six hours on that lube. It's Winetr now, so hang on.....


NOTE:  I was not asked to do this test, and I am doing it out of my own curiosity. There is no "prize" for coming out on top. No sponsorship, no personal connection with Squirt, Muc-Off, or DuMonde tech here.  The products used for this "Lube-Off" came from various events, or were sent to me to try at no charge. I am not being bribed, nor paid for this "Lube-Off", and any thoughts and opinions are only my own. Your results may vary.