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: WPL Lube Results

The Fargo Gen I rig ran the WPL lube for this round of the Lube-Off

 Note: the following is an update on the ongoing 2020 round of the Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" featuring aMTBer Smoothe Lube, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube.

All righty then! I have exactly 6 hours logged on the Fargo Gen I running the WPL Wet Lube which is a wet conditions lube and fully, certifiably biodegradable.

In my last update on this lube, I mentioned that I was fairly impressed, that far into the test, but I had noted that the chain was displaying dry spots, and my question was whether this lube was washing off or not.

Well, I am quite sure it did not wash off, but it did dry up pretty badly. In fact, I believe it got sticky. The reason I say this is because I started suffering chain suck on the big ring, which is highly unusual, and generally happens when a chain gets dried out or if the chain ring is worn badly. Well, I know my chain ring is worn, but it isn't bad. I do know the chain feels sticky and gritty. So, I'm blaming the lube here.

WPL claims it has a resistance to "gunk build-up" and that it is meant for "endurance efforts". So, I think it is reasonable to expect that this lube should not have caused any black build-up and that it should have lasted six hours, at least. It loses on both counts, unfortunately. I think a quick review of the conditions I used this in are in order before I go on.

You can see the chain is dry here, and you can also see a gritty, black build-up. 

The conditions were mostly dirt, pavement, and a ride on gravel in there. There was mud, water in the mud, and short sandy sections. Basically a potpourri of surfaces, but mud and water were part of this six hours for sure. Nothing in excess, but a good balance of all.

So, again I think it was reasonable to expect better performance than I got. That a lube claimed as a "wet lube" acted more like a bad "dry lube" is pretty much unacceptable. This WPL stuff reminds me a lot of lubes based on soybean oil. That was a big fad back in the early 00's. That type of lube was fine unless it dried out and if you kept the chain wet, it would get real messy and sticky. Looking at my chain above, I would have to say that unless I cleaned the chain thoroughly before a re-lube, I'd end up like I used to with soybean oil lube.

The red arrows point to build-up on the cassette.

The build-up on the chain and cassette teeth was also evident and therefore not much of what was claimed about this lube seems to stand up here. My testing may not be representative of this lube. It is, after all, only "one data point", but to not even come close to the claims? I'd think this wouldn't be that far off, but there are the images. You decide......

The "Touch Test" revealed a gritty, dirty, dry residue off the chain.

My conclusion is that the WPL Wet Lube is really not all that the company cracks it up to be. While it was still wet, it was fine, but it lasts no where near what an "endurance effort" would be, and to be honest, the conditions weren't even that severe. My expectation was that the chain would still be wet to the touch, maybe dirty, but wet at least. It was pretty obvious that what was on my chain was only becoming a magnet for dirt and grit which was chewing up my cassette, chain, and causing chain suck on the big ring.

So, the next step here is to get a completely new drive train installed. The WPL's failure to lubricate well has pretty much pushed this drive train into the "well-worn" category (chain and cassette) and that won't do for the next up lube, which is going to be Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Wet Lube. I have plans to swap to a new crank set, use my Chris King bottom bracket, get a new 9 speed chain and cassette, and then I should be good to roll again.

I'm hoping to find a bit bigger middle ring for my "new" crank set too, which will be a late 00's Shimano LX I have sitting around, or the original XT one for this bike, which I think I still have as well. I'll have to check on that. At any rate, that is a wrap on two of the three lubes in this round. The results so far are, well........pretty dismal! The Lilly Lube is the last one I have to get to six hours and I have 1.5 to go there. It won't have to be much better to win this round, that's for sure! 

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.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: WPL Lube Results

The Fargo Gen I rig ran the WPL lube for this round of the Lube-Off

 Note: the following is an update on the ongoing 2020 round of the Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" featuring aMTBer Smoothe Lube, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube.

All righty then! I have exactly 6 hours logged on the Fargo Gen I running the WPL Wet Lube which is a wet conditions lube and fully, certifiably biodegradable.

In my last update on this lube, I mentioned that I was fairly impressed, that far into the test, but I had noted that the chain was displaying dry spots, and my question was whether this lube was washing off or not.

Well, I am quite sure it did not wash off, but it did dry up pretty badly. In fact, I believe it got sticky. The reason I say this is because I started suffering chain suck on the big ring, which is highly unusual, and generally happens when a chain gets dried out or if the chain ring is worn badly. Well, I know my chain ring is worn, but it isn't bad. I do know the chain feels sticky and gritty. So, I'm blaming the lube here.

WPL claims it has a resistance to "gunk build-up" and that it is meant for "endurance efforts". So, I think it is reasonable to expect that this lube should not have caused any black build-up and that it should have lasted six hours, at least. It loses on both counts, unfortunately. I think a quick review of the conditions I used this in are in order before I go on.

You can see the chain is dry here, and you can also see a gritty, black build-up. 

The conditions were mostly dirt, pavement, and a ride on gravel in there. There was mud, water in the mud, and short sandy sections. Basically a potpourri of surfaces, but mud and water were part of this six hours for sure. Nothing in excess, but a good balance of all.

So, again I think it was reasonable to expect better performance than I got. That a lube claimed as a "wet lube" acted more like a bad "dry lube" is pretty much unacceptable. This WPL stuff reminds me a lot of lubes based on soybean oil. That was a big fad back in the early 00's. That type of lube was fine unless it dried out and if you kept the chain wet, it would get real messy and sticky. Looking at my chain above, I would have to say that unless I cleaned the chain thoroughly before a re-lube, I'd end up like I used to with soybean oil lube.

The red arrows point to build-up on the cassette.

The build-up on the chain and cassette teeth was also evident and therefore not much of what was claimed about this lube seems to stand up here. My testing may not be representative of this lube. It is, after all, only "one data point", but to not even come close to the claims? I'd think this wouldn't be that far off, but there are the images. You decide......

The "Touch Test" revealed a gritty, dirty, dry residue off the chain.

My conclusion is that the WPL Wet Lube is really not all that the company cracks it up to be. While it was still wet, it was fine, but it lasts no where near what an "endurance effort" would be, and to be honest, the conditions weren't even that severe. My expectation was that the chain would still be wet to the touch, maybe dirty, but wet at least. It was pretty obvious that what was on my chain was only becoming a magnet for dirt and grit which was chewing up my cassette, chain, and causing chain suck on the big ring.

So, the next step here is to get a completely new drive train installed. The WPL's failure to lubricate well has pretty much pushed this drive train into the "well-worn" category (chain and cassette) and that won't do for the next up lube, which is going to be Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Wet Lube. I have plans to swap to a new crank set, use my Chris King bottom bracket, get a new 9 speed chain and cassette, and then I should be good to roll again.

I'm hoping to find a bit bigger middle ring for my "new" crank set too, which will be a late 00's Shimano LX I have sitting around, or the original XT one for this bike, which I think I still have as well. I'll have to check on that. At any rate, that is a wrap on two of the three lubes in this round. The results so far are, well........pretty dismal! The Lilly Lube is the last one I have to get to six hours and I have 1.5 to go there. It won't have to be much better to win this round, that's for sure! 

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.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: WPL Lube Update

The Gen I Fargo is running the WPL lube.

Note: the following is an update on the ongoing 2020 round of the Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" featuring aMTBer Smoothe Lube, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube. 

Okay, just to get everyone up to speed here, and to clarify a point I made earlier, the Fargo Gen I is running the WPL Wet lube. I had stated earlier this bike would have the Lilly Lube, but that went on the pink MCD instead,

Okay- So, with 3.5 hours of six on the WPL Wet Lube, I wanted to give you all a quick update on it and tell you about the conditions it has been run in up to this point. I generally have been using these lubes on my commutes to work which feature a lot of off-pavement, dirt, grass fields, mud, and some water puddles. This time of year has been good for testing the "wet" of wet lubes, that's for sure.

I will say that what I expected- that wet lubes would be "messy"- hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be with the Lilly Lube or this WPL. I mean, they aren't anywhere near the level of the dry lubes, but then again, can we really expect that? I don't. I don't think you should either. And it bears mentioning again that wax based aMTBer lube is definitely NOT good in our wet conditions. So I won't be talking about that facet for that lube.

The WPL, for a "wet" lube has been pretty surprising. It is really quiet. That's something I noted right away, that it made the Fargo's drive train quieter. Shifting has been perfect. I cannot say that I have heard any odd scrunching, grittiness, or what have you due to water or wet dirt in the chain, but I do know I have had some dirt and water on this chain. In fact, in the image below you can see some dirt on the side plates in a couple places.

WPL Wet Lube has been pretty surprising for a "wet" type lube. 

By the way, I should note that this particular 9 speed chain is not very shiny at all, and never was. It is one of those SRAM chains that starts out a gun metal grey, so it kind of looks oxidized, but it isn't. That's just how it looks. But that said, you cannot really see much gunk, globby, oily build-up, or dirt sticking to this chain. It's not bad, for a wet lube. Quite good, actually.

Now the question will be, will this wear off before I get to six hours? It is looking pretty dry in spots, but we'll see. I have 2.5 hours to go and this one will be done. But regardless, I am impressed with this lube and if it holds up, it will get a fair recommendation from me. I wouldn't use it in dry, dusty conditions, but for what it is meant for? I think it looks pretty good, so far.....

Stay tuned for more soon. 

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: WPL Lube Update

The Gen I Fargo is running the WPL lube.

Note: the following is an update on the ongoing 2020 round of the Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" featuring aMTBer Smoothe Lube, Lilly Lube, and WPL Wet Lube. 

Okay, just to get everyone up to speed here, and to clarify a point I made earlier, the Fargo Gen I is running the WPL Wet lube. I had stated earlier this bike would have the Lilly Lube, but that went on the pink MCD instead,

Okay- So, with 3.5 hours of six on the WPL Wet Lube, I wanted to give you all a quick update on it and tell you about the conditions it has been run in up to this point. I generally have been using these lubes on my commutes to work which feature a lot of off-pavement, dirt, grass fields, mud, and some water puddles. This time of year has been good for testing the "wet" of wet lubes, that's for sure.

I will say that what I expected- that wet lubes would be "messy"- hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be with the Lilly Lube or this WPL. I mean, they aren't anywhere near the level of the dry lubes, but then again, can we really expect that? I don't. I don't think you should either. And it bears mentioning again that wax based aMTBer lube is definitely NOT good in our wet conditions. So I won't be talking about that facet for that lube.

The WPL, for a "wet" lube has been pretty surprising. It is really quiet. That's something I noted right away, that it made the Fargo's drive train quieter. Shifting has been perfect. I cannot say that I have heard any odd scrunching, grittiness, or what have you due to water or wet dirt in the chain, but I do know I have had some dirt and water on this chain. In fact, in the image below you can see some dirt on the side plates in a couple places.

WPL Wet Lube has been pretty surprising for a "wet" type lube. 

By the way, I should note that this particular 9 speed chain is not very shiny at all, and never was. It is one of those SRAM chains that starts out a gun metal grey, so it kind of looks oxidized, but it isn't. That's just how it looks. But that said, you cannot really see much gunk, globby, oily build-up, or dirt sticking to this chain. It's not bad, for a wet lube. Quite good, actually.

Now the question will be, will this wear off before I get to six hours? It is looking pretty dry in spots, but we'll see. I have 2.5 hours to go and this one will be done. But regardless, I am impressed with this lube and if it holds up, it will get a fair recommendation from me. I wouldn't use it in dry, dusty conditions, but for what it is meant for? I think it looks pretty good, so far.....

Stay tuned for more soon. 

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.

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........