Designed for dry weather riding, this leaves it both kinder on you and the environment. Lubricants tend to fall into one of two main categories: wet or dry.
One might instinctively think that a dry lube is used on dry days and a wet lube saved for wet days. Dry lube is applied as a liquid, before drying out to the leave the chain covered in the lubricating element. Wet lube - Like dry lube, wet lube is applied as a liquid, but remains as a liquid on your chain. Wet lube is often characterised by the thick, black gunk found on drivetrains that have been neglected for long periods of time. The downside of a dry lube is that it is less durable, sometimes losing its lubricating property fairly quickly.
Chains will also be washed clean of dry lubricant if it rains. Wet lubricants perform well in a wider range of weather conditions, making them ideal for year-round riding. Using a wet lubricant will require a little more maintenance however, as its sticky nature tends to attract grime. Left unattended the can turn the lube into a lapping paste that makes quick work of your drivetrain.
Wet lubes are also really good at reducing drivetrain noise. The downside is that the sticky nature of wet oil can attract dirt that, if left to build up, can work as a grinding paste to rapidly wear out components.
It also oxidises and if left to build up ends up as thick black gunk. Using wet lube properly requires regular degreasing and cleaning of your drivetrain. Dry lubes are much cleaner to use and attract less dirt build-up even with repeated applications. This makes them much better in dry or dusty conditions, especially off-road or on gravel.
However, even a light rain shower will wash dry lube off the chain and it is less durable; an mile ride in dry conditions can see lubrication drastically reduced. In a dry lube, some of the formula is solvent, which is there just to aid application. Whichever lube you prefer to use, for the best results Trimnell suggests that you leave the lube on the chain overnight before riding for maximum benefit.
Choosing a bike lube is tricky as there are so many out there that all appear to offer the same qualities. To guide you, below we have rounded up some of our favourite wet and dry lubes.
Have a look too at our test of the best bike cleaning kits. To increase durability and the length of time between applications, this wet lube contains N-Toc, a special refined plant extract that has similar properties to teflon. Green Oil claims it lasts over miles on the chain per application, depending on the conditions. Muc-Off's wet lube formula contains no harmful acids, CFCs or solvents, as well as being biodegradable. It features the company's integral Extreme Pressure Additives coat for increased efficiency in the drive chain.
The TF2 Extreme wet lube from Weldtite has water-resistant synthetic oils and special additives for reducing frictional losses. While it does require an application before every ride, Squirt excels when it comes to keeping your drivetrain clean - no dirt build-up here. If applied correctly it will minimise drivetrain noise, increase performance and extend the life of your chainset. In terms of its Achilles heel - well, Squirt doesn't do very well in wet and cold conditions.
Thankfully, Squirt has recently launched a new variant for low-temperature riding called SLT. SLT has a modified congealing point that makes it ideal for optimal performance in temperatures below zero. It is a hydrocarbon wax based lube, which, as the name suggests, contains graphene, which according to AbsoluteBlack, exhibits extraordinary durability and low friction over a long period of time in both wet and dry conditions.
It claims to save five watts of power for up to km, and in dry conditions, the Graphenlube is claimed to last up to 1,km on a single application, a claim that has been independently verified as truthful. It sounds like one of the best all-rounder bike chain lubes available, and the price reflects that, costing almost 10 times as much as Finish Line Wet. Finding the right chain lube can feel a bit like trying to find the best saddle for you; the lube that will perform the best for you will depend largely on where you ride, how much you ride, and how often you clean and or re-lube.
But, whatever you do decide on, please, for the love of all bikes, drivetrains, and the sanity of your local mechanic, do not use olive oil or baby oil! As the name suggests, dry lube us designed to be used in dry conditions. These are very thin and are made from a mix of oils and some sort of transport fluid, which is designed to help the lubricant penetrate the pins and rollers and then evaporate. They typically run pretty clean, and if regularly reapplied, can offer decent performance, though a splash from a puddle can leave you with a squeaky arthritic chain.
Wet lubes are for riding in wet weather, and can be more akin to syrup and grease than oil. These will be long-lasting and stand up well to torrential downpours but also attract dirt like a dollop of honey in a sandstorm.
Rider beware, wet lube can also be extremely messy not only during the application process, but also should your chain come into contact with your hands, or the back of your leg.
Waxed based lubes are becoming extremely popular because they work well in both wet and dry conditions and for on and off-road applications. Wax lubes are made up of refined paraffin particles which are emulsified in a carrier fluid; the liquid helps the particles get where the need to be and dries, leaving just the wax inside. The downside to wax lubes is they take a bit of elbow grease to apply and maintain. Wax emulsion, on the other hand, involves dropping your chain into a crockpot filled with melted wax.
The heat causes the molecules in the chain to expand, and the voids are filled with the liquefied wax. Once waxed, chains, chainrings, and cassettes only require hot water to be cleaned, no need for solvents or degreaser.
There is a growing crop of ceramic and microparticle infused lubes that make lofty claims about reducing friction and wear, and often come with the price tags to match. Ice Wax 2. A lube for dry conditions, it's perfect for summer riding. The wax is supposed to wear off over time, and in the process of doing this, it leaves a cleaner chain by taking off any grime with it. Over the following week, the routine of light cleaning and lubing the chain continued.
My chain stayed looking like a clean chain as opposed to the usual black colour it can go. The wax is easy to apply and remove. And you definitely start to notice that it works after a few applications.
It's also biodegradable which ticks the environmental box. Once you've cleaned your chain the oil is added; being of reasonably thin consistency the lube is easily spread over the chain on the first attempt. The ChainJ easily slips into the links and leaves a very quiet transmission and as long as you wipe off any excess no dust or dirt seems to stick to the chain. You'll need to re-apply more often in winter. Smoove is a thin, white liquid that needs applying to the rollers-only as you turn the chain to get a light, even coverage.
Then you leave it overnight to dry Smoove recommends this, though it says an hour is enough and the next day, the chain appears completely dry. Only by touching it can you detect the presence of the lube, in a faint stickiness. My plan was to see how far I could ride before chain noise became noticeable, but when I got to miles it dawned on me that I was never going to get a grinding chain, because Smoove doesn't work like that.
While most wax lubes work by flaking off, taking the dirt with them, Smoove creates this long-lasting coating which doesn't fall off hence the long-lasting lubrication but does hang on more to the dirt. Whether this is an issue for you depends on how often you like to clean your chain, but if you're a frequent cleaner, then Smoove works very well in between cleans. Read our review of Smoove Universal Chain Lube. When it was launched Muc-Off's Hydrodynamic Lube was presented as the most high tech chain lubricant that has ever been created.
After using it, we'd say you'd struggle to find a better high end lube. I managed to test in some fairly diverse conditions that included each of these and I would agree that it performs well. With terrible weather at the start of an 80km followed by heat, there was no clunking or shifting lag, even under load at the end. I also noticed this is a long-lasting lube; where I would normally aim to re-lube after each long ride, with this I didn't feel the need.
They have some lubricating properties, and plenty of uses on bikes and round the house, but they're not up to the job of keeping a bike chain properly protected. Aerodynamic, or wind drag, is the biggest obstacle to going fast. Okay, maybe a creaking press-fit bottom bracket Dry lube comes out of the bottle wet, commonly a fast-flowing liquid but once it dries it leaves a wax film on the chain.
It remains as a liquid on the chain, unlike dry lube which dries out leaving behind a waxy residue. Which lube you choose comes down to the riding conditions and your maintenance habits. It has the benefit of keeping your drivetrain nice and clean too, you just have to remember to reapply it more frequently. If you prefer to keep your bike in pristine condition and are happy regularly cleaning and servicing your bike, a dry lube might be the right choice.
Where wet lubes have the trump card is in sub-optimal conditions. It will not only last longer but also handle any weather conditions. Our readers are always a great source of knowledge and experience on bike equipment and care. Here's the pick of your comments from a previous version of this article. I commute on some filthy tracks, canal routes and bridleways.
Especially filthy recently. Cleaning the chain every night, wiping very well as I have taken the KMC advice on board and lubing. I need a wet lube and hve found over many years that Finish Line Cross Country has enough staying power for me, though I am interested in Rohloff's offering. Some times the lube wasn't enough, when the mud was particularly wet and there was also heavy rain.
So, I have been adding drop wise to the top of the roller for a few years now, the thing that I discovered was that if I did a small drop on each roller and then after doing the full chain doing another drop, it seemed to aid penetration and staying power.
With overnight set up and wiping down before riding. I might lose a little more on the rag but it seems to work for me. Prosper0 : None of these. Use wax. Looked at some standard grease in a hardware shop at the weekend - decided to send off for some TF2, a fraction of the quantity, because it's labelled as "for bikes". And finally, I went into the LBS who had a nice window display of wheels, said "what have you got that will me make me a better climber? Chris Hayes : I switched to waxing a few months ago after years of dirty, grunge-caked drive-trains.
I'm using Silca's super secret and will try molten wax next. I'll never go back. Don't care about the marginal gains, for me it's about a clean drive train.
The silence is a bonus. I've pretty much just used Squirt for the last few years but will give Silca, White Lightning and home-grown mixture a crack too at some point. ChrisBSX : I've switched to molten speedwax now. Works well for Zwift, flakes of wax cover everything like spots of oil would.
I have two chains so I can always have one ready to swap over, minimal downtime, or I can wax both at the same time. Chain swaps around miles, but with a quick link you can just swap a chain and then rewax the other chain at your leisure. Haven't used waxed chain outside much yet but seems good so far.
And use a bain-marie Pyrex dish suspended in a pan of simmering water on the stove instead of an electric hotpot, saves on the thermometer too since it can't go over degrees. This really is one thing where dirt cheap is actually technically superior to all the potions, lotions and sauces they sell by the ounce.
The only genuine hassle is the first degrease and clean - but you were doing that between regular lubes already, no? Thereafter I just pre-rinse the chain in boiling water, then rewax. Yeah, degreasing each new chain is a bit of a faff. But I'd say better than dealing with a chain covered in black oil. I waxed 6 new chains and then just rewax when required so far I've only needed to do the indoor trainer bike's chain.
Should I actually be cleaning off an outdoor chain before rewaxing? Freetime replied to ChrisBSX. Do you need 6 chains for multiple bikes or do chains not last as long with waxing vs oiling? I'm guessing two chains is a good idea as unlike oil, you can't wax a chain in 30secs before a ride? I'm intrigued by the idea of not having a manky black chain after every ride! Chris Hayes replied to Freetime Wax doesn't seem to last as long in Winter as I'd like, but I've gotten used to wiping off and re-waxing my chain after rides not before and leaving it to dry overnight.
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