After a year with high lockdown measures, 2023 seems to be a year where these restrictions are being dialed down a bit. Yes, social distance is still important, and you must always wear a mask when you’re outside, but now you have the opportunity to finally take your bike out for long rides and enjoy the beauty of the world around you. However, you must ensure that you have a smooth-functioning bike with our pics of the best bike chain lubes.
It’s notable that a filthy chain will cost you valuable watts on your bike. However, it will likewise cost you cash over the long haul because a messy chain will wear quicker. Hence, it is very critical to use a chain lubricant as it not just increases the life expectancy of the chain but also makes your ride smoother.
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Types Of Bike-Chain Lubes
The market for bike chains is truly vast now; the kinds of bike chains out in the market can confuse even most biker veterans. That’s why we’re here, to simplify the process you. Before we get into what are the 5 best bike chain lubes, let’s address the different types of chain lubes:
Wet Lube
As the name suggests, these kinds of lubes are best used for riding in wet weather conditions. Due to their wet nature, they will attract more dirt. Another problematic angle with wet lube is that the application process can be extremely messy; if it touches you or your clothes, it’s going to leave a mark.
Dry Lube
I’m guessing you can see a pattern here, and dry lube will work best for dry conditions. They are incredibly thin, made from a mix of oils and some kind of transport fluids. The lube penetrates the pins and rollers, after which it evaporates. The evaporation can be a downside due to the mix of oils and transportation fluid. Most of what is in the bottle evaporate instead of lubricating your chain.
Dry lubes are clean to handle and offer good performance when applied regularly, although contact between the chain and water can be problematic due to its dry nature.
Ceramic and Microparticle Lube
Not much is known of them; their claims are pretty bold, stating facts about reducing friction and wear. Claims also seem to include very high longevity figures and highly low friction.
These high claims are often linked to their equally high price tag, and the test has shown mixed results regarding ceramic and microparticle lube. The only thing I can say to you, a potential buyer, is buyer beware.
Wax-based and Wax Emulsion
Due to their functionality in both wet and dry conditions, waxed based lubricants are incredibly popular. Made from refined paraffin particles, which are emulsified in a carrier fluid.
Wax emulsion, as the name suggests means, covering your chain. This is done by dropping your chain into a crockpot filled with melted wax. The chains expand due to the head of the wax, and the voids are then filled with the wax. Once its dries, everything is covered by wax, and due to its dry nature, dirt won’t be an issue. A drawback, however, to wax based lubrication is the lengthy process.
Procedure To Apply Lube On Bike Chain
- The bottle containing the lube ought to be shaken well so it blends appropriately inside the compartment.
- Apply bike chain cleaning spray or clean the chain neatly with something else.
- Spray the product on the cleaned chain from a distance of few centimeters.
- Spin the chain so that the lube gets deep into its corners.
Now that we have an understanding of what the different kinds of lubes are let’s move on…
9 Best Bike Chain Lubes To Get In 2023
The 9 best bike chain lubes are as follows:
AbsoluteBlack Graphenlube
Bold claims have been made by AbsoluteBlack for its Graphenlube, calling it the ‘world’s fastest and longest-lasting’ bike chain lube. It is a wax-based lube that offers protection to both wet and dry conditions.
The claims made by AbsoluteBlack about saving five watts of power for up to 900km, extending that to 1800km for dry conditions, are absolutely true. It is honestly the best, and the only drawback to being the best is its dear cost.
Buy Here: AbsoluteBlack Graphenlube
Squirt Chain Lube
Another wax-based lubricant that works better with dry conditions, the Squirt Chain Lube, needs to be applied before every ride due to the application lasting only four to six hours. It excels in minimizing dirt build-up and keeping your drivetrain clean.
Minimal drivetrain noise, higher performance, and extended chain set life are all benefits that Squirt Chain Lube provides when applied correctly. While it is a wax-based lube, which would make it an all-rounder, Squirt Chain doesn’t do particularly well in wet and cold conditions. Although, they have launched a new variant for low temperatures called SLT, offering performance in temperatures below zero.
Buy Here: Squirt Chain Lube
CeramicSpeed UFO Ceramic Lube
Built specifically for race use, the CeramicSpeed is said to be the world’s fastest chain lube. The claims(which are backed by FrictionsFacts and Zero Friction Cycling and Road Energy) also bring with it a high price point, so you should definitely only use it on race day as they aren’t long-lasting.
To get the optimal use of the ‘Drip Chain Coating’, all contaminants, other lubes, and factory grease should be cleaned away before application. It lasts for about 200km/ 124 miles.
Buy Here: CeramicSpeed UFO Ceramic Lube
Rock N Roll Gold
Gold is the middle child of the three kinds of lubes Rock N Roll sells. One is dry, and one is wet and well, the gold is a little bit of both.
Gold’s formula penetrates quickly and sticks to parts of the chain, which ensure smooth functioning. At a reasonable price point, it’s a great buy.
Buy Here: Rock N Roll Gold Lubricant
Smoove Lube
Yet another choice here is another wax-based lube and an all-rounder as well, with the use of ‘special additives’ that use water to help it penetrate the pins and rollers. Smoove has a longevity that is incomparable.
It maybe not be ultra-slippery, but the sheer long-lasting capacity and reasonable pricing of Smoove makes it a great buy.
Buy Here: Smoove Lube
Motul
Motul is one of the totally best in class brands with regards to bike adornments, and it is the favored choice of the bikers everywhere. It is popularly referred to as C2 chain lube and is viable for all bikes, works consummately with O ring, X ring, and Z ring kind of chains.
Motul chain lube is available in 150 ml and 400 ml variants. The spray type of delivery system makes it more durable. It sticks to the chain even at high speeds and ensures easy chain movement. This helps in the smooth working of the bike chain, assisting you with achieving a smooth ride. It also cleans the chain and helps in increasing its lifespan.
Buy Here: Motul
Castrol Chain Lube Racing Spray
Pick a standout amongst other chain-lubes for your bike by choosing the one from Castrol. Being a trust-worthy brand, Castrol offers a phenomenal chain lube that will lessen the elongation of your bicycle’s chain and keep concerns like damage and corrosion aside. Ideal for standard X and O ring chains, this lube is processed and checked for a great overall performance.
This bicycle chain lube is known for its anti-wear tech that cuts down the sprocket wear and gives a top of line protection from corrosion. Gettable as a spray lubricant, this item you can handily apply on your bike chain. Post applying, we suggest you to wait for 10-20 minutes, for the solvent to dissipate appropriately.
Buy Here: Castrol Chain Lube Racing Spray
Glosil GLO2000_500 Chain Lube Spray
Glosil chain lube is another well-known lube for your bike. It is extremely effective and grants great glue property to the chain; hence doesn’t throw off easily. Moreover, it isn’t too hefty on the expense perspective and has a great lifespan.
It is appropriate for a wide range of vehicles. The lubrication provides to the chain is excellent. It is highly resistant to corrosion and wears & tear. In comparison to other variants in a similar price range, it lasts much longer.
Buy Here: Glosil GLO2000_500 chain lube spray
Waxpol CCL170 Chain Lube
Waxpol CCL170 is another budget chain lube for a wide range of bikes. It ensures longer and works entering profoundly into the corners of the chain. This lube also helps in power transfer because of its properties. It imparts a long-lasting grease on-chain.
It is quite resistant to dirt and water. It also provides good safety from corrosion and environmental damage. The main advantage of the wax pool is that it is very budget-friendly.
Buy Here: Waxpol CCL170 chain lube
Conclusion
So there you have it, a comprehensive list of the 9 Best Bike Chain Lubes to Get in 2023. If you think we’ve left a certain product out or have any kind of input of your own, do leave a comment and share this with your friends and family.
Travis is a bike aficionado. Since he was a little boy, he has been riding bikes all day! And this passion led him to start this blog! His passion reflects in his words and detailed reviews!