Chain Lubes (NOT WAXES)

I’ve been using synergetic for a month or so now. Started with a totally clean chain using the 3 mineral spirits, 1 alcohol bottle shake method.

The applicator is totally precise unlike any other I have used. And you need it to do the 1 drop per roller.

It makes the chain EXTREMELY quiet. Wiping the chain after each ride takes like 10 seconds and after a month it still is clean and looks like it did after I cleaned it.

I cannot picture not using this lube for as long as it is available, seriously.

I’ve tried all sorts of waxe and silca super secret, and I prefer synergetic. There’s something nice and quiet about a wet lube, and the simplicity of it.

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I like to use Finishline Ceramic Lube. Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lubricant 120ml Bottle | Lube | Wiggle I use the wet stuff as its fairly clean and I can lazily leave it on for a few weeks and just wipe the outside and not have to worry about having enough lube when caught in a downpour or amidst a longer ride. When I do clean the chain I find that its done a good job of protecting the chain.

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I’ve tried my first chain-coating type lube this year - Tru Tension Race Lube. I started out with a new chain, and it was also my first time stripping a new chain back to dry.

I avoid riding in the rain, and therefore it’s been easy keeping everything clean, but this stuff really is super clean. I can run my finger over the chain after a ride and it comes away clean. Touch your white sock against the chain - no problem. I’ve got about 500km in the chain and it looks brand new. After about 5/6 applications I’ll probably remove the chain, shake in boiled water, strip it with white spirit and then denatured alcohol. Should only take 5 or 10 mins, which I easily save with a much cleaner drivetrain.

The only issue with Tru Tension race lube is the short lifespan - 150km per application. I’ve run it to the max recommended distance, and it wasn’t dry but I prefer to play it safe. I’m a convert to these drip coatings, and have some UFO drip lined up for when I finish the TT - love it but the CS is cheaper to run(!)

Agree completely. Got a bottle of the Synergetic last year on sale because it didn’t have a warning on the label not to eat it. Really. Had to sign a waiver. I’ll never go back to anything else. Super quiet and smooth and long-lasting.

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Can anyone recommend a lube for a used chain? I bought my Roubaix last August so it probably has 1000 miles on the original chain. I used a chain checker and there’s lots of life left. I’ve used Finish Line Dry before on it (was all that I had at the time) but I was wondering if there’s something better. The chain was covered in wet road grime after a ride yesterday – I typically don’t ride in the rain, but everything gets wet from snow melt.

I’m cleaning the chain now in some mineral spirits to get any old goo and grime off, and want to try something to get more life out of the chain.

Thanks!!

I’m trying Tru Tension Tungsten (All weather) lube just now as my favourite Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube was out of stock. The tungsten lube is extra silent (the ceramic lube is quiet just this is extra silent), clean (once dried) and feels more efficient (whether is just that its so quiet) but it needs to be reapplied more often. I could leave the Ceramic lube for months in the summer and wipe off to a clean chain, I get the feeling I couldn’t leave the tungsten lube more than 1 ride, perhaps I needed to degrease the chain better first :thinking:

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I’m not sure how clean I can get my current chain (but trying with a few mineral spirits baths)… Does that lube need a brand new, perfectly clean chain?

Thanks!

I think it might reading their page BananaSlip Tungsten All Weather Lube | Tru-Tension

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Mineral spirits baths will get your new or old chain the same amount of clean. Once a chain is stripped of lube it is stripped, doesn’t matter if it is new or old. A used chain that has been ridden and where the factory lube has worn off will probably be a bit easier to clean.

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Makes sense in principle…maybe I just need more elbow grease. 3 mineral spirits baths and a scrub with a tooth brush left it looking like this. Going to throw it on the bike and run it through a chain cleaner and see if that helps before re-lubing. Thanks!!

Another vote for the synergetic stuff from silica. It’s voodoo good, clean, quiet and seems to last for ages between coatings. I’ll never use anything else. For reference I’ve tried hot wax, squirt, fenwicks stealth, all sorts of mix off, ceramic speed and more.

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Silca Synergetic Is the best. Simple and easy to use. Just clean you chain very very well. Pat dry. Apply 1 drip to each roller and wipe off. Quietest / smooth / and easy. Keeps it clean too.

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That’s corrosion, you won’t get that off (assuming I’m right). I’ve got a couple of chains like that that I got wet and left (I run waves /waxed chains), I was very annoyed but they run fine after cleaning again and re waxing. Turbo only though, just due to the look!

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I switched to RnR Gold last summer from waxing and have not regretted it (road, gravel and CX). Drivetrain stays quiet and extremely clean for a long time between applications and as a result the entire bike stays much cleaner. I would roughly estimate that I go 2x longer between applications vs. waxing, though it is so easy to apply that I just do it whenever I remember. I bought a large jug of it which comes with a smaller bottle you can refill and it was much cheaper that way.

Caveat - I have not used it in wet/muddy conditions, even for CX, as it was a very dry year. I suspect it will wear off quick with water, though I have not tested this.