The Right Chain Lube Could Save You Thousands

Oct 23, 2023

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If you run a dirty chain, you are burning cash—and other inconvenient truths about chain lube.

Consider the humble bicycle chain. It's an often overlooked part of a bike compared to wheels, cranks, and the frame itself, but the chain connects the rider's power to the bike's rear wheel. The chain's links constantly articulate around the drivetrain's gears, creating immense friction points between pieces of metal. With that much metal-on-metal contact, chains wear quickly, sometimes needing replacement several times a year.

Most mechanics will estimate that a chain should be replaced every 2,000 to 3,000 miles. But depending on your riding conditions and lubricant of choice, your replacement interval can be much shorter or much longer. If you miss that critical service interval for your chain, it could lead to costly parts (such as your cassette and chainrings) needing to be replaced, meaning you’ve just gone from replacing one chain, a cost of $30-80 excluding installation, to replacing your chainrings and cassette as well as your chain. Depending on the parts of your bike, this will potentially quadruple your bill.

If there are only two things that you take away from this story, they should be:

1. Regularly lube your chain.2. If your chain is dirty, clean it before lubing.

For the time-crunched, simply wiping away the grit and grime that collects on the chain after a ride with a rag prior to applying fresh lube puts you miles ahead of riders who don't do this (or those who apply lube to an already dirty chain). Because if you leave the chain dirty and add more lube, that lube will simply pull that contamination inside the chain. Whereas before, that grime was simply on the outside of your chain, ready to be cleaned off, now it's inside, wearing away key load surfaces until you have time to flush it out. Leaving a dirty chain dirty doesn't only sap your leg's effort by creating unnecessary drivetrain friction, it unquestionably costs you money, too.

A chain lube's job is simple, provide lubricant for the inner workings of your chain while keeping out as much contamination as possible. There are many chain lubes out there that do the lubrication part quite well. But the difference between a good chain lube and one you should avoid is often in how they do the second part. The better a lube is at keeping road grime away, the thing that causes accelerated chain wear, the better that lube will be at prolonging the lifespan of your parts, and in most cases, these lubes prove to be quite efficient as well.

Below are our three top-performing lubes and some of our favorite tools to keep your chain running smoothly. Learn how we selected these lubes, why you might want to spend more money on chain lube, and our professional insights on the most effective methods of cleaning your chain.

The easiest way to fight drivetrain friction is staying on top of cleaning and lubing your chain. Often the thought is that fighting drivetrain friction is something best left to the racers. But even if speed and efficiency are not something you’re worried about, perhaps you’re more concerned with having your bike last longer and saving money on maintenance. Consider that the friction robbing you of watts is also slowly wearing away at your drivetrain, which can potentially cost you thousands of dollars in long-term maintenance.

Efficiency testing done by Jason Smith of Friction Facts, a website that was doing independent testing of chain lubes before its purchase by Ceramic Speed, a company that makes parts such as bottom brackets and bearings to optimize drivetrain friction, in 2016) showed that a dirty chain could cost a rider upwards of five watts (at a constant 250W effort). The testing was done on a machine that set a constant input power into a chainring and then measured the output at the cassette within 0.02 of a watt.

Five watts lost to a dirty chain doesn't seem like much, but consider that the number of lost watts only increases as your effort goes up. So the efficiency gains you make with more training, better nutrition, or a fancy set of carbon wheels can easily be negated by a dirty chain.

When I first started riding, I figured most chain lube was the same. As waxed chains and subsequently high-end lubricants became more and more mainstream, I viewed them as products aimed at riders seeking the smallest marginal gains. So like many riders, I scoffed at spending $25 or more on a bottle of chain lube and moved on.

Then I started looking into Adam Kerin's data. Kerin has obsessively tested various chain lubes for chain wear and how that directly correlates to the cost of drivetrain maintenance. Kerin funds his independent research by selling the best-performing products through his business Zero Friction Cycling. He kindly shared his data and expertise with us for this piece.

I was stunned by the amount of money I’ve likely wasted using sub-par chain lubes. Kerin's testing focuses on the wear rate of chains when used with particular lubricants. The testing, conducted by running chains through 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) test blocks with various contamination levels, measures how quickly (or slowly) the chain reaches its wear limit. Then using this data, Kerin calculates the "cost to run" figure for each lube. Most basically, this means that when all things are equal, like how they are in Kerin's test setup, different lubes will result in different component wear rates. Over a given number of miles, the lube with the lowest wear rate will also have the cheapest cost to run number. It's worth noting that these price estimates are based on likely outdated prices, and the costs for many componets have only increased since Kerin compiled these numbers.

Over 6,214 miles (10,000km), the cost of using a poorly performing chain lubricant can be shocking. A rider using Ultegra 11-speed chain, cassette, and chainrings (in mixed road conditions) running Muc Off Lydicrous AF ($65) chain lube would spend $613 on maintenance. If the same rider uses Dura-Ace parts, the cost goes up to $1,629 over the same distance.

Compare that to using one of the top performing lubes, such as Silca Super Secret Drip ($28) With Ultegra 11-speed parts, the cost to run with Super Secret Drip is around $197, a savings of $416. Switching to Dura-Ace, the cost difference between poor- and top-performing lube is dramatic. Silca's Super Secret Drip riders are estimated to spend $551 per 6,214 miles, a massive saving of $1,078 over using the Muc Off lube.

Many riders know that keeping your drivetrain clean and lubricated saves money in the long run. But it's eye-opening to see in plain numbers that your choice of lubricant can also potentially save you a thousand dollars.

Let's start at the very beginning. First—remove the factory grease that comes on a chain before use. Despite what chain manufacturers will tell you, its main function is to keep the chain from rusting during storage and shipping inside its package. In Kerin's lab testing, the factory grease wasn't just inefficient; it dramatically shortened a chain's lifespan. The wear rate for Shimano factory grease was almost five times the rate of the top five drip-on lubes and nearly 10 times that of Silca's Hot Melt Wax ($43) treatment. Making matters worse, the wear rate of factory grease only accelerates as contamination like dirt, grit, or dust gets introduced to the chain.

If that's not bad enough, factory grease prevents high-end lubes (especially wax-based ones) from bonding to your chain. If you apply these lubes to an uncleaned, factory-greased chain, you’ll end up with a gunky mess. That does nothing good for your drivetrain—or your wallet.

Regardless of which lube you decide to use, it has specific application instructions that you should carefully follow for the best results. If you’ve applied the lube correctly, your chain should not be accumulating a ton of grime. Two things have happened if your drivetrain is black with grime and anything it touches becomes covered in grease. First, you’re likely using too much lube, and second, you're not cleaning your drivetrain often enough.

If you’re using a lubricant that claims to "clean as it lubricates," please believe me when I tell you that this is complete nonsense. Keirin explains it well, "Manufacturers can claim whatever they want because there's basically zero accountability. But there are marketing claims, and then there are physical realities. Lubricants do not clean as they lubricate. What they do is minimally and temporarily improve the ratio of lubricant to contamination. But if you don't remove the contamination by cleaning your chain, that ratio will continue to degrade rapidly."

Always keep a clean(ish) rag on hand to keep your chain clean. Make a habit of running your chain through a rag after every ride to remove any dirt that might have accumulated. Refer to our more detailed chain cleaning guide if your chain needs a deeper clean. Only apply lube to a clean chain to maximize the lifespan of your chain and drivetrain. In a pinch adding lube to a dirty chain will still improve efficiency. But, it will also continue to accelerate wear by pushing contamination (dirt and grit) into the chain rollers.

If you mostly ride in nice weather and use a clean-running lube—like Rock N Roll Gold ($9) or one of the wax-based lubes—you can go many weeks between needing to deep clean your chain. You should still wipe away even the small amount of grime your chain occasionally picks up after every ride and add lubricant as needed. But if you live somewhere where wet weather riding is unavoidable, you’ll need to deep clean more often.

Wet weather riding is an extreme test for even the best lubricants. And unfortunately, there's no magical solution.

"When you think about it, there are not many lubrication challenges as tough as riding a bike in the rain," says Kerin. "You have a chain doing a huge amount of mechanical work under a very high load, and it's completely exposed to the elements. The whole time it's doing that, your wheels are ensuring that it's being hosed with gritty water from the road or trail and water is really good at carrying abrasive contamination into your chain."

So if you ride in wet weather, you must clean your chain thoroughly after every ride or come to grips with your drivetrain parts wearing out more frequently.

The most common mistake with lubing a chain is using much more lube than is needed. If your chain is black with grime, you have likely added too much lube and didn't wipe away the excess. If this happens, clean the chain and start over. Lube only helps your chain when it gets inside the chain's rollers. Excess lube on other parts of your chain (or if the chain is visibly wet with lube) will attract more contamination and grime.

All of the lubes in this roundup have precise application instructions. It's essential that you follow those instructions when applying any of these products to your chain if you want to get the lube's full benefit. Many require just one drop of lube per roller on each chain link. Silca Synergetic ($27) only requires that for the first application, it needs only twelve drops of lube on the entire chain for re-lubing.

Many of these lubes also have a setting time, meaning you should give the lube time to sit and be absorbed into the chain. This set time can be anywhere from a few hours to a full day. After which, riders should wipe away the excess before riding. For example, Silca Super Secret Drip has a recommended set time of eight hours, but its performance improves further if given twenty-four hours to set. If you want to be good to your drivetrain, never lube your chain right before going on a ride. It's best to add new lube after you’ve cleaned the chain (or at least wiped it off as much as possible). Then re-lube following manufacturer instructions, allow it to sit, and wipe away any excess lube before riding.

Your riding conditions are the main factor. As I’ve previously mentioned, wet weather is incredibly taxing on chains and lubricants. But let's assume, for the sake of simplicity, that we’re mainly talking dry road miles. A conventional drip lube like Rock N Roll Gold should last 60-150 miles between applications. But more realistically, you’re probably adding lube every couple of rides to keep things running smooth and wiping the chain after every ride to keep it running clean.

Some lube (like Silca Synergetic) have excellent longevity and can go up to 300 miles between reapplication. Kerin's testing also includes a test for single application longevity. Not surprisingly, riding conditions is the determining factor in how long your chain lube will last. In dry road conditions, Synergetic lasted almost 500 miles. However, using the same lube in dry gravel conditions, its lifespan dropped to only 140 miles. So, it's not just the number of miles you ride; the conditions you ride in will impact how often you need to lube your chain.

Unfortunately, there is no handy guide for exactly how often you should lube your chain. According to Kerin, "The lifespan of chain lubricant on your chain is going to vary enormously based on what lube you use and your riding conditions. I generally recommend listening to your bike and re-lubing when things start to sound or feel a little dry. Then take this one step further and figure out how many miles you typically ride when your bike start's to feel or sound like that. Once you know that distance, you should plan to add lube just a little bit before that point."

→ Wet Lube - One thing that's clear from Kerin's testing: If you ride off-road, you should stay away from wet lubes because these lubes will attract dust, dirt, and other contamination. And since contamination leads to wear, it can get costly quickly. (Have you seen the price of a SRAM Eagle cassette lately?)

It's important to point out that wet-lube refers to the type of lubricants that tend to be a thicker oil (like NFS or Silca Synergetic), NOT to lubes marketed for wet weather riding, although many wet lubes can be good in these conditions. In a dry off-road environment, wet lube simply attracts more contamination, leading to premature drivetrain wear.

Wet lubes are very good in high mileage applications, where they stay in place better than dry or wax lubricants. Wet lube performs well in very harsh wet conditions because they are more resistant to being flushed out of the chain. In these conditions, it's better to have lube on your chain (even if it's contaminated) versus having no lube.

→ Dry Lube - Rock N Roll Gold is an example of a conventional dry lube that you’ll find in a bike shop. Dry lubes, typically, are a carrier liquid designed to deliver the "dry" lubricant inside your chain. This liquid then evaporates, leaving behind a relatively dry and well-lubricated chain.

In reality, most dry lubes don't last that long because the amount of actual lubricant inside them is small, meaning it needs frequent reapplication to keep a chain running smoothly. Additionally, even when riders give the carrier plenty of time to evaporate before riding, most dry lube does not fully dry and continues to pick up contamination and dirt. Many riders stick to dry lubes because they can be the easiest to use, it keeps drivetrains relatively clean (if you stay on top of wiping your chain clean after adding lube), and in ideal conditions, dry lube tends to perform okay.

→ Wax-Based Lubes - When people talk about wax lubes, they usually refer to lubes like Silca Hot Melt. This lube comes as a solid and needs to be melted in a crockpot before use. Then a carefully cleaned chain is immersed in the melted wax and allowed to sit. In Kerin's testing, this lube is the best for wear and longevity by a long shot. The main reason is that wax-based lubricants are very dry, so contamination doesn't stick to them. The small amount that does manage to cling on can't penetrate the chain because the wax is already in there.

The downside of wax is that it is more complicated than other types of lubes. But if I took one thing away from talking to Kerin about chain lubes, it's that he believes immersion waxing can be easier than using other types of lubes with the right tools and setup. I’m not sure if most riders are ready to embrace that position, but his cost of running data is very convincing. Kerin estimates the cost of using Silca Hot Melt over 6,214 miles (with Dura-Ace parts) to be $187. Using Rock N Roll Gold for the same distance will cost you $1,006.

Over the last few years, brands have introduced a new kind of lubricant that aims to combine the performance of immersion wax treatments and the ease of use of conventional drip lubes. Chain lubes such as Allied Grax, Squirt, Smoove, and Silca Super Secret Drip are all wax emulsions lubricants that work (more or less) the same way as dry lubes, except it's wax-based. The main advantage of using these lubes is they don't require melting wax, although you still need to start with a perfectly clean chain. While not as good as immersion wax, performance is still exceptional compared to conventional dry lubricants.

All of the lubes below were tested by Kerin. His data is where we obtained the Cost to Run amounts for each lube (based on 6,214 miles using 11-speed Ultegra parts). Our Gear Team also ride-tested each lube to confirm the data correlated to real-world conditions. We used the data, our own ride testing, and our years of expertise to make recommendations for the type of rider we think will be best served by the different lubes.

If you’re not comfortable removing your bike's chain but still want many of the benefits of chain wax, this stuff is for you. It works similarly to Silca's Hot Melt Wax but in liquid chain lube form. Following application instructions and applying to a clean chain is essential for getting the most out of this lube, but it's worth the extra effort—and price—if a quiet, clean, and efficient drivetrain is your goal. While Kerin didn't test single application longevity with Super Secret Drip, he conservatively estimates 180 miles in dry conditions would be no problem based on his lab testing.

Out of all the lubes we’ve used, Silca's Hot Melt Wax was the runaway best in reducing drivetrain wear, increasing efficiency, and lasting a long time. After weeks of riding and racing, we experienced excellent longevity. This longevity was also reflected in Kerin's testing, showing that a single application of Hot Melt can last up to 330 dry road miles. Hot Melt Wax is also compatible with Silca's Super Secret Drip lube. The Super Secret lube allows riders to prolong periods between full immersion reapplications of Hot Melt, making maintenance a little easier. Perhaps an under-discussed benefit of chain waxing: If you have kids that like to grab things, a waxed chain runs very cleanly, so there's little chance of them dragging grease throughout the house.

Many of us at Bicycling have used RockNRoll Gold for a long time. It's cheap, easy to use, and, in Kerin's testing, proved pretty good in dry conditions. In terms of outright efficiency, if RNR Gold is applied to a clean chain and then given time to dry, it performs impressively and stays relatively clean. In wet conditions, however, it gets overwhelmed by contamination, and chain wear rates jump dramatically. Even in ideal riding conditions, you’ll use a lot of RNR Gold. So while it's cheap, you end up going through it quickly. RNR Gold is another lubricant that Kerin did not test for single application longevity. He estimated that (in clean and dry conditions) RNR Gold could last as much as 200 miles. RNR Gold is straightforward to use (as long as you keep up on cleaning your drivetrain) and will work well for riders who don't typically ride in the rain.

Allied markets Grax as the world's first gravel formulated chain lube. It works fine for that, but it's great for other types of riding as well, as it's a wax emulsion-based drip lubricant. Grax's biggest strength was how long it lasted per single application. It also tends to resist being washed away during a quick bike wash. In Kerin's estimation, if applied correctly, it should have no issue lasting the duration of very long gravel races such as Unbound Gravel.

Silca Synergetic is a perfect choice for riders primarily concerned with the longevity of each application. In Kerin's testing, Synergetic is the longest-lasting single application lube in this roundup. But, this longevity comes with caveats as it's in dry road conditions. Synergetic is the only wet type lube in this roundup because, for most riders, wet lube is not the best option as they tend to attract too much contamination. What sets Synergetic apart is just how little of it is needed to lubricate a chain. Because of this, it tends to run much cleaner than typical wet lubes. Like other lubes in this test, it requires careful application to a clean chain to fully realize its performance benefits.

Squirt is another wax emulsion drip lube that all-around performed solidly in Kerin's testing and our real-world experience. It's also about half the price of other wax emulsion lubes. So, it's an option for riders who want the performance benefits of wax but don't want to spend over twenty bucks on a bottle of lube. Like every wax-based lube on this list, Squirt works best when you apply it to a clean chain and let it dry completely (usually overnight) before use. But that extra effort gives you outstanding performance for the price.

If you want to get serious about cleaning your chain, you first need to remove it from your bike. It's easier to clean the chain and the rest of the drivetrain when you’re not constantly working around other components. These Park Tool pliers are a solid addition to any home mechanics workshop. They’re simple to use and work well with every quick link I tried them on.

While an ultrasonic cleaner is overkill for most home mechanics, it's a good investment if you're someone that wants to have a spotless drivetrain. Riders that are planning on using immersion wax on their chains might want to invest in one of these as it's the easiest way to completely rid the chain of any contamination, grease, and oily residue which can prevent the wax from adhering to the bare metal.

I’ve had great experiences with the Grunge Brush for quicker on-the-bike chain cleanings. I’ll apply a bit of degreaser to the bristles and run the chain through them. The brush won't fully decontaminate the chain, but it will get a lot of grime off. Let the chain fully dry before reapplying lubricant.

There are many options for degreasers that do the job, but Oranj Peelz from Pedro's is my favorite because it doesn't feel like I’m inhaling toxic fumes while I’m using it. My main recommendation with a degreaser is to avoid spray-on kinds. They look like they’re doing something with all the foam, but it's more of a mess than anything.

You can use an old t-shirt as a rag if you want. However, dedicated shop rags are better for cleaning drivetrains and much easier to handle when you’re trying to clean spinning gears and pulley wheels. Plus, they’re generally handy to have around the house.

Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master's National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.

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