Submitted by
photoBear
a Cross Country Rider
from Bendigo,Victoria,Australia
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2012
Strengths: smooth
quiet
doesn't pick up much dirt and what does get picked up is removed easily with any cloth or brush
great for dry dusty & sandy conditions
easy to apply
seems to work it's own way in well
doesn't gunk up much at all
nice and thin, seems to create an even layer of lube, no build ups
Weaknesses: you might need to re apply regularly, I find myself doing it every 3-5 big rides which is not to often for me
maybe not as good in the wet as water seems to wash it away a bit but that is negligible in my conditions
Bottom Line:
I find the trails i ride leave both me and my bike filthy with dust, which chewed up my stock chain with factory sticky lube pretty quick so the lbs suggested this and I found it really does as good a job as anything I've used to keep dirt build up to a minimum and what does get picked up is easy to wipe away.
It goes on quite easily working it's way in, it flows well, seems quite thin and evenly coated. As others have mentioned you can touch the chain and it doesn't feel oily just smooth. I find it works best with minimal lube applied.
It seems that when dirt gets on the chain it tends to fall away easily rather than build up but this also seems to take the lube away with it meaning you will have to re apply regularly which I'd rather do than let the chain build up dirt and grinding paste. I find also that there is less cleaning involved when I have to re apply than some other lubes.
Like many products for bikes it comes down to riding style and use as much as anything and I find this product works well in dry dusty conditions more than wet. It's good if you like to regularly clean and lube your chain and it seems to give good protection against wear. The feel is also lovely and smooth to ride.
Strengths: lubes really nice, no bad sounds from your chain anymore, chain stays so clean, i'd lick it instantly....!
Weaknesses: couldn't think of one
Bottom Line:
this stuff is awesome, it penetrates the chain alright, and there's just no dirt on the chain anymore. don't know what the other dudes did wrong, but i guarantee that the chain stays clean(of course u should wipe off the chain afterwards)! i can touch mine with my bare hand and nothing, not even greasy fingers or stuff like that, just freakin awesome!
and thick??? wtf! mine's fluid like water! who knows how old your free samples were....and of course u have to relube more often, it designed for freakin dry conditions, so what the hell do you guys expect???
long story short: BUY IT! I LOVE THAT STUFF! never used a better lube...don't listen to noobs that don't know how to use this stuff...
Submitted by
Graham Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2008
Strengths: Penetrates well. Does NOT attract dirt. Silent running chain. Good on other parts of bike. Greatly prolongs life of drive-train.
Weaknesses: Requires frequent re-application in extreme wet.
Bottom Line:
This is a great lube for hot, dusty conditions as found in Western Australia. Would-be users please note; apply liberally link by link by drawing drop across from inner plate to outer plate , run chain backwards for a couple of minutes, wipe off excess. To those who claim it attracts dirt; learn how to lube a chain properly.
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Ancaster Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2007
Strengths: Does not attract dirt much. longevity is good.
Weaknesses: does not last as long as oil based stuff
Bottom Line:
I recently used up my first bottle of this stuff, and i am pretty happy with it. It keeps the chain pretty quiet. It is not quite as clean as Krytech wax lube, but it does not really build up any grunge. The longevity is decent, but not outstanding. Resists water better than wax. For what it is, it is pretty good. I will return to Krytech for the dry summer months, but this was great for the fall. For winter/spring i am going to try triflow.
Strengths: Great lube. Thin enough to penetrate rollers. Attracts very little dirt. Good on other parts like derailure pulleys.
Weaknesses: Like any thin lube frequent reapplications are necessary.
Bottom Line:
Best lube I've tried. Any thin lube will wash off in the wet stuff, but that's not a big deal. Just reapply ever so often. It's a trade off for having a thick lube that sticks and collects dirt.
Remember, a well lubed dirty chain will wear much faster than a clean underlubed chain.
Bike Setup: Surly SS. Bullit. Burner. Trek 8500 HT.
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Submitted by
Fred
a Racer
from Bakersfield, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2005
Strengths: Last a long time in dry conditions. Easy to apply. It keeps the drivetrain quiet for a long time. It's cheaper then most brands. Doesn't attract dirt if applied properly.
Weaknesses: NONE; some say it's not good in wet conditions, it may not be good for MTB riding in swamp country. But rain doesn't seem to bother it.
Bottom Line:
The best product I've ever used. It is not thick as others have claimed, in fact its just a bit thicker the water and you can see it penetrate the links. I also use it on the derailleur and caliper pivots and it made those work smoother. You must shake it first before applying; then you have to wait for it to dry for at least 12 hours, and then wipe the sides of the chain; if you do that then dirt is not easily attracted to it. It's not as expensive as most. It not only last longer on the chain then others I've tried but you can also feel there's less friction in the drivetrain.
Similar Products Used: TriFlow, all the Pedros stuff, White Lightning, and Slick 50 1 Lube.
Bike Setup: 84 Trek 660 and 87 Giant Rincon.
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Submitted by
Froze
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2004
Strengths: Less friction, last longer.
Weaknesses: Turns black
Bottom Line:
I'm not sure why some people reportedly did not like the Finish Line Teflon Dry (red cap); this is by far the best lube I've ever used. With any wax product I tried I had to reapply about every 60 miles or the chain would start to make noise. With the Finish Line Teflon Dry I first used it I tested it and found I could go well over 400 miles without hearing a noise or reapplying the lube; it did however get very black. I clean my chain with the Finish Line Cleaner Kit and then relube my chain on an average of 125 to 150 miles and between cleanings the chain remains as clean as the wax stuff, but it last far longer. I also found that my chains only lasted about 5,000 miles on the wax lubes, but with the Finish Line product they last 12,000 miles average (I use the wider friction type of chain). I also noticed that there's less friction in the drivetrain then there was with the wax. I am so happy with this product there is no reason for me to try another product!
Similar Products Used: TriFlow; Pedros Ice Wax, Extra Dry, Road Rage; White Lightning; and Speed Skate Lube.
Bike Setup: 84 Trek 660 with Suntour Superbe components.
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Submitted by
John Angotti
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2004
Strengths: Lubes the chain.
Weaknesses: Attracts too much dirt. Too viscous...gunk builds up quickly.
Bottom Line:
This product creates maintenance problems. Chain gets too much dirt buildup too quickly. Chain cleaning becomes a constant chore. However, it does lube the chain. Perhaps the right rider in the right environment could find a proper utilization for this. I ride north central Texas, and it serves me poorly.
I have been using the Rock n' Roll for a very short period, and am currently unable to give an informed recommendation for this product.
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Carlisle, PA
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2003
Strengths: HMM... can't think of any!
Weaknesses: Well, to start off, it is so thick I don't think it even does any good. Then after about 1/2 hour it gets all gunked up and it turns to gel. It attracts dirt like a "Pledge Grab-It" and washes off right away. (Which might not be bad because I don't want all that crap getting ground into the drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
This stuff is a waste of money! A lot of money at that! It's expensive and doesn't work. If I could give a negative rating I would.
Similar Products Used: Tri-Flow- not great but better than Finish Line
Bike Setup: Trek Fuel 90
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Submitted by
Ghost
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Weaknesses: Attracts dirt, and thick.
Bottom Line:
I ran out of lube day and the only thing I had was a sample bottle of FinishLine. So I gave it try. The first thing I notice is that this stuff is thick. Which kind of worried me because I wasn't sure how much of it would penatrate into the rollers.
After my ride I noticed it did attacted a lot of dirt (almost as much as T9).
The lube worked but I really didn't outshine the my current lube which is Prolink, so I don't think I will be switching soon.
Similar Products Used: Boeshield T9, Ice Wax, Prolink.
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Submitted by
Ryan R
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island NY
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003
Strengths: Penatrates well ,Lasts a decent amount of time, it does improve on shifting a little, it keeps thing lubed and quiet as long as it's dry out, it's a dry lube making it a good lube to use when it's dry and dusty out there
Weaknesses: Can they put it in a smaller bottle?, Clogs up easy and if you squeeze the bottle to hard it's all over the place, This stuff will wash off if used in wet conditions FAST and I mean Fast your drive train will sound like a rusty corn thresher in about three miles if used in wet muddy conditions and this can't be good for the life of your drivtrain.
Bottom Line:
I've used this lube on three differnt bikes for about a little more than three years now and it's good not the best but good. I'm not a big fan of wax based lubes like Race Day they tend to make a mess out of your divetrain and you have to clean you drive train every time you have to relube what an annoying thing to have to do. This stuff works like good old oil just drip let it sit and go. It doesn't take that long to dry and it keeps the chain and all your drive train well lubed. My only two grips about it is CAN FINISH LINE GET IT IN A SMALLER BOTTLE AND MAKE JUST A EXPENSIVE! for the price they ask you should get two times the amount! For wet condition I usaually use an oil based lube like 3 in 1 it works well but I was always on the look out for something better and some pinhead at my LBS said to try wax lube and I got suckered into Raceday what a mess the next time I want wax I'll buy a candle. As of late I've been using the Rock N Roll Extreme and it works for both wet and dry I like it alot but haven't used it long enough to not have a bottle of this still in my garage. As for the bottle again this stuff can be a seroius pain when you try to drip it on and it doesn't want to come out. The only way I found to stop that is to hold the bottle upright and squeeze until the air bubble blocking it is cleared and you can get back to the task at hand. Well if your looking for a good dry lube try this one out if your looking for a lube that can handle mud and water I suggest Rock n Roll it won't wash off like this stuff, yes Rock n Roll is a little of a pain in the a$$ to put on but I still feel like it does a better job than the Finish Line in wet conditions. As for a dry lube it's great as for a wet lube it sucks you choose PEACE!!
Similar Products Used: White lighting Race Day, 3 in1 household oil lube, Rock n Roll Extreme lube THE BEST!
Bike Setup: 02 Specialized Stumpy with plenty of goodies on it!
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Submitted by
ward
a Cross Country Rider
from vernon
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2003
Strengths: clean, works well, keeps dirt off well, penetrates well.
Weaknesses: doesn't last too long, small bottle.
Bottom Line:
Great product that works really well. Good only in mostly dry conditions, this product needs to be re-applied after every 20 or so hours of riding in dry and 2-4 hours in wet conditions. The "unique" sewing machine oil is a very similar product (slightly better for all around conditions, and of course picks up a bit more dirt) that sells for 3-4 dollars a bottle less. I found high quality beariing grease worked well in exteme wet conditions and costs a fraction of the price of some mtb "wet" lubes. Just remember to clean it off your chain after every xtreme condition ride.
Similar Products Used: 3 in 1 oil, synthetic motor oil, unique sewing machine oil, wd-40 (really bad), bearing grease (wet conditions).
Bike Setup: hard tail xc/light free ride
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Submitted by
Hank Jien
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Strengths: This lube lasts quite long. Just remember, after youv've finished lubing wipe the left overs out.That way it won't attract any dirt when you do trails.
Weaknesses: Don't buy it if you ride in the rain regularly.
Bottom Line:
I think that this product is way too expensive compared to to a liter of motor oil. If you want to save some money wipe the left overs off. Or else you'll have to degrease and relube it after each ride. This product is good for the drivetrain and maybe inside the housing but I prefer a little bit of grease inside the housing and on the cable
Don't buy if you ride a lot in the rain, it just washes off the lube even though it contains some teflon. You might want to try some wet lube if you ride a lot in the rain, but I've never tried the wet lube so I don't know if it's good.
Similar Products Used: Motor oil is really bad because it attracted like a ton of dirt and I had to use half a bottle of degreaser to clean it up. Don't ever try using motor oil.
Bike Setup: Z5 100mm, LX drivetrain, hardtail, LX cranks
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Submitted by
Marcel Frenk
a Cross Country Rider
from Nijmwegen, The Netherlands
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2002
Strengths: Easy to apply (shake well before using), dries up well, the cleanest lube I found, doesn`t kill your lawn the way Boeshield T-9 does.
Weaknesses: Doesn`t last very long. Bloody expensive!
Bottom Line:
I use this lube for lubing my chain, damper and fork-legs. After drying up for at least 15 minutes, I wipe the forementioned parts with a cloth, until they appear clean and shiny. It lubes without attracting too much dirt, and from the lubes I know, this one is the cleanest. On the chain it only works for a few hours, on long rides (+ 3 hours) the chain starts to squeek. Funny enough, this applies to rides in dry as well in wet conditions. Motorex Dry Style Chain Lube performs better in that respect, although it also attracts a bit more dirt. I think it is too expensive, or at least you should get more content for your money, the way I use this lube, one "not the smallest" bottle lasts for a maximum of 6 weeks only.
Similar Products Used: Boeshield T-9, Krytech, Pedros Ica Wax, and lately Motorex dry style lube
Bike Setup: Specialized S-Works FSR, SRAM, tune
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Submitted by
Jimbo
a Weekend Warrior
from Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2002
Strengths: Lasts much longer than that wax stuff Doesn't attract much more dirt than the wax stuff Goes on clear and thin - like water. Penetrates very well Quiets the drivetrain Minimal "black goo" factor Good for more than just chain Smells great. Or not.
Weaknesses: Must be careful not to squeeze a freakin' stream out of the bottle and get it all over the tire and rim. Especially true when the tip clogs up and then bursts free all of a sudden... Just be careful. Smells bad. Or maybe not.
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line? No way, listen to my life story
Short answer (3 marks):
Highly recommend this lube if you hate the wax stuff and hate the heavy stuff, and/or you use your bike for both road and off road riding, or you don't know what the hell kind of lube you should use. I reapply just when I start to hear the chain rattling over the chainring (don't let it get too loud though). Its good stuff.
Essay answer (15 marks):
I think this is the one for me. I use it on my commuting bike as well as my trail/weekend/race bike.
I think its a "moderate" between the wax lubes (clean,dry, but short life) and the heavier stuff like Finish Line Cross Country (green cap) and Pedro's Syn lube (long lasting, durable, but holds on to dirt). Expect this lube to be a compromise between those extremes.
My commuting conditions are mostly dry, but because my commutes are only 15km roundtrip, its not a big deal to get caught in the rain with this lube the odd rainy day. I just wipe the chain off and then relube the next morning. It might sound counterintuitive to use a drier lube like this in the rain, but provided the distances are short enough and you have fenders, I thinks its better than using a thicker lubricant, since drier, non-wax lubes won't hold on to that road grime that's in the rain water that's splashing all over your bike when riding, and will still provide sufficient protection. I get about 80km out of one application in dry weather. No hills to climb in the city so the torque is normal, although we do get winds that will blow you away like Mary Poppins. You can get a bit more distance by using two coats.
For weekend trail riding and racing this stuff lasts until the campsite or the finish line, which is good considering the benefits of a clean chain after. I've used it up to 5 hours in hilly stuff with some big derailer-deep puddles (but otherwise dry weather) and dirt. As I rode back to the campsite the chainrings were just starting to make that rattle sound which signals that the chain is starting to get dry. Any of those wax jokes would have had me relubing on the trail,instead of at the end - a big p.i.t.a).
I apply a drop to each link (recommend the drip bottle), real slow and anal-retentively (you probably realized that by now), and I don't wipe off the chain after applying, I think the lube is dry enough that the excess doesn't need to be wiped. Some of it is just a carrier anyway, and will evaporate shortly. Of course wipe the chain off *before* you add this lube, as you would any other.
Might also try Super Lube which has also gotten excellent reviews on this site. It seems to be the same in principle, although I don't know if its available in a drip bottle.
Similar Products Used: Triflow (a little heavier than finish line red cap, but not as heavy as Finish Line green cap), Pedro's Ice Wax, White Lightning.
Also, with limited success, assorted foodstuffs like maple syrup (Canada No. 2 grade!), prairie honey, peanut butter (extra smooth, don't want those crunchy peanuts grinding in your drive train, do we?), olive oil (only the finest Greek extra virgin), holandais and bechamel sauce, whipped cream, and "I Can't Believe its not Butter!" (TM). Habanero sauce as a fine degreaser.
