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Submitted by
Chris Wells
a Weekend Warrior
from Canberra AustraliaDate Reviewed: December 28, 2007
Strengths: Might be OK if you lived in a swamp. Worked so bad I luckily learnt my lesson before using it on more than one bike.Weaknesses: Attracts dirt quickier than a BBQ attracts Flys and Mossies.Bottom Line: After using only Prolink for a few years on my MTB road bike and kids bikes I ran out and needed some more. The LBS recommended trying the Synlube saying it was great for Canberras conditions (We have been in a drought for over 4 years and the place looks like a desert).
I have no idea what the two 17year olds behind the counter have been smoking but that lube was terrible. Dirt stuck to it like nothing else. Luckily I only put it on my MTB that weekend and the next weekend got some more prolink for the other bikes. I tried using it all up on my MTB but got sick of spending a few hours every weekend for three months cleaning the bike I chucked the remaining Synlube in the bin where it belongs as I had to replace the cluster, chain rings and chain and didn't want that stuff on any new parts.
I understand in some parts of the world it actually rains and Synlube was designed for those places but still don't understand why the LBS staff thought it was suitable for our conditions. After that plus comments on another product I have totally lost trust with the LBS to give any advice worth listening to. Luckily websites like this exist to get useful info.
I feel quilty giving the product a one seeing I used it in an unsuitable location but I can not give it any more based on my experience.
Favorite Trail: Stromlo
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At: Onya Bike in Tuggernong
Similar Products Used: Prolink, Rock and Roll and White Lightening
Bike Setup: 2006 Giant Trance
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from BradentonDate Reviewed: June 28, 2007
Strengths: Nice Color. Slightly viscous. Definitely for wet conditions. Would image its good in a place like Seattle or Vancouver or Bergen, Norway. Useless for any dry/dusty ride conditions.Weaknesses: Usless if your on a dry dusty trail. Messy. Leaky bottle.Bottom Line: Tried to just wipe the chain down to get this sludge off.
NO WAY...!! What a mess...off with the chain, off with cassette, and also had to wash the wheel/tire down twice...(hahaha)...silly me!
Value rated at 1 because its way too hard to clean up after. I am sticking with another lube that starts with a "P"...
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$7.00
Purchased At: Online
Similar Products Used: Tons..
Bike Setup: 2 x Jamis
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ethan Dull
a Cross Country Rider
from Jay, VT USADate Reviewed: June 1, 2007
Strengths: Good in wet conditions.Weaknesses: Not so great(at all) in even slightly dry conditions.Bottom Line: I bought this lube after using whitelighting, and it not lasting. I must say this works great for its intended use, But after riding only to work for a couple of weeks, I have never seen my chain so gunky. Also, my bottle leaked alot- Pedros please design a leak proof bottle
USE IN WET CONDITIONS ONLY
Favorite Trail: SECRET
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$5.00
Purchased At: Shenendoah Bicycle Company
Similar Products Used: White Lightning, Whitelightnong Epic, Pedros Ice wax
Bike Setup: 2007 Santa Cruz Blur Lt Spx
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
gabrielle
a Cross Country Rider
from PortlandDate Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Strengths: cheap.Weaknesses: "muck magnet" for sure.Bottom Line: I tried Pedro's SynLube because I wasn't happy with the way White Lightning was handling the wet & cold conditions in PDX. What a mistake! This lube has an attraction for dirt comparable to the gravitational field of a small sun. My chain has never been so astoundingly dirty. I'm switching to ProLink.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$7.00
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: tri-flow (old skool!), finish line, white lightning,
Bike Setup: orange
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a Cross Country Rider
from CanberraDate Reviewed: April 29, 2007
Strengths: none, other than turning me into a mental case while cleaning my bike.Weaknesses: I bought a few 4oz bottles as they were going cheap at a race. I should have known there was a reason for this... this lube is a muck magnet. Everything, and I mean everything I rode on this one-day 180km oddysey stuck itself onto the chain and cluster - dust, grit, small rodents etc. Hellish to clean - should be called SIN LUBE as it is clearly the work of the devil. Worst post ride clean-up I have ever had.Bottom Line: Never again will this product be found on or anywhere near a bike I own. If you ever wanted to do in your opposition during a race, a little squirt may help your efforts somewhat... on second thoughts that would be far too harsh - best just puch them into the bushes.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Similar Products Used: Smax, White Lightning
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ben 6600
a Cross Country Rider
from HampshireDate Reviewed: January 23, 2006
Strengths: Might use it to stop doors squeakingWeaknesses: Crap magnetBottom Line: I thought I would give this stuff a go as a winter lube for the wet / muddy conditions we have in the UK. I had been using Rock & Roll Extreme (superb lube) during the summer and just thought a change to a winter lube would be a good idea. However this stuff really does attract mud & grime, so much so in fact that both my bike and my girlfriend's immediately started to suffer from chain suck problems (not a good idea when you have carbon fibre chain stays).
I see the last review for this product was in 2004. I can't remember if 9 speed cassettes were around then so I don't know if this problem is unique to 9sp bikes, but we both started getting chain suck after only a few miles on road. It also gets all over the place and forms a thick paste on jockey wheels and chain rings.
On the plus side it's relatively easy to remove. After a thorough de-Pedro we are back to Rock & Roll (Gold this time). Chain suck problems are gone.
Favorite Trail: South Downs Way
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: lbs
Similar Products Used: Rock & Roll
Bike Setup: Giant XTC2, Klein Attitude XV, Gary Fisher Big Sur GS
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Racer
from costa mesa, californiaDate Reviewed: September 7, 2004
Strengths: Great in wet/muddy conditionsWeaknesses: Bottle Leaks. Pedros has issues with all of their bottle tops.Bottom Line: Like other wet lubes, chain will get very dirty in dry, dusty conditions. But, in wet/muddy conditions, this stuff works great. But, I won't ever buy it again because it comes in a bottle that leaks if it every tips over. So, when Pedros decides to make a leak proof bottle, there are plenty of other lubes to buy. It gets 1 chili for value cause half the lube is in the back of my truck.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: Most Every Wet Lube
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vic
a Cross Country Rider
from Moscow, RussiaDate Reviewed: May 7, 2004
Strengths: Repels water, perfect work in extreme conditions, good lubrication, prevents ice and rustWeaknesses: Attracts dust (not dirt!) when riding pavement in dry conditions.Bottom Line: If you have complaints about this lube, just think BEFORE you are byuing it. It is said that this is for extreme conditions - cold, wet, muddy. So, these talks about it attracts dust in DRY conditions leave me indifferent. This lube just not intended for such usage. And what it is intended for - it does the job perfectly. Mud simply can't stay on the chain when it was properly worked with this lube, water runs out and when it comes to cold, it shines! Surely, when you ride dusty trails some crap will be on your chain. But before you start giving bad reviews to this lube just think twice, might be you just should have changed it to something suited better for dust when it comes to riding dry and dusty? This one rocks when it comes to extreme.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$6.00
Similar Products Used: Most Pedro's, Motorex
Bike Setup: Oiled well
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Lebanon, NHDate Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Strengths: Works well in downpours and deep mud, and doesn't go away on long rides.Weaknesses: Collects dust and gums up a bit.Bottom Line: It took a while to get used to scraping off the caked-on dirt after rides through dusty and muddy conditions. But it really does keep the chain lubricated through epic 4+ hour rides through heavy rain, stream and puddle crossings, and ankle-deep mud.
I didn't like how wax-based lubes literally dry up too quickly mid-ride and between-rides. The chain rusts too quickly after wet rides. And I didn't like the poor shelf life that causes it to gum up when it's cold. It's also a pain to wipe off the excess, since I can never seem to get clean the chain well enough with a hose or degreaser and chain machine.
With Synlube, I just hose off with a garden hose and some brushing to get the dirt and mud off, re-apply, and it's good for another epic ride. I haven't touched my chain machine for years. Maybe Ice Wax is good in perfectly dry conditions, but Synlube is much better for muddy conditions.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$6.00
Purchased At: REI
Similar Products Used: Pedro's Ice Wax, White Lightning
Bike Setup: Specialized Stumpjumper
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from MarshfieldDate Reviewed: December 22, 2001
Strengths: Penetrates well and sheds waterWeaknesses: Crap MagnetBottom Line: Good lube..never wear chains prematurely. But I have to attest to the fact that this stuff is a vacuum for crud. Even after I haven't lubed for a few rides I'm scraping junk off my pulleys and gears. I just burned through my LX small and middle crank rings after one season. I have to believe that the extra grit this stuff attracts helped wear them faster. I'll be trying some lightning for my next bottle of lube.
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$6.00
Similar Products Used: Finish line - too thin, washes out.
Bike Setup: LX rear, deore front, lx cranks / rings, xt cassette
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Racer
from BirminghamDate Reviewed: March 15, 2001
Strengths: Perfect for extreme conditions, keeps the chain shifting perfectly no matter what the weather does.Weaknesses: you must be careful when applying, make sure you read the directionsBottom Line: When the weather takes a turn for the worst, use this stuff and fear not. I have used SynLube on my chain for races over the past year and I have been rediculously happy with the results.
Remember, this is a lube for extreme conditions (cold, wet, muddy) and racing.
Favorite Trail: Birmingham BUMP
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Similar Products Used: White Lightning, Ice Wax
Bike Setup: S-Works hardtail, MARS CL, SRAM 9.0 drivetrain, Truvativ cranks and rings, Spinergy Xyclones
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Denis Vigneault
a Cross Country Rider
from 81 Main St. Rowley, Ma. USADate Reviewed: May 4, 2000
Strengths: Chain runs like water out of a faucet for 1 ride.Great for a race.Weaknesses: It seems that after every ride, I'm scraping mounds of grit off of my derailleur pulleys, no matter what the conditions.It seems to be a real dirt magnet- even after wiping off excess.Bottom Line: Maybe such excellent lubricity is the trade-off for extreme high maintenance. I'm going to try Pedros Dry and see if that lasts a little longer in mostly dry conditions. I would say that this stuff would be pretty hard to beat for, say, a one day race, but watch that build-up! For racing, I'll definitely continue to use it, but think I'll try a combo like Dry and Tri for everyday.
Favorite Trail: all of Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: Finish line, Tri-flo, Superlube, Pedros road, Phil's tenacious
Bike Setup: Balance Al 750 hardtail
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Kathy
a Cross Country Rider
from ConnecticutDate Reviewed: April 22, 2000
Strengths: Stays on in wet conditionsWeaknesses: Can attract dirtBottom Line: I switched to Pedro's from Finish Line because the F.L. didn't last very long in the damp New England conditions where I ride, and it still turned my chain and rings black with crud. The trick to keeping Pedro's from collecting junk on your chain is two keep wiping off the excess. When you think you are done, do it again, and once more after that. The derailleur pulleys still seem to collect crud, but I think that part of that is spray from the rear wheel. My cogs and chairings stay pretty clean. I get a season or two out of my mtb chains, and 4-6k miles on a road chain (I'm pretty light and easy on drivetrains) I picked up several "scratch and dent" bottles of Pedro's Synlube ATB at the Pedro's booth at Veloswap for $1. Such a deal! I'll be using this for a while. :D
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: Finish Line Teflon Fortified lube, Phil Wood's Tenacious Oil, light machine oil
Bike Setup: C'dale SR500, Titus RacerX, Fisher Montare, C'dale Tandem
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Downhiller
from BCDate Reviewed: September 8, 1999
Strengths:
keeps parts moving good.Weaknesses:
Attracts dirt.Bottom Line: It's a lube. It works. Don't use it on previously greased parts like fork internals and stuff because it might react with grease. (like my Tranz-X suspension crap-post that bent and seized up.)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Joshua
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a Weekend Warrior
from Cleveland, OhioDate Reviewed: August 12, 1999
Strengths:
Smooth Drive TrainWeaknesses:
Collects Dirt Like A MagnetBottom Line: Back in the day (1994-96) this stuff was the Sh*t! Everyone used Syn-Lube and no one complained about a dirty drivetrain. It was just part of everyday maintence to clean your drivetrain after a ride, re-lube, and get ready to ride tomorrow. Now these clean wax/silicon lubes have come out and no one wants to use regular old lube. I've switched to Ice Wax about 6 months ago, but it never runs as smooth as I remeber when my drivetrain was clean and lubed with syn-lube. I'm thinking about going back to syn-lube. 5 stars for the test of time.
Favorite Trail:
Vultures Knob, Wooster Ohio
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Similar Products Used:
Ice Wax, Finish Line
Bike Setup:
Trek 7000, Rock Shox
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