Chain lube used to be quite a simple product category. It was a squeeze of "wet" for winter, "dry" for summer, wipe the excess, and ride. Despite the nomenclature, both styles were oil-based. But like just about every cycling product category, chain lubes have also evolved. Oil-based lubes have become ever more engineered, while wax lubes – both conventional hard waxes applied via hot melt and liquid, carrier-based options – have made the simple process of chain lubing a quest for marginal gains, while also streamlining the cleaning process and reducing drivetrain wear. Now, that gift crockpot that sat idly collecting dust has a new job of giving a wax bath to the chains of many more enthusiast, or nerdy, cyclists. Yet, for some, the simple oil lube still remains a convenient and easily available choice.
Whatever your choice of chain lubrication is, the purpose of it remains the same: minimise the wear inside a roller chain caused by the metal surfaces wearing out and creating friction that leads to power loss. However, over the years, the various chain lubes have been marketed with such a wide variety of claims that it can be difficult to differentiate one from another, let alone pick one that works best for you.
There are so many options available that the following isn't a comprehensive guide to the best-performing lubes – for that, we recommend checking out resources such as Zero Friction Cycling's list of best-performing lubes. Instead, we've focused on having a look at what people actually prefer using in various conditions, and as such, Escape Collective Favourites digs into the murky pool of chain lubes.
What are the chain lube options?
Under very broad definitions, you have two options for lubricating your bike chain: a dry or wet lubricant. There is quite a lot of nuance within each category here, and much of what is the best option for you depends on your riding conditions and the time you want to spend on chain maintenance. Products in each category are laden with a lot of marketing spiel, but also often secret ingredients, as well as mentions of additives that should improve the said product's performance.
Traditionally, chain lubes have been split into wet and dry categories based on weather and riding conditions, rather than the way the product is formulated. As such, wet lube has been marketed for wet and dirty conditions, while dry lube has been marketed for dry conditions. This is still a very basic and technically incorrect way of categorising lubes for those who want to simplify their options. However, for those who are more interested in drivetrain longevity and efficiency, as well as aware of proper maintenance, it's worth looking beyond just this weather definition.
A more accurate definition is that the wet lubes are lubes that stay wet on the chain after they're applied – in other words, if you touch the chain, the wet lube will leave residue on your finger; a dry lube is dry on the chain once applied (although this may take a couple of hours in the case of drip-style waxes).
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