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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: OCTOBER 22nd
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Blub Dry Lube
120ml 4oz) £9.99
The Blub Dry Lube is their take on the staple of summer cycling in the UK (because it never rains) – or for drier climates or conditions anywhere. As such it sits in a range of products fighting for their place in the competitive field of bicycle chain lubes. I have to say, that I have found it does a little more than the spec suggests and will continue to apply it until the wet weather comes.
Pros: very good durability, clean, pretty frugal, ready to go very quickly.
Cons: nothing significant.
Science/spec
Blub Dry Lube is aimed at roadies and off-roadies during drier weather conditions. In many ways it is similar to other dry chain lubes: it is light and tends toward cleanliness. A PTFE (Teflon) element isn’t so usual these days, but will is a pretty familiar formula. This is combined with an oil base, which should allow easier penetration into the chain links and give greater protection against water than other formulas. Having said that, non-petroleum synthetics have come a long way in the last few years.
Dripper bottles like this beat spray-on lubes hands down when it comes to economy. The Blub blurb suggests the 120ml bottle will give 80 applications. This is for one drop per link with two rotations of the chain. Blub also suggest that you can expect the lube to last 150-200km (93-125 miles). Now that is far from the most optimistic promise of durability. However, whilst it may ere on the safe side, there’s more to a lube than durability.
Blub suggest that it will have behave like a wax (nice and clean) on dusty, dry duties, but have more durability of things turn wet.
Application 4/5
First clean the chain and the rest for the drivetrain. Blub say to use their degreaser, but others are available. When it is ready, just apply the lube one drop to each link. Do so for two full rotations of the chain. The lube runs reddish-purple and is easy to spot, although quickly fading as it works into the links. Some petro-chemical lubes can run very thin and quick: this is not one. With care, you are unlikely to waste much. If there is waste, just wipe it away.
Curing time is given as two minutes. This is very much get-up and go territory. If Blub feel that their blend will behave like a wax, in terms of cleanliness, it certainly did not feel waxy on the chain, to my touch. It felt like a light film oily film, which is, I suppose, not a million miles away .
The test period has seen temperatures range between 1C to 20C. Applications have been made at 6C and 12C. Temperature does not seem to have impacted on application or performance.
Friction 3.5/5
Right from the off – ok, two minutes after application – I set off and things felt very, very smooth. No wearing-in grumbles and smooth changes. That, of course, is exactly what you’d expect from a degreased and freshly-lubed chain from any lube worth tuppence. Slick changing was maintained throughout the lifespan of the first application. Occasional minor tinkling sounds heralded the demise of the lube, but these were neither frequent or, to my mind, significant. Even when on its last legs the chain remained pretty quiet and it was increasing metal-on-metal noise, rather than grumpy motion when pedalling that lead me to give the chain a second dose.
Cleanliness 3.75/5
Although oil based, the wax PTFE elements aims to allow dirt to slide off – much as a wax lube will. This has been pretty effective. Yes, there’s a patina discolouring the chain, but you have to be very lucky to avoid that. Getting a puncture on showery way home from work – a nasty sharp flint on the canal towpath – and lifting the chain from the cassette left some dirty liquid on my hands; the sort that could be wiped off on the grass.
Although the testing period has been generally dry, there’s still plenty of much on the country lanes as a result of the very wet weather preceding it. Returning from a forty-miler a stroke of the chain left barely a mark on my finger. Equally, as things have got dustier, I have not noticed any grittiness on the chain – great for longevity. Of course, The Blub Dry is not alone in doing this, but it has the edge in cleanliness over some others I have used.
Durability 4/5
Stated retention is for 150-200km per application. My first run commenced with a run through a ford and continued through a mainly dry period, although there was a good deal of surface water for the first sixty miles. The first chain-tinkling came at about 150 miles or 241km. Very happy with that.
Second application was deliberately made directly onto the remains of the first dose – I was in a rush (honest). It gave over four hundred miles during mainly dry weather with occasional showers.
Cleaning the chain thoroughly and reapplying gave 520 miles. This was the driest period of use, with a few rain showers. Clearly, this dry lube likes it really dry. I’d like to try it out ina really dry climate, but the weather forecast does not suggest such a thing is likely in the early summer in the UK – which may not come as much of a surprise.
Value 3.75/5
WD40 Dry Lube gave around 175 miles in mixed conditions and comes in at £6.99 for 100ml. However, other slightly pricier lubes have shown us a much longer life. Amongst them would be the Silkolene Premium Dry Lube which I ran for 400 miles – at £8.99 100ml- thus pretty much comparable to the Blub. However, it does have 30 minutes curing time.
Pure Dry Lube, plant based and eco-friendly. delivered 225miles and at £5.49 for 100ml £5.49 is very good value. The downside is 4 hours of curing time. Moreover, we found it not so effective in unexpectedly wet conditions (similar to Juice Lubes).
Peatys Link Lube Dry (100ml) needs 4 hours or overnight curing time but give a very creditable 375-400 miles in hot dry weather. As a synthetic wax it is less formidable in wetter conditions. £8.99
Summary
Blub Dry Lube is a very durable lube, with a distinct liking for very dry weather, at a distinctly moderate price.
