NZero Dry Wax Lubricant
100ml £10.49

The NZero Dry Wax Lubricant is an eco-friendly formula brewed in Spain and best thought of a hybrid of dry and wax lubes with properties common to both. It attracts relatively little contaminant and doesn’t scab off rapidly, proving more durable in dry to damp conditions. It also cures reassuringly quickly in warmer weather, so practical for mid-ride top ups.

Pros: Kind to planet and rider alike, relatively clean, durable in dry, dusty contexts, self-cleansing, favourable warm weather curing times.

Cons: Requires a surgically clean and bone-dry drivetrain first time round, noticeably slower curing below 15 degrees.

Specification

NZero wouldn’t give much away but tell me its 100% organic, plant-based and biodegradable. No PTFE, PFOA, Ceramics, Paraffins, Silicones and Nano components. No plant-based ethanol, or similar potentially explosive solvents either, meaning less to think about when applying, or storing.

NZero has blended everything so it flows like a firm wax before softening and bonding to the chain’s surface-much as a petrochemical formula does, while still promising good corrosion resistance. Something that initially induced healthy scepticism. Nonetheless, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well it has bonded with the chain and generally kept taint at bay during a changeable June and July period.

Heading 2

I’d applied ours to Denise, my bare bones budget gravel build and my beloved Holdsworth during a generally temperate but changeable June and July. Aside from assessing how crisp shifting would be II was particularly keen to see how the lube would hold up along dirt roads, trails but also to see how well it would penetrate the fixed’s links and keep it serenely quiet. Vanguard Cycles, their UK importer also recommended that I view it as a dry lube with a wax component.

test review organic wax dry lube cycling chain

Application 3.5/5

As I said in my opening paragraph, get drivetrains surgically clean- rings, chains, derailleur cages, jockey wheels- the lot. Leave them soaking in the parts washer if needs be. As a side note, I’ve found the brand’s degreaser (review to follow) highly effective drivetrain blitzer.

Having rinsed, dry chain, rings, derailleur(s) thoroughly, give the bottle a liberal 30 second shake to mix evenly. Twist the spout and squeeze the bottle where it will pour as a very rich, white wax. This has remained the case, regardless of air temperature and ensures consistent, even delivery.

eco friendly bicycle bike chain lube review

That said, I wouldn’t apply it on the best shag pile, or kitchen lino, since it melts quite quickly, once you’ve given the cranks a few turns to ensure thorough penetration.

This viscosity means it’s also good for slotted cables, jockey wheels, trailer hitches and cleat mechanisms. A drop on electroplated frame ends will also help protect them from damp and tarnish.

Curing times varied 20-30 minutes in temperatures between 18 and 28 degrees (bargain on an hour or so in the lower teens). When it becomes a clear glaze, you’re ready to hop on and scoot off.

Talking of temperatures, resist any temptation to leave the bottle warming in a bowl of warm water. I experimented by decanting 20ml into a surgically clean, dry dropper bottle, then leaving it standing in warm water for a few minutes.

Rather than softening, the lube became very watery, which didn’t render it useless, but put a significant dent in performance and staying prowess. In common with the Blub Ceramic Chain Lube and its Wax stablemate at lower temperatures (12, or 13 degrees) it is still tacky, slightly oily to touch.

Performance 3.5/5

Overall performance has been reassuringly good. Cured thoroughly, I was pleased by how well it had penetrated the chains. Both felt well lubricated and serenely quiet from the first few pedal strokes. Shifts were also very slick and swift across Denise’s 11-25 block, same went for cleat entry/release, trailer hitch mechanisms and shift cables. While the wax will soften, and is reclaimed from the cassette as you shift, it hasn’t melted to an unsightly gooey state when the temperature has climbed into the high twenties.

In common with some hybrid blends, such as Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather, it attracts less dirt and that which does settle is gradually lifted to the surface in tiny flakes, eventually dropping off. Consequently, a thicker layer of lubricant stays on the chain, whereas traditional paraffin waxes tend to trap grime in the outer layer before scabbing off in bigger clumps leaving only a filmy layer behind. This was most obvious after tackling dirt roads and damp trails following successive rainy days.

Transfer to hands has also been minimal, a faint, oily smudge that doesn’t readily transfer to bar tape- welcome should you flat, or otherwise need to touch the chain mid-ride and the lack of petrochemicals is another definite plus.

In common with Momum MIC Wax Lube, it does creep over to the side plates and cassette and expect some to congeal around derailleur jockey wheels before eventually flaking away. There’s been a fair bit of road resurfacing and chippings lain during our test period, which generated plenty of gritty dust. This settled on the chain briefly but in common with most waxes, locked into the top layer.

In the changeable, mixed terrain environments, I’ve returned 195 miles from a single application, which can’t match the Momum Mic Wax Lube or Silca’s Super-Secret Chain Coating . However, important to point out the Silca is considerably dearer.

The NZero’s staying prowess mirrors my experience with the Peaty’s Link Lube All Weather (a petrochemical formula) but less than Squirt Long Lasting Dry Chain Lube in comparable conditions and notably superior to the Zefal Extra Dry Chain Wax . That said; unlike the Squirt, you can top up and scoot off again should need arise.

Though waxes aren’t intended for wet weather, it’s often a feature of the British summer. Even adding some waterlogged lanes and singletrack into the mix, I was surprised to find the NZero clinging on 90 miles later.

By this point, much was seemingly washed from the rollers, but there wasn’t any audible metal- on-metal tinkling, although I had noted some faint freckling the following morning. Interestingly, I’ve not needed to replenish that applied to the cables and cleat mechanisms.

Value 3.5/5

£10.49 for 100ml is favourable by genre standards. Squirt Long Lasting Chain Lube is now £13.99 for 120ml and is another planet friendly formula with decent all-round performance. However, it requires several hours curing time, which might be a deal breaker. Green Oil Dry Chain Wax another quick curing and clean running formula, albeit less durable than the NZero in similar contexts.

Steve was suitably impressed with Bat Chain Lube , a mix of water-based carrier and synthetic wax. Its durable and at £8.99 for 125ml, extremely competitive. However, it does require several hours curing. Momum MIC Chain Wax is £13.99 for 125ml remains a firm favourite of mine, not least because of its durability. The rapid curing corrosion inhibiting oil parts are also definite plusses. However, it also requires a surgically clean drivetrain and planet friendly credentials don’t quite rival some discussed here.

Summary

Though less durable than some other planet friendly competitors in comparable contexts, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the NZero Dry Chain Wax. Best thought of as a hybrid, it’s ideally suited to drier and warmer riding conditions but has held on unexpectedly well through damp, changeable mixed terrain riding, runs clean and is easily replenished mid-ride.

Verdict 3.5/5 Eco friendly lube with decent performance in dry to damp conditions.

Michael Stenning

Vanguard Cycles

PUBLISHED AUGUST 2024

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