Smoove's owner/director, Thomas Dibley, made those claims in a nice covering letter he sent with a bottle of his product to road.cc HQ and asked us to 'give Smoove a thorough thrashing'. We were happy to help. They generally don’t come cheap and will need to be re-waxed or topped up with wax lubricant after 300 to 400km of dry riding, but it certainly saves on the initial hassle of stripping factory grease from new chains at home. What about grease? If you prefer to keep your bike in pristine condition and are happy regularly cleaning and servicing your bike, a dry lube might be the right choice. Because it doesn’t attract grit and dirt like a wet lube, you can simply add a new application of dry lube to keep the drivetrain running sweetly. What is chain wear? For those that want more information on the term “chain stretch”, please see http://sheldonbrown.com/chain-wear.html. Basically, the side plates don’t actuallystretch, but in reality, the pins get a groove worn in them which ultimately makes the chain longer.

How often you need to lube your chain depends on how frequently you ride your bike and the conditions in which you ride it. Tester Steph writes: “As a dry lube, it is designed for mixed riding, but mainly in dry conditions (it will work with the odd puddle or splash). The wax is supposed to wear off over time, and in the process of doing this, it leaves a cleaner chain by taking off any grime with it. Because of SMOOVE’s excellent performance in all conditions and its massive staying power, it makes for an excellent lube if you’re one for marathon rides. It’s equally as great if you just want an all-weather lube for your usual weekend blasts because it’ll stay put regardless of what you put your chain through. It's just a bit pricier than some other lubes out there and you'll need to remember to let it dry.

Muc-Off Absorbent Bike Mat

If you are seeing orange rusty colour seeping from within your chain after washing, it's because you did not work SMOOVE in well enough in the first instance and/or didn't allow it to set thoroughly enough. Water from a wet ride will carry contaminants into your chain links and there they will stay, wearing your chain from the inside unless they are removed and contamination is reset. You should therefore try to avoid just re-lubricating your chain after a wet ride if you can help it. You’ll need to clean your drivetrain regularly, possibly even after every ride if you want the maximum benefit and to maintain peak performance and optimise drivetrain life. Once a wet lube becomes contaminated it can begin to cause drivetrain wear. If that’s to be believed, you could also make an argument that you’re spending your money mostly on carrier fluid that’s designed to disappear into thin air.

Curiously, since first receiving UFO Drip, the application procedure has changed. Initially CeramicSpeed recommended one drip on each roller, left to dry for at least eight hours but ideally overnight. It was easily done, and the matt grey lube stands out so you can see what you're doing. New method On review, we found that our chain remained rust-free after our 'garden hose test' that we used to replicate wet weather. A ride in the rain followed and the chain again showed no signs of rust or stiff links. We also liked that, unlike some wet lubes, Green Oil didn't attract too much dirt and grime that can really wear the drivetrain. Tester Stu writes: “ChainJ is made from renewable materials, and is biodegradable making it 'safe for the people and the planet.'After months of testing and development, SMOOVE launched SMOOVE Prep. Think of SMOOVE Prep as the conditioner to your shampoo, the milk in your coffee, the seat on your seat post… ok, you get the idea!