If your bike has a chain (yes, there are some that use a belt drive instead) a bottle of the best bike chain lube is an essential piece of kit. There are loads of different options to choose from, so how do you choose the best chain lube for your bike? Well, you’ve come to the right place as we’ve done the complicated bit for you and tested the top ten lubes on the market.
We’ve tested all manner of lubes in all kinds of (ahem) cycling situations, from daily commutes on wet, grimy British roads, to long-distance racing on dusty South African trails and everything in between, so we know what works well and what doesn’t. Our overall best buy is Peaty's Link Lube Premium All Weather, and if money's no object we also highly recommend the Silca Synergetic Wet Lube.
Whether you’ve spent hundreds on a budget mountain bike or many thousands on one of the best mountain bikes available, you’ll want to ensure the drivetrain runs smoothly and quietly. Don't underestimate the importance of drivetrain maintenance, choosing one of the best chain lubes around will help you to keep your bike's chain, cassette, and chainrings in top condition – as well as ensuring that those costly parts don’t wear out prematurely.
There is a lot of choice when it comes to lubes, so if you are unsure of what you need skip to the bottom of this page where we explain how to choose the best bike chain lube for your riding.
Best bike chain lubes
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The quick list
An outstanding super-clean, smooth mix
Peaty’s Premium is an excellent chain cleaning, drivetrain smoothing, and efficiency/longevity boosting lube.
A top-quality, premium-priced lube
An easy-to-apply, silky smooth lube for efficient feeling drivetrains, that performs brilliantly in both wet and dry conditions.
The best for wet weather protection
Keeps your chain lubed in the grimiest riding conditions, endures well, and smells like whisky!
Ultra-clean, high-performance wax lube
Its frictionless performance gives a brand-new bike feel, and it keeps dirt pickup to a minimum.
Excellent eco-friendly, all-weather lube
A bio-degradable lube that stays quiet and efficient on back-to-back winter MTB rides.
Brand new transmission feel
A durable waxy lube for on- or off-road that gives the brand new chain feel even on tired transmissions.
See the next 6 bike chain lubes ↓
Brilliant for the most brutal conditions
It’s totally unfazed by extreme winter conditions, heat, or saltwater, and resists corrosion really well.
Proven sticky lube for the nastiest riding
Longstanding lube that's still a great way to keep squeak and rust at bay in the worst conditions.
Outstanding ready-to-go lubrication
Quick and smooth drivetrain feel, and impressively weather-proof for a great price.
Impressively fast running and super clean
Needs a little setup TLC but rewards with super-fast, super-shiny performance and minimal wear in dry, clean conditions.
Very durable high-performance wax lube
Easy to apply wax with only one sparing application needed for extended clean efficiency.
Slippery formula gives smooth results
Performs well in wet or dry conditions, with only a frugal amount of lube required.
1. Best overall
As the name suggests, Link Lube Premium All Weather takes the concept of mixing lubricating waxes and oils in a corrosion-inhibiting, filth-shifting carrier oil but “dials the quality of the ingredients up to 11”.
While Peaty’s say you should fully clean and degrease your chain before application and that’s certainly when it works best, it still works surprisingly well if you haven’t got the facilities to freshen up your drivetrain. That’s because the carrier oil base not only penetrates in really well but it also noticeably lifts any hidden crap out from the depths of your rollers and plates and brings it to the surface. That can be confusing at first as it makes the chain look like it’s collecting filth, but wipe the dirt off the chain and you’ll be able to feel the smoothness left behind.
That lubricating layer lasts a surprisingly long time even in extreme conditions such as arid desert micro dust or relentless trails into rivers in downpours at around freezing point. We found in both those situations it stayed impressively clean and squeak/grind free right to the end of long days. While lubing ready for the next day is the optimum for smooth performance, when we deliberately left it overnight after a hard day it still ran quietly and silkily in the morning.
While a thicker, oily mix might last longer, the fact the chain runs so clean and clear means it’s not dragging dirt around the rest of your transmission so the whole setup feels smoother and quieter. That also means the durability of anything the chain touches is improved as well, so think of it as an investment in the lifespan of your whole drivetrain. While the 120ml bottle is obviously the best value, the 60ml is a great packable option for multi-day/multi-rider missions.
For more info, see our full Peaty’s Link Lube Premium All Weather review.
2. Best premium
Silca claims its Synergetic Wet Lube gives a 50 percent reduction in friction and a 90 percent reduction in wear. While we've not been able to measure these findings for ourselves, we have tested the lube over the worst of a Scottish winter (aka in very wet and cold conditions) as well as over a 200km dusty gravel ride and it performed extremely well in both situations.
Synergetic Wet Lube is oil-based and contains tungsten disulfide and an anti-wear additive ZDDP. They combine to create a thin layer that forms on the surface of your drivetrain under stress. It's the formation of this layer that Silca says gives the Synergetic lube its industry-leading surface wear and friction scores, as the layer not only protects the metal surface but traps the lubricating tungsten disulfide nanoparticles. Despite containing these additives Silca has tried to minimize Synergetic's impact on the environment and it contains no PFAS or other ‘forever chemicals’ unlike a lot of cheaper solvent heavy lubes.
As well as having serious staying power, Synergetic Wet Lube feels more like a wax than a bottled lube on your chain. The result is super smooth and quiet drivetrain operations. We found a little goes a long way too, which helps to ensure your chain doesn't turn into a filthy black mess after a few rides.
For more info, check out our full Silca Synergetic Wet Lube review.
3. Best wet lube
British downhill legend, Peaty (aka Steve Peat), has released several chain lubes for different applications from his Peaty’s Products stable. Given that this is the 'Wet' variety of Link Lube, it's designed to keep your chain lubed in the grimiest riding conditions and we're happy to report that it definitely lives up to this billing.
Part wax, part oil, we found the lube easy to apply – it's thick enough not to end up all over your floor, yet thin enough not to gum up your chain or the bottle. It also has the added bonus of having an ‘Irish coffee’ scent. We struggled to pick that up to be honest, but the lube aroma connoisseurs on the Bike Perfect team did detect some faint whisky notes.
Cost-wise, it’s one of the pricier lubes around, but given that it endures very well on your chain, you’ll need to use it less often.
You can find out more over on our Peaty’s Products Link Lube Wet review.
4. Best dry lube
If you ask properly rapid riders what their chain lube of choice is, it's likely a lot of them will say Squirt and if you’re careful with setup, it’s easy to see why.
Starting with a properly clean drivetrain is absolutely crucial to let the wax work on uncontaminated surfaces. While it’s relatively pricey don’t be mean with the amount you put on, properly douse the chain to make sure the wax gets everywhere. Definitely add the second coat they advise after the initial application has cured or you’ll be way off its potential lifespan.
It’s not the longest-lived treatment but where it scores massively is absolutely minimal friction, consistently topping out in independent lab tests and giving a genuine ‘brand new bike’ feel, particularly on the road. It runs really clean, collecting minimal gunk elsewhere in the drivetrain in environments as diverse as its native South African dust or grinding Scottish granite paste. The lack of dirt build-up means longer intervals between cleaning and topping up and lab tests we’ve seen confirm it’s one of the best bike chain lubes for prolonging drivetrain lifespans.
5. Best eco lube
Fenwicks have been working hard for over 20 years to reduce the environmental impact of its products before the wheels on the eco bandwagon even started squeaking. Its wet-weather recipe is designed to create minimum issues downstream of any rivers you cross while riding. It’s just viscous enough to allow sparing application to each roller through the twist nozzle and from there, a quick chain rotation will propagate it into all the relevant friction surfaces.
If you wipe off the excess it runs relatively clean and quiet even in drier conditions (a lighter lube is also available) but where it comes into its own is staying quiet and efficient on back-to-back winter MTB rides or even 24-hour race situations. Because it lasts so well, what looks like an average cost-per-ml value translates into impressive cost-effectiveness over time.
6. Best chain feel
Muc-Off spent years developing its Hydrodynamic lube with Team Sky and British Cycling and according to its lab tests, the waxy lube drops chain drag dramatically. In other tests we’ve seen, results haven't been quite as glowing but our own experience puts it firmly into the ‘brand new chain’ feel category even on tired transmissions.
It stays clean and noise/grit-free for longer than the fastest lab waxes and it’s one of the few we’d recommend for off-road use whether that’s gravel bikes, cyclo-crossers, or MTB. Application is easy via the pipette-style bottle and you even get a UV torch to check that the blue-dyed fluid has penetrated all the link junctions without using excessive amounts. Make sure you shake the bottle properly before applying, wipe off the excess, and let it cure for four hours or more before riding. That way the tiny 50ml bottle should last a decent time, although it’s definitely an expensive product for luxury mechanics, not last-minute lubers.
7. Best for extremes
Purple Harry’s Purple Extreme sounds more like moonshine than chain lube, so perhaps it’s not surprising it was initially designed for the mining and offshore drilling industries. The ultra-high film strength means it lasts brilliantly in the most extreme situations such as older Bosch motor e-bikes with tiny drive sprockets or any high torque/high friction riding situation.
We even know some MTB photographers and testers who routinely ignore free samples of other bike chain lubes and instead buy their own Purple Extreme to keep their transmissions alive on the longest, grimmest days. It’s totally unfazed by heat, or saltwater, resisting corrosion really well on cheaper chains and steel chainrings. There’s no curing routine and it runs relatively clean and quiet, though it can’t compete with the fast feeling of the best bike chain lubes. When it does get dirty, you’ll need a very powerful cleaner to shift it.
8. Best durable wax
Smoove isn’t quite as fast in feel as its South African competitor Squirt, but it’s easier to apply and lasts longer in real-world conditions. You still need a thoroughly cleaned transmission for best results but you only need one relatively sparing application to coat the inner chain and rollers.
Don’t wipe afterward though, just be ready to scrape the excess wax off jockey wheels once you start riding. It’s ready to go within an hour, although an overnight cure is optimum. The tackier coating means it doesn’t feel as super slick as the fastest waxes, and you can see a light grey film on the chain as it collects a bit of dirt over time. The tackiness means it stays in place far better than most waxes though and the contamination is significantly less than a wet oil, so our test transmission stayed smooth and quiet even in winter off-road or salty commuting conditions. Extended run-time between reapplication and reduced wear makes the initially steep price a wise investment if you’re a high-mileage or horrible conditions rider.
9. Other options
Finish Line’s Cross Country lube has been around forever and the sticky blood-red mix is still a great way to keep squeak and rust at bay in the worst conditions. It’s dirtier and draggier than most modern mixes though. Formed from a secret blend of synthetic oils, polymers, and anti-wear additives, it’s the stickiest recipe here, but still fluid enough to flow onto a chain easily.
Capillary coverage is rapid and consistent with a quick spin of the chain which suits less careful mechanics. Once applied it takes a serious amount of wear and weather to shift it and it’s overkill on the road unless conditions are particularly grim. It starts creating a rich black gravy on cogs and chains pretty quickly wherever you ride, so it's not the best for dusty conditions or if you’re worried about black oil stains on hands, gloves, and clothes.
While shifting can be a little sluggish and there’s palpable grind through the pedals if it gets really messy, corrosion proofing is excellent and you’ll have to go a long way to get through to the squeak. Add a good price per ml and it’s a decent workhorse chain lube for the worst conditions.
If any European country is likely to produce an impressively weatherproof chain lube then it’s the spring classics and cyclo-cross heartland of Belgium. Morgan Blue also has a very impressive list of top pro teams issuing its kit as well as a lot of very vocal evangelists for its products in online forums. After dripping the tea-colored oil out of its unassuming bottle, it didn’t take us long to understand the fuss either. There’s no specific application process: you just apply the mid-weight mix onto your chain and you’re good to go.
Additives in the oil give it a noticeably quick feel in terms of pedaling and shifting straight away. Despite the fact it’s impressively rain/flood/frost-proof, it stays clean better than most so that performance lasts well beyond most mixes in its price bracket. In fact, it’s a match for almost anything in all but the most extreme conditions (which is where the slightly more expensive ‘Rolls Pro’ mix comes in), and if you want an even faster feeling mix the company does a summer ‘race oil’ too.
The best bike chain lube in the Rock ’n’ Roll range is a unique mixture that needs a little setup TLC but rewards with super-fast, super-shiny performance and minimal wear in dry, clean conditions. As the lube actually includes a powerful (and flammable) solvent base, initial lubing is designed to flush out all the grit and grime lurking in the links. That means you need to be generous with the dosage you flood onto the cassette end of the chain, rather than dropping onto each link. Then after spinning the chain a few times wipe the chain, chainrings and cassette as comprehensively as you can to get rid of the muck on the surface.
Ideally, you should then leave the chain for a few hours for the protective, lubricating membrane to fully cure. This will leave you with a very shiny and very fast-feeling transmission and lab tests we’ve seen back up the minimal drag, minimal wear feel. The membrane continues working to ‘breathe’ contamination to the surface so you can wipe it off, and while it certainly runs cleaner than a wet lube, performance definitely decreases in dirty situations. That’s where the waxier ‘Extreme’ comes in but again longevity isn’t brilliant as the wax tends to flake off faster than most.
Fenwicks is very secretive about what’s in the metallic green sludge that used to be called ‘Stealth Road’ but now comes labeled as ‘Professional’. Setup is a little more faffy than some as it requires at least four hours of curing, and you need to make sure the bottle temperature is over 8 degrees before using it, so don’t forget that if you’re in an unheated shed or workshop. The screw nozzle makes minimal application easy though which is what Fenwicks recommends if you’re using it on the road in drier conditions.
You don’t need much to silence a chain and keep it turning and shifting sweetly in even the vilest deep-winter MTB conditions either and it’ll normally do well over a week of daily grind during dirty testing before it starts to feel or sound dry.
How to choose the best bike chain lube for your riding
How much should I spend on chain lube?
Expect to pay 6-8 cents/pence per ml for a decent wet lube that’ll perform well in all conditions. If you’re riding in really grim or extended conditions then paying 10-12 cents/pence for really outstanding wet lubes will pay you back in the extended lifespan of your chain, cassette, and chainrings as well as less frequent lube application. Wax lubes tend to cost a similar amount too, but longevity payback depends on the brand and your riding conditions.
How do I apply chain lube to my bike?
All lubes work better on a properly cleaned chain with no embedded grit, grime or old lube, so get yourself some chain cleaner at the same time as the lube. It makes sense to match brands too as some are specifically designed to work together.
From here, some chain lubes just need dripping onto the chain rollers and you’re good to go. Others need a more meticulous setup, with ‘curing’ times varying from a few minutes before use to several hours/overnight to get the best results. Make sure you read and follow the instructions as the performance difference can be dramatic depending on prep. Don’t buy a fussy (read: requires meticulous application) lube if you’re normally rushing to get a rusting/squeaky bike ready while all your mates are ready.
Which chain lube is best – wet or dry?
Most brands produce a ‘wet’ lube and a ‘dry’ lube. Wet lubes stay moist and sticky to resist washing off in bad weather, but tend to attract more dirt and build up a manky mess on chainring teeth, jockey wheels etc.
Dry lubes attract less dirt and keep things looking cleaner prompting many riders to switch to them in summer. The actual proportion of lubricant in dry mixes can be extremely low (around 10 percent) though with the carrier fluid just evaporating off and leaving the chain to go squeaky and increase friction very rapidly. Many World Tour team mechanics will opt for wet lube all year round due to the frequent maintenance and daily cleaning the bikes are given.
That means applying a wet lube and just wiping excess off makes the most sense or go for a wax instead in really dry/dusty situations or where cleanliness is paramount.
Should I use a drip or wax type of chain lube?
Conventional oily ‘drip’ lubes are normally the easiest to apply as the fluid mix delivers the lubricating elements where they’re needed. They propagate right through the chain to resist corrosion and are generally ready to work straight away.
Wax lubes go on wet for penetration and then solidify to basically create an ultra-thin ‘bearing surface’ that resists dirt build-up too so they’re great if you want to keep hands and clothes clean. This ‘curing’ process can take several hours though and while some chains can be done in situ others are best pulled off and totally immersed before refitting and use. While they’re the cleanest lube solution, the wax coating can start to crack and fall off very quickly too so they need to be ‘topped up’ regularly. Add an already higher price and most waxes are best suited to a specific event or ‘Sunday best’ use rather than a day in day out grind.
Is WD-40 any good as a chain lubricant?
The short answer is no. While WD-40 and MO-90 (Muc-Off's similarly formulated product) are great for lubricating seized or stiff moving parts, those types of lubes don't have the consistency or the durability required to protect your chain and drivetrain from wear during riding. A dedicated bike-specific chain lube will do a vastly superior job and save you money in the long run, while unsuitable lubricants such as WD-40 will accelerate drivetrain wear if used as a regular chain lube.
How we test bike chain lubes
All the bike chain lubes we've tested here have been put through their paces in as many different cycling situations as we could, from daily commutes on wet, grimy British roads, to long-distance racing on dusty South African trails and everything in between.
Meet the testers
Guy's been writing and testing for bike mags since 1996. Over the years he's tested thousands of bikes so knows exactly what works and what doesn't. Guy's put more bike miles in than anyone else on the team and is our resident lube expert.
With almost 20 years of riding experience, Graham has dabbled in downhill, enduro and, most recently, long-distance gravel racing. He's used many a lube over the years and meticulously puts in the time to work out which ones work better than the rest.
