Product Review: Finish Line No Drip Chain Luber

Lubricating my bike's chain used to cause drips that either ended up on my garage floor or my wheels and chainstay.  After seeing the No Drip Chain Luber from Finish Line last year at Interbike I figured this may be a solution to that problem.  In theory it seemed like a good idea but how would it work with lubes of varying viscosity and would it coat the chain evenly without drips?  After receiving some of samples from Finish Line I decided to test it out and see if it would live up to its name.

The No Drip Chain Luber is simple in its design, it comes with an empty 2 oz. bottle, a unique applicator head, 3 wicking pads and a travel cap.

The two lubes I use most are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of viscosity.  ProGold Extreme is very thin while Chain-L is as thick as honey.  I would put the No Drip Chain Luber to the test and see how it would handle both of these lubes and maintain its No Drip claim.

I used the the ProGold Extreme on the 9:Zero:7 fatbike all last winter and was surprised how well it penetrated the rollers without the No Drip Chain Luber delivering too much thus dripping onto the floor.  A little squeeze and a couple of back pedal revolutions while the wicking pad was in contact with the top of the chain was all it took.  A quick wipe down on the side plates of the chain with a rag and I was ready to roll.

For my gravel bike I use Chain-L lube.  I like this lube because it lasts a long time and delivers a very quiet and shift responsive drivetrain.  This stuff is thick so I wanted to see if the No Drip Chain Luber would distribute it evenly onto the chain.  I squeezed the bottle upside down until the wicking pad was thoroughly soaked with the lube.

Now I was ready to lube the chain.  Lightly squeezing the bottle with the wicking pad in contact with the top of the chain, I began to slowly back pedal until lightly coated.  Because Chain-L is so thick I repeated this process on the bottom side of the chain and gave the lube time to work its way into the rollers.  After about 10 minutes I wiped the excess (which was very little) off of the chain and was ready to ride.

The No Drip Chain Luber did a very good job applying the necessary amount of lube to the chain using both thin and thick lubricants without a mess or dripping.  It made the task quick and easy, I used less lube and there wasn't a lot of excess to be wiped off afterward.  I now keep several No Drip Chain Lubers labeled with the lube they contain so I can use which ever one I desire depending on the conditions or bike.  No dripping on the concrete in the garage or on my wheels/chainstay were a welcome change from the old method of lubing my chains. 

The No Drip Chain Luber is available from Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops for $8.99.

Disclosure:  Finish Line provided the review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Product Review: Finish Line Super Bike Wash

I don't particularly enjoy cleaning my bikes and would often ride until they were really dirty before taking the time to get the dirt and grime off.  I ride a lot of gravel roads and singletrack mtb trails that will get a bike pretty dusty in between cleanings.  Until I started using Super Bike Wash from Finish Line, I would dread getting out the brushes, rags and soapy water bucket to wash my bikes.  Now it's quick and easy to get 'em clean and I don't mind washing them anymore.

I recently took a day trip up to Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area to ride the red dirt singletrack on the fatbike.  After several hours of riding the trails of this former mining pit area, the bike was completely covered in rusty dust.

I have used this product in the past for gravel dust and dirt, but this would be the ultimate test for Super Bike Wash.  I wanted to see if it required little or no scrubbing to remove the iron red dirt without leaving a rusty residue behind.  Super Bike Wash is designed to lift dirt and grime instead of dissolving it by simply spraying it on, letting it sit for a couple minutes and either wiping or rinsing it off.  

Not only was the frame dirty, but the wheels, tires and components had Cuyuna red dirt in every little nook and cranny.  This is one chore I don't like to spend a lot of time on so if Super Bike Wash could lift this stuff with minimal scrubbing, I'd be a happy biker.

Following the instructions for using with water, I sprayed it on liberally and let it do its work before rinsing it off with the hose.  It worked well, but did require a little light scrubbing or agitation with my hand on some areas, especially the sidewalls of the tires.  It definitely was a time saver, most of the rusty dirt just rinsed right off.  I was impressed by how it loosened the dust on the wheels, crankset, chainrings and front/rear derailleurs without having to use a brush.

 

After a short time, the bike was showroom clean and ready for another adventure that would likely get it good and dirty all over again.  Super Bike Wash can be sprayed on dirty areas and wiped off with a towel for a quick touch up to keep a bike looking clean.  I was happy with how Super Bike Wash performed, it removed most of the dirt without scrubbing and didn't leave a rusty residue behind when rinsed saving me time and elbow grease.  Because Super Bike Wash is so quick and easy to use, I don't go as long between cleanings as I did before.

Super Bike Wash is completely safe for all bike surfaces, even carbon fiber and is biodegradable making it safe for the environment.  It comes in a 1 Liter Spray Bottle, I Liter Refill (w/o sprayer), 1 Gallon Jug and a 16 oz. concentrate that makes 4 Liters.  Available at Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops.

Disclosure:  Finish Line provided the review sample for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.