Lubrication

WD40 400ml High Performance PTFE Lubricant is precisely that, a beefed up dressing to tackle those awkward situations where grease is too stodgy but traditional water displacers are just too thin. The most surprising characteristic was its success as a spring/summer weight chain lube and makeshift preserve on thin walled steel framesets.

Aside from the usual cautions, there's little information on the back of the can, other than to say it incorporates PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) for reduced friction and therefore smooth running.

Effetto Mariposa Carbo Grip is a high-tech assembly compound for components made from carbon and other composites. Parts like carbon fibre handlebars respond badly to over-tightening but need to remain rock steady. Carbo Grip holds them in place even at the relatively low torques these parts need.

Effetto Mariposa Carbo Move is an effective penetrating lube designed to be kind to carbon fiber components: think of it as Plus Gas for the composite age. It's sensitive enough to shift stuck-fast carbon goodies without damaging the resins that hold them together, but still has enough penetrating power to free up fasteners you overlooked last winter. It'll even tackle one of those notoriously quick-seize fluted posts beloved of retro road bikes.

Brunox Top Kett is a Swiss made lube and it's about as good as it gets. Shame about the pump dispenser though.

As a road.cc tester I'm used to recieving reproachful e-mails from the testing database reminding me that my review for product X is overdue. I've lost count of how many e-mails I've had regarding the Top Kett lube but that's tough, since I've only had to apply it twice since I first took delivery. Which was back in August.

I feel slightly guilty for criticising Green Oil. I rated their basic lube, and they have so far managed to combine impeccable eco-credentials with products that actually work - and work well. However, their latest offering, White Super Dry Chain Wax, is far from impressive.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of this type of lube. It gives you a chain that runs very clean and is easy to wash, but unless you ride track or have a fair weather TT bike it generally wears off too easily to be useful.

Paceline's chamois cream comes in two different versions: you've got yer straight Chamois Butt'r (in the tube, £12.99 for 227g) and yer Chamois Butt'r Eurostyle (in the jar, £13.99 for 227g).

Green Oil CF3 is easily on par with traditional aerosols which (despite the banning of ozone destructive CFC) still contain hazardous substances within their product and/or propellant. All the CF3 requires is a few simple pumps to pressurise the contents, which can be refilled continuously from the Green-Oil range. You probably could use this with thin petrochemical lubes too, but if you are fond of sunnier climes take note that this would prevent you taking it on a flight-say to a training camp.

White Lightning Epic Ride light lube sounds like a contradiction in terms but the combination of low friction and relative tenacity will win friends among racers, club, audax and even mountain bikers looking for a thin, yet durable lube. Bang on for chains, it also tames squeaky cleat mechanisms, derailleur jockey wheels, pivot points and other metal on metal surfaces. Stoical in the face of wet roads and singletrack, to my surprise it hasn't vanished come the first river crossing and, in these contexts achieved eighty-five miles between applications.