Back in 2009, Stu found Pedro's Syn Lube to be 'Excellent'. Nothing's changed – it's still a cracking product for keeping you squeak-free in the winter months.
Pedro's was born during the late Eighties mountain bike boom, when friends of the co-founders were racing offroad in the rather damp Pacific northwest of the USA and wanted a lube that stayed stuck for the duration of a race; Teflon was all the rage, but just couldn't stand up to soaked, filthy conditions. Fortunately for British road cyclists and commuters, conditions on what pass for 'roads' in the UK winter pretty much mimic muddy wet American trails.
> Find your nearest dealer here
Pedro's advises that you apply Syn Lube, wait an hour, then wipe off excess with a rag. Then ride. A lot. Its 'Lube-O-Meter' scale purports Syn Lube to be good for 150 miles – and my experience backs that up.
After 130 miles of winter riding in a mixture of wet and dry conditions over clean and absolutely filthy roads, my drivetrain is still squeak- and rust-free, without a buildup of congealed sludge on the derailleur pulleys or sprockets.
On first application it was immediately noticeable how quiet the drivetrain was compared with my go-to lube. Yes, the chain got black. But in my experience, lubes that keep your chain looking clean do so because they've fallen off.
> Video: How to clean and lube your bike
Without employing hyper-accurate testing machinery and regimes, it is of course highly anecdotal, but based on eyeballs and ears, Pedro's Syn Lube keeps things clean and quiet for a long time riding in poor conditions.
Verdict
It goes on quickly and lasts a long time – a great choice
Make and model: Pedros Syn Lube
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
It's for people who ride lots in winter and don't want to be re-lubing chains every ride.
Pedro's says:
Performance Wet Lube
The original synthetic chain lube formulated specifically for mountain bikes
Superior wear protection, efficiency and durabilty for extreme conditions/mileage
Unique detergents break down and isolate dirt protecting the surfaces of your chain
Recommended for 150 miles / 5+ rides
This is the product that started it all back in 1989. This breakthrough lubricant revolutionized the entire chain lube market. This full synthetic lubricant is designed to handle the harshest conditions and outlast other lubes in all conditions. Syn Lube is formulated with extreme pressure additives, corrosion inhibitors, and tackifiers to provide incredible wear protection, lubrication, and staying power in extreme wet and muddy conditions. Unique polymer detergents also work to break down dirt protecting the surfaces of your chain. Go ahead, play in the mud.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Apply lubricant to rollers of the chain while backpedaling drivetrain.
For best performance, wait at least 1 hour.
Before riding use a rag to wipe off all excess lubricant from outside surfaces of chain.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
10/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
9/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well indeed.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It kept on working.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing, really.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your score
Anything that goes on and stays stuck for 130 miles of winter riding without a squeak or spot of rust is an exceptional product.
Age: 43 Height: 183cm Weight: 72KG
I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling
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