Muc-Off Ludicrous AF Lube

Muc-Off's Ludicrous AF Lube is one of a number claiming to be the fastest chain lube in the world; it's certainly the most expensive per ml currently. It lasts a long time, and in all weathers, but it also attracts dirt much faster than other lubes and, as a result, chain wear is increased.

The world of chain lubricants seems extremely competitive at the moment, with multiple companies having a product on the market that they claim to be the fastest. CeramicSpeed did so with the new formula UFO drip when that was released, and when Dave tested the AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube in February last year that was also claimed to be the fastest, and it was also the most expensive: £114.99 for 140ml (£0.82 per ml). Muc-Off's Ludicrous AF trumps it, though, at £49.99 for 50ml – it's basically £1 per ml.

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The lube isn't wax based, as some faster chain treatments are. There's very little information given by Muc-Off on the formula, except that it is biodegradable, petroleum-free and made from renewable sources.

Testing conditions

To test the lube I used it on multiple styles of bikes, both indoors and out, riding in all conditions including some very wet weather and colder days on salted roads, as well as some milder, drier days.

In all instances, before applying the lube I used an ultrasonic cleaner with white spirit inside, followed by blasting any remaining fluid off using an air compressor and finally wiping with isopropyl alcohol to remove any lasting residue.

I then applied the Ludicrous AF as suggested, one drop of the fluid per link applied. The process is simple, if a little more time consuming than some might expect; if you want an even simpler solution you can use an authorised dealer with the 'Muc-Off Ultrasonic Optimisation Service', which will set you back £49.99 per application.

Muc-Off recommends leaving the lube on the chain for 24 hours before using it, which I followed on each application and reapplication.

When applying the lube I weighed the bottle before and after, and found I was using 4g or 5g with this method. With the 50ml bottle, you can expect between 10 and 12 applications, each costing £4 to £5.

Testing claims

While using the lube on an indoor smart trainer alongside a second power meter, I attempted to test the efficiency claims against three other chain lubes, but despite my best efforts to keep the testing as controlled as possible, I wasn't confident in the accuracy of the results.

Muc-Off has performed its own testing and independent testing through New Motion Labs, a company that has developed a specific test rig for testing but hasn't any published data on any other chain lube products.

To date, Ludicrous AF hasn't had a full test published by any other independent testing facility, such as Zero Friction Cycling, and without that it's impossible to confirm or deny the data Muc-Off supplies.

Longevity

One aspect that I have been able to test thoroughly is the longevity of the lube, riding through all manner of conditions to see how it performs and, crucially, how long it can last.

In challenging wet road conditions it did exceptionally well – a single application lasting 550km. After each ride there was still a coating of lube on the chain links, and it was still quiet in use.

The big downside, however, is that the chain collected dirt and gradually turned black, and while this didn't happen as quickly as with some wet chain lubes I've used, the long-lasting nature of the Ludicrous AF will encourage longer use on the bike.

It developed a black coating after less than 50km, and by the end of the final test ride, after 550km, it was very black. Compared with almost all wax-based chain lubes I've used, it was significantly dirtier.

Chain wear

While it isn't possible to test how the performance is affected by the increase in contaminants attracted, what became clear by the end of the test was that chain wear was significantly increased.

With a new chain and cassette fitted in November and almost every ride since using Muc-Off Ludicrous AF, I measured the chain wear at 0.5%, which is the recommended limit for 11-speed chains, after just 1,750km. In normal use, when using other wax lubricants, I will usually see in excess of 8,000km for a chain.

When compared to a much cheaper drip lube such as Squirt or Smoove, or solid, non-drip lubes such as Molten Speed Wax, the Ludicrous AF not only costs significantly more per application but also attracts more dirt and will increase drivetrain wear.

Add the cost of the lube itself to the cost of increased component wear and it makes for a very expensive chain lube.

I haven't been able to test it directly against Silca's Synergetic Drip Lube or AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube; both appear to be serious competitors, but Mike, who tested the Silca Synergetic, has reaffirmed the performance and potential reduction in cost due to less wear, which seems the opposite to Muc-Off Ludicrous AF.

As I said earlier, it's the most expensive out there, and for all but the most performance-focused riders the potential gains here are unlikely to be justified. To reiterate: Ludicrous AF works out at about £1 per ml, and using 4-5ml per application that's £4 to £5 each time; AbsoluteBlack is £0.82 per ml (no data for the amount required for each application); and Silca is £0.53 per ml – at 1ml per application that's £0.53 a go. When you consider the lab conditions data from Muc-Off show Silca being extremely close in performance, you would really want every fraction of a watt to consider Ludicrous AF over the competition.

Overall

While it's impossible for us to test the accuracy of the claims, Ludicrous AF certainly has some performance attributes that are potentially extremely good. It certainly lasts longer than any other chain lube I've tested, but it has also worn out a chain in record time, almost certainly because of the dirt and contaminants collected and creating a black coating on the chain.

If you accept the claimed figures and are looking to make every possible watt saving, have the time and patience to apply it correctly to a perfectly clean chain, ensure it stays clean, and are happy to spend a considerable amount of money, then perhaps it is worth trying. For most of us, though, the cost and performance gains make it hard to justify.

Verdict

Excellent longevity in all conditions, but claimed performance gains come at a steep price