Dry lube

White Lightning Clean Ride wax lube has as much to offer ’cross bikes and winter hacks as summer playthings. As its name implies, it both lubricates and purges grit and grime from the drivetrain, minimising maintenance and helping prevent premature component wear.

Clean Ride’s formula is broadly similar to other wax lubes. The petroleum distillates and PTFE lubricate outer and inner surfaces of the chain, while the boron nitride improves longevity and inhibits corrosion.

Good lube, this, and not to be confused with delicate wax lubes that demand you soak your chain in lavender oil for three weeks and then pick out the dirt with a toothpick before you apply it. You can just slap this stuff on, and after a few applications when excess wax starts to build up on the chain, you can easily brush it off, keeping your chain nice and clean. It stays put, too.

Conventional wisdom has it that dry lubes are for fine, dry conditions. Fair enough, but this is Britain and we don't have a balmy Californian climate, we have weather in all its moist and infinite variety and any lube is going to have to earn its keep.

If you fancy a bit of robust knockabout fun on a bike forum, join a debate about chain lube. Some lubes are held up as Holy Unction and those which meet with displeasure are cast into the pit as the devil's own overpriced toe cheese. I've been stung too, buying a widely recommended and highly praised miracle lube only to find it about as much use as shampoo.