Lubricant

Motorex Bike Grease 2000 is a translucent, semi-fluorescent yellowy green unguent that reminds us a great deal of the stuff you find hiding in the threads of new Shimano components. It's proved itself to be extremely tenacious and is a good choice for high-wear applications and exposed locations.

Lightweight of the WD40 family, WD40 Specialist Anti Friction Dry PTFE lubricant is designed for inner cables, locking mechanisms, pivot points and derailleur/brake springs that need to remain clean, smooth and squeak free.

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.

WD40 Multi Use 420ml is the ubiquitous and iconic maintenance spray that takes its name from the 40 attempts its inventor made to perfect the formula.

Old as the hills, it remains a godsend for everyday jobs such as freeing sticky control cables, driving moisture from electrical contacts or just keeping pesky squirrels off garden hardware (no joke - here's a video).

Despite my initial cynicism, Finish Line’s 1 step cleaner and lubricant quickly won me over with its convenience, low friction and surprising tenacity. Marketed at commuters, the mixture is also perfect for post race clean-ups of cross and mountain bike transmissions, slotted cables and even spd cleat mechanisms. However, it demands an abundance of clean rag, weekly reapplication in wetter weather and those with sensitive skins should apply wearing latex examination gloves.

Fenwicks Pro Lubricant spray is a useful addition to the toolbox, good for blasting dirt from hard-to-reach mechanisms and cleaning out cable runs. The high pressure aerosol means it doesn't last long though, and it's not the most tenacious lubricant out there. It's better than WD40 though.

Finish Line 1-step lubricant and cleaner

Green Oil’s Eco Grease is a medium weight, general-purpose lube perfect for summer applications on areas such as cantilever bosses, derailleur hanger and pedal threads. Bikes in continually hard service (especially those with unsealed bearings and sans guards) will probably benefit from something stiffer, although a regime of wet weather riding coupled with repeated washing has to date, made little impression upon the blend.

Fenwicks lube spray

Fenwicks wet lube