Fenwicks Stealth Road Lube 100ml

By Jove! Two hundred miles on one dose of Fenwicks Stealth Road Bike lube and I'm starting to appreciate what all the fuss is about. It's like none I've used before.

It's probably closest to a light ceramic in terms of serenity and durability but considerably cleaner. That said, getting the best from it requires methodical application.

Fenwicks are justly coy about the exact composition, talking in terms of heightened lubricity that supposedly reduces heat generation, wear and cushioning additives. Reading between the lines, this sounds like Boron Nitride-an extremely powerful, temperature resistant additive, commonly found in high stress manufacturing contexts. Synthetic blends can turn syrupy in cold storage and the Stealth's no exception - easily cured by standing in warm water for sixty seconds or so.

Application is a little more involved than the tip and scoot off, requiring that your chains are super sterile first. Give the stealth a quick shake, unscrew the cap and drop a tiny amount of the silvery prep on every link, holding a rag beneath to collect any overspill. Rotate the cranks for thirty seconds, allowing it to invade the chain's most intimate regions before leaving an hour or so to cure.

Unlike ceramics, there's no need for a second coat and doing so results in a very sticky mess sixty miles hence. Flicking the pedals rewards with a smooth, silence associated with wet blends but without the stodginess. Taking to the road, it doesn't feel markedly different from competitor brands. Shifts aren't quite as frisky as the waxy, emulsion types but a marked improvement over ceramics.

The biggest talking point is its staying power and cleanliness. Riding for several hours in heavy rain and along flooded roads hasn't made any impression whatsoever - more than can be said of a companions' choice of synthetic motor oil, which had begun the metal on metal symphony in a matter of hours (it's worth noting that motor oils contain swarf flushing detergents designed to be renewed under pressure from the oil pump, thus don't work well on bicycle chains).

It assumes a clean but clearly evident film, resisting dung, silt, mud and all the ruinously gritty stuff without contaminating fingers or clothing when doing any maintenance.

Verdict

Superb all-conditions road lube that not only lasts but stays clean.