A clean chain lube that actually works?
The prevailing conflict of drive train maintenance has always been between keeping things lubricated and keeping things clean.
You see, the best lubricants have traditionally made for the messiest chains, and the products that promise to keep your components the cleanest tend to be the worst at actually lubricating them. Or at least that has been my experience so far.
For years it seemed that it just wasn’t possible to have a chain that was both clean and lubed unless it was brand new. But that dichotomy is coming to an end. The advent of nanotechnology has made many things possible that just a few short years ago would have been deemed science fiction. Like this smartphone I’m using to type, (or should I say swipe?) this post right now.
Introducing Rand Momentum Nano lubricant for cycling
Some samples of this magic formula arrived at our shop a couple months ago, and I have to say, I’m really impressed.
Really, really impressed!
The first time I applied it, I simply dripped it liberally across the top of my chain rollers, wiped off whatever excess I could and went riding as usual. The lube goes on wet, like you would expect from an oil, and after a couple of rides I was astonished to see all this black gunky stuff covering my chain. I’ll admit that my first thought was something like “Damn, this stuff sucks, its so messy!” As you might already know, I really do prefer a clean chain. So I went to work with a rag and began wiping all this crap off. Amazingly, cleaning the chain up wasn’t very difficult, and it didn’t take long to realize that this stuff actually worked. My chain was suddenly sparkling brighter than it ever has since it was new. In fact, it may even be shinier than a new chain! I continued to ride the stuff without lubing again and have to say this is probably the longest lasting chain lube going. It still took a couple cycles of wiping and riding to get rid of the black stuff altogether, and now the chain runs smoother and quieter than ever.
The packaging states that Rand Momentum Nano lube is non toxic, biodegradable and made from natural ingredients, but in all honesty, I’m a little bit afraid of this stuff. It works way too good to be harmless! That said, it might at least be a little less poisonous than the Teflon found in Tri-flow and other similar oils.
If you see this stuff in you local bike shop, try it out and be amazed. If you don’t see it in your local bike shop, you should tell them about it because they’re missing out.
If your interested in getting some of this stuff for yourself, you can order a bottle directly from Rand and find out more about the nano lube on their website, www.randbrands.com.
Teflon is toxic? Interesting. Probably the least toxic substance known to man, even the Vitamin C you take it the morning is more toxic. I assume you mean PFOA, which is USED to make teflon. Hippie math. Meh.
Interesting. I’ve always just equated Teflon with bad, but you seem correct in that it’s bad reputation comes from the chemical components that make it up, namely PFOA. At high temperatures Teflon degrades into some toxic compounds that do have a toxic effect on the human body, but I guess this is more an issue with cooking ware than it is with bike chains, so thanks for pointing that out! On the other hand, you would have to be an idiot to actually believe that Teflon is “one of the least toxic substances known to man” If indeed it does kill birds and can give humans flue like symptoms once it heats up to 260 degrees. Lesson learned: It should be okay to put Teflon based lubricants on your bike chain, but still not wise to be using Teflon treated pans to fry your bacon before your morning ride.
Awesome review – Thank you very much. I am a Territory Manager for Rand Brands. FYI – Rand Momentum is made from naturally accruing elements and does not contain any chemicals. It is a vegetable based product and will not have an adverse or corrosive effect when it comes into contact with other chemicals or composites; carbon, titanium, aluminum etc. With regard to the blackening of the chain, what is happening is that the Nano particles are so small they are getting into the pores of the metal, were other products on the market cannot reach. These particles are polar in nature so as they go into the pores of the medal they push out whatever is not polar; dirt, grit, water, sand, mud, etc. … which is what you are seeing. You did exactly what needs to be done, just wipe down and continue ridding. As you ride it has a burnishing effect on the medal protecting anything from getting into the pores keeping it running cleaner and smoother longer. Thanks again – cheers, Donna
oh, nice. I need to try this stuff. Always looking for new lubes. It’s like a hobby of mine.
We need you to blog more. You do solid reviews.