XCP Chain Lubricant

Product Information

Bulldog BDX was a surprise as it’s an all-purpose spray. It did well in my corrosion protectants test, and while it is a penetrating spray, it didn’t creep past the O-ring in my test rig. Apply product neat to the surface that requires degreasing. The liquid can also be used as a degreasing soak (bath) for a few minutes, before cleaning off. Use a cleaner designed for O-ring chains, or simply paraffin (kerosene in the US). Be careful with stiff-bristled brushes as they could damage the O-ring, and don’t use a jet-wash to blast away the grime – it’ll push past those seals and blow the factory grease out of the rivets. Reason six: A chain lube will reduce friction – few road riders would notice the difference, but race teams use O-ring chains (except on some low-capacity and classic bikes), and they use chain lube, despite having the budget to regularly replace those chains.

Most modern bikes use a chain with O-rings (or X-rings) that seal in grease from the factory between the rivet and the bushing, which keeps it flexing smoothly and reduces internal wear. That’s there for the lifetime of the chain, which is why you don’t want to be too aggressive with your cleaning, or use products that could penetrate. There, we’ve said it. Forget the conspiracy theories that chain lube’s a scam; in this feature we’ll show you why it’s essential, how to apply it and – importantly – which is the best for the average road rider. The lubes are decanted into a beaker before being tested to allow them to de-gas, but that can mean that waxy and oily lubes can’t really be directly compared. But still, XCP stood out as having a truly brilliant wear protection level, actually matching that of gear oil. Optional) Lubricate and/or protect surfaces with your preferred XCP Professional spray, as necessary.With 55 lubes reviewed, including gear oil and chainsaw oil, we’ve also employed the services of a leading lubrication testing lab to ensure this is the most detailed and trust-worthy test you’ll ever see… The powerful formula is built to withstand extreme pressure, reduce friction and minimise the long term effects of wear maximising the power output of the chain.

If you want to use normal oil, the gear oil that chain manufacturers recommend works fine. But remember that they’re simply suggesting something that they know will work to some extent, and that doesn’t favour any brand, and that won’t lead to litigation if that product changed or didn’t perform as expected. The problem is that it flings off like crazy, and as the testing has shown, that means it offers poor corrosion protection – there’s no point testing rust proofing without spinning the samples first, which is why I did this the way I did.You should always apply lube to a clean chain, so it’s good to know how easy it is to get these lubes off. I first tried washing them with plain water, then sprayed them with paraffin, then finally I hosed them off. Award winning, high performance cleaning & degreasing spray. Water based and biodegradable. Safe to use on metals, paints and coatings. Use it neat as a degreaser, or dilute it for use as a bike wash or general purpose cleaner. Cuts easily through oil, dirt, grease and grime! Available in reusable 1 ltr trigger bottle and in our 5 ltr eco-refill pouch Use as a degreaser