Whether it’s a bicycle specific pressure washer which is perfectly dialled to avoid bearing damage, or a lube which is optimised for eBike drivetrains. We know its important to use products which can perform to the job required. Read on to learn why eBike specific lubes are a must-have for any eBike shredder…
First up, what is an eBike specific lube?
It’s a lube that’s been specially formulated to handle the additional strain that an eBike drivetrain has to contend with, and everything that comes with it.
While eBikes and traditional bikes use similar drivetrain components such as chains, freewheels, sprockets and chain rings, there’s a key difference – the power. On average, eBikes transfer three times as much force to the chain as a normal bike; and that’s just for entry-level eBikes. eMTBs can produce even higher levels of torque, as the demands of rough terrain and steep climbs, combined with extra weight for larger batteries, mean a lot more power is needed from the motor.
With all that extra power comes the ability to cover more miles (or KMs for the Euros) and at higher speeds, so your chain lube needs to go for longer than a regular bike. Plus having a motor means your cadence is going to be significantly higher, which exposes your drivetrain to extra wear.
So, what’s actually in an eBike lube?
We obviously can’t give you all the formulation details, but we can say that our eBike lubes have a unique blend of synthetic oils, and a number of high-quality additives such as Boron Nitride, which increase how long the lube remains on the chain, whilst also reducing friction through the drivetrain in a way which is optimised for increased torque loads. Boron Nitride is an advanced particle which offers increased levels of durability and wear resistance as well as excellent lubrication properties. It forms a stable tribofilm, which improves tribological performance to the level needed for the torque-iest of eBikes.
Which eBike lubes do we make?
Three in total. There’s our eBike Dry Weather Lube which offers long-distance performance in dry and dusty conditions with its ceramic compound providing ultra-low friction and silky-smooth gear shifts, all while repelling dust. There’s our eBike Wet Weather Lube that goes one step further, with waterproofing properties, meaning it excels in the sloppiest of conditions. Then there’s the classic all-rounder, the eBike All Weather Lube, which has a high-performance synthetic formulation that provides maximum protection in all conditions.
Can I get away without using lube at all?
In a word – no! Your drivetrain components and chain are going to take a beating. Everything will wear out much quicker, meaning you’ll have to splash the cash on new components sooner than you would have with a well looked after drivetrain. On top of that, your bike will be substantially less efficient, with lots of power lost through shifting and pedalling. Using the correct chain lube really does save huge watts on or off-road.
Here at Muc-Off, we’ve spent years developing the world’s best bike lubes, testing tens of thousands of formulation variations to ensure that when you use one on your bike, it performs outstandingly, ride after ride – now we’ve armed you with all the info, it’s time to grab yourself some lube, then get out and put it to work!
