I had been using ProLink chain lube almost exclusively since probably 2003. I could have sworn I had found the best chain lube in existence, and it sure served me well over five years.

But then I found an expensive new chain lube called Dumonde Tech lube. If I didn’t try new things, I never would have found ProLink, so I went ahead and got a bottle of Dumonde Tech and a bottle of Dumonde Tech Lite (at $10 per 2oz bottle.)

Dumonde Tech is a thicker lube for mountain biking or wet conditions, while Dumonde Tech Lite is better suited for dry conditions such as road biking.

First off, when switching to any new lube, you have to remove all the old lube and scrub your chain super clean. So I scrubbed everything down and then applied this lube sparingly.

According to the directions, you don’t reapply until you hear the chain squeak. The lube is like liquid plastic inside the chain, so it doesn’t wash off with water, and it still works even if the outside of the chain appears dry.

With clean chains and some patience, I began my testing…

Tested: Dumonde Tech Lube

My first test was to apply Dumonde Tech lube to the squeaky-clean chain on my mountain bike. I applied this like I’d apply ProLink, one drop at a time. That was a super slow process though!

This lube is so thick you have to squeeze the bottle just to get a drop out! So I pedaled backwards very slowly and dropped one drop of lube onto each chain link. (Seriously, this stuff is so thick it looks like it will just sit on top of the chain’s roller and not actually seep down in!)

After a few turns of the cranks, it didn’t appear that there was enough lube on the chain, so I went painstakingly slow and applied three drops of lube to each link. Must have been five slow, monotonous minutes!

(Application Tip: squeeze and then release the bottle to get a good drip onto each chain link. It’s still slower than usual, but much faster than just squeezing the bottle and not letting go.)

Now the chain looked good, so I pedaled a bit and shifted through the gears – very smooth! Maybe not miraculously smooth, but still very smooth.

I started out with a couple rides in good weather, then went to the races for a weekend, where I rode in some rain and wet stuff, but no serious mud.

Even with the rain, the chain was fine, so I rode it a few more times. I put about 12-15 solid rides in (over 4-5 weeks) and the lube was still fine. A few of the rides were in rough terrain and included a few large stream crossings. The toughest was a two hour ride through a torrential downpour!

Unbelievably, this lube lasted over a month in rough, wet off-road conditions. I think it would have went a little longer, actually, although I decided it was a good time to replace my chain.

The only downside I have found is using this in dry, dusty conditions. Sometimes I go out on my mountain bike and do 3-5 hour rides on dirt roads. In the summer, those roads can get pretty dusty! After each one, my entire drivetrain will be coated with dust!

Here’s the catch though. For as well as it works in wet conditions, it only works so well in wet, muddy, nasty conditions like you’ll see during an East Coast mountain bike race after it has been raining all week. When you get muck all over your bike and stuck in your drivetrain, it really doesn’t matter how good the lube is.

So that might not be a knock against Dumonde, but something to consider before using this in real nasty conditions.

Overall, an amazing lube for wet conditions.

Tested: Dumonde Tech Lite Lube

Now it’s time to put Dumonde Tech Lite on my road bike. This formula is quite a bit thinner than the original Tech Lube, so it’s easier to apply. It also seems to dry out more. So if you consider Tech a “wet” lube, then Tech Lite would be a “dry” lube.

Performance wise, Tech Lite seems on par with ProLink. But it does indeed last longer. With ProLink, I probably averaged 1.5-2 weeks (~300 miles) between lubings. With Tech Lite, I go for a month before thinking “oh yeah, I wonder if my chain needs lube…”

And of course, it keeps the chain pretty clean since it doesn’t attract dirt or dust.

With that kind of performance, the $9.99 price tag doesn’t seem bad at all! It actually seems like the best value in chain lube, considering how long it lasts.

So not only do you need less lube, you spend less time lubing your chain. And that means more time to ride!

Photographic Evidence: Dumonde Tech Sheds Mud!

To illustrate just how well Dumonde Tech lube sheds mud and continues to lube your chain throughout nasty conditions, take a look at this picture. It was taken after a race in April, where there was a huge mud pit you had to ride through on each lap, plus some smaller mud puddles.

As you can see, the bike the filthy. Everything is covered with mud, but then you look at the rollers on the chain (the important part,) and they are nice and clean!

My final verdict is…

Both of these Dumonde lubes have greatly exceeded my expectations. It seems weird to actually say this, but I have a new favorite chain lube! And that is Dumonde Tech Lube, along with Tech Lite. (Sorry, ProLink, you were great for the past five years, but I’m moving on!)

Dumonde Tech is awesome for mountain biking, especially if you ride in wet conditions. Dumonde Tech Lite is awesome for the road, although it would also be good for mountain biking in dry, dusty conditions.

If you’re looking for the best chain lubes out there 99.9% of the time, try these!

Official website: www.DumondeTech.com

Buy online: www.PerformanceBike.com