Dumonde Tech Bicycle Chain Lube

For many years I’ve been a fan of simple vegetable-based chain lube. It gets the job done, and you know you’re not doing much harm to yourself or the environment when you’re using it. The downside is that it’s oily and attracts dirt readily, and it wears off rather quickly. So while I’m generally leery of “wonder products,” when my local bike shop told me that they only use Dumonde Tech on their personal bikes, I figured it was worth a shot.

According to the MSDS sheet, Dumonde Tech is a cocktail of proprietary polymer, isoparaffinic fluid, fatty ester and ketone that essentially “plates” you chain with a plastic coating. It’s mildly toxic if ingested, but not terribly bad for your skin. It is hazardous to breathe, so definitely don’t go huffin’ this stuff!

You would pretty much need to be a chemist to understand exactly how and why this lube works, but I’m fairly well convinced that it just does. Thanks to the rather erratic weather this season, I’ve ridden in rain, sleet and snow, as well as in perfectly dry, sun-shiny conditions. I only lubed my chain once in the beginning of December and it’s running smooth and quiet while looking remarkably clean. It should be noted, I did follow the directions.

With this product, a little goes a long way. One ounce is supposed to be good for 10 applications. Dumonde Tech recommends that you wipe the chain extremely well after application and that you wait until you audibly hear your chain, rather than relying on the way it looks or feels.

Although it would seem that this particular lube isn’t the most environmentally friendly option on the market, Dumonde Tech does claim to be a progressive, environmentally focused company. They now offer a biodegradable bicycle chain lube, and they continue to research and develop similar products.

Dumonde Tech also offers a “Lite Formula” and “Bio-Green” chain lube. A 2 oz bottle of original formula retails for about $9, a 4 oz bottle for $16. Visit www.dumondetech.com for more info.