Words & Image Lester Perry
RRP $19
Distributor Southern Approach
Weldtite has a storied history. Starting out in London in the early 1940s, it initially manufactured and supplied puncture repair kits to British and Canadian paratroopers who, once on the ground, were getting about on folding bikes.
Eventually outgrowing its facility, Weldtite shifted to Barton, by the River Humber in North Lincolnshire, where it continues to develop and manufacture a wide range of bike maintenance products, to this day.
A lot has changed in the world of chain lubricants over recent years. New formulations, wet, dry, light, drip or melt; there’s now a lube for whatever style of bike you ride and whatever conditions you ride it in, not to mention options for both human and electric assist bikes as well. Whatever the style of lube or the name on the label, they’re all attempting to achieve the same goals: quieten the drive train, increase its efficiency, maximise its lifespan, and not attract contaminants.
I’ve spent a few months comparing the merits of two similar – but distinctly different – Weldtite chain lubes. Using multiple bikes and varied trail conditions, I’ve garnered a good understanding of each lube’s drawbacks and benefits.
Weldtite Ceramic Lube
This is an all-weather lube with ceramic additives for optimal efficiency, helping to conserve precious watts and decrease drivetrain wear. Its low viscosity allows it to penetrate right into the links of the chain, and its various additives bond to the chain’s surfaces, creating a hydrophobic barrier to resist water and contamination.
It’s reasonably light and has a runny consistency, so care was needed while applying it. I found it easy to overdo it, leaving the entire drive train susceptible to build-up of dirt and other contaminants. It literally only takes a small drop on each chain link to do its job. Once I figured the sweet spot between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’, this lube was great. As with other lubes, one key to gunk-free riding is to begin with a completely clean system (chainrings, chain, jockey wheels), then apply the lube, leave it to sit a few hours, and finish by giving the chain a thorough wipe to remove any excess sitting on the outer surfaces.
In dry conditions, the drivetrain stayed clean, smooth, and quiet for many rides, with minimal gunk on the chainring or jockey wheels. I’ve been surprised at how well the lube has lasted; it could go multiple rides before needing to reapply. In wetter conditions, I found it didn’t last quite as long, although the bonus in the damp was how little grime the drivetrain collected, certainly less than many lubes I’ve used.
On a mountain bike, I’d reach for this lube over the summer, in dry to variable conditions. I’d run this lube year-round on a road or gravel bike.
I’d say it’s a jack of all trades, master of none.
Weldtite All-weather Lube with Teflon™
This lube is designed to excel when the trails or roads are wet, or rain is falling. It has a marginally thicker consistency than the Ceramic lube but is still quite runny. The All-weather is a bit stickier than the Ceramic Lube, closer to a more traditional ‘wet’ style lube. Weldtite tells us the lube is enhanced with a ‘Teflon Surface Protector’ to assist in repelling water and contaminants.
A light application is vital – it’s not as sticky as some all-weather lubes, but if there’s much on the outer surfaces of the chain (or overspill on chainring or jockey wheels), these areas attract contaminants. As with the ceramic lube, I began with a clean chain and applied a thin layer across the chin, leaving a few hours to wipe off any excess before riding. With such a small amount needed per use, the 100ml bottle should last even the most frequent of riders for a long time.
Amongst my normal cruising around, I rode this lube on one big (by my standards) overnight mission – some 19 hours of riding split in two by a particularly broken sleep in a roadside shelter…. but that’s a story for another time. Across multiple surfaces and trail types, from groomed gravel to stodgy mud, my drivetrain got a good workout and offered a real-world glimpse of what this lube is all about. There was no sign of the chain drying out, and at no point did the drivetrain seem like it needed more lube, staying quiet for the entire ride. By the time I rolled back into my garage at home, there was some buildup of contamination on the chainring and jockey wheels, although it was not a concern given the conditions and hours ridden. Had I taken the time to give the chain and jockey wheels a quick once over after my first day of riding, I could have saved some precious watts being absorbed by some of that buildup.
Given its chequered reputation, it would be remiss of me not to mention the use of Teflon (PTFE) in chain lube. A portion of the bike industry is removing PTFE and related compounds from their products, claiming no justifiable case exists for their continued use. A solid body of evidence shows that the PFAS used in the manufacture of PTFE, and the PTFE itself, are growing global health concerns. Both compounds are termed ‘forever chemicals’ and cannot completely break down in the environment. There’s a host of studies and evidence online if you’d like to know more about why this is a concern.
So, where does that leave me with the Weldtite All-weather chain lube? I’d say it’s a jack of all trades, master of none. This lube quiets the drivetrain, withstands terrible weather, and lasts well, but the drawback is that it picks up a bit more muck while doing its slippery job than some lubes targeted toward more specific conditions. This could be right up your alley if you’re keen on one lube to use across multiple bikes without matching lube type to conditions.
