Bat Chain Lube

Bat Chain Lube, in common with most waxes I've used over the years, requires a surgically clean transmission and several hours' curing time. However, the flow rate is more predictable than most, so the lion's share goes on the chain not the garage floor, and durability and cleanliness are better than I've come to expect.

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Bat Chain Lube is a synthetic wax, and employs a water-based carrier to traffic the wax component into the chain rollers. It's designed to remain flexible yet durable, and to run clean, rather than scab off once impregnated with crud like traditional types – though this can happen if you're anything less than meticulous with your prep.

Application

Getting your drivetrain gleaming first is particularly important with wax formulas. If I've been running a wet lube for a few weeks, I'll strip the chain and rings and degrease before relubing.

To apply Bat Chain Lube, give the bottle a vigorous shake to mix everything, then drizzle into the links, nudging any overspill back into the rollers.

I've used and tested waxes year-round, and have found those using a water-based carrier tend to be super runny, and consequently messy. The Bat lube's flow rate is surprisingly controllable, almost like a standard middleweight ISO/PTFE lube. I initially attributed this to a very chilly start to spring, but this remained consistent when temperatures hit the mid-teens.

After application, pop the bike away and leave the lube curing for at least four hours or, better still, overnight.

Lubrication

After the lube had cured, the chain on my rough stuff tourer felt slick, with minimal friction from the first few turns of the cranks. I have been replacing and updating the bike's drivetrain components, which undoubtedly helps, but shifting up and down the block was crisp and snappy, even under load.

While the Bat lube hasn't quite rivalled some ceramic waxes, I've been pleasantly surprised by how smooth and silent it's kept the chain on my fixed-gear bike too, these past few weeks.

Conditions have been changeable, ranging from bright and sunny through to snowy and drizzly. Through the wetter stuff, the protectant layer has remained (even when the wax went flaky on the fixed), fending off any superficial freckling. At this point, I've been inclined to top up with a thin layer rather than get to work with a chain bath.

It hasn't rivalled Smoove Universal Chain Lube in terms of staying power, but has been impressive by wax standards. I've cruised past the 250-mile marker before the lubricant became filmy; adding another light coat, it returned another 50.

To date, I've not subjected it to monsoon rains (few would opt for a wax, with that kind of forecast), but the Bat lube has fared better than others in fair to changeable conditions, such as Juice Lubes Chain Juice Wax.

Value

It's possible to brew your own wax lube very cheaply, but £8.99 for 125ml is very reasonable when compared with other wax types, especially when factoring miles per application/overall performance into the equation.

The Juice Lubes mentioned above is £11.99 for 130ml, and Pedros Ice Wax 2.0 Chain Lube is £10.99 for 100ml.

Tru Tension Bananaslip All Weather Lube doesn't require a lengthy curing period and has similar characteristics to a wax (cleanliness, low friction), but £10 for 50ml may turn some off.

Smoove Universal Chain Lube is £15 for 125ml, but would still be my choice for year-round use. Being a petrochemical formula, it leaves an oily component even when the lube is almost gone, protecting the chain from rust, which many traditional wax types don't.

Conclusion

Overall, I've found Bat Chain Lube to be a grade above most traditional blends when it comes to performance and longevity. Curing times won't suit everyone, and those after a year-round wax option are probably better served by Smoove, but Bat lube is a very good option for fair to changeable conditions.

Verdict

Very good clean-running and surprisingly durable wax lube