Group test: Eco-friendly chain lubes

Bicycles use a minuscule fraction of the fossil fuels required by cars, so they’re already environmentally friendly. But every little helps. If you can oil your bike with an eco-lube that doesn’t include petroleum products or forever chemicals, while still getting comparable performance, why wouldn’t you? 

For me, there’s an extra consideration: my office is also my workshop so I’m surrounded by bikes. I don’t want to sit here all day inhaling harmful chemicals. Just have a read of the labels on non-eco lubes: ‘dangerous to the environment’; ‘may cause drowsiness or dizziness’; ‘may cause skin cracking’; and so on. Eco lubes avoid these issues. Mostly. Some greenwashing does go on: a product that’s only 60% biodegradable – and which contains petrochemicals – can be described as biodegradable. 

Even the greenest lubricant still has to work properly. I primarily tested these lubes on my mountain bike over the winter because that’s one of the worst-case scenarios for chains. (It’s also why there are only wet lubes here: wax lubes are not durable enough for such conditions.) 

In order to test the lubes in identical conditions, I split a new chain into four with four quick links – one of which was black, so I’d know where the start was – then used a specific lube for each section. There was inevitable cross contamination but I hoped to see some differences – and did. I also used the lubes non-systematically on other bikes.

BBB - BioWetLube

£9.99 bbbcycling.com

Dutch brand BBB isn’t greenwashing with its BioWetLube. This plant-based lube is 100% biodegradable and contains no petrochemicals, PTFEs or microplastics. The bottle is made from recycled plastic and the label uses eco-friendly ink. The lube itself has a blue dye in it, which makes it easier to see if you’ve missed a link when you’re applying it but also means more mess from drips. Some drips are likely as this is a relatively lightweight lube; only the Connex lube was less viscous. Although it’s described as an all-weather lube and did perform well enough during the winter on my mountain bike with regular application, I think it’s better for road-going bikes and/or more clement conditions.

A lighter weight eco-lube better suited to road or summer usage

Green Oil - Wet Chain Lube

£9.99 green-oil.net

I've used this for years as it’s probably the oldest biodegradable wet lube; it came out in 2007. It’s viscous enough for winter mountain biking, and Green Oil claims 125 miles per application in better conditions – a number I’ve easily exceeded on my road bike. The only downside is that it picks up dirt easier than lighter oils. In eco-friendly terms, it’s second to none. It’s 100% biodegradable, free from petrochemicals and PTFEs, and it’s not just plant based but sustainably sourced (no palm oil, for example). The bottle is recycled and contains 45% Prevented Ocean Plastic. Plus Green Oil lubes are made in the UK, so there are fewer emissions from shipping. And whenever I’ve ordered online, my purchase has arrived in reused packaging.

An ultra eco-friendly lube that’s tenacious enough for all-year use

Nzero - Wet Lube

£11.49 nzerowax.com

Nzero began making eco-friendly waxes in Spain for snow sports, then diversified into cycling. Its UK distributor, Vanguard Cycles, took on Nzero after spotting this lube on the Shop Window page of Cycle. It’s a thoroughly eco-friendly lube: 100% plant based and biodegradable; mostly organic; no PTFEs, ceramics, paraffin or silicone; and non toxic. It’s not shipped by air, although the 100ml bottle is not recycled (yet). The lube uses castor oil as its main carrier. It’s so viscous it’s almost syrupy, clinging drip free to the chain during application and staying there for a long time – a fact that justifies its higher price. It’s my new favourite lube for mountain biking, and it’s been fine on my other bikes this winter as well.

The most durable eco-lube I’ve used. Good for MTBing and more

Connex - Bio Chain Lube

£8.99 connexchain.com

Connex is better known for chains but also makes chain-related components, tools and lubricants – including this Bio Chain Lube. Information on its eco-friendliness is sparse. It’s described only as ‘not water endangering’ and ‘highly biodegradable’, which sounds like ‘not completely biodegradable’. That’s still better than most bike lubricants, but not those in this test. The label says it’s a medium-viscosity oil. While that may be so, it’s the least viscous oil here and one of the lightest oils I’ve used. It doesn’t go everywhere when you apply it, however, as the bottle has a very narrow nozzle, which helps prevent waste and also comes in handy when lubricating cables. It was OK for winter mountain biking, as long as I used plenty of it.

Lower viscosity makes it less economical in winter or off road

Verdict 

All of these eco-lubes are effective. During the three-month test period, my mountain bike’s chain was often wet and sometimes completely covered in mud. It shifted fine throughout (for which Microshift Advent X should take most of the credit) and didn’t rust, stiffen or measurably wear. 

The Connex and BBB oils are less sticky and tenacious, which wasn’t what I wanted for winter mountain biking but might well be what you prefer for British summertime road riding. Despite the unnecessary dye, I’d rate the BBB lube higher for such usage on ecological grounds. It’s not just blue, it’s greener. 

The Green Oil and Nzero lubes are significantly more viscous, especially the Nzero. This makes them better value in bad weather and off road, because you can sometimes just wipe down the chain instead of automatically re-lubing. I think you’ll get higher mileages from the Nzero lube but the Green Oil lube is decent and has even better environmental credentials (notably the plastic bottle, the packaging and the shorter shipping distances). I’d happily use either all year round.