Following up on their Super Secret drip wax & hot melt wax lubes, Silca just dripped out an even more advanced new Synergetic Wet Lube that promises to be almost as fast, with none of the hassle. Marketing spiels & independent tests alike have confirmed in recent years, that nothing beats the ultimate speed & efficiency of premium wax-based lubes. But not only are waxes complicated to apply to your chain the first time, they need frequent reapplication, and there’s still a good bit of room for error – wasting time & money if you mess up a step.
The result is… most cyclists still prefer a simple lube they can drip onto the chain already on their bike, and ride away hassle-free. I’ll admit, that I have a hot melt wax bag waiting in my home workshop. But I haven’t found the time/hassle to pull the chain off my bike (no quick link!) and go through the process of completely degreasing it before I can even think about heating up the wax.
Silca Synergetic Wet Lube promises wax speed, with oil simplicity
Silca’s Joshua Poertner gets it. He knows that the average everyday cyclist just doesn’t care enough about the incremental gains of the cumbersome deep clean and waxing process. Regular cyclists just want chain lube that works, that decreases drivetrain friction, and that lasts long enough that we don’t have to relube after every ride. Yet even in advanced chain oil, you can get much of the performance benefit, and maybe even more bang for your buck.
So, enter the super high-tech Silca Synergetic Wet Lube.
Chain Oil simplicity, with wax speed & efficiency – F1 Tech details
Silca claims the new oil-based Synergetic lube almost matches the efficiency & durability of their wax lubricant solutions, with the ease of use of traditional chain oil. It even lasts for a claimed 600-800 miles between reapplication.
The secret seems to be a combination of two super premium additives inside that come from motorsport racing – one WS2 nano-scale tungsten disulfide, and the second F1 race car valve lubricant ZDDP. Either on their own reduce friction by 10-15%, but combined together a synergy is formed, and friction reduction is claimed at 50%, with wear reduced even further at 95% reduction thanks to a protective layer formed by the pair together.
The “tribofilm” mechanism behind the “Synergetic” performance was established by scientist Paula Ussa Aldana at the University of Lyon, France. And you can read about it in detail on Silca’s blog & product page. But suffice it to say, the result is that Silca claims internal testing to demonstrate Synergetic oil as “the fastest and quietest oil-based lubricant ever tested, losing only 4.9W on 250W input (98.1% efficiency)”. On top of that, the durable tribofilm protective layer formed by the two additives makes the lube “ultra-high wearing” and exceptionally waterproof… “remaining inside the chain even in testing under full water submersion”.
Silca Synergetic Wet Lube – Application, Pricing & Availability
Silca Synergetic Wet Lube may be a more conventional chain oil in the application, but those expensive additives keep the final price of the US-made lube quite high too. At $25 per 2oz/60ml squeeze bottle, it’s a good thing that it comes with a tiny 18-gauge needle applicator at the end of the bottle. You don’t want to just pour it over your chain.
Instead, correct application means carefully dripping one drop onto each chain roller, then back pedaling to let it work itself into the chain. It’s best on a degreased chain but even works on a brand-new factory greased chain, getting optimal function after about 4-5 applications. Drip on, spin, wipe clean and ride.
Silca says the standard relube interval is 500mi/800km, giving you 10,000mi/16,000km out of a single bottle. Compare that to their own Super Secret Blend hot melt wax or Super Secret Chain Lube drip wax, and you come away with much better bang for your buck, and negligibly higher friction.
