AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube Review

AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube Review

Absolute Black recently sent us their Graphen Lube to review. In this article, we will take a close look at the “world’s fastest and longest lasting hydrocarbon based chain lube” from AbsoluteBlack.

We have applied this lube to our mountain bike chains over the last month and have paid close attention to it’s performance and longevity. Read on to learn more.

About the AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube

The AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube is a high-performance bicycle chain lube aimed at Road, MTB, Gravel, and Track. The lubricant which contains graphene is designed to be the fastest and longest-lasting chain lube on the market. AbsoluteBlack has designed this product to be the best chain lube on the market but this does come with one caveat and that is the price.

The Graphen Lube comes in two bottle sizes small and large. The small bottles contain 14ml (0.47 oz) and is priced at £16.99 here in the UK. The large bottle contains 10x the amount at 140ml (4.7 oz) and is prices at £114.99.

AbsoluteBlack do recommend you do an initial immersion which uses 2x 14ml bottles and then to top up the chain as and when needed. So the initial cost of this lubricant will be anywhere from £33.98(2x small bottles minimum) to £114.99 so as you can see this is not a cheap product and is designed to be a high-performance product aimed at those that can reap the benefits of the product.

Absolute Black Graphen Lube Review

AbsoluteBlack claims their GraphenLube is the “World’s fastest and longest lasting hydrocarbon based chain lube, containing graphene.” This is not something we can prove as we don’t have access to any other hydrocarbon based chain lubes containing graphene to test against but this certainly is a high-performance lube and I will tell you why so read on.

Now before I get started I think it’s important to point out that we are predominantly a Mountain Bike magazine and testing power savings on a mountain bike in the real world is significantly harder than on a road with a road bike or better yet a road bike on an indoor trainer with fixed parameters inside a lab. So we won’t be testing AbsoluteBlack’s claims of 3-10W savings over other lubes. Instead, we will focus on real-world testing specifically with mountain biking. However, the below graph shows AbsoluteBlack’s test results when compared to other chain lubes if you are interested.

Applying the Lube

Applying the GraphenLube is very easy. AbsoluteBlack suggests that you do an initial immersion to impregnate the chain with the lube which requires that you use 2x 14ml bottles or 1x big bottle. Then you can top up the chain moving forwards like you would with any other liquid chain lubricant.

We used the AbsoluteBlack GraphenWax for the initial immersion also recommended by AbsoluteBlack. You can learn more about that process here: AbsoluteBlack GraphenWax Tutorial

How long does it last

AbsoluteBlack claims that the GraphenLube lasts up to 1800km and can be used in all weather conditions on the road, MTB, gravel, and track. So how does this stack up in the real world? Well, I’m sure 1800km is the best-case scenario in ideal weather conditions without contaminants such as dirt, dust, loam, and other MTB goodness.

So being UK-based we get to see all sorts of weather at any time of the year and this year has not been any different. I found that I needed to re-lube the chain less frequently than I have with other chain lubes but after a particularly wet or muddy ride it’s important to clean and re-lube the chain. This is one of the downsides of MTB. We ride in harsh conditions and even though this lube is great at not attracting dust and grime it’s inevitable some is going to get on the chain and this can shorten the life of your chain if not properly cared for.

In summary, the lube does last significantly longer than other lubes we have tried and tested but it’s unlikely you will get anywhere close to that 1800km on a single application if using this lube for mountain biking.

Is this the Best MTB Chain Lube?

We can’t say definitively that this is the best MTB chain lube however, it is the best chain lube I have tested to date. Using this bicycle lubricant over others has some noticeable improvements from longevity to smoothness and reduced friction from the chain. I found that the chain remained cleaner longer with less dust and dirt ingress although as mentioned above some are always inevitable.

There are additional steps to use this lube such as the initial immersion using either the GraphenLube or the GraphenWax. But the benefits are noticeable and your chain should last longer.

If I was using this chain lube on a road, track, or indoor trainer bike then I would have given this 5 stars. I’ve given it 4/5 out of 5 as I was specifically testing it as an MTB Chain Lube. The cost of the lubrication is the main downside seeing as MTB can be a dirty sport and requires lots of chain cleaning and re-lubing which may make this product too expensive for the average mountain biker to consider.

So what do you think of the AbsoluteBlack GraphenLube? Would you pay that premium for the lube. Do you think the benefits of the lubricant outweigh the costs? What’s your personal favourite chain lube? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below or visit our Forums to discuss further.

You can learn more and purchase the chain lube direct from AbsoulteBlack here: https://absoluteblack.cc/graphenlube-worlds-best-chain-lubricant-coating/

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