Fenwicks All Conditions Chain Lube review

Wouldn't it be good if one chain lube covered all eventualities, and you didn't have to worry about choosing the right lubricant for the season or weather? Just clean and dry the chain, slap on the lube, and ride off into the sunset (or rain).

Well, Fenwicks All Conditions Lube comes very close indeed to being the ideal fit-and-forget chain lubricant.

The All Conditions Lube also ticks the right environmental boxes. The lube itself is biodegradable, and the packaging is made from post consumer resin, derived from recycled materials.

Fenwicks All Conditions Chain Lube: in use 

Pour a little of the Fenwicks All Condition Chain Lube from the bottle, and you'll notice that it's not as thick and claggy as some wet lubes. Apply it to a clean and dry chain, and it soaks in quickly. Fenwicks' instructions don't ask for a long period between the first application and the first ride, and I went out within minutes of lubing the chain.

From the get-go, Fenwicks All Conditions was quiet and gearshifts were quick and precise. Of course, that has at least as much to do with the bike set-up as the lubricant, but I certainly had the impression that the whole drivetrain was behaving at its best.

It's as easy to clean off as it is to apply. Fenwicks sent me its Foaming Chain Cleaner along with a Chain Cleaning Sponge and Gear Cleaning Brush. This trio of products worked a treat, cleaning the chain and sprockets quickly and with very little effort. What's more, the foam doesn't use solvents and it's readily biodegradable.

You could argue that a lube that lasts for many miles on a single application has better green credentials than one that's easily washed away in the rain. All Conditions impresses in this respect, too. I tested it in all weathers, mostly riding my road bike but with the odd mucky spin on my gravel bike. It was noticeable how little dirt was sticking to the chain when riding gravel.

Rain wasn't a big problem either. Despite seeming quite thin and runny when lubing the chain, Fenwicks All Conditions tackled damp winter rides without any sign of the lubricant being washed away. We even tried soaking the chain with a garden hose before setting out on a 30-miler, and the chain was still rust-free and well lubricated the next day.  Well over 100 miles on each application wasn't a problem in the depths of winter, and I'd bet on going considerably further in summer.

Value and conclusions 

To be honest, I'm scratching my head to find anything significant to criticise. 

I tested this chain lube against four others. Of those, perhaps Muc-Off's Wet Lube will tough it out for a few more miles in really bad weather, but there's not a lot in it. And while we'd trust Smoove lube to last even longer between applications, it's more expensive and not as straightforward to apply. Priced at £7.99 for 100ml, Fenwicks is good value for a lubricant that works so well across such a variety of riding conditions.

Put it this way – if you want maximum performance but minimum fuss, you'll struggle to find better than Fenwicks All Conditions Lubricant.

Which is the best chain lube? Scores on the doors

• Smoove Lube: 5/5
• Fenwicks All Conditions Chain Lube: 4.5/5
• Green Oil Wet Chain Lube review: 4.5/5
• Muc-Off Wet Lube: 4/5
• Finish Line Dry Lube: 3.5/5