Muc-Off has announced the release of its new Dark Energy – a wax chain lube that it claims beats major competitors for both efficiency and durability.
The result of four years of research and development, and testing by its sponsored pro teams, Muc-Off says its performance claims have been validated by independent test labs, as well as its own internal processes.
Designed for use in dry-to-damp conditions, Muc-Off says a chain treated with Dark Energy wax lube can go up to 300 miles / 482 kilometres between applications.
PFAS- and PFTE-free, Muc-Off Dark Energy chain lube is said to be made from “plant-derived, inherently biodegradable wax” (as opposed to paraffin wax, which is derived from petroleum or other hydrocarbons).
It costs £15 / $15 / €15 for a 50ml bottle, or £23 / $25 / €30 for a 120ml bottle – making it much cheaper than the brand’s Ludicrous AF lube, which costs £40 for a 50ml bottle.
Alongside the Dark Energy lube, Muc-Off is also launching a ‘Chain Wax Cleaner’, which helps strip a chain of factory grease and/or other contaminants, so it is prepared for the application of wax lubes.
Why now?
Wax-based chain lubricants have been growing in popularity for a number of years, with many WorldTour teams now using immersively waxed chains in search of drivetrain efficiency gains.
As a result, many brands have developed and marketed wax-based lubes, including CeramicSpeed, Silca and AbsoluteBlack.
Muc-Off, though, has stuck largely to oil-based lubes, until now – previously claiming its Ludicrous AF lube was “the world’s fastest chain lube”.
Given this, our first question to Muc-Off when it told us about Dark Energy was why it had decided to make a wax-based chain lube at all.
According to the brand, it simply wasn’t possible previously to hit the “sweet spot” of low friction and high durability it demands of its high-performance lubes.
It did, however, point out that it has previously produced wax-based lubes (such as its ‘Dry wax lube' from 2008), and that it has “evaluated wax formulas in development and testing for many years alongside oils”.
Muc-Off also noted it tested “a prototype C4 wax with Chris Froome and Team Sky way back in 2014”, although this was never made publicly available.
The difference now, Muc-Off says, is that it has developed a “unique next gen blend of waxes”, with a focus on “how the different mix of advanced waxes behave in race conditions at WorldTour level”.
Although Muc-Off’s press materials note the wax in Dark Energy is “plant-derived”, it declined to specify the exact formula for “confidentiality” reasons.
How does Muc-Off Dark Energy stack up against the competition?
Muc-Off was coy when asked how Dark Energy compares to Ludicrous AF in terms of drivetrain efficiency, noting simply that the latter “remains one of our most efficient lubes to date”.
It also said Ludicrous AF “really comes into its own in wet and harsh conditions”, and noted that “at unbound last year, some riders were trying to top up their wax during the race itself”.
In contrast, Muc-Off views Dark Energy as an option for “dry to damp conditions”, and cites the “cleanliness and quietness” of waxed drivetrains as a key differentiator.
WIth regards to performance versus competitor wax lubes, Muc-Off was more forthcoming.
“Dark Energy is one of the fastest dropper waxes out there”, it says, according to both its own internal tests and those performed by the German test lab Bike Engineering.
A chart from the Bicycle Engineering tests (above) shows Dark Energy besting key competitors such as Silca Super Secret, Squirt and CeramicSpeed UFO All Conditions, in terms of efficiency, although Smoove comes out marginally ahead.
Muc-Off also provided an 'average wear' chart from its own internal tests showing Dark Energy’s claimed low drivetrain-wear rates compared to other wax lubes.
“The real story”, Muc-Off says, “is that Dark Energy is not just efficient, but it can also deliver up to 300 miles of durability and low wear characteristics.”
For context, this is a similar figure to what Silca claims for its EnduranceChip wax additive – which is claimed to help an immersively waxed chain last up to 550 kilometres / 340 miles before it needs to be re-waxed.
CeramicSpeed's UFO Drip All Conditions drip lube is claimed to "last 300km / 180 miles in generally dry and clean conditions".
“Creating a [wax lube] formula that hits all those goals is a huge challenge as some formulas may be fast but then suffer with wear (and vice versa).”
Despite these performance claims, Muc-Off acknowledges that oil-based chain lubes remain the easiest to use.
Like other wax lubes, Dark Energy must be applied to a scrupulously clean chain and needs time to ‘cure’ before it can be ridden.
