Life In The Saddle

Can a bottle of chain lube ever be worth a 100 GBP expenditure? The new absoluteBLACK GRAPHENlube claims that yes, it can. The most scientifically advanced bicycle chain lube on sale today, this new graphene based dry lubricant can offer serious friction reduction, efficiency gains, and reduced component wear rates. Before I tell of my experiences with absoluteBLACK GRAPHENlube, here is the science bit (taken from the absoluteBLACK website)... GRAPHENlube – 5 Claimed Advantages 5 Watt efficiency gain over 900 kilometres, in dry conditions Extend the life of your drivetrain Repels water and does not attract dirt  Dry paste-like coating stays on the chain for up to 1800 kilometres in dry conditions Does not contain harmful solvents GRAPHENlube – The Development and Product GRAPHENlube is a wax-based water emulsion with a special mix of high-purity graphene. It is liquid when you apply it, but becomes almost solid when it dries on the chain. Wax-based lubricants show far greater to...

I am constantly micro-adjusting the set-up on my bikes to find the most comfortable and powerful position. The latest upgrade to my road bike is a set of narrower Easton carbon handlebars and a shorter stem. It is a marked improvement. Here's why… The standard large size road bike (56cm) will come with a 100mm stem and 42cm handlebars. Most 'racers' will whip that 'short' stem straight off, and replace it with anything up to 130mm in length. Most will stick with the 42cm width handlebars though. Both of these choices seems increasingly illogical, in my opinion… Stem Length The main motivation for opting to upsize a stem seems to be "it's what the Pro's do". The trend for long stems in the pro peloton relates to the tradition of opting for a smaller frame size, something that was done in bygone years because it helped to reduce weight. Something that is largely unnecessary now, because all top-end bikes are under the UCI weight limit; ye...