The Oxford Mint Wet Lube provides good, long-lasting lubrication on a bike chain in wet and changeable conditions. Although a little prone to attracting dirt, this lube is great if you don't want the faff of reapplication every other ride or so.
We've had a relatively dry spring so far in 2022, but on the occasions that I have been caught out it's stuck around and performed admirably well. My personal reference points here are Rock 'N' Roll's Extreme and Muc-Off's Wet Lube, both of which I've used in recent times, and it lasts markedly longer than Rock 'N' Roll's lighter wax-based solution. It lasts similarly to Muc-Off's very good product.
It's hard to quantify the actual mileage you get from one full application on a clean chain (conditions being as unique and changeable as they are), but I was able to get several decent rides out of it before hearing the telltale sounds of an under-lubed chain.
Being a wet lube, and an oily one at that, it does attract dirt quite readily. I wouldn't suggest that it's bad in any way, only that when the time comes to re-lube, you will need to give the chain a good degrease and dry first, to save creating a grinding paste through your drivetrain.
This is normal, but it's where a lighter wet lube (such as Rock 'N' Roll's Extreme) can win out if a clean drivetrain is the main priority. The durable nature of Oxford's Wet Lube makes it ideal for commuters and hybrid bike riders too.
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It's available in 75ml and 150ml bottles, the latter being slightly better value at £7.49 versus £3.99 for the half size one. The precision applicator nozzle is useful to avoid wastage in both sizes, and you don't need to overapply it to get best performance – just taking the time to apply it to each link is more than enough, while if you wipe away excess you can help it to run a little cleaner.
Value
There are LOTS of rivals out there. Of those I've mentioned, Rock 'N' Roll Extreme Lube is £7.99 for 4oz (just under 120ml), but effectively much more expensive given how much you need to apply each time, while Muc-Off's Wet Lube is currently £4.99 for just 50ml. Oxford's Wet Lube beats both on value by a fair way.
Other good options include Zefal's Pro Wet Lube at £5.99 for 120ml, and Fenwick's Wet Weather Chain Lube at £7.99 per 100ml bottle. The latter may seem a touch expensive, but it really impressed Jim over at our sister site off.road.cc, and remains one of the best-rated wet lubes we've ever seen.
Overall
This is a good, effective wet lube for bad weather weather, and it's very decent value too.
Verdict
Good value wet lube that performs well in changeable weather
Make and model: Oxford Mint Wet Lube 75ml
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Oxford says, "Specially formulated lubricant to perform in the harshest of conditions to reduce wear on the chain and sprockets whilst not leaving a stain on the environment."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Key Features
- Highly durable lubricant.
- Reduces wear in the hardest conditions.
- Biodegradable lubricant.
- Available in 75ml and 150ml.
- Not tested on animals.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Sticks around in poor weather. It doesn't run that cleanly, but if you apply with care then you can mitigate this a little.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
On par with similar oil-based lubes.
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Easy to apply and wipe away, long lasting, good value.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Attracts dust and dirt.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Rock 'N' Roll Extreme Lube is £7.99 for 4oz (just under 120ml), but effectively much more expensive given how much you need to apply each time, while Muc-Off's Wet Lube is currently £4.99 for just 50ml. Oxford's Wet Lube beats both on value by a fair way.
Other good options include Zefal's Pro Wet Lube at £5.99 for 120ml, and Fenwick's Wet Weather Chain Lube at £8 per 100ml bottle. The latter may seem a touch expensive, but it really impressed Jim over at our sister site off.road.cc, and remains one of the best-rated wet lubes we've ever seen.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
This is a good wet lube at a good price. If you want or need only one lube, this could be a good fit.
Age: 32 Height: 188cm Weight: 80kg
I usually ride: Canyon Ultimate CF SL (2016), Fairlight Strael 3.0 (2021) My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Dabble in Zwift training and racing
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