Juice Lubes is a UK-based company that makes a range of essential liquids for cleaning, lubing and working on your bike. We’ve used a selection of its range (it does a lot more lubes and brushes as well), and the overall results have been good if not game-changing.
Viking Juice
As you might expect, Juice Lubes makes a range of lubes, with Viking Juice being its most weather-resistant mix. That doesn’t mean it’s a gluey goop though. In fact, it’s significantly lighter than most lubes and the company recommends two to four applications (with a couple of minutes penetration time between each application) to build up a full defence. That avoids any lengthy overnight setup and creates a quiet and rust-resistant coating that’ll cope with a few hours of filth. Multiple coats mean you’ll use more, but the price is reasonable for the size of the bottle so it evens out in terms of value.
Chain Juice Ceramic
Juice Lubes ceramic chain juice isn’t as needy as other waxes we’ve used (it only needs a few minutes to settle in before riding, rather than hours), and it’s a good price, too. It stays clean and quiet in less taxing, summer conditions, but if things start getting dirty or there’s high torque involved, things start creaking and squeaking sooner than other waxes.
Dirty Little Scrubber
The highlight in the Juice Lubes range for us, the Dirty Little Scrubber has become our default chain cleaning machine for several reasons. The brushes actually turn when you turn the chain, it doesn’t dribble cleaner too badly and it locks securely into place, with the rear mech hook working okay with most setups. It could do with wider feet, as it tends to fall over really easily when you put it down.
Dirt Juice Boss chain cleaner
This super-concentrated degreaser is designed for use with the Little Scrubber, and it’s a proper stripper so be careful using it elsewhere. Juice Lubes says two minutes is the soaking limit, even on chains and cassettes. It should be okay on carbon, but Juice Lubes isn’t making any planet friendly claims for this brew.
AAS Juice grease
AAS (Aluminum Anti Seize) juice is an alloy assembly paste that stops metal components from galling together and we’ve found it also works fine across steel and titanium. In fact, the purple tub has been our go-to for making sure any metal seat posts, bottom brackets or cleat bolts come out as easily as they went in, and it’s not failed yet.
Bearing Juice grease
Bearing Juice is a multi-purpose white grease for restoring life to headsets and other bearings. While it’s not been miraculous in any way, it’s not disappointed either. Overall, it does a decent job for a decent amount of time. The while color makes it easy to see, and it wipes off easily if it gets where it shouldn’t. The price is good, too.
Dirt Juice Double Pack
This double pack contains a reusable trigger bottle of Juice Lubes Dirt Juice cleaner (£7.99) and a bottle of the super-concentrated degreaser (£11.99). Both liquids are actually the same (the bike wash is just the degreaser diluted 10:1), so you can mix and match the concentrations and increase the overall pack value. If you already have a spray bottle then just get the bottle of bike wash and dilute it to your liking. As mentioned previously, the degreaser works pretty well, but not as well as its rivals.
Frame Juice
Very few bike washes get a bike fully sparkling, even if you get a brush or power wash involved. Frame Juice is an aerosol polish that puts the shine back onto your frame and helps the grime from sticking as much next time around. There’s no chalk in it to scratch paint or leave residue, and it has a vaguely fruity smell, which makes the polishing process more pleasant. However, it comes in a canister, rather than a spray bottle, which is not as eco-friendly.
JL69
JL69 is basically Juice Lubes' own version of WD40 or GT85. A lightweight penetrating lubricant that’s useful for dispersing water, freeing stuck stuff and providing corrosion protection until you can lube properly. Like all similar products, you need to be careful to keep it away from greased bearings, but the stoutly built pop-up straw aerosol keeps application accurate.
Tire Juice
Juice Lubes tire sealant is synthetic latex-based and water-soluble. The latest formulation has more liquid for easy application through valves and consistent tire coating. A 500ml bottle is a well-priced £14.99 or a 5L pump tank for workshop use is £89.99. It has a mix of particulates to plug reasonable-sized holes with reasonable consistency, and it washes out of tires easily. There’s no eye-watering or tire-eroding ammonia in the formula either. In other words, like most of the other Juice Lubes products, it’s not outstanding in any way but it does the job at a decent price.
Verdict
Juicy Lubes makes an impressivly comprehensive range of lubes and bike care products. The products are reasonably priced and do the job well. As we have mentioned, they are not outstanding but there is not a lot to complain about either. The Dirty Little Scrubber is our favorite product of the bunch. Overall, you can't go wrong with any of Juice Lubes products, however, they are only available in the UK.
