The new $16.99 Finish Line Premium Bike Care Value Pack brings the three most versatile products for a cyclocrosser into one cost-savings pack. © Cyclocross Magazine
At the 2014 Press Camp, we spent a bit of time with Finish Line checking out their new products, mostly because we cyclocrossers probably consumer more lubricants and cleaners per capita than any other type of cyclist. The company assured us that many of their new lubricants and cleaners will help cyclocross and gravel racers clean up their act and their bike, regardless of climate, components, or dirty habits. And it boasts that many of the new products will actually save you money, while typically protecting the environment more than competitors’ offerings. (In the confines of a Deer Valley hotel room, we didn’t get to verify these claims, but hope to shortly, except for the environment one.)
Of all the new Finish Line products, what really caught our attention was a new upcoming Teflon-based Pedal & Cleat lubricant. Perhaps you’ve used Pam spray in hopes of keeping the mud off your pedal and ensuring easy in and out of your pedals? Finish Line aims to replace the nonstick cooking spray in your toolbox and put it back in the kitchen, with its upcoming purpose-brewed non-stick dry lubricant spray that was developed in collaboration with Speedplay. Does that mean the long-awaited Syzr pedal is on its way?
We saw a spec sheet on the Finish Line Pedal & Cleat lubricant but that’s it…stay tuned as we’ll see if it helps keeps our cleats and pedals clean when conditions get messy. It will be launched at Eurobike, but us dirty Americans are also looking forward to trying it.
While the cleat and pedal lube isn’t yet available, there are a few new interesting Finish Line products already shipping to a LBS near you.
Finish Line offers its No Drip applicator to help apply any brand of lubricant to your chain. © Cyclocross Magazine
Perhaps the most useful and environment and money-saving item is Finish Line’s new No Drip Chain Luber bottle and applicator. Add your favorite lube to the bottle (Finish Line hopes it’s one of their six lubes), give it a squeeze and run your chain over the sponge-like applicator. The intended result is no more lube dripping on your frame or onto the road or cyclocross course, keeping the local flora or fauna perfectly noisy, crunchy and happy.
Finish Line’s No Drip applicator helps keep the lube on your chain and not on the floor or frame. © Cyclocross Magazine
Said to save 50% of your lube by eliminating waste, it could pay for itself in a season. The Finish Line No Drip Chain Luber comes with two replacement wicking pads. MSRP: $8.00. More info.
One new product is really just a dried-up version of an old product, and that’s by design. Finish Line now offers a concentrated form of its bright pink Super Bike Wash. The new $8.99 16 oz bottle will create four liters of the standard Super Bike Wash, while a 1-liter refill bottle in non-concentrated form retails for $9.99.
Concentrate on this Super Bike Wash math problem: 4 liters for less than 1 liter. © Cyclocross Magazine
We may not be math wizards but our calculator said “no brainer” when we tried to calculate cost savings for regular Super Bike Wash users. More info.
Finish Line now offers six bike lubricants, including its new ceramic-based Wet and Wax chain lubricants, and the 1-step Cleaner and Lube. Not sure which one is right for you? The decision tree wizards in the Long Island offices created an interactive Lube Selector that takes the guess work out of choosing the appropriate Finish Line lube for your riding conditions and maintenance habits.
Answer a few questions and Finish Line has an answer. © Cyclocross Magazine
It’s pretty complete in its questions, although excludes the pro cyclocrosser in that “Rides Between Applications” starts at “Every Ride” instead of “Every Half Lap.” Or maybe that’s the point? Perhaps cyclocrossers don’t have to re-lube during a race despite a dozen powerwashes with the right lube? Give it a whirl here, and see if you can stump it.
While there are plenty of cyclocross-relevant products from Finish Line, the company doesn’t discriminate in the type of cyclist it aims to help, and now offers two new products to serve both cutting-edge technology adopters as well as vintage-loving retrogrouches.
With its E-Shift electronic groupset cleaner, Finish Line brings a cleaner and degreaser that’s electronic drivetrain compatible. What does that mean? It won’t eat your wires or turn your Super Record EPS drivetrain into Pista. It’ll also keep your vintage Avocet 20 working for another 20 years. The unique feature is the fact that the cleaner dries quickly and doesn’t leave a residue that eats away at wires and components. $14.99 for 17oz, $9.99 for 6oz. More info.
Finish Line new products: New: no-drop applicator, electronic drivetrain-safe lube, anti-seize lube, and bike wash concentrate. © Cyclocross Magazine
Speaking of vintage products, should you adopt our bigger-wheels-roll-over-barriers-faster philosophy and attempt to build up that vintage 27″ wheel touring bike as your next cyclocross bike, Finish Line has you in mind as well. If you are stressing out because you’re stuck on more than the fact that your wheels are bigger than that found on both 27.5″/650b and 29″ bikes, Finish Line wants you to chill out. Its new Chill Zone spray combines a penetrating lubricant and a refrigerant propellant. Spray it on that frozen bottom bracket, seatpost or pedal, and let it sit while the rust breaks down. The spray loosens up the rusty, stuck item, and restores functionality or gets it moving again. However, don’t try applying this to your skills or legs if you’ve been out of commission for a while. $9.99 for 6oz, $12.99 for 12 oz. More info.
Want a quick grab-and-go option that should meet most of your bike needs? Finish Line showed off its new Premium Bike Care Value Back, offering wet and dry lubes, with its bike wash concentrate, for $16.99. More info.
It’s worth noting that Finish Line works with SmartEtailing to offer e-commerce options on its website that help you locate their products at a bike store local to you. So you can still support your local shop while researching and shopping online.
See all the new cyclocross and gravel bikes and gear from the 2014 Press Camp in Deer Valley, Utah.
