Silca

I have gone through a dozen or more saddle bags over the years, looking for one with the right amount of storage, small enough that it fit under the seat, didn't rub against my legs, was easy to open (not a zipper that degrades rapidly with a little rain and dirt).

This little bags opens wide, making it easy to get your stuff in and out. The Boa keeps it closed tightly and secure, and the straps hold it tightly under my saddle. I'm tempted to buy several and stash them away for the day when this does fail, just in case they ever stop making it.

Like the theory but reality is just OK. Setup is a bit harder as you cannot inject it through the valve. Per instructions, Silca's replenisher needs to be added every 90-120 days. Don't ignore this and aim for 90. And buy the replenisher with your initail sealant as you will need it probably sooner than you think. At 105 days, I got a flat that did not fully seal. It was pretty small but not sealling. No sealant in sight. I put in a small Dynaplug and still not sealling. I still did not see any fluid coming out so the Silca sealant appears to have completely dried out. No just deminished but bone dry. I not have any Silca Replenisher but did have a 2 oz bottle of Stans on hand. I put in the Stans and the tire sealed almost instantly. I'm sure the Silca would have been able to handle this puncture - if it was there - but it was long gone in just over 3 months. In fairness the instructions do clearly say this is a possibility so I'm not upset. If I stick with Silca, I will have to start checking the sealant level monthly. On the fence as to if the extra setup and maintenance hassles and the cost are worth it.

I have used Silca drip lube for 3 years now.

I have a Campy 12 speed chain that Campagnolo requires pinning . Hence no quick link.

I completely degreased the new chain of factory grease and hot waxed with Silca Hot Melt wax in January of 2022.

I have cleaned and drip waxed it on the bike every 125-150 miles for 7500 miles and it only measures %0.18 mm wear on my KMC digital chain checker. I expect to get 10,000 miles on this chain before I change it at 0.40% wear, which will still be before minimum recommended replacement.

The chain runs quiet and shifts smooth. The only time I use a different lube (Silca Synthetic lube) on my gravel and fat bike as they see a lot more rain and mud, with greater maintenance intervals.

Great stuff and BTD has sales quite often. Sign up for the Gold Program and save even more .

My favorite wet chain lube. I degreased a new chain and applied Silca Synergetic. It's surprisingly quiet. Great performance on two recent bike tours, each greater than 300 miles with rain/sand/gravel. The dirty chain was simply rinsed with water and wiped with microfiber cloth. It continued to perform well in the wet/dirty riding conditions. I developed some chain noise after aprox 300 miles and reapplied. It's my favorite chain lube for bikepacking, touring, and commuting. I highly recommend and continue to use this product.