Motul is synonymous with racing. The French motor oil and lubricant manufacturer has a storied history in motorsport and has been an official supplier across the likes of MotoGP, World Rally Championship and Formula 1 for decades.
Its history also includes cycling – the brand present at the Tour de France in the 1960s – but in recent years, the pedal-powered two-wheel sport hasn’t been a part of its performance-focused portfolio.
That changed in 2022 with the creation of a dedicated Bike Care division, with Motul keen to bring its innovation and performance DNA to the world of cycling.
Its new Racing Chain Lube is one of the first results of this investment in R&D, testing and production for the cycling world, and like everything Motul does, its intention is to help users gain a competitive edge.
Motul is able to make some bold, lab-validated claims too. The Racing Chain Lube was found to have 17% less chain friction and 8% less wear than the five best competitor lubricants tested against and added ‘shield’ protection for the drivetrain. When translated to a Tour de France stage, the lubrication alone could give a rider a theoretical advantage of 22 seconds over a 220km course.
But its benefits aren’t limited to road cycling, and the extreme conditions faced in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series have been an integral part of its development.
Motul’s Head of Bike Segment, Robin Danneels, shares how the the brand’s partnership with the series has been crucial in the Racing Chain Lube’s development.
A NEW ENVIRONMENT
The Racing Chain Lube has Motul’s ESTER technology at its heart – a synthetic-based oil innovation developed for the motorcycle sector.
“There are numerous interesting properties with the ESTER, such as the very low friction, wear protection, and high- and low-pressure resistance,” says Danneels. “We’ve used it for decades, specifically in racing lubricants, and we decided to transfer this technology to the cycling world.”
While the shift from motorsports “hasn’t been that difficult”, Danneels admits that cycling, and mountain biking in particular, is a “totally different environment”. “An engine is quite a closed environment with higher heat, which is not the case with a bike chain. But at the opposite end, there is a higher level of contamination – dust, rain, dirt – and this is what we have tried to fight against by combining different ESTERS and mixing with additives during the technology’s transfer.”
He adds that one of ESTER’s inherent benefits is its polarity. “It’s able to stick to ferrous [iron] parts and create what we call shield protection. You can try to wash it off, and the lubricant will remain on the chain.” This comes into its own in challenging environments, where the drivetrain remains shielded from wet or dusty conditions, keeping friction low and wear-resistance high.
CRUCIAL CO-DEVELOPMENT
Developing and testing a product in a lab is only part of the Racing Chain Lube story, and Motul partnered with Swiss bike manufacturer BMC and its elite-level teams – Tudor Pro Cycling Team and BMC Factory Racing – to further refine the lubricant.
“BMC Factory Racing are involved at the highest level in mountain biking, and there is no better place to test and develop high-end and performance product than the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series because the conditions are extreme – the environment is super demanding, and there is a variability of tracks and races that helps to test the product in any kinds of conditions,” says Danneels.
“We started with the formulation and then made sure we reached a certain level of performance thanks to extensive tribological testing, assessing friction, wear and viscosity under laboratory conditions.
“Once this step was passed, we sent the products to the pro teams to make sure that [the benefits] transferred in real-world conditions. At each training camp and race, we collected feedback – it could be pictures, chains, and comments – and thanks to this, we knew where we were achieving our aims and where we could improve.”
EXTREME ENVIRONMENT
The Racing Chain Lube has been in development for two years, and Danneels singles out two WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series events where the product faced stern tests.
“Val di Sole in 2025 was extremely dry and dusty, while South Korea this year presented the opposite challenge with wet and muddy conditions. These contrasting environments are invaluable for product development. Through our partnership with BMC Factory Racing, we can test the Racing Chain Lube in real-world race situations and validate its performance under extreme conditions. In South Korea, it ensured smooth and dependable shifting throughout the race, helping Jordan [Sarrou] climb from 51st on the start list to an impressive fourth-place finish.”
He adds that while the seconds saved during a UCI World Cup race might not be comparable with a Tour de France stage, that low friction is just as important.
“We claim three main metrics, which are low friction, wear resistance, and low contamination, and all these three metrics are linked. If you are facing contamination, it will impact the friction and create wear. In mountain biking, the environment is quite harsh, so having a chain full of dust directly impacts the performance of the product.”
ELITE DEVELOPMENT, AMATEUR ADVANTAGE
While Motul has developed the Racing Chain Lube with the partnership of elite-level riders and the extreme conditions that they face, Danneels’ stresses that the benefits aren’t limited to the pinnacle of cycling.
“We succeeded in developing this product for racing, but it's also a technology available for bike enthusiasts in general who want a performance product.”
From the dust of Val di Sole to the mud of South Korea, the Racing Chain Lube has been tested in some of the toughest conditions mountain biking can offer. For Motul, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has provided the ultimate proving ground, helping transform decades of motorsport expertise into a product designed for cyclists. Whether chasing UCI World Cup podiums or simply looking to get the most from every ride, riders can now benefit from technology refined at the highest level of competition.
Visit the Official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Store to discover the full range of Motul products available for mountain biking, or head to Motul’s official website to learn more about the Racing Chain Lube.
