Muc-Off has launched Dark Energy Chain Wax – a next generation dropper wax engineered to hit the sweet spot between efficiency, durability and low wear. Following four years of R&D in the Muc-Off R&D Lab and also with pro team riders and performance staff, the team have come up with what it describes as the “ultimate chain wax juxtaposition” – a clean, fast and quiet drivetrain – built to perform ride after ride.
More than 90 formulations were created and tested in the development of this road, gravel and MTB focused chain wax. That equated to over 8,500 hours of dynamometer and tribometer testing and over 100,000km of real-world testing.
“Dark Energy represents the most complete balance we’ve achieved between efficiency, durability and wear,” said Alex Trimnell, CEO at Muc-Off. “Hitting one of those metrics is difficult. Delivering all three consistently, is significantly harder. This product reflects years of dedication to building our unique in-house chemistry, tribology and performance engineering capabilities – and our commitment to measurable, repeatable testing protocols at the highest level of the sport.”
Dark Energy Chain Wax is PFAS and PTFE-free and contains plant-derived, inherently biodegradable wax. Alongside Dark Energy, Muc-Off is also introducing Chain Wax Cleaner. Developed specifically for wax based drivetrains, the formula removes factory grease, residual oils and old wax build-up without leaving contaminants that compromise adhesion. Designed for initial preparation and re-wax cycles, it helps maintain consistent bond strength between wax and chain – critical to sustaining long-term performance.
R&D details
Inside the Muc-Off lab, formulations were subjected to tribological screening set to the independent ASTM standards which benchmarks the coefficient of friction (CoF) and wear properties consistently across formulations. High performers were then progressed to dynamometer efficiency testing in both clean and contaminated states over extended periods. Wear was then quantified using its own white-light interferometry equipment, enabling high-resolution 3D surface profiling which allows microscopic wear scars to be measured with precision. This white-light interferometry equipment which can measure down to 0.1 of a micron (700 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair), is mounted on an active air isolation table to reduce micro-vibrations (which even the human voice can create) in order to deliver the highest level of accurate and, vitally, repeatable results under controlled conditions.
Laboratory data alone was only one part of the development process. Muc-Off’s approach then extends beyond controlled environments and into the real-world, once a formula has passed and proven itself in the lab. The next stage is Muc-Off’s own team of in-house testers who ride the formulas to destruction in all types of weathers and conditions. The last stage is to then work closely with its roster of pro-racers who are embedded directly into the testing programme, creating a continuous feedback loop. Performance directors, mechanics and riders from EF Pro Cycling, Decathlon CMA CGM, Commencal // Muc-Off and Specialized Factory Racing provided structured feedback. That insight directly shaped formulation refinements throughout development which then restarts the entire testing loop again until a final formula is approved, hence the long 4-year development window.
Dark Energy Chain Wax is available in 50ml and 120ml formats, priced at £15 / €20 / $15 (50ml) and £23 / €30 / $25 (120ml). Chain Wax Cleaner 500ml is priced at £22 / €25 / $25.