Review: Muc-Off Drivetrain and Bike Cleaner

(2021) If there is a regrettable part to my cycling hobby, it’s the status of my bike when not in use. Despite being within the cycling retail world for over a decade, I have regularly rolled into a group ride, event, or race with a dirty rig followed by inquiries of, “Don’t you work at a bike shop?” The problem isn’t the hobby, it’s part of my personality.

I enjoy the middle portions of a cycling experience. Getting ready is an ever-lengthening psyching up affair. It looks cold out I might say before zipping up and rolling out of the area. Avoiding puddles and muddy gravel roads when I can is my effort to reduce the muck that I would attempt to brush off when it dries on as cake. I can hammer dozens of miles and smash through piles of sports laundry. Cleaning bikes is not my specialty.

This dread of cleaning up expands beyond the bike, too. I have talked myself out of artistic painting because of the long range forecast. I got a great landscape in mind to paint, I think. The dreaded cleanup comes to mind and I discharge the painting attempt altogether. I really don’t know why, but there it is for all to read.

This past cycling season has been hit and miss. The Festive 500 left the bike in a sad state. In my defense the weather turned frigid, leaving images of a bike in the stand with inches-long icicles and an attached hose, discharging a frozen stream. After all the bike was stashed inside for weeks, wouldn’t the dirt insulate the frame and parts?

Just recently I decided it was time to clean the rig. A spell of perfect weather meant the bike could be returned to its shipment shine. The question was the way in which the bike would shed its crusty shell. I got a bottle of Muc-off Bio Drivetrain Cleaner, Muc-off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner, and the Muc-off Claw Brush. After watching a couple of Muc-off videos I went to work on shaking off the bad dirt of 2020.

First thing was to get the bike wet. Nothing major, a light amount to moisten parts. Then I went to work on the drive train. This is where the bike needed the most attention. Sprayed were the cassette, derailleurs, chain and chainrings. Quickly I went to work with the Claw Brush to agitate any of the stubborn grease and grime. The stiff brush flicked the winter accumulation away and a black cassette began to resemble the Ultegra gray. It is advised to let the Drivetrain Cleaner remain in place for approximately 45 minutes.

Turning attention to the frame lever pull after lever pull of soapy pink stuff was caked over the bike. Frame, hubs, tires, wheelsets, handlebars, and yes, brake discs were lathered with Muc-off Fast Action Bike Cleaner. Here is where we will add to the Muc-off collection and add a few of the accoutrements. Instead of an old tshirt, we would have preferred the Soft Washing Brush or Expanding Pink Sponge. However we approached it, the grime and grease came right off, some spots it plopped off with the suds. Satisfied that the bike really was that color when purchased, it was hosed down lightly again, hitting the sweet spots as well as the drivetrain. It was hit with a dry cloth. Even the wheels came off for easier cleaning.

Here I was in the first week of spring polishing up the bike without the feeling of dread. Muc-off’s line of products made the process as simple as pulling a spray bottle lever. The cleaning system took over from there. Shortly after the bike was wiped down, the clean chain was lubed with Nixfrixshun Ultimate Chain Lube and wiped down of excess to sit in the service course. I’ll admit a bit of pride with how clean the bike came away. This might be something added to the weekly rotation.

Some areas of concern, if there are any, involve the drivetrain cleaning step. The Claw Brush features teeth meant for wider cassettes, almost immediately the attempts to claw the grime out were abandoned. And since only one bike was in the stand today, a 45-minute wait for the Drivetrain Cleaner is a bit of a wait. 

One question to answer outright pertains to the cleaner and disc brakes. Despite some concern of both solutions contaminating the discs and/ or pads, I can verify an immediate exploration found no obnoxious honking sound after cleaning. That’s not to say it’s impossible in other conditions; it didn’t happen on the Ultegra brake rotors. 

Muc-off is passionate about bike cleaning. A quick review of their site offers brushes, sprays, and brushes. I should get to know them, because the single cleaning session used up approximately 20% of the solution in both bottles. Muc-off does offer a smaller plastic footprint refill pouch for the Fast Action Bike Cleaner. Some locations even have a vat for one to refill the bottle on premises, a step in the right direction to reduce packaging.

With a sparkly bike freshly lubricated people will stop asking about the state of the bike. Perhaps questions will arise about whether a new bike has joined the garage. Speaking of the garage, I might be found there more often gathering Muc-off cleaners to glam up the bike again. Who knew bike cleaning could be therapeutic?