Spring is here and that means wet weather and dirty bikes. There’s a family of products I’ve relied on for the last couple of years to clean, protect and lube my four bicycles. Initially my local bike shop (LBS) introduced me to this UK-based company, and now I continue to touch base with their reps at Interbike and CABDA.
Muc-Off carries a range of cycling and motorcycle products. The products covered in this article are a combination of items I’ve purchased myself and samples from the company. You can find these at your LBS or online.
Nano Tech Bike Cleaner
Let’s start with cleaning the bike. Nano Tech Bike Cleaner is a biodegradable, all over bike cleaner. It comes in a 1 liter spray bottle and a 5L ($39.99) refill jug. At $14.99 for a 1 liter bottle, it lasts me a long time. The cleaner is safe for all parts of my bike, including carbon fiber. I just spray the whole bike down, wait a couple of minutes, and wipe it clean. For my muddy fat tire bike, I’ll hose it down first and get some of the mud off before spraying it down. I’ve even used it on my car to remove tar.
Bio Drivetrain Cleaner
I’ve used the Bio Drivetrain cleaner directly on my chain and cassette as well as to fill a chain cleaning tool. This product is also biodegradable and cuts through the grease with ease. I don’t use this every time I clean/lube my chain, but when I need to get a deep clean, it does the trick.
The 500ml bottle with trigger is $19.99 and the 750ml bottle sells for $24.99.
Bike Protect
To protect my just cleaned bike, I use Bike Protect. It comes in a 500ml aerosol spray bottle and provides a dry, non-sticky protective film on the frame. It also helps to prevent dirt from adhering to the frame. This product is designed as an ‘all over’, after-wash corrosion inhibitor due to its high oil content. It can be used on the frame, drive chain, and metal parts. I personally have only used it on my frame and it leaves it looking like new. I just spray it on a rag and wipe down my frame.
A 500ml bottle sells for $14.99.
Matt Finish Detailer
For those of you with satin matt paint jobs, matt finishes or matt vinyl wraps, this item is perfect for you. I had Mitch test it out since he has three bikes with matt finishes. When using this product, first clean the bike. Then apply the Matt Finish Detailer. Polish using a microfiber cloth for best results.
This product provides a non-greasy, streak and gloss-free protective finish. Like many of the other Muc-Off products it is carbon fiber safe and biodegradable.
The 750ml spray bottle sells for $24.99.
Chain Lube
Chain lube is as personal as picking a saddle. Previous RBR articles have caused great debates on which lube is best. I am not claiming Muc-Off lubes are the best, just sharing with you my experience with the product line.
Muc-Off has a full line of chain lubes for varying conditions; humid, cold, wet, dry. The two I have used are C3 Dry Ceramic lube and Team Sky Hydrodynamic lube.
The C3 ceramic lube is ideal for dry, dusty or damp conditions. They’ve added nano ceramic particles and synthetic polymers to reduce metal to metal contact and improve performance. As an added bonus, this lube is biodegradable and petroleum free.
When applying the lube, Muc-Off provides a UV keychain light that lets you easily see if you’ve missed coverage on any of the links. To be honest I used the UV light once. There’s a slight green hue to the lube and I can usually see where I’ve applied the it.
The lube is available in a variety of bottle sizes from 5ml to 1 liter. A 50ml bottle costs $9.99 and the 120ml will run you $14.99.
Team Sky Hydrodynamic Lube
The Team Sky Hydrodynamic lube is designed for all weather conditions and created in collaboration with Team Sky. I applied this to my road bike before shipping it to Tucson since the weather had been wet the week before but forecasted to be dry the week I was there. Applying a lube that is designed for any type of condition gave me peace of mind. It ended up being dry the whole week and the lube performed flawlessly. The 50ml bottle costs $24.99 which is on the high end of the spectrum.
Application was easy and the lube is literally blue. It was easy to see where on the chain I applied the lube. As with the C3 Ceramic lube, the Hydrodynamic lube comes with a UV light to double check application coverage. Also, it is petroleum-free for eco protection.
Summing It Up
This is just a sampling of Muc-Off products I’ve used. Their web site is filed with How To videos and a detailed Cleaning Guide Infographic that shows how to clean your bike and pick the right products for each step.
You can purchase Muc-Off products individually or there are bundled kits. View the full Muc-Off product line at muc-off.com or check with your LBS.
Next Article: Don’t Crash! How to Approach the Most Common Road Hazards on a Bicycle
Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women's cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri's full bio or visit her web site sunflowersandpedals.com.
Have used Nano Tech Bike Cleaner for year-round cleaning in Chicago weather. Am pleased with results.
Are you kidding, this stuff is Gold! I have used most of their products and my bike has never looked better. Broke down and even bought their line of brushes and wax. They’ve spoiled me. I haven’t tried the “Bike Protect” because I’ve been using their wax but may give it a try for a quick once over.
I’ve used Pedro’s Bike Lust for years. It lives up to its name as regards both shine and envy.