Product Review: Effetto Mariposa’s Mangiacatena Chain Cleaner Tool & Allpine EXTRA Biodegradable Chain Degreaser

Jim’s Tech Talk

By Jim Langley

Hot

• Tool has sealed ends to minimize spreading & dripping solvent
• Easy to use the tool
• Easy to clean the tool with water
• Replacement brush kit is available
• Solvent is biodegradable and water rinseable
• Solvent is harmless to chrome, painted parts and carbon but an abundant rinse with water after use is still recommended

Not

• No magnet inside to catch bits of metal from the chain (some other tools have these so you might expect it)
• It would be nice if the solvent container had a pour spout or nozzle for filling the Mangiacatena tool

Price: 

Mangiacatena tool: $35.95 

Allpine EXTRA solvent 500Ml $29.95

How Obtained: samples from the company

Website:

https://www.effettomariposa.eu/

https://www.cantitoeroad.com/effetto-mariposa-mangiacatena-chain-cleaner.html

https://www.cantitoeroad.com/effetto-mariposa-allpine-extra-chain-degreaser-500ml.html

https://www.cantitoeroad.com/flowerpower-100ml.html

RBR sponsor: No

Two Effective Tools For Chain Cleaning from Effetto Mariposa

A few weeks ago I mentioned I had received samples of Effetto Mariposa’s Flowerpower wax lube and their Allpine EXTRA Biodegradable Degreaser too. Like most wax lube makers they recommend that you thoroughly clean the chain before applying their Flowerpower wax for the first time. Which prompted me to request one of their chain cleaner tools. Since it only seemed right to use their cleaner with their solvent and lube.

Their tool goes by the name Mangiacatena, which is Italian for “chain eater.” It does kind of look like the tool’s gobbling up the chain as the links pass through during the cleaning process.

To use the tool you fill it with their Allpine EXTRA degreaser. This biodegradable solvent is effective at separating grease, oil and grime from the chain and includes pine oil, a solvent of natural origin (from the needles of pine trees), which enhances its cleaning power. Allpine is also great for cleaning disc brake rotors. (I did not test this.)

Since you might wonder, as far as I have been able to determine, pine oil is not the same as turpentine (the paint thinner you might be familiar with). 

Inside the tool there are six spinning brushes that scrub all sides of the chain links as you hold the tool in place on the chain while you pedal. First you put it on the lower chain run and pedal the chain through the tool backwards 10 times (you can also pedal the bike forward if you prefer). Next you move the tool to the top chain run and pedal another 10 times.

After the two cleaning steps you empty the dirty solvent from the tool. Since the solvent is rapidly biodegradable it’s possible you can dispose of it however you want. But you’ll want to check on your local recycling/waste management requirements to be sure.

The final step with the tool is to rinse the chain with water. To do that, the tool goes onto the lower chain run. The tool is filled with water this time and once again you pedal backwards 10 times.

To finish the chain cleaning, remove the tool and wipe the chain with a clean rag to remove any oily residue remaining from the cleaning and rinsing steps.

Lastly, the tool is cleaned with water and left to dry before putting it away.

How did it work for me?

The tool and solvent worked as promised, turning my dirty links into grime-free ones ready for the new wax lube job and without taking very much time or making a mess either. I didn’t find the solvent overly smelly. While I wore nitrile gloves for protection the drips that got on my hands didn’t irritate the skin.

The top of the Mangiacatena tool snaps on and over the chain and when you attach the handle it locks the tool closed. On either end of the tool are wipers which act as seals to keep the solvent inside. I only had a handful of drips escape from the tool. I thought the solvent would travel with the chain and get the chainrings and cassette cogs wet and dirty (which would mean more to wipe off) – but that didn’t happen. So the seals worked.

The Allpine solvent was also effective. It quickly stripped the crud from the chain and the water rinse left a residue that was easy to clean off with rags. It did take a bit of wiping to get the chain as clean as I felt it should be but all the residue did come off. I didn’t feel like I needed to clean it any more.

My chain wasn’t really filthy. But, if yours was you could repeat with fresh solvent which would do the trick. Overall, I think if you’re looking for an effective and easy to use chain cleaning system, Effetto Mariposa has you covered. 

Watch the video to see the tool in action and before and after shots of the chain.

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Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.