The best bike chain cleaners make looking after one of the most critical components of your bike effortless.
A clean bike chain will allow you to ride faster and shift gear smoothly while preventing your expensive drivetrain components from breaking or wearing out prematurely, saving you money.
One of the best ways to clean your bike chain is by making sure you’re using the best bicycle chain cleaner.
The best bike chain cleaners save you time. You can buy devices that scrub your chain with little effort, or you can buy a selection of purpose-made brushes that will get into the nooks and crannies of your drivetrain.
We’ve reviewed and tested the best bike chain cleaners and listed our favorites below. These are the best bike chain cleaners we’ve come across, as they deliver exactly what you need in a short amount of time!
- Check out our How To Clean Your Bike Chain Guide here!
BikeTips Recommends: The 7 Best Bike Chain Cleaners
#7: Finish Line Grunge Brush
- Easy To Use
- Very Effective
Sometimes you just want something simple and effective to get a job done.
The Grunge brush from Finish Line isn’t too fancy because it doesn’t have a degreaser reservoir for the chain to pass through. Instead, you get a range of brushes with stiff bristles all in one tool.
One end of the tool has an arrangement of brushes aligned in a horseshoe shape. This part fits around your chain, and the stiff bristles get into its intricate parts. You can rotate it in all four planes to ensure that your whole chain receives the required attention.
The other end of the tool features a brush with long straight bristles that are perfect for cleaning the cassette, derailleur, and jockey wheels.
The grunge brush works well when dry, but for best results, you can use it with a degreaser to ensure all the old chain lube and dirt are removed.
You can use the Finish Line Grunge Brush on any bike to give you a fast and efficient drivetrain while extending the life of its components, making it one of the best bike chain cleaners around.
#6: Pedro’s Pig II Chain Cleaning Machine
- Hands-Free Chain Cleaning
- Super Fast Results
The best bike chain cleaners allow you to quickly and easily remove grime from your chain. Pedro’s Pig II Chain Cleaning Machine makes cleaning your chain super simple with its stainless steel hook.
You hook the machine onto the derailleur and backpedal. This means you can ensure the chain runs through the degreaser reservoir and internal rotating brushes without holding it.
The advantage of the hands-free method of cleaning a bike chain is that you can move the chain through the cleaner much faster. Therefore, you can either get the job done more quickly or more thoroughly.
This bike chain cleaner is one of the most effective and fastest ways of getting your bike chain to shine.
#5: Park Tool Cyclone Chain Scrubber
- Reputable Brand
- High-Quality Chain Cleaner
The Park Tool Cyclone is the blueprint for pretty much all the best bike chain cleaners on the market. Many manufacturers try to replicate the design, but the classic blue color indicates that this is the original.
The Park Tool Cyclone is a tried and tested tool and is considered one of the best bike chain cleaners on the market. The company is well renowned for its quality and reliable bike tools, and the Cyclone is true to form.
Park Tool has made Cyclone’s internals replaceable to increase its longevity. Therefore, you can save money by not having to buy a whole new tool.
This tool is well thought out too. Park Tool has given it a reversible handle, so it is compatible with all designs of bikes.
#4: Muc-Off X-3 Dirty Chain Machine
- Separate Reservoirs for Clean and Dirty Solution
- Deep Clean Technology
Muc-Off is a name that crops up all the time when it comes to any kind of bike cleaning product. The company made a name for itself while working closely with Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers.
Since then, Muc-Off has gone from strength to strength, helping all kinds of bike riders go a little faster. But the Muc-Off X-3 Dirty Chain Machine uses a unique system to get your chain as clean as possible.
We regard this machine as one of the best bike chain cleaners, as it separates the clean and dirty solution. This is something that no other bike chain cleaner offers and provides an in-depth clean.
You fill the machine’s top reservoir with a degreaser or chain cleaning solution. Then you press a button to release it onto the chain as you backpedal. This ensures your chain gets a deep clean with uncontaminated fluid before it drips into the bottom reservoir.
#3: Muc-Off Ultimate Bicycle Cleaning Kit
- Full Kit for Detailed Drivetrain Cleaning
- Ideal for Mountain Bikers
If your bike needs some special attention, this 10-piece kit will not only get your frame nice and shiny, but it will allow you to deep clean your chain and other drivetrain components.
The kit comes with various brushes designed to get into the different parts of your bike and drivetrain. Therefore, you can really go to town and get to all the hard-to-reach places.
You can use either of the two chain cleaning tools to ensure the links are as clean as possible. The thin and stiff brushes allow you to scrub in between the gears on your cassette and get those jockey wheels looking like new.
In addition to all this, the kit comes with a microfiber cloth and detailing brushes, so no part of your bike is left untouched. This kit works for all bikes but is ideal for those regularly riding muddy trails.
#2: Green Oil Eco Rider Deluxe Set
- Comprehensive Kit
- Includes Biodegradable Chain Lubrication
This set has everything you need to clean and lube your bike chain, so you don’t need to worry about not having all the right tools, cleaning solutions, and lube.
The kit includes a degreaser, a brush for scrubbing the gears, and lube. The degreaser and lube are biodegradable, so you don’t need to worry about harsh chemicals harming the environment.
The lube included in this kit is high quality and made from plant extract. You can also use it on brake cables, brake levers, and other applications.
#1: Park Tool CM-25 Professional Chain Scrubber
- High-End Chain Cleaner
- Replaceable Parts
The Park Tool CM-25 Professional Chain Scrubber takes the Cyclone’s design to the next level.
The issue with even the best bike chain cleaners is that their reservoirs are made from plastic. Plastic slowly degrades over time thanks to the chemicals used for cleaning the chain.
Therefore, Park Tool has addressed the issue by building the housing of this cleaner out of die-cast aluminum. This means that it should never need replacing.
The other issue with using chemicals and friction to clean bike chains is that the brushes also deteriorate. With the Professional Chain Scrubber, Park Tool has put the brushes in a pair of replaceable cartridges.
Therefore, you can swap old and worn-out ones for new ones for a lifetime of use from a quality chain cleaning tool.
