SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING

The Green Oil bicycle brush is made from a sustainably sourced wooden handle and plant based bristle plots. However, don’t scoff at the eco-friendly credentials; this is one of the most pleasant to use and durable designs I’ve tested in a very long time. 

 

Measuring a prodigious 24cm, the shapely wooden handle tapers inward for easy grip and dexterity. Look closely and you’ll notice a pointy end. This is for prising congealed/embedded crap from derailleur jockey wheels. This is also drilled so the brush can be hung on a hook to dry, or slotted on the tool board when not in use.

 

The bushy bristle plot is relatively coarse and seems pretty impervious to petrochemical lubes, solvents;  these, along with their embedded grit/gunk are easily dismissed, greatly reducing the problems of clogging/cross contamination when tackling several filthy bikes.

 

Organise two buckets of water, one warm, another cold - for rinsing. Leave the brush marinating in the warm bucket for a few minutes to soften the bristle plot. Having used their original on a weekly basis for around five years; I’d recommend five minutes before first use and two or three minutes thence. In the meantime, treat drivetrains to a liberal blast or basting of your favourite degreaser.

 

Green Oil suggests it’s safe enough to tackle most frame finishes, once the plot has been subjected to a handful of deep transmission scrubs.

 

Hmm....It does become kinder overtime, without losing virility on rings, chains and sprockets. That said; I’d shy away from flamboyant enamel and 2pack paintwork (more widely used because of its versatility - can be air cured - thus suitable for carbon/composites and bonded frames). 

 

Otherwise, with a gentle touch, there has been little tell-tale swirling on standard enamels and better quality powder coating. Given the option, I wash the main frame with a jumbo car sponge; then use the brush to tickle inner chain, seat, dropout and bottom bracket shells clean.      

 

Similarly, there’s been no problem with traditional cork wraps or glossy bike ribbon but go cautiously with silicone handlebar coverings and avoid space age polymer types, or risk stripping their non-slip coatings.

 

Using a dip, dunk, scrub and rinse technique, its perfect for tackling rims, spokes, chain/rings, yet gentle enough on tyres and disc rotors too. Compared with a standard nylon type, bristles require firmer pressure when cleaning chains but won’t clump together, even when subjected to gloopy wet lubes. A definite plus, shaving a good few minutes from post-race, multi-bike sprucing.

 

Nonetheless, I’ve religiously left ours soaking in citrus based degreasers/bike wash concentrates for ten minutes or so afterwards. Adding hot water and lathering up the bristles dissolves/releases any residual grot. From there; simply rinse and leave to dry.  

 

Bottom line, while not perfect, or a complete do-all this is by far the most durable and useable bike brushes I’ve used to date.