Muc-Off X-3 Dirty Chain Machine review

Cleaning your drivetrain can be a chore, but Muc-Off aim to make it more bearable with this innovative chain cleaner.

Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Muc-Off X-3 may be a little expensive, but you get what you pay for, and this is an excellent chain cleaner that will leave your drivetrain in perfect working order in just a couple of minutes.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Innovative design

  • +

    Leaves chain sparkling

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    A little pricey

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

They may not be the sexiest piece of cycling kit, but a good chain cleaner is essential to keep your prize steed in good working order and, more importantly, looking nice and shiny. The Muc-Off X-3 Dirty Chain Machine is an innovative offering that should make the job of keeping your drivetrain spick and span that little bit easier.

IMG_22125

The 75ml bottle of drivetrain cleaner does a good job but won't last long

What sets the Muc-Off X-3 apart from its competitors is the way in which it keeps dirty degreaser away from the clean chain. The included drivetrain cleaner is poured into a small reservoir above the chain, and is then released by pressing a button on the top of the device. This is then forced into the drive train by the rotating brushes before collecting in the bottom of the device, making sure it's not recycled and you're not covering your clean chain in dirty liquid.

In practice the system worked perfectly. The fully biodegradeable drivetrain cleaner was strong enough to remove even the most caked-on grease and grime, while the firm brushes ensured it was well distributed throughout the chain.

The addition of a handle on the side of the Muc-Off X-3 was useful for holding the unit steady, although keeping a hold of the handle and pressing down the button to release the drivetrain cleaner with one hand was a little tricky.

IMG_22277

The extra space at the bottom of the main reservoir keeps dirty liquid away from your clean chain

The only other problem we could find was the price, which at £30 RRP may be a little on the high side. Admittedly this includes a 75ml bottle of drivetrain cleaner, but if you're planning on using the Muc Off X-3 regularly this won't last long — we used half a bottle during our test.

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Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.