Dynamic Bio Drivetrain Detox

Dynamic Bio Drivetrain Detox is exactly that, a biodegradable deep cleaner for dirty drivetrains, and true to claims, it gobbles grease, oil and accumulated contaminant with consummate ease, albeit a little slower acting than some formulas. It can be delivered in several ways but does require a good rinse afterwards.

> Buy now: Dynamic Bio Drivetrain Detox for £24.99 from Dynamic

Dynamic doesn’t reveal specifics regarding its composition, but it does say it’s safe to use on titanium, carbon, aluminium, plastic, rubber and seals – all the stuff found on contemporary bikes – though it urges some caution around ‘custom’ paintwork.

The most obvious way to apply Bio Drivetrain Detox is to spray it directly onto a wet drivetrain, leave it marinating for three minutes, and then introduce a brush, cloth or sponge to agitate ingrained stuff. Once clean, rinse with fresh water. You can also pour some into a chain bath and run chains through it, or strip the chain, cassette and so on and leave them soaking.

Performance

Going the spray-on route, the trigger works as an agitator for the solution, ensuring that upon leaving the nozzle it engulfs the intended components in a thick, foaming cocoon. Leave this for three minutes to do its grot-busting magic, then introduce your chosen brushes.

Pedal threads and contact points dressed in stubborn greases required a second, more liberal application, but the Drivetrain Detox did strip them dinner plate clean, helped by some light agitation from a stiff bristled brush.

I’ve also found it surprisingly effective on ingrained dirt on shoes, saddles and bar tape. Given Dynamic’s caution regarding some surfaces, I applied it to some natural silicone tape that had some oily patina following chain replacement. Ensuring the tape was wet beforehand, after three minutes it restored the bright orange with no obvious signs of staining, fading or deterioration. Note, I didn’t let the solution linger, and rinsed thoroughly.

I also applied some to a scrap carbon fork leg to see if the Detox would do anything unkind. This was also done in fairly direct sunlight, too, resulting in it drying out, and there was some superficial damage to the lacquered top coat, though this was easily polished out with some T-Cut.

If you prefer, you can also decant it into a parts washer, where cassettes, chains and similarly electroplated drivetrain components can be immersed for a really deep clean. Provided you’ve sealed the lid, it doesn’t evaporate. I’d be inclined to agitate with a toothbrush or similar after a few minutes, to help things along. If performing this kind of exorcism, I’d swerve anything with an anodised or painted finish, and delicate or rubberised components.

Dynamic offers the Drivetrain Detox in two sizes: this 1L trigger spray bottle and a 5L workshop variant. The trigger spray bottle is made from recycled plastics and feels very sturdy, so the solution shouldn’t leach out and damage anything.

Value

Going simply by volume, at £24.99 for a litre Bio Drivetrain Detox is quite pricey compared with some, though a little goes a long way.

Decathlon’s Plant Based Bike Drivetrain Degreaser, for example, is £8.99 for 500ml, and 25ml is reckoned sufficient to clean a drivetrain, though I haven’t used it so can’t comment on its performance. I have used NZero Bike Degreaser, which is £13 for the same amount and, in my experience, a little quicker acting, especially on greases.

Peaty’s Foaming Drivetrain Degreaser is £19.99 for a litre, and Liam on off.road.cc was impressed by its grime-gobbling prowess, and Tru Tension Cycle Drivetrain Cleaner is £10 for 500ml. This is very efficient and requires no rinsing, but being an aerosol it can be quite messy to apply – and more wasteful than pump sprays.

Green Oil Agent Apple Extreme Immersion is breathtakingly efficient and can be re-used up to three times, which balances the value see-saw, but even so, it’s £17.99 for 300ml. It can also be quite hostile towards painted, lacquered and similarly delicate finishes and seals.

And Finish Line Speed Clean Dreaser impressed Stu Kerton with its grot-zapping prowess, but it’s also quite pricey at £13.99 for 560ml, and being an aerosol is also rather wasteful. It can also damage paintwork.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Dynamic Bio Drivetrain Detox is a highly effective deep cleaning solution. It took a little longer to cut through waxy lubes and stubborn greases than some, but rewards with dinner plate clean surfaces. A little goes surprisingly far too, which helps in terms of cost.

> Buy now: Dynamic Bio Drivetrain Detox for £24.99 from Dynamic

Verdict

Slower acting than some drivetrain cleaners but highly effective

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