The Green Oil Clean Chain Degreaser Jelly is very effective, and managed to clean three months of gunk from my wet-lubed chain quickly and easily. It’s also really simple to use, washes off quickly and, most importantly, is environmentally friendly.
The last time we took a look at this was in 2016, but I was excited to see what had changed in the last six years.
To really fully prepare for this review I had a child and got a very tiring job, meaning that about three months of muck have recently built up on my chain. This has actually included both dry and wet lube coatings without a wash (it’s a long story), so my bike was a prime candidate.
First off you coat your chain in exactly the same way as with lube. This stuff has a nice thick consistency, so although excess can still drip off, it’s far less than with most other degreasers.
Green Oil recommends actually riding around for 30 seconds afterwards, though I found it just as effective to spin the cranks and shift the gears while stationary. You then wipe it down, scrub with a brush, and rinse off.
The entire process takes no more than 10 minutes, and by the end my black chain was silver and working efficiently. It was clean enough for me at that point, but I did it a second time to be a perfectionist and there was still some muck coming off.
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The lube-like consistency also avoids the issue of overspray getting on discs or carbon rims, and I didn’t need to use that much to do a good job either. You can also add it to water to either use it as a chain bath or a regular bike cleaner, which is a nice bonus.
I even used it over grass to test how garden-friendly it really is – this avoids petrochemicals and is instead based on coconut oil – so if I end up with a bald patch, or indeed a coconut tree, I will update this review.
Value
At £6.99 it’s technically quite expensive thanks to the small 100ml bottle, but then a little goes a long way and it lasts well. For instance, you could compare this to the Muc-Off Quick Drying Degreaser which is effective and works out at just £2 for 100ml, but the 750ml/£14.99 can blasts its contents out extremely quickly, and it doesn’t have the same eco credentials.
Peaty’s Foaming Drivetrain Degreaser is also £2 for 100ml (the 500ml bottle is £10), but again it doesn’t have the same eco credentials or neat application.
Overall
I was really impressed with this stuff. It cuts through dried-on oil, dirt and lube, is simple to apply (sparingly), and is very eco-friendly too.
Verdict
Eco-friendly, powerful, and easy to use without wasting loads
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Green Oil Clean Chain Degreaser Jelly
Size tested: 100 ml
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Green Oil says:’Clean Chain is a degreasing jelly, so it sticks to the chain for effective degreasing. Clean Chain degreaser is 100% biodegradable, utilizing naturally derived ingredients.’
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
– Made in Britain
– Unique gel formula – easy to apply
– Can be diluted to make 1 litre of Green Clean bike cleaner
– 100ml
The bottle is made from recycled plastic, and the jelly itself is impressively thick.
Works really effectively, even on several months of gunk buildup.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well: it stripped all the dirt off my chain quickly and easily, and the grass where I used it has not died as yet.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The thickness makes it so much easier to use.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing much.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
At £6.99 it’s technically quite expensive thanks to the small 100ml bottle, but then a little goes a long way and it lasts well. For instance, you could compare this to the Muc Off Quick Drying Degreaser which is effective and works out at just £2 for 100ml, but the 750ml/£14.99 can blasts out extremely quickly, and it doesn’t have the same eco credentials.
Peaty’s Foaming Drivetrain Degreaser is also £2 for 100ml (the 500ml bottle is £10), but again it doesn’t have the same eco credentials or neat application.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
This cuts through even heavily built-up gunk and lube, is simple to use, and is kind to your bike and environment. Although it’s relatively expensive per millilitre, it’s easy to use sparingly and it lasts well – it’s really good stuff.
About the tester
Age: 33 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
1 thought on “Green Oil Clean Chain Degreaser Jelly”
Great review, I always use
Great review, I always use spray on degreasers, but I think I’ll try this as its obvious that there will be less toxic chemicals / waste produced if you don;t use an aerosol can of degreaser.
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