Muc-Off Miracle Shine

Given it costs 16 quid, it would be easy to dismiss Muc-Off Miracle Shine as polish for posh bikes or riders with more money than sense. After all you can get high quality car products that do much the same for half the price. However, the effects are astounding, not to mention long-lived, and a little goes a remarkably long way.

Were this television, we'd have two folk in lab coats talking about its revolutionary fluoropolymer technology and how these compounds knit together to form an invisible barrier against UV light, salts, and tar, while dissuading water, dust, dirt and similar slimy spatter from sticking.

Miracle Shine's key ingredients include Carnauba wax which is extracted from the Brazilian prunifera palm leaf. It's commonly found in high quality furniture polishes, cosmetics, surf board preps and has even been used on speedboat hulls for improved speed and handing in salt water. Silicone oils ensure easy application and bolstering that all important mirror shine.

You'll want a thoroughly clean frame before using Miracle Shine - no point polishing crud. I didn't find any difference whether I applied it with a microfibre cloth or an old clean cotton sock. Technique is far more important.

It's important to apply it in very thin layers since these will cure faster without clogging the cloth. Some folk work in methodical sections, I tend to orbit the entire bike before buffing the hazy film with fresh rag, in practice that seems to mind, so long as you don't wait more that twenty minutes or so.

The resulting cosmetic allure, even from a single coat and across the whole spectrum of finishes, is jaw droppingly good, especially on metallic or flamboyant enamels. Minor imperfections such as light swirls or oxidisation vanish and bright work positively gleams with nominal effort.

Now, many of us apply secondary coats to key areas when preparing bikes for seasonal storage, turbo trainer slavery or just to prevent gloop sticking to down tubes and bottom bracket regions of cross and mountain bikes. However, whereas traditional polishes can be applied more or less on top of each other, Miracle Shine much prefers a full 24 hours between applications.

Miracle Shine's long term prowess against the salt monster and UV rays is yet to be seen but water beads and rolls away effortlessly, greatly reducing the time and chore factor in subsequent bike cleaning.

Verdict

Pricey compared with polymer car waxes but very effective