Zefal ZB Clean Brush

Zefal's ZB Clean Brush is a three-in-one model supposedly designed in partnership with its race mechanics to tackle grimy transmissions in record time and with minimal effort. In many respects, performance has been pretty good by genre standards, although a more durable bristle plot is needed before I'd part with my hard-earned.

At 21cm long, the tactile polypropylene handle with silicone centre-strip is reminiscent of kitchen sink staples, and aside from providing excellent leverage, keeps hands at a safe distance during spirited sprucing.

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The bristles are made from relatively stiff nylon. The longest plot is designed for rings, cassettes and chains whereas its counterpart tackles pivot points and bearing surfaces. A slightly willowy cassette claw for combing out embedded crud beforehand tucks neatly away inside the handle.

Things started off very favourably. Having combed three weeks' worth of matted lube and ingrained gunk from my Univega's cassette, I basted the rings, cassette and chain in neat degreaser and left it 30 seconds before unleashing the longest plot and tickling the rings clean.

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Decent degreasers certainly help but two minutes of moderate effort restored their original lustre – a recurrent theme throughout the fleet. My hands were also hygienic enough to avoid leaving oily calling cards on handles and light switches when nipping in for a brew.

It's similarly proficient at teasing accumulated grot from jockey wheels and derailleur cages. That said, unless we're talking quick post-race once-overs, chains are more effectively stripped when passed through clip-on baths (or two old nail brushes).

The smallest brush weaves neatly around the pivot points and also impressed when tackling pedal and derailleur threads, headset cups and so on.

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My biggest gripe with plastic bike-specific brushes is the speed at which the bristles become gummed up, leading to cross-contamination, especially as lubes get ever more tenacious. The ZB's responded very positively to being given a 10-minute soak in Fenwick's FS1, flushed through with clean, hot water and rubbed in an old towel/rag. However, despite being a marked improvement over those found in most kits, several weeks of fairly constant use and repeated exposure to lubes and solvents of varying compositions/harshness have taken their toll, resulting in the longer bristle plot splaying and turning soft.

This is disappointing given the pro credentials. By contrast, and while a more generic design, the Green Oil Bike Brush is still going strong several years on with very little moulting or cross-contamination.

Verdict

Promising design let down by so-so bristle quality