Oxford Triple Brush Set

Oxford's Triple Brush Set comprises three cheap and relatively cheerful staples that do a decent job of sprucing drivetrain components and wheels. However, these are not strictly bicycle-specific, which may be a turn off, and although they're not unduly harsh, do go gently around paintwork – especially matt or flamboyant enamels.

Starting with the three-way transmission comb, it's pretty much identical to several premium and shop branded equivalents bouncing around in my tool box. That said, the plastics seem of a slightly higher quality, judging by the amount of spent lube and assorted solvents they've been exposed to these past few weeks. The claw end does a decent job of extracting that rat's nest of congealed lube, grit, leaves and other debris from cassettes, while the bristle plots are just the right size for whizzing around jockey wheels, derailleur cages, chain links and sprung mechanisms.

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Bristle quality is pretty much on par with others in my collection and is beginning to show the early signs of splaying. Wet lubes in particular cause them to clump together after a few uses, so apply a light coating of Fenwick's FS1 or similar bike wash stock and leave them to soak in between.

Most of us will recognise the big conifer shaped 'bottle brush on steroids'; it's primarily for rims, hubs and spokes, though it also came in handy for removing residual bar tape adhesive before adding the new wrap.

The medium density plastic handle sits comfortably in the palms, offering plenty of purchase for fast, efficient cleaning, while the bottle brush type bristles can be bent and re-shaped to suit. The rubberised end cap also continues that finish-friendly theme.

To date, the bristles have left no nasty swirls or similar tell-tale marks on polished or anodised rims or hubs, though they're still coarse enough to restore sullied stainless and electroplated spokes to their former glory.

Then we have a curious looking two-prong type. This is designed for cleaning pedals among others, but is easily manipulated into other shapes for improved access. Dunked in some Fenwick's or similar citrus based degreaser, it's proven very useful for tickling cranks, chainrings and suspension linkages clean. Just go carefully around painted areas, if you're leaving these components in situ.

> How to clean and lube your bike's chain

At just over £3 a brush, the set seems very reasonable compared with some popular bike brands. On the flip side, recycled tooth, nail and kitchen brushes make passable substitutes and cost virtually nothing.

Deliberation done, I've enjoyed using the trio, but for my money I'd go for a jumbo car sponge and Green Oil's bike brush. A quid or so more, perhaps, but the latest incarnation achieves better results and is easier to clean.

Verdict

Serviceable brushes that represent decent value compared with some popular bike brands