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review
Accessories - misc
Muc-Off Bike Mat Muc-Off Bike Mat
Muc-Off Bike Mat

Muc-Off Bike Mat

8
by Stu Kerton
UPDATED Sun, Jan 27, 2019 00:04

First Published Jan 26, 2019

0
£10.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A simple solution to a whole host of cycling jobs, indoors and out
Weight: 
197g
Contact: 
muc-off.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Muc-Off Bike Mat is a neat solution to keeping your floor clean, whether you are tinkering, cleaning or training indoors on your bike. DIY options can be cheaper but it certainly does the job.

  • Pros: Robust, stops anything from soaking through to your floor
  • Cons: Bubble wrap is cheaper

If, like me, you enjoy a bit of bike tinkering in the house then you'll find the Muc-Off mat will get plenty of use to protect your floor or carpet.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

It's made from a high-grade (isn't it always!) waterproof plastic that literally nothing grease or liquid-wise has managed to penetrate through so far, and it is easily wiped clean should anything get spilt on it.

The edges are folded under and stitched for durability and it's pretty robust, too, resisting tears and the like.

Size-wise it measures 1.85m by 0.68m so there is plenty of coverage, not just for spanner work but also if you want to use it for turbo training. When Zwift has you sweating all over the place you'll be able to hang your head over the bars without perspiring on the carpet.

> Get started with Zwift

When rolled up it is small enough to be added to your race kit for a bit of last minute fettling, or if you find yourself in a dew-covered village hall field before an event it gives you a great place to stand to change into race shoes and the like.

Muc-Off Bike Mat 2.jpg

The only thing I can really see people commenting on is the price, after all there are loads of DIY options that you could use – discarded packaging, cardboard, old carpet, whatever... But for the amount of use I've had out of it I'd say the £10.99 would be well spent. And at the time of writing it is currently just £5.50 on Muc-Off's website. (And compared with the Finish Line Absorb-It mat which Tass tested a couple of years ago and thought was great value, it's half the price!)

On the whole, for me it's a sound bit of investment for a whole host of cycling-related uses.

Verdict

A simple solution to a whole host of cycling jobs, indoors and out

road.cc test report

Make and model: Muc-Off Bike Mat

Size tested: 1.85 x 0.68m

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?

Muc-Off says, "Tired of post tune-up tidying? We are too, but thankfully the guys at the Muc-Off R&D Centre have decided to share their ingenious Foldable Bike Mat with the world! Made from high-grade, waterproof plastic this mat is an absolute lifesaver. It's the perfect size for protecting your flooring from general bike mess during indoor cleaning, lubing, tuning and training. If you're degreasing your bike chain or applying some lube, the Muc-Off Foldable Bike Mat is your cover against unwanted spillage.

"You can even put this multi-use mat underneath your bike when you're on the trainer to keep the carpet safe from sweat while you're getting ready for your next big race! The Muc-Off Foldable Bike Mat isn't just good for home use. Its highly portable, easy to fold design makes it the perfect accessory when you're travelling to those not-so-local rides. Once you've used our Foldable Bike Mat, you won't know how you ever lived without it!"

I found the mat very useful for a range of tasks.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Muc-Off:

Made from high-grade, waterproof plastic

Foldable for quick storage and portability

Size - 185cm x 68cm

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's hardwearing and stops anything soaking through.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

A good barrier to keep the gunk off of your carpet.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It could be considered pricey, but Tass thought the £19.99 Finish Line mat was very good value...

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There isn't a huge amount out there for cycling-specific workshop mats – it's half the price of the Finish Line Absorb-It.

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

For what it is it may look pricey at full rrp, but I've found it to be a very useful product for a range of things cycling-related.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

Muc-Off Bike Mat 2019
Muc-Off Bike Mat
Muc-Off 2019
Muc-Off
Stu Kerton

Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.

With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.

He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.

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