REVIEWED: Mudbuster Bike Cleaner
Dirty bikes are an inevitable part of mountain biking.
Dirty bikes are an inevitable part of mountain biking. It’s not a problem, but making sure you use the right product to clean your bike is important. In previous issues of AMB we have looked at how to clean your bike without water, or how to safely use a pressure washer. Both are valid options. We were recently supplied with a container of Mudbuster Bike Cleaner, which is fairly new to Australia. It is a biodegradable product, and is of the spray on – wash off variety. I like to keep my bikes clean – it just makes sense. They work better and last longer. Living in Sydney, it seems like it’s the constant battle of getting sand out of everything. So although I didn’t get a chance to test it in full on mud (this test batch arrived a week after the 4hr at Wylde MTB Park…) it’s been used against the dust of Bright, Sydney sand and the hero dirt from Wingello. 
Application
This is easy. Spray it on. But for best results, knock of the big bits with a gentle hose first. Then spray the Mudbuster on, and leave it for a few minutes. 
It’s suggested to scrub the parts that are grimier, and I’d agree. If you just rely on the pressure from your hose a truly dirty drivetrain will still stay pretty grubby. While no clay based mud presented itself within the test period (that’s not a complaint) I’d say that the cleaner alone would really struggle with such heavy mud. 
Results
Using the pressure from the garden hose and a couple of scrubbing brushes, both hard for the drivetrain and soft for the frame and wheels, my bike came out pretty well. It wasn’t perfect, but it shifted most grime away, as the product said it would. You really see it foam up when it comes in contact with water. It’s claimed the solution activates when it comes in contact with water and air, and that’s why if you scrub as you spray (a workstand is useful at this point) everything gets a lot cleaner.
Cleaner.Was my bike perfect? No, I found with really dirty parts I was best to use a degreaser as well, and some more dedicated scrubbing on stubborn areas. And using it with the baby Karcher I have made for stunning results. By using the Mudbuster Bike Cleaner with the basic garden hose and some gentle scrubbing I was able to get my bike fairly clean from a not completely filthy state. When you’re using water to wash your bike you always need to finish it off with a clean and dry rag to remove any water, especially from your drivetrain. This was a good way to spot clean anything you missed, and an excellent way to closely inspect any parts for wear or damage. 
All up I was impressed with the product. The spray bottle worked, it hasn’t killed the grass where it ran off to in the garden, my skin hasn’t fallen off from using it, and neither has the paint or anything else on my bike.
