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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 12th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
NZero Bike Degreaser
1 Litre £14.99
The NZero Bike Degreaser 1 litre is a little dearer than some and at face value, slower acting than others. However, it's highly effective and moderate helpings go surprisingly far, even on very stiff, petrochemical and synthetic greases. In common with other degreasers, it can also be diluted and deployed as a bike wash.
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Pros: Efficient, highly effective on heavy duty petrochemicals lubes and greases, economical, seemingly kind to delicate surfaces and skin.
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Cons: Not a con as such, but a concentrate for workshop duties would be welcomed.
Specification
NZero wouldn’t divulge anything about its chemical composition, other than to say it was made from “a mix of organic components”. Apparently, it uses the minimal viable level, so it performs well as a degreaser. The lack of colourant and perfumes improve its biodegradability, while meaning its kinder to skin. That said, like other cleaning products avoid contact with eyes. More about that later.
Technique
The NZero can be deployed in several ways. You can spray directly onto cassette, rings etc, via a chain bath, dedicated chain brush (such as this Muc-Off Bicycle Chain Brush into a parts washer for longer marinades/deeper cleans.
Then of course, it can be diluted (Recommended 1:2) with water and used as a bike wash. I’ve poured 250ml degreaser into a separate bottle, diluting with 750ml water, which proved best for my needs. Ensure you’ve harvested the bucket of warm water, sponges/brushes first. Spray liberally over the bike, leave for sixty seconds, then rinse thoroughly.
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I used a recycled ice cream tub as a makeshift parts washer when deep cleaning Ursula’s derailleurs to evaluate the neat solution’s kindness to composites. Some eco-friendly blends can soften these and similar tubs surprisingly quickly.
I placed the derailleurs (the rear particularly well soiled, especially around the jockey wheels) in the punnet and delivered a liberal helping of degreaser, leaving this a minute or so to marinate, before agitating them with a drivetrain brush, leaving another few minutes and repeating. The solution shouldn’t evaporate, provided you’ve popped a lid on your chosen receptacle and don’t leave in direct sunlight.
Comfort 3.5/5
I’ve performed a fair few intensive cleans, the most obvious being Ursula’s drivetrains. However, I’ve also been testing and alternating between different genres of chain lubes from stodgy wets to waxes, petrochemical and semi-synthetic through to the brand's dry wax lube.
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Sometimes I’ve donned gloves, others gone bare handed for extended periods. If you’re working in slightly breezy conditions, don some protective eyewear. I didn’t and the faint misting that hit my eyes induced a blend of yelps and agricultural language. Nothing a quick rinse under the cold tap couldn’t sort but you’ve been warned. Skin hasn’t felt rough or dry but again, those with sensitive skins would be wise to don gloves.
Performance 4.25/5
Not the fastest, or visually exciting but incredibly effective. The solution clings to the host surfaces, breaking the grime down.
With a decent brush and good technique, I’ve turned Ursula’s crankset, bottom bracket and headset from scuzzy to sparking in 30 minutes, derailleurs in 15.
The former had been given generous helpings of Wolf Tooth WT-G Precision Bike Grease , the bottom bracket with Park PPL-1 Polylube.
Three liberal blasts, with a bit of stiff brush tickling in between, was slightly behind the Squirt Bike Cleaner Concentrate , but similarly kind, with minimal effort needed. When applied via chain bath, or dedicated chain brush its stripped heavy-duty wet ceramic lubes from cassettes, chain, and rings in 10 minutes - that's including a cool water rinse.
Denise and I have been doing a fair bit of gravel, and I’ve deliberately left the downtube engulfed in caked, muddy spatter. Even in more dilute form, a quick once-over from a soft wet brush saw caked on organic stuff dissolve with similar panache. Ursula’s carbon fork and mudguard sported a very thick layer of impacted mud, but the dilute NZero Degreaser didn’t dither.
Streaking hasn’t been an issue on painted, lacquered, plated, polished, or anodised surfaces when left standing a minute or two longer than I’d intended - reassuring but again, at your own risk. A quick splash on the bristles will keep brush plots clean ready for next time. Prior to decanting 250ml of neat product as a bike wash, several chains, cassettes, brushes, derailleurs and Ursula’s complete drivetrain and fork only consumed 200ml.
Value 4/5
At £14.99 for 1 litre, it steals a march on several comparable products, although concentrates such as Squirt Bike Cleaner Concentrates (£16.99 for a one litre concentrate) are arguably more economical, tuneable choices.
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Crankalicious Limon Velo Steve found highly effective some seven years back is now water-based but £12 for 500ml. Green Oil Agent Apple 300ml £12.99 is another planet friendly and frighteningly potent formula. However, though it can be re-used up to three times, it’s flammable and anything but kind to skin, and contact with painted, rubberised and composite finished should be minimal. Juice Lubes Dirt Juice Chain Cleaner is highly effective, while being compassionate to surfaces, although when I tested it, less potent on greases than the NZero. It’s also a good bit dearer at £14.99 for 500ml. Velo21 The Degreaser has been revised since I reviewed it back in 2019 and now £13.50 for a litre, including trigger.
Summary
Ultimately, The NZero Bike Degreaser is an effective and versatile stripper. One that will dismiss ingrained petrochemical greases and grot while still being compassionate to pretty, or expensive, components. Given it needs to be rinsed thoroughly, it is arguably best used as part of a broader clean. That said, provided you’ve access to water and dry, clean rag, still practical when changing lube, or purging a toxic drivetrain. Dilute, it doubles as a similarly effective, tuneable bike wash. Being picky, I’d like to see a concentrate version for heavy duty fettling/workshop use but that’s certainly not a criticism.
Verdict: 4/5 effective eco-degreaser with an equally competitive price tag.
Michael Stenning
PUBLISHED AUGUST 2024
