Which chain cleaning device is better?
 

parktools cyclone or muc off chain cleaning machine

which do you like better and why so ?

Despite its shortcomings, I would vote for the Park version. The various sponges and brushes do wear out, but replacements are easy to come by. They also make a shop-quality version of this tool.

I have no experience with the muc off tool.

which degreaser do you use ?

I like the Chain Pig which has more brushes than either of those. There, I didn’t help your decision.

Park Tool is probably the one I would recommend the most, I have the PDW Mr. Sparkle bought in part because I love The Simpsons (a lot) and another part because I like PDW and have a good number of their products or have had them over the years. It is a solid option but I think the handle on the Cyclone makes the most sense.

In terms of degreaser, I recommend alcohol and Miracle Red or some form of citrus degreaser.

Get this, at this price. Get a bunch of them.

​​​​​​​Spin Doctor

I just buy additional bottles of the Park degreaser that it came with. I recycle the degreaser by letting it settle in a wide mouth mason jar and then I sometimes swirl a magnet in it.

After the degreaser, I rinse with soap water as per the directions.

I've got the Park Tool Cyclone, I'm on my second one and its getting pretty worn inside so might be getting a third one. It does what its supposed to do, get the grime and other nasties out of the chain. I've never tried the Muc-Off or any other brand.

It depends on if you oil or wax. I’ve used the Park chain cleaner for 20 years now, and am satisfied. It gets out the oil and dirt, the magnet on the bottom removes metal shavings. I use Simple Green degreaser, it works fine, and is easier to find that the Park stuff.

But for wax, I don’t use a chain cleaner, I use automotive brake cleaner spray and a brush, and a few old towels. The brake cleaner melts old wax pretty well, the brush helps get the worst out. I can usually get the chain very clean with the brake cleaner without having to to remove it. I put newspaper under the bike to catch the mess, the brake cleaner evaporates quickly, leaving nothing but dirt and residue on the newspaper and towels. A can of brake cleaner costs about $5 on Amazon, one can is good for two, thorough cleaning.

I have a Muc-Off chain cleaner, an earlier version of the one linked but very similar. It’s ok, but nothing special. I don’t use it that often when using drip wax in mostly dry conditions.

I'm sure both work. Park was first, others may vary in design just to get around patents.

I have the Park, would not have bought at new price ($40 I think) but got for $5 in used bin at local bike shop. Whole kit but no solvent. I use tiki torch fuel (98% mineral oil with a bit of citronella to repel bugs) because mostly full big bottles are $2 at end of summer at goodwill, people dropping off so don't need to store over the winter. Excellent oil solvent, not volatile so not hazardous, needs a wick to burn like vegetable oil. Chain comes out clean. Slow evaporation of remaining on chain is not a problem in my bedroom.

Planning to go back to paraffin wax like my road bike days, never had to clean first, chain was always real clean, just starting to squeak, just place in melted wax, let sit awhile, remove and wipe off excess, be careful it's hot.

I like the Park cleaner as well. Never saw those additional instructions about rinsing off with soapy water. The magnet and recycling the fluid again is a super idea.

Best chain cleaning device is a jar of solvent. Cheap and easy to use.

I have and use the Park Tool CM-5.3 regularly. I have had it for about 4 yrs, primarily on MTN bike 12-speed chains which I ride more than my road bike. I am a fan of it for cleaning the chain while on the bike. I originally used the PT-cleaning CB-4 fluid, but now, I make my own cleaning fluid. I have never used any other brand of chain cleaning device.

I recently saw this good test of 6 different chain cleaner on YouTube. you can draw your own conclusion.
Best Bike Chain Cleaning Tool Under $40? | Top Bicycle Chain Cleaners Compared

On-bike chain cleaning tools are one of those things that sound good in theory but aren’t so great in practice. I would bet that nearly everyone who worked on bikes has one of them…in the bottom of a drawer…on the top shelf…behind the kids toys that they can’t throw out even though the “kids” are now 40 years old. They probably used it once and spent the next 30 minutes mopping up the mess.

If you absolutely have to clean a chain, get an empty Gatorade bottle, put about a cup of mineral spirits, shake it until you arm gets tired or about 30 seconds whichever comes first, and pull the chain out. Let it hang dry in the sun for a while and reinstall. And then don’t relubricate with the same lubricant that made the mess in the first place.

I clean my chains once when I install them with the method above. They never need cleaning nor removal until the wear out and I install a new one. I use a solvent wax (drip wax) lubricant. My favorite is White Lightning Clean Ride. I apply it every 300 to 500 miles unless it rains. If I have a flat or have to work on the drivetrain, I can handle the chain without a hazmat suit and without having to scrub my hands for an hour and a half as can be seen below.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...977833962.jpeg

↑+1.

Note that the X-3 only has one set of brushes, for the bottom of the chain.

Somehow, the Muc-off one is cheapened up, but more expensive at the same time.

I have the Park Tools one. I like how they included a bottle of their cleaner, but tell us in the instructions we can use a dish soap solution. They say their cleaner is better. (it is) but it makes me feel like they care enough about me to give full transparency, rather than 100% priority on sell-sell-sell. The cleaner needs cleaning now and then.

Why mineral spirits instead of degreaser?

Because you don’t have to rinse it with water…and then chase the water off with some other solvent. Mineral spirits is a one step cleaner.

I've been using them regularly for well over two decades, and they work just fine. And I have no idea how anyone would need to spend "30 minutes mopping up the mess," which leads me to think that you've not used them correctly.

What do you mean rinse it with water ?...I've put chains before into a jar of lacquer thinner, let them soak then blow it out and that was it. No rinsing of any kind.

I've got the Park Tool Cyclone. It's sits unused because a bottle of spray degreaser does such a good job and it's so simple.

I don't do the cassette as often as the chain though because I don't want to degrease it's bearings

Lacquer thinner is essential mineral spirits. Water based degreasers are basically shampoo and needs to be rinsed before lubricant is applied. Then something needs to be used to dry the water. The easiest way to do that is to use another water soluble solvent like acetone.

Oh man, the on-bike Park cleaner was a revelation to me. I just wasn't going to spend $40 for one. But $5, hellyeah. Just WAY quicker for me than pulling off the chain, bottle cleaning it, then threading it back on and connecting. The only thing I need to watch with the Park is keeping it level, fore/aft, otherwise it can leak solvent out, and have a dropcloth under the chain in case any drips. But on-bike chain cleaning does not desludge the cogs, RD pulleys, or chainrings; That's why I'm going back to wax, which requires zero chain cleaning, though pulling off to dump into melted wax, but it should be a lot easier to pull it off and put back on with the chain a lot cleaner.

Got it. That makes sense...That's why I prefer solvents, they just evaporate and there is no need for rinsing with water.