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Green Oil Massive Brush SLR

7
£52.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Undeniably pricey and not the only brush you'll need, but excellent for general cleaning
Gentle but effective bristle plot
Surprisingly nimble in tight spaces
Ergonomic handle
Eco materials
Less effective on ingrained dirt on bar tape and saddles
Cost
Weight: 
323g

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 Green Oil Massive Brush does an excellent job of tackling most cleaning jobs quickly, effectively, and kindly. As generic brushes go, there's much to like. However, there are better choices for heavily-ingrained patina, the sort common to handlebar tapes and some saddles, and it wouldn't be my first choice for chains and cassettes.

> Buy now: Green Oil Massive Brush SLR for £52.99 from Green Oil

Measuring 44.5cm long, the ergonomically tapered handle is made from sustainably sourced beechwood, treated with linseed oil to protect it from moisture, while the bristle plot is made from Tampico, a Mexican plant I'm told must be grown in the wild, in natural conditions.

Performance on the whole is impressive. The handle length and softness of the bristles make for a speedy clean, and it's safe to use on painted, anodised, polished and plated surfaces.

The extra length of the brush might seem a little unwieldly, but I was surprised at how easily I could tackle hard-to-reach areas. With a decent bike wash, I've got moderately grotty gravel bikes gleaming in 15 minutes.

It does a reasonable job on tyres, but I'd stick to drivetrain-specific brushes for cassettes and chains – the bristle plot isn't sufficiently aggressive here, I'd go for Green Oil's Drive Chain brush instead.

2024 Green Oil Massive Brush - bristles.jpg

After use, a quick shot of degreaser and warm water rinse is pretty much it on the care front.

The only real sticking point is the price: it's an expensive choice at £52.99 (or £47.99, without the leather strap), and though it should last well, I'm not convinced it's the only brush you need, despite the 'five in one' claims from Green Oil. Compare that with Peaty's Bicycle Brush Set, for example, which is £34.99 for a pack of four to tackle all areas of the bike. The Peaty's handles are waxed beechwood and the bristle plots are made from recycled consumer plastics, so it also has good eco credentials.

If you weren't fazed by plastics and similar, you can go a lot cheaper – Finish Line's five-piece Brush Set is £24.99, and Muc-Off's 5X Premium Brush Set is £37.

Overall, as generic, bike-friendly brushes go, Green Oil has the balance right – it's excellent – but for deep cleansing I'd pair it with the drivetrain-specific Drive Chain brush.

> Buy now: Green Oil Massive Brush SLR for £52.99 from Green Oil

Verdict

Undeniably pricey and not the only brush you'll need, but excellent for general cleaning

road.cc test report

Make and model: Green Oil Massive Brush SLR

Size tested: 44.5cm

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it?

According to Green Oil, "It makes bike cleaning easy. It's sustainable and looks great.

What is the Massive-Brush for?

Your whole bike. The Bristles are soft yet tough. Scrubbing your chain and sprocket, but also wheel cleaning, as a claw brush for sprocket sets, for hard to reach bits, wheel rims and spoke cleaning. The bristles are soft enough too for the whole bike frame.

The Massive-Brush has a comfortable handle. It's simply awesome."

I wouldn't use it for chains and cassettes, and the bristles are less effective on ingrained grime common to bar tapes. Otherwise, the large handle and gentle bristle plot are incredibly efficient and effective when cleaning large surface areas, while still nimble enough around the bike's more intricate regions.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product

There's LOTS of info on Green Oil's site, but in brief:

44cm long, handle made from sustainably sourced rubber trees, biodegradable bristle plot.

Brush handle: Sustainably sourced beech wood from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) sources. This employs a linseed oil varnish protectant, which can be reapplied annually to preserve and protect the wood.

Bristles are made from Tampico - a Mexican plant that must be grown in wild natural conditions.

The Massive-Brush has a 'cog spike' at the end of the handle. This can be used on dérailleur cogs to remove grime.

Rate the product for quality:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

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

It has proven a very gentle yet generally effective brush for cleaning scuzzy bikes. The bristle plot is gentle enough for delicate surfaces, and the tactile, ergonomic handle ensures it sits nicely in the hand and is comfortable for extended periods.

Other than hanging the brush out to dry thoroughly (as should be done with all brushes), I've given the bristle plot a quick post-use shot of degreaser/bike wash concentrate, working this into a lather before rinsing with warm water to remove any ingrained residual gunk.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Very well made and the brush is more nimble than its size and weight might imply. The bristle plot also seems kind to plated, painted, and lacquered surfaces.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing, though it was less effective than some on ingrained grime – saddles and bar tapes being the most obvious examples.

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

It certainly ain't cheap. Peaty's Bicycle Brush Set is £34.99 for a pack of four to tackle all areas of the bike, and also has good eco credentials, though Hollis felt the tyre brush merited improvement.

If you aren't fazed by plastics, it's possible to buy a decent brush set for half the price, such as Finish Line's for £24.99, and Muc-Off's 5X Premium Brush Set is £37, though the bristle plots deteriorate noticeably over time.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, but while it could work out cheap in the long run, £52.99 is a lot to shell out for a brush.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Generally, yes, if they could bear the cost.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Overall it's good. It's an excellent design for generic bike cleaning, but there are better options for tackling grimy handlebar tape and oily drivetrain parts, and while I am confident it will repay the investment many times over, £52.99 is pricey for a brush.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 51  Height: 1m 81cm  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

Add new comment

11 comments

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 1 week ago
5 likes

Pfffft! Tampico is so last-year. The best artisanal fibre for cleaning bikes is obviously free-range squirrel hair.

Avatar
stonojnr replied to hawkinspeter | 1 week ago
1 like

Named Basil ?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to stonojnr | 1 week ago
4 likes

stonojnr wrote:

Named Basil ?

Avatar
cardch | 1 week ago
1 like

This is RIDICULOUS.  53 quid for a BRUSH!!  There is no justification for that.  I would love to know the profit margin on this, feels like an utter, uter rip off to me. 

Avatar
tomascjenkins | 1 week ago
0 likes

Different brushes for different parts of the bike are definitely a good move, Park Tool do a 4 brush set for 24.99 or one with the same eco bristles for 49.99 plus a soft sponge. They have plastic handles, not wooden.

Fenwicks do a chain sponge with a groove in it for the chain, its also way tougher than a normal sponge and its about 2.50 I think

 

Avatar
SimoninSpalding | 1 week ago
1 like

Massive brush? Massive rip off more like!

£53 for one brush??? With a wooden handle whcih will inevitably become ingrained with the filth you are trying to get rid of!

I have a few different brushes ranging from a tiny bottle-brush to get between chainset and seat tube up to a big soft paddle brush for the main parts of the frame, saddle and handlebars. I am sure I could have got them cheaper as most have bike specific branding, but I am confident I still haven't spent £50 in total. To believe that this will repay the "investment" is frankly deluded.

Avatar
SimoninSpalding replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 week ago
1 like

Just to add, is this why people think cyclists are odd, the fact that a brush can ellicit such strong views? 🤣

Avatar
stonojnr replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 week ago
1 like

I think they'd think we were odder if we paid 52quid for a brush that any decent hardware store, we still have those right ? for a couple of quid.

Avatar
levestane replied to stonojnr | 1 week ago
3 likes

stonojnr wrote:

I think they'd think we were odder if we paid 52quid for a brush that any decent hardware store, we still have those right ? for a couple of quid.

https://thedustpanandbrushstore.co.uk/products/soft-cream-varnished-hand...

£1.99. I expect the postage is more.

Avatar
bobbinogs | 1 week ago
0 likes

Blimey, is it April 1st already?

Avatar
RoubaixCube | 1 week ago
1 like

Ive been using the same £2-3 dish brush I bought from wilko, tesco or pound land for as long as I can remember. I dont understand why anyone would spend more for one. Even if you dont want a brush with as firm of a bristle as a dish brush. You can find less firm brushes in the same places for roughly around the same price as the dish brush.

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