Does Muc Off Damage Wheels ?

gb155

Ok strange one this but stay with me best you can.

Last May I got a Trek 6300, within a week the rear wheel poped about 8 spoked and need replacing, when I picked up the bike the shop said that Muc off had caused the spokes and rim to weaken and reccomend people dont use it (they did however have many many bottles of it for sale)

Now I dismissed this as the LBS in queston really took the mick with another issue on the bike at the time, but I had run out of Muc off and have not used it since.

Until 2 weeks ago when I got a bottle for my project MTB, since then I have washed my Ribble twice with it, and on Thursday it popped a spoke, got it repair, had a great commute Friday and washed it (with Muc Off) on Saturday, then on Sunday another spoke went.

Now im not a light rider I know, but I have done over 2500 miles on the Ribble and never broken a spoke, infact I have only ever broken spokes when washing with Muc off.

Sooooooo.......was the LBS right ? or is it just one of those things ?

Gaz

cee

wha?????????????

I would be tempted to say...this is nonsense...and a coincidence.

but i would struggle to prove that.

Clever Pun

Once one spoke goes, it's generally the case a couple will go

no idea about muc off though, might just be a coincidence??

gb155

I suspect it just a coincidence and wouldnt think twice about it if it wasnt for the LBS saying it in the first place and the fact I have only just started to use it again.

Leaves the Ribble with an AMAZING shine though

Oddjob62

gb155 wrote:

Until 2 weeks ago when I got a bottle for my project MTB, since then I have washed my Ribble twice with it, and on Thursday it popped a spoke, got it repair, had a great commute Friday and washed it (with Muc Off) on Saturday, then on Sunday another spoke went.

Unless Muc Off is made with concentrated acid, it wouldn't be able to weaken a spoke that much over night. I've been using it regularly on my bike without any spoke issue.

Rich158

I've been using Muc-off for years on both my road bikes and MTB's without any problems, it sounds like coincidence to me

rjsterry

Alu rims might react to something in Muc Off - they don't like alkalis (see methods for removing seized alu seatposts involving ammonia or washing soda), but Muc Off is supposed to be specially formulated for bikes (which have a lot of alu components) so you'd think they would have thought of this. Also your spokes are almost certainly s/steel, which won't be affected by Muc Off. CP is right about one broken spoke leading to another: I ended up breaking one a fortnight on an old set of wheels and I'm only 10st. If you ride on the wheel with one broken spoke (quite likely if you need to get to your destination) you oveload the others making them more likely to break and so on.

Wooliferkins

I use muc off all the time and the commuter gets washed once a fortnight. No problem at all.

il_principe

Rich158 wrote:

I've been using Muc-off for years on both my road bikes and MTB's without any problems, it sounds like coincidence to me

It took a little of the paint work off the Prince* (i'd run out of babies tears). Never touched the stuff again.

*Ok I'm being overly dramatic, but it did damage a tiny area that I can see if I look really closely - which I do of course, and just knowing it's there really fcuks me off.

DonDaddyD

My commuter was so bad I had to use a combination of Muc Off and Degreaser to shift the dirt. Didn't do a thing to the bike but clean it.

I only use Superdrugs tea tree oil facial wipes on Karen. Yes the same facial wipes I sometimes use on my face. I'm also not joking.

Fireblade96

Muc Off isn't the kindest of cleaning products, but unless you're spraying it on neat and then leaving it, it won't cause any damage. Certainly not make your wheels collapse !

I've used it for years on the MTB and the commuter, and find it's dulled the finish on both (mind, I do scrub them with a dishwashing brush as well).

No way I'm using it on the Wilier though - I use car shampoo for that, same as I've used for years on my motorbike with no ill effects. Rubbed in gently with a soft sponge, rinsed, and dried off with a real chamois.

Rich158

Il Principe wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I've been using Muc-off for years on both my road bikes and MTB's without any problems, it sounds like coincidence to me

It took a little of the paint work off the Prince* (i'd run out of babies tears). Never touched the stuff again.

*Ok I'm being overly dramatic, but it did damage a tiny area that I can see if I look really closely - which I do of course, and just knowing it's there really fcuks me off.

I had a similar experience, it did stain the anodised finish on my MTB, but then I had left it too long before washing it off. I've never had a problem with it on paint though

always_tyred

cee wrote:

wha?????????????

I would be tempted to say...this is nonsense...and a coincidence.

but i would struggle to prove that.

Allow me to be of assistance.....

.... [google] Ah, that's what is in it..... [/google]

Okay, as far as I can tell, its an acetate salt - a bit like vinegar but with sodium instead of the acid bit. It may be a bit corrosive, and capable of attacking organic materials such as paints or varnishes. But you could say the same about washing up liquid.

As for the weakening wheels... I don't see how. It would have to cause a LOT of corrosion and I think you'd notice.

There is no mechanism I can imagine where the fundamental structure of a metallic item would be "weakened". Its supersticious luddite claptrap.

attica

Always Tyred wrote:

There is no mechanism I can imagine where the fundamental structure of a metallic item would be "weakened". Its supersticious luddite claptrap.

+1
No way it's have a harmful effect unless you were soaking your spokes in the stuff. Also if it's already got Sodium in it I can't see how salt from the roads would react with it to create anything worse (mind you I'm relying on A'level chemistry from about 20 years ago now :shock: :oops: )

I'd ask your cat to stop playing with that hacksaw in the shed at night.

davis

Attica wrote:

I'd ask your cat to stop playing with that hacksaw in the shed at night.

What? No, that's purring you're thinking of mate.. purring!

(Eddie Izzard, I salute you)