Muc-Off Absorbent Bike Mat

The Muc-Off Absorbent Bike Mat does a good job of protecting the floor of your lounge, workshop, shed or anywhere else you keep your bike. It lives up to the name, too, being highly absorbent, soaking up any water, lube or oil that might drip off your bike after it's been cleaned and shown some love (or neglected after a wet and grimy ride). It's a bit more expensive than some, but if you have to keep your bike inside, especially if you're in rented accommodation, it's a good option.

While the mat is ideal for parking your bike on after you've washed (and lubed) it, so you don't have to worry about any drops of water or oil marking the floor, I also found it really useful after wet and dirty rides when I don't have time to wash my bike straight away. I can park up my bike for a few hours until I have time to clean it, without having to worry about dripping a load of greasy water on the floor, potentially staining it.

> Buy now: Muc-Off Absorbent Bike Mat for £49.99 from Adrian’s Bike Shop

As someone who has been renting for the past few years and keeping my bike inside, I know the stress of coming back to it after a few hours only to see a small black puddle underneath it, where some trapped oily water has found its way out of the frame...

With Muc-Off's bike mat underneath, the worry of 'will it stain the floor?' or – worse! – 'will it cost me anything?' are things of the past, with its 'technical, highly absorbent top layer' doing a sterling job.

I've been keeping my bike on this mat for the past few weeks and have been impressed – any dropped oil is caught and doesn't stain the floor, and I've found it useful as a turbo trainer mat, too. Its 2m length means you can fit a turbo and bike on it, and it's great for catching any sweat. Impressively, Muc-Off claims it's able to hold up to two litres of liquid. And with its 'textured non-slip rubber base' it stays in place well, too.

Although it's long, it's only 40cm across, so only wide enough for one bike; if you keep two bikes inside and want to store them both on the mat, you'll need to buy another. Having a wider option would be good.

At just over 2kg, it's definitely what I'd call heavy duty, but it's easy to roll up and take places if required – if you're going on holiday, for example, and don't want the risk of being charged extra for staining the floor of your Airbnb or hotel room.

I think it looks cool in the classic Muc-Off pink and black colours, and if it does get a little mucky, it can be hosed or jet washed.

Value

At nearly £50 it's not exactly cheap, but while some may say a towel will achieve the same outcome, a towel will definitely not protect the floor from oil in the same way. This mat is definitely heavy duty, and made to last, so I can understand the price tag.

The Finish Line Absorb-it Mat tries to achieve a similar thing, while being less heavy duty and arguably looking a lot less cool, but comes in substantially cheaper at £22.99, up a few quid since Tass tested it in 2017.

Conclusion

Overall, I've liked using this mat. It's helped keep my rented house clean when I was doing turbo sessions and when my bike was dripping a bit after being cleaned. I like its looks, and think the pink adds a nice bit of colour. If you are looking for a way to protect your floor, it's a good option.

Verdict

Snazzy-looking mat that functions well, ideal for protecting your floor