Continuous chain lubrication isn’t something mountain bikers are very good at, but in a small industrial estate in central Scotland, Flaer have come up with an answer.
Pete popped down the road to Milngavie to chat the new Revo chain lubrication system with Nick Muddle and Andy Parker to discuss how Flaer was borne from motorcycle roots.
Already a fixture on both Grand Tour road teams and the Cube Action Team’s bikes, the Revo Terra brings a different way of keeping drivetrains running sweet.
Photos and words by Pete Scullion.
Nick Muddle and Andy Parker are the guys tasked with getting both Flaer’s Revo systems and bike care sprays (test coming soon) to the masses, and my hosts for the day.
It would have been rude not to pay the guys at Flaer a visit after meeting them at the DMBinS conference we covered back in November. A short drive down the road from me brought me an unassuming blue concrete building sat above Allander Water at the northern end of Glasgow.
Flaer were borne from Scottoiler, a name that has been prominent in motorbike circles for a long old while, and, thanks to supporting the likes of Katy Winton and Gary Forrest, in the mountain bike scene of late too.
Scottoiler have gone back to what they know best, but passed the torch onto Flaer, with their Revive and Guard bike sprays being reminiscent of Scottoiler’s initial offerings.
Where an idea starts to become reality. Scottoiler, Flaer’s parent company, started the continuous lubrication system for motorbikes many moons ago. Flaer have adapted the idea to fit the humble push iron.
The reason for my visit was primarily to get a closer look at the soon-to-be-launched Revo Terra system. Nick, Andy and Doug had give everyone at the DMBinS conference a glimpse of what their off-road system was capable of, with many getting a chance to test it out in the real world.
There’s not many times in the cycling industry that a product is developed that approaches a problem that has existed since bikes had chains, but Flaer, adapting the Scottoiler idea, have approached the issue of drivetrain lubrication from the opposite end of the spectrum.
While most tend to slap on dry or wet lube, depending on conditions, rinse it off then hope that we remember to re-lube afterwards, the Revo system constantly lubes your drivetrain while you ride.
From the whiteboard to 3D modelling. Doug is the technical whizz behind the system, and managed to fit a system to my bike in minutes.
How did Flaér come about?
Flaér was started with the ambition of bringing innovative, new, high performance products to cyclists. Coming from a background in motorsport with a keen interest in cycling we wanted to introduce the concept of chain performance systems to cyclists having proven their worth for motorcycles over the last 30 years through our parent company, Scottoiler.
Where did the idea for the Revo system come from?
The idea of on-board chain lubrication has been around for years. Rohloff had a manual system years ago as did our parent company Scottoiler. However, it wasn’t until recently when we commissioned a research study with Edinburgh Napier University that we were able to prove the performance benefits of continual lubrication while riding, which is when the development of the Revo system began from the ground up.
Messy desk, tidy mind. Testing and improvement of both system and lubricants at Flaer is a never-ending task.
Are you the only company with a system like this, and if so, why do you think that is?
We are the only company we know of with a system like this. Chain lubrication systems in other forms have been tried in the past, but only recently has the technology developed enough to allow the miniaturisation and automation of a system such as this so it can be truly viable as a product.
The marketplace is now seeing the emergence of other performance products from many other company’s in this arena such as ceramic bearings and specially coated chains, so the timing feels right for something new like this. It’s also taken us years to develop the Revo and we have faced many challenges along the way, so it’s not been easy to get to this point. The technology inside is very advanced with micro-processors and accelerometerss, so, for example, the system knows when it is in motion and only operates when switched on and moving.
Also, it knows when you go beyond a certain lean angle so it de-activates when cornering. The environments it has to operate in are pretty extreme too, blasting heat, extreme cold, constant vibration and impact, moisture etc. Combined with that if you asked a focus group of cyclists what they need, a chain performance system isn’t something that would come to mind, so it’s not going to be on people’s radar to begin with.
Where the magic happens. Flaer not only continuously test their own lubricants, but also competitors’ to produce what they feel is the best available.
What does the Revo system offer that regular lubrication can’t?
A significant improvement in chain performance. For different people that means different things. When you use it, the most obvious benefit is how much cleaner it keeps the transmission and how much easier it is to clean after a really dirty ride.
Also, you can hear the difference in your drive train, it runs smoother and quieter with crisper gear shifts every time. You get more power to the wheel for each pedal stroke, a hassle free riding experience and there’s the potential increase in component life to consider too.
Did we mention Flaer do a lot of testing?
How many people make up Flaér and what do they do?
There are 4 people working for the business on a daily basis (Chris, Doug, Andy and Nick) and we also have the support of our parent company across a number of functions such as logistics and finance.
How do the Via and Terra systems differ?
There are 2 main differences between Via and Terra. First is the fluid used. Terra Fluid is much thinner as it’s designed to help dirt shedding which is a major part of keeping the transmission working off road. Due to the dirtier conditions off road we also recommend using higher flow rates on the Terra system, so it has a larger capacity reservoir and more adjustability to allow people to dial in the settings more accurately for their ride.
How many prototypes did you have before getting to the production Revo?
More than I would have liked! I think the current system is about version 5. This Revo was very much designed from the ground up and we’ve had to make some significant changes along the way. It would have been great to have had a template to work from, such as a similar product, however we had to design and refine a completely new concept.
If you were to open up the Revo I think you would understand the amount of design time and refinement that has gone into it. The product obviously comes with massive challenges, some we have been able to address and others we are still working on. There is never a day that passes without a discussion about how we can better aspects of the system.
All of Flaer’s Revo systems are hand-assembled at their facility in Milngavie.
Beyond the development of prototypes, what form did your testing take?
The testing has been ongoing for the last 3 years. We have tested extensively in the lab and in the field. Everything from materials, pumps, seals, oils, flow rates, battery life and environmental factors have been put to the test.
We have had pro riders using our systems for about 2 years between variants and we have refined the fluid we used from about 100 variants to the formula it is today. Working with the pro-teams we are using their feedback to develop the next versions of the system. As with any product I don’t think you ever stop testing.
Revo Via is the road specific version of the Revo system, Pete currently has a Terra, off-road system on test. Review coming soon.
Where next for Flaér? How do you plan to go about getting extra helpers etc. etc.?
We have grand ambitions. We want our brand to become a household name amongst cyclists all over the world. It will be an exciting journey achieving this and it will require lots of hard work from us, but that’s not something we’re afraid of.
Along the way, first and foremost, we will keep innovating great products and with our distribution partners in each country we will expand our presence both in stores, in the media and throughout the sport. As we grow we will also expand our team of passionate individuals with more like-minded people who want to join us on this exciting journey.
The place where completed Revo systems are built and sent out into the wider world. This unassuming office is much like many others where the best things in MTB happen.
