One of our favorite parts of Sea Otter is the ability to discover new products, no matter how small. Prior to the show, I had been talking to James and Allan Cooke about a new brand called RotaLuber. You might already be familiar with at least one of those names – Allan Cooke is an X Games gold medalist in BMX dirt, who has transitioned to mountain biking, working for big names like Santa Cruz and Specialized, and he can also be seen commentating for big events like Crankworx.
As they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and Allan’s dad James is just as rad. A former Kawasaki factory motocross rider in the 60s and 70s, James contributed to the development of many dirt bikes as the eventual R&D manager at Kawasaki. I can personally attest to the fact that he can still shred on an eMTB, and James also still knows his way around developing a product.
That brings us to the first item from the new brand, the namesake RotaLuber. I’ve tried out a number of different chain lubrication devices over the years, and almost without fail, they tend to over-lubricate the chain, resulting in a mess of a drivetrain.
The Rotaluber is different. Harnessing the power of 3D printing, the RotaLuber has been designed with a series of small orifices on a four-tooth sprocket. The flow of chain lube is controlled through a mixing valve to account for thinner or thicker chain lube, and there is a rubber strip at the bottom of the tool that forces the chain roller to spin, which sucks chain lube into the roller where it’s needed.
The whole device is set up so that it lubricates only where it’s needed on the chain, without wasting a ton of lube. Note that due to the width of the support arm, this is only compatible with 10, 11, and 12 speed chains.
I’ve been a needle applicator guy for years, counting out one drop of lube per roller, but this is the first device that has made me question that technique. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and it seems to do exactly what it claims, all in 60 seconds or less.
Priced at $39.95, which includes a nice rubber stand so it won’t tip over on your workbench, the RotaLuber seems like a worthwhile investment, especially if the claims of using 30% less chain lube, and delivering up to 40% more drivetrain life are true. It’s easy to imagine that it would use quite a bit less chainlube–the chain just isn’t drenched in lube no matter how many times you run it through. And if it’s easier and faster to lubricate your 10, 11, or 12 speed chain without overdoing it, it seems likely that you would see some drivetrain longevity benefits too.
If backpedaling the chain through the RotaLuber a few times is all that’s needed to lubricate your chain, then the tool would also be great for ebikes–as long as you can backpedal your chain. That’s where RotaLuber’s latest tool comes in, the aptly named eBike Backpedal Tool. We saw the newest version of this tool for the first time at Sea Otter, and the idea is simple: it includes a T30 bit that inserts into either 5mm allen or T30 torx chainring bolts, and that bit is held in a 3D printed bit holder that is shaped to wedge against the crank arm. The bit is also adjustable in terms of insertion depth to match various chainring bolt depths.
Because it’s made from 3D printed nylon, the tool won’t mar the crank the way a bare metal tool would. As long as the tool is in place, the crank will backpedal the chain, allowing you to use the RotaLuber to lubricate the chain. The only catch is that the tool is compatible with ebikes that use a spider with chainring bolts, not direct mount chainrings. To use, insert it into the chainring bolt with the lever positioned pointing down, and then rotate it clockwise so it locks the crank arm in place. Then just rotate it counter clockwise to disengage and remove.
Available now, the eBike Backpedal tool sells for $16.95.