Orica-BikeExchange will use Flaer Revo Via automatic chain lubing device in 2017

Autolubing of a motorcycle chain is a superb idea and the Scottoiler is still the best on the market by a long way; but lets look at the motorcyclist who is going to fit a Scottoiler

• High mileage
• All year
• All weather
• Functionality and reliability over aesthetics

And lets not overlook the awkwardness of cleaning and lubing a motorcycle chain as opposed to a bicycle chain. I honestly can not see the necessity for this product.

Some days it pisses down on my way to work and for these occasions I carry a little bottle of lube in my underseat bag - strictly speaking it's little bottle that used to contain a hotels complimentary portion of shampoo. I also have a can of degreaser and a larger bottle of lube in my locker at work.

In conclusion. Unless you commute is 100miles plus then what is the point?

I tried the Scottoiler, a similar system, and was not impressed, especially with the waste from leaks and other failures.

A decent wax lube easily beats more expensive junk like this because it stays on a long time, including in rain, and blocks/sheds grit too.  When I need to wash the chain (not stupidly use internal grease stripping degreaser!) I also get rid of the crud stuck to the gears and derailers, something which a necessary too light lube fluid will probably not reduce the need for.

Ridiculous claims like 12 watts for this, are what is responsible for the majority of the cycling public being highly suspicious of any 'watt'claim that comes out, to the point that claims that may be true are ignored.

I do love technology, I've got a computer- I even ride these new fangled safety bicycles, They even have gears on the back AND the front!

Auto lube on a bicycle???  If they can carry a litre of oil to dump on the road in the first few yards WOW!  They will gain fractions of a second on climbs- lose half a fraction of seconds on descents. Marginal gains, Marginal gains . . . It's all tech doping dont you know - laughing out loud . . .

I remember seeing a giro where it was so wet the some teams were having to lube up mid race (leaning out of the car and squrting onto the chain an the cassette). Also seen a simaler system on motorbikes although that was a bottle of the lub mounted onto the bars which you squeezed to apply the lub down a tube to the end of a zip tie onto the chain. Its nothing new.

I remember a tour a while back, lead rider zooming down the valley to the finish, maybe a Norwegian? transponder flapping on the chainstay, mechanic risking his fingers trying to sort it.  Heroic and magnificent open window mechaniching.

I struggle to understand where the need for this has come from, and the claims of a reclamation of 12 watts seems a little ambitious as you rarely see anyone on the peleton suffering from a loss of these valuable lumps of power in the current races.

Personally I would rather see Fausto Oppici hanging out of the rear window of the team car sqirting  his bottle of lube in the direction of the rear mech whilst doing >30mph, jostling with the reamining riders all queuing up for their mid raceonce over.

In theory, this could have legs in a professional setting. 

When races are 6 hours long... and its wet and shitty, I can't imagine there are many lubes that will survive that. 

Now, there is an argument that a team mechanic can always lube a chain from the car, however the option of a well lubed chain throughout with no effort is kind of appealing. 

And... having a few extra watts at the sharp end of a race, will be gratefully received. 

However, on a personal level, it all looks a bit ugly for me. 

are dry and squeaky chains an issue for pro teams?

SuperPython59, a while back I saw a tyre pressure changing hub, on singletrack, where it really would make a difference, huge it was.  And very, very ugly.

Good use of the word "contraption".

Well they have to add weight somehow... 

Makes me think back to the old F1 days of 'brake cooling', as they ware allowed to top up coolents, oils and other fluids except petrol before the end of race scruitineering weight checks. Thus on the first lap, a reservoir of coolent was expelled, in the general direction of the brakes, thus allowing said car to run underweight until the end, where the coolent was topped up legally prior to weighing. 

Be interesting to see if this device can dump the entire load within 200m of the start line.. 

BikesnobNYC "loved" this one 

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/this-post-is-self-lubricating....

Also features a very retro Kenny G and and an oiled up Mario.

Unfortunately the fine bike fighting of Jackie Chan in "Project A" is not viewable, though just to remind you of it, a low res, badly dubbed version can be watched here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kroi5o2cupw

Maybe you can hide a battery in there. Maybe.

It doesn't use a motor to pump the lube, does it . . . . . . . . . ?

I wonder how much money they've thrown at Orica-BikeExchange. This crap won't be around in two years time