Ryder Innovation pitches their latest product, the Luberetta, as a “no mess or wastage” chain lube dispenser that “puts a drop on each link.” After testing the product myself, I found that it lives up to the first claim and falls short on the second, while a third, unstated claim might just be its killer app.
The Luberetta features a squeezable liquid reservoir connected to a cleanable and replaceable silicon dispenser designed to make it easier to apply lube to a bike chain. Just fill the reservoir with your favorite lube, run the chain through the silicon fins, and squeeze. Unlike dripping lube directly from the bottle, there is little chance drops will miss the chain and fall on the floor, solidifying Ryder’s first claim about reducing mess and wastage.
As far as placing a single drop of lube on each chain link, I didn’t find this to be the case, at least not every time. I’m not saying it’s impossible to place a single drop of lube on each roller with the Luberetta, just that the dispenser doesn’t make the process any easier than doing so with a regular squeeze bottle. Ryder Innovation points out that their design produces just the right amount of surface tension, keeping fresh lube at the ready for every roller, which in theory sounds great. In practice, finding the right amount of squeeze pressure and matching that to the chain speed as you spin the cranks is tricky with the Luberetta, just like it is with any other product. My guess is that most of us are already OK with the fact that we’ll probably miss a link or two when we lube anyway.
I’ll add a third claim to the Luberetta: it’s a great trailside lube tool. Admittedly I’m not in the habit of carrying lube with me on the trail, but that’s not to say I haven’t wished I had at times. Regular lube bottles take up too much precious cargo space in a pack; the Luberetta, on the other hand, is about the size of a tire plug kit, weighs less than 12g empty, and holds 15ml of lube. Starting with a clean chain is always a good idea when it’s time to apply fresh lube, but on the trail, that can be a challenge. The Luberetta features dirt-removing fins to flick grit to the side like gummy toothbrush bristles. Lubing a gritty, dirty chain isn’t ideal and I certainly wouldn’t do it at home in my garage. But for trailside emergencies and unexpectedly sloppy conditions, the Luberetta could be a lifesaver.
My sample shipped with Ryder Yellow Wax Lube, which I’m told is still under development, but it seems to stand up pretty well in a variety of conditions. I found that thinner, wet lubes like Triflow also work well with the applicator. I still prefer to wipe off excess lube with a cloth after applying so I keep a piece of rag at the ready when using the Luberetta.
The Luberetta is designed and manufactured by Ryder Innovation in South Africa, and is priced at just $5.99 without lube.
