Over the past two years, the Munich-based manufacturer Flectr has made a real name for itself for detailed solutions on bicycles using plastics. The spoke and frame reflectors have already won several prizes, and now the Munich-based company has launched a new campaign on Kickstarter.
The product? A frame protection film called Gravel Guard. Although there are already numerous solutions on the market, very few of them are unproblematic. Either the films do not absorb impacts well enough and the paintwork is damaged anyway, or the adhesive comes off too quickly or the films yellow due to sunlight. Flectr doesn't think any of this is ideal. It's also really annoying when a bike costing many thousands of euros has chipped paintwork from stone chips after just a few rides.
Light, stable, unobtrusive - the Gravel Guard
Flectr's solution looks very similar at first glance. Here too, the frame is protected from damage by a transparent, self-adhesive film. But the devil is in the detail. The Flectr Gravel Guard is said to be light - only 0.0414 grams per square centimetre, 22 grams for a completely protected bike - it is said to absorb impacts particularly well thanks to its 0.36 millimetre thick film and neither come off nor become dull or yellow.
This is all made possible by a special optimisation of the material. The film is simply applied to the frame by applying pressure and can be easily removed with a hairdryer. The manufacturer promises no residue. The material is also said to be visually unobtrusive, although it is almost twice as thick as most competitor products in favour of impact absorption.
Flectr also attaches particular importance to environmental friendliness. The Gravel Guard is produced by plastics specialist 3M near Munich, and the packaging is completely plastic-free. Sounds good? The campaign to realise the project was successful on Kickstarter. Starting at twelve euros, you could participate and secure a product. Click here for the Website of Flectr and here directly to the campaign on Kickstarter.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
