Best Mudguards for Road Bike

I got my first mudguards when I joined a cycling club (Otley CC). I soon learnt that on winter training rides, mudguards were an absolute essential for club riding. 1 or 2 times riding at the back of the pack and you soon get the idea. The first mudguards I got were the traditional mudguard type like,  Chromoplastic mudguard I only remember that they took ages (much longer than they should) to put on. They were also a little fiddly and parts broke at a later stage.

Mudguards for a Racing Bike

My current road bikes don’t even have mudguard eyes. Therefore,  I need to use the flexible variety which are easy to attach. See: Clip on Race Blades. They don’t need any screws and are quite an ingenious design. They are indispensable for road bikes without the mudguard eyes. It also doesn’t matter if there is a very narrow distance between the top tube and the rear wheel.

However, they are not without drawbacks – it is more difficult to get the mudguards in the exact position. They tend to slip a bit. I have had problems with the mudguards rubbing against the wheel. These problems are not insolvable and are probably more of a bad reflection on my mechanical skills than the product. However, if you want the absolute best protection, use the traditional style mudguards for better protection.

Recommended Mudguards

SKS lightweight Race Blade £27.99

• Easy to mount
• Lightweight
• Fits all road bikes (even without mudguard holes)
• I have used these for several seasons and they have consistently performed really well. Often with my road bikes I am taking mudguards on and off (e.g. travelling in car). These clip on mudguards make it quite easy. You don’t need any tools, you may need to make some minor adjustments e.g. moving ties up and down the rear stays until you get the right clearance, but they work really well. The new model (pictured above) also has some extra protection from clip on flap.
• Note: they don’t give as much protection as proper fitted mudguards, but they will keep the worst of the rain from your back
• See:  full review of SKS Race Blades

Crud Roadrace

Clip on mudguards for road bike. Only 180grams with exceptionally low clearance.

Crud Roadrace II

Extensive coverage of wheel, I reviewed them here:

• Mudguards at Evans Cycles

Related

• Winter Cycling Gear