At a glance A cheap, light, easy-to-detach plastic solution ideal for riders who don’t have a specific winter bike with heavier duty metal mudguards already attached
Tested by
Jonathan Manning, tester for The Bike List
Performance
The look of horror on my friend's face forced an immediate scrounge for gear. Apparently riding an audax without mudguards is as inconceivable as riding it without shorts. Or pants. Not only does the rear wheel spray enrage the rider behind you, but more importantly your wet, muddy backside risks getting the peloton barred from the all-important checkpoint cafes.
Yet when you devote your existence to shaving milligrams off the weight of your bike, mudguards seem an unwelcome encumbrance - it's like having star architect Richard Rogers design your house and then letting your local brickie bolt on an extension. So not wanting to be an audax outcast I took the opportunity to test a pair of Crud Road Racer mudguards. They're plastic, and tip the scales at a featherweight 180g, which is lighter than the snacks I carry in my jersey pocket. They look quite flimsy, but they perform rather better than the temporary, 'disposable' objects that I anticipated.
Personally, I found the assembly instructions a little unclear,
but it's pretty obvious how the three-part mudguard clips together
and how its arms attach to the forks and seat stays. Reusable cable
ties then suspend it from the brake caliper, and with a tiny bit of
jiggery-pokery (a technical term for finger adjustment) the wheels
spin smoothly below the guards. Slender brush pads on the 'guards
prevent a 
build
up of grit and muck and keep the mudguards centred, and despite
their fragile appearance they're very effective. The online video tutorial helps clarify the instructions
and is definitely worth a watch before you start fitting, see link
at bottom.
However, if you are attaching these to a carbon frame and forks, make sure that you stick to what the instructions say and wrap insulating tape (not provided) around the areas where the mud guards will be attached. Otherwise the elastic bands that attach the mudguards may damage the lacquer of your frame as they press down on it surprisingly hard and can leave a scar.
The three sections of the mudguard are designed to snap off if your wheel gathers any significant debris, which is a good idea, but you have to be careful how you handle your bike. If you extract it from your shed in the vertical position (rather than wheel it horizontally) you can apply enough pressure for the last section to break off and the bolt to ping like a BB from a catapult. Furthermore, the guards are easily nudged out of alignment if you stack your bike clumsily in the shed, so check your wheel runs freely before each cycle.
Overall, these are a cheap solution and ideal if you clip your mudguards on and off depending on conditions (or the attitude of other riders). If you plan to leave 'guards on all through the winter, it's worth considering a one-piece metal alternative. They'll be more robust and require less attention, but they will weigh and cost more.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
Crud says:
After a decade in the mountain bike market Mr Crud has now set his mind to work on the road bike market The Road Racer is the latest ultra-light mudguard for road bikes Innovative fitting system allows the Road Racer to be fitted on bikes with exceptionally close clearance where traditional mudguards simply won't go Incredibly flexible plastic blade and breakaway fittings prevent a wheel locking should a foreign object get caught between the mudguard and the wheel or frame In-built and replaceable pile brushes allow the guard to 'hover' close to the tyre without rubbing, and negate the need for tough, heavy fittings and keeps the mudguard guard central over the wheel.
- Tool-free mounting
- Fully floating system
- Rubber mounted stays
- 180g per pair
- Safety release
- Slim design
- Suitable for 700 x 18-23 tyres
- Colour: Black
Find out more www.crudproducts.com
