The best mountain bike mudguards keep filth out of your face and do it without shifting around or clogging up. That’s it.
You’d think it’d be easy to make a good mudguard. Turns out that’s not that case. There’s few than half a dozen brands that do it properly.
This buyers guide will be rather brief. Because there are basically some mudguards that work. And loads of others that don’t.
In this guide we’re going to narrow the field down even more. We’re not going to recommend mudguards that do not protect fork seals. Although you should always clean and check your fork seals after every filthy ride, it’s just better if there’s a pair of mudguard ‘ears’ there to reduce muck getting on to the seals in the first place.
We’re also tempted to not even recommend the simple, bendy, small mudguards that we’d claim were pretty much invented by Marsh Guards. They just aren’t anywhere near as good as longer/bigger mudguards. But… some people will just never like the aesthetic of full-on fenders, so we’re including one compact mudguard (from Ride Guard).
RideGuard PF1
Ride Guard PF1
Price: £11.00
Overall: Why are we recommending this type of compact mudguard over the plethora of near-identical ones out there? Two reasons. First of all, the hang tag has a genuinely useful suspension sag measuring ruler built into it that is an excellent toolbox addition. And secondly, we like their designs more than other brands.
Okay then. The following four mudguards are so close in performance that we can’t honestly choose a winner. PIck any of them and you’ll be suitably protected.
Obviously there are variations in pricing, and that’s a perfectly sound way of picking a winner. The other aspect is how you feel about zip ties. From an ecological stance mainly, but also partly aesthetically.
Talking of aesthetics, just choose the one you like the look of the most. That’s fine. No harm in being nice looking.
Mudhugger Evo Long Zip Tie
Mudhugger Evo (Long) Zip Tie
Price: £27.50
Overall: If you’re fine with zip ties, then the classic Mudhugger EVO Zip Tie is still probably the one to go for. Don’t go for the slightly cheaper ‘Shorty’ version. May as well just get a cheapie Marsh Guard clone. Go full or nothing. It’s worth pointing out that Mudhugger do actually offer optional Velcro FItting Packs for zip tie haters. They also do some bolt-on versions for a limited number of fork models. Worth checking out.
RRP Proguard Bolt-On
RRP Proguard Bolt-On
Price: £36.99
Overall: Bolt-on fenders are a great thing. If it’s simple to fit one to specific fork you have on your bike. And you don’t want to use the fender on multiple bikes with different forks. So… they aren’t for everyone but conversely some people will totally love their specific-ness. Of the bolt-ons we’ve come across, RRP’s has been the best executed to our eyes.
Mucky Nutz MugGuard Long
Mucky Nutz MugGuard Long
Price: £25.00
Overall: Do you know what? Unless you need to super secure fixing that comes from the zip ties on the Mudhugger, you really should think about getting the MugGuard Long from Mucky Nutz. It uses reusable Velcro strips instead of zip ties and for 99% of the time, the fender is held in place just fine. And the easy-off, easy-on Velcro method is clearly loads better when swapping the ‘guard between bikes.
Mojo DFender Guard
Mojo DFender Guard
Price: £49.00 inc. clamp
Overall: This is the best mudguard. But it’s nigh on fifty quid. And it isn’t very pretty. Sorry for being cheap and petty! In terms of keeping stuff off your face and out of your vision there is nothing that does the job better. It’s a simple matter of size really. Particularly width. And that dinky little bottom lip sticking out helps too. And the knurled-dial clamp on the fork arch works on more forks than you might think, or are listed by Mojo, in our experience.
Cotic RocketMAXer. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan.
I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld.
Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.
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Cotic RocketMAXer. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan.
I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld.
Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.
I know it shouldn’t be important but Crud XL look awful, they also buzz the tyre on full compression. Having tried quite a few most of the full size fenders work well, I prefer the Velcro fittings for easy on/off. Now I have a Fox 38 I just run their guard, bolt on is best if it works for you.
I’d have liked to see some crown mounted ones, I’m still using the ancient Shockboard and imo it’s better than the crown mounted guards.
“we’d claim were pretty much invented by Marsh Guards.”
Mucky Nutz had been selling theirs for at least 3 years before Jason Marsh stole the idea. Course, it wasn’t a new idea even then, people had been making diy versions for ages, but I think Mucky Nutz were the first to actually sell one.
Mucky Nutz had been selling theirs for at least 3 years before Jason Marsh stole the idea. Course, it wasn’t a new idea even then, people had been making diy versions for ages, but I think Mucky Nutz were the first to actually sell one
Yeah, I thought I recall Mucky Nutz being the first also.
Any recommendations for ones which fit reverse arch forks?
I use the Ass Savers Mudder on my Manitou Machete and Marvel forks – works really well for me (and I had to try a few before I found one I was happy with).
Why no Crud XL?
Best front guard I’ve used bay far, and it easily swaps between bikes, so you don’t need to needlessly buy multiple products.
Works equally well on ‘normal’ suspension forks, reverse arch forks and rigid forks.
The Mudhugger Evo has the recess for crown clearance at full compression. Solved the issue I had with the RRP ProGuard and RockShox Pike of there being a bang at near full compression.
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