I'll confess to buying a front mudguard, but being too embarrassed to put it on the bike, which is something considering how embarrassing my bike looks anyway.
It's nothing to do with finding them an absolute sod to fit, nothing to do with that at all.
Actually, a good reason is having to take off a claggy front mudguard just to get at the brakes for maintainance, or load it into the car. Big front mudguards are just a nuisance.
Anyway, step forward the Neoguard from Rapid Racer Products. The internet had thrown up this one, some glowing testimonials for it. A neoprene mudguard that attaches to the front forks, and it's tiny.
So, time for a spot of shopping before the rains came.
This one I'm reviewing was bought from Wiggle. They do 2 versions, the Standard or the slightly dearer Limited Edition, which I had to get as it just looked a bit cooler, me being a natural when it comes to cool.
Wiggle - Neoguard Standard
Wiggle - Neoguard Limited Editon
You can click on the links to have a look. I paid a very reasonable £13.29 for the Limited Edition, and a couple of days later a small jiffy bag turns up.
Inside a nicely packaged Neoguard, with the fitting instructions on the back. Very simple, easy to follow.
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| Neatly packaged, the instructions are printed on the back |
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| Front and back views. You can see the velco straps used to attach it to the bike. |
It 's not a glove, honest.
Anyway, time to fit it to the bike. I'd picked the XS, based on the sizing guide on the website. Quite easy to follow which one to order, though err on the side of small, as you'll want it stretched quite tight for best results.
Really very easy to fit, much easier than other mudguards I've tried.
Much, much easier.
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| Here it's fitted to the front forks of my Trek |
Just tie the top velcro straps around the crown of the front forks, and loop the straps back through the eyelets and attach the velcro to hold it firm.
Then wrap the 3 bottom velcro straps around the fork brace at the bottom just above the wheel and thread them back through the eyelets. This is a little fiddly with the wheel on, but not too difficult.
Best to get it nice and taut, and make sure the mudguard or straps aren't catching on the wheel.
Now, I'm a bit rubbish adding things to the bike, and I managed it in less than 5 minutes, first time as well, so it must be easy.
And that was it. Off out for a test.
The design is quite clever. Water, spray and mud comes flying off your rotating front wheel as usual, but instead of launching into the air at head height, it gets stopped on the back of the Neoguard.
If it gets properly clagged up, as you go over a bump and the forks compress, the Neoguard crumples a bit and deforms, and the mud drops off, so it's self cleaning up to a point.
Anyway, numerous muddy puddles were taken at speed for testing purposes, something I usually avoid doing, and it performed brilliantly. Not a drop of mud or water hit me in the face all ride.
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| Here's one I made earlier. |
Okay, so the photo's a bit blurred. It was rather late and I'd been hammering back along the road from the Black Horse, so the hands weren't too steady to take pictures in the dark.
Anyway, you get the idea. Mud trapped on the back of the Neoguard.
All the big claggy bits had already dropped off when going over bumps.
So, early days yet, I'll update the review as the winter comes on and the mud gets thicker, as some of that mud may find it's way down to the fork seals a bit easier than before, but for now, this is a definite thumbs up. Cheap and effective, wish I'd got one years ago. I shall be recommending these to the rest of the club slackers.
5 out of 5 - (It can have a special graphic)
