For some people, winter cycling means rain. If that includes you then there are a lot of strategies for staying warm but the most important one is staying dry. No matter how warm something is, if it's wet you will be cold. As someone who lives not far from a temperate rainforest, I've got some experience with this.
When most people think about how to stay dry on a bike, it involves clothes. Rain jackets, overshoes, bib tights, all kinds of things to keep the water coming from the sky from soaking through to your skin. There's another part of the equation though. When it's wet, not only does rain fall from the sky but your tyres spray it off the ground. If you want to stay warm and dry this winter, the best road bike mudguards (or fenders, if you're in the USA) have to be an important part of your strategy.
Some bikes will have places to bolt fenders directly to the frame and others will need workarounds. Whatever your need, keep reading to see the best road bike fenders and mudguards to help keep you, your bike, and your riding friends dry this winter.
Rim brake bikes are disappearing and that means accessories are going with them. The Flinger Race Pro offers similar coverage to SKS Speedrocker but with mounting that works for rim brake bikes.
No matter what you read, all clip-on fenders will damage the finish on your bike in the right conditions. There are ways to deal with it but if you just need something quick for an occasional ride, the PDW Origami will keep your back dry with only seat post contact.
The Win Wing is tiny and mounts in seconds but provides a remarkable amount of coverage. If you only need something occasionally and still want decent coverage, this is your best bet.
Some bikes deserve beautiful solid fenders that are as much a part of the look as the wheels. If that’s what you are looking for, Velo Orange has a wide range of options so gorgeous you are unlikely to ever take them off.
Bontrager has both plastic and metal fenders available (depending on location) but whichever one you choose the trick is an integrated light mount. It’s specifically designed for the Bontrager Blendr system, and the rather excellent Flare RT, but you can adapt it to a GoPro mount if you have another light in mind.
If your bike doesn’t have mounts, sometimes called braze-ons, where you can directly mount fenders or mudguards to the frame then you need another solution. Fortunately, there are far more bikes without braze-ons and lots of people need a clip-on fender solution. Keep reading for a range of choices.
Best clip-on mudguards overall
(Image credit: SKS)
1. SKS Speedrocker road (or gravel)
Best all-round clip on fenders
Specifications
Material: Plastic
Max tyre size: 42mm
Mounting system: Velcro
Reasons to buy
+
Good coverage for a clip-on system
+
Break away strut ends
+
Generous 42mm max width
Reasons to avoid
-
Short without the extension accessory
Throughout this guide, you will see the options tend to break down into serious fenders and minimal choices. That is because in most situations the more coverage you try to get, the more involved the mounting is. Then, at a certain point, full coverage basically disappears for bikes without braze-on mounting points. That's where the SKS Speedrocker system steps in. Most bikes on the market lack braze-on fender mounts and the SKS Speedrocker provides almost full coverage with no need for mounts.
Instead of bolting to your bike, the SKS Speedrocker uses a system of standoffs with rubber straps and velcro. At the rear, some struts stabilise the lower section of the fender, plastic tabs that connect higher up, and the final connection is velcro on the seat tube. Then at the front, there are two pieces with one for the rear using struts for the lower section and velcro at the top plus a second that attaches only to the fork with velcro. The final result is lots of coverage for you and a bike with tyres as wide as 42mm. Should you ever catch something in the fender, the struts have a breakaway system where they attach.
Of course, as much as this is a full coverage system, it's still not bolt-on. To make sure there's plenty of mounting space the velcro on the seat tube stops short of the bottom bracket area so you'll still end up with a dirty bike right there. What's a little odd is that despite being a rather premium product already, the rear coverage stops too high riding in a group. If you need to keep from spraying someone riding behind you then you'll need to buy the extension accessory. I'd like to see that piece included but as it is, there's not a lot of better choices.
Not everyone sees the need for true fenders. Installation is more involved and there aren't as many compatible bikes these days (although there are obviously solutions for that). Except that after even a few minutes of riding on wet roads without guards, you will be sitting in the puddle that is your soaking wet chamois. It's uncomfortable and cold and even if the rain disappears your wet chamois is probably going to be wet for a while. That's where Ass Savers come in.
The original piece is just a simple bit of stiff plastic that you fold and shove between your seat rails. It won't do anything to protect your bike or anyone behind you but it will keep you from having a wet chamois. It's also worth mentioning that it doesn't take more than a couple of muddy rides to leave a permanent stain on whatever expensive jacket you might be using. Ass Savers solves it all with something that's dirt cheap, easy to carry anywhere and takes only a moment to mount. You even get plenty of options for designs and custom options are available with low minimums.
At the front of the bike, it makes for an even better day if you can block mud from spraying you in the face too. The Ass Savers Mudder Mini will need some extra mounting time, as it will definitely scratch your fork if you aren't careful, but it's quite minimal and inexpensive. Portland Design Works also has a front mudguard option but the Ass Savers option is more effective at keeping spray off your face.
Keep in mind that both front and back options are only going to offer very basic protection. Also, the Mudder Mini really won't fit a road bike and it's even quite tight on my Salsa Warbird.
Attaches to brake bridge without fully removing calliper
Reasons to avoid
-
Short in the rear
Like it or not, rim brakes are disappearing. There are very few modern bikes you can walk into a store and buy that still have rim brakes. Of the bikes that do still offer rim brakes, you are more likely to find the kind of thing that has braze-on fender mounts. What that means for this discussion is that it's getting harder and harder to find fender systems that work with rim brakes and don't require frame-based fender mounts. The Flinger Race Pro is a product that solves this issue.
There are some complaints out there that these don't work with wider tires. That's a feature though, not a bug. Racy bikes that don't have fender mounts also tend to have calliper-style rim brakes that don't have much room under them. Narrow tires are standard as is the need for a solution like this. If you've got V-brakes with tons of room you might be able to make something else work and if you've got disc brakes the SKS Speedrocker is more likely to work.
What the Flinger Race Pro is offering is similar coverage to the SKS but there’s a segmented rear. On top of that you can sneak the mount that attaches to the brake bridge under the brake calliper without fully removing the calliper bolt — simply loosen it and slide in the hardware. It’s also nice to be able to adjust the length of the struts with a simple thumb screw.
Unfortunately, the Flinger Race Pro also suffers from the same rear coverage issues as the SKS Speedrocker and there's no accessory to fix it (unless you make a DIY flap). These will keep you, and most of your rim brake bike clean but aren't going to work well for group rides.
Best rear mudguard if you are worried about paint damage
(Image credit: Josh Ross)
4. PDW Origami rear fender
Best rear fender if you are worried about paint damage
Specifications
Material: Plastic
Max tyre size: 18-32mm
Mounting system: Rubber straps
Reasons to buy
+
Seatpost mounting
+
Great coverage (for what it is)
+
Fast mounting
Reasons to avoid
-
Loosens up and shifts left to right
All fender systems will scratch your paint. It doesn't matter what they say, you should always take steps to protect the paint of your bike when you fit a fender. That's why the PDW Origami rear fender is magic though. It doesn't mount to your frame, it mounts to the seat post. Worst-case scenario you'd scratch an easy-to-replace component but I've used it pretty extensively and even without any special precaution it never scratched my seat post.
The seat post mounting doesn't just protect your paint. It's also super fast to mount. You don't have to apply protective tape or prepare in any way. There is a rubberized strap and a cam lock system. Open it up and pull the strap through then close it after it's around the seatpost.
Once it's on, the coverage is quite similar to the Ass Savers Win Wing. Both options use a similar plastic material and sit just above the tyre right at the point where anything on the tyre gets flung towards your back. Neither product protects your bike frame or anyone behind you but it's remarkable how much they improve your riding experience.
Unfortunately, the simple strap and lock system is also the biggest negative of the PDW Origami rear fender. It's hard to get tight and even once it's tight, it will move around a bit when you are pedalling. Although it's super fast to clip on, you'll end up needing to regularly reach back and adjust it back to the centre. It does still work when off-centre but it's a bit less sightly.
For me, winter road cycling means switching to my gravel bike full-time. With that in mind, I spent years only riding gravel bikes that had fender mounts. There are a few out there but, like road bikes, those designed for the pointy end of the group tend to leave off fender mounting provisions. I can't say it makes a lot of sense but when Ass Savers sent me a prototype Win Wing to try out, I stopped caring. The Win Wing is so good that when I bought a Salsa Warbird this summer I never bothered buying the additional pieces to mount a fender system.
Let's be real, the Win Wing can't compete with a full-coverage fender system but it doesn't matter. The design is effective enough and so simple that I call it good enough. The same hard plastic from the original Ass Savers now fits on a frame that stands it off the tyre and positions it, like the PDW system, right where water and muck gets flung up. Like before there are lots of fun colours and designs, plus custom if you want, but now you don't have to fight with saddle rails and there's more coverage. The brand is on the second generation but all that means is black instead of grey for the frame and Ass Savers includes helicopter or 'heli' protective tape to protect your frame with the second-gen product.
Pair the Ass Savers Win Wing with hard shell rain pants (trousers) and a good pair of winter cycling boots and you can survive hours in the pouring rain. It's even great if you have to travel, or when it's time to store it, as it breaks down into a couple of small pieces so it doesn't interfere with racks. The only downside is that, unlike the PDW Origami, it will scratch your frame so you do need to spend 5 minutes or so at some point applying the protective tape before you use it to get your frame ready.
Bikes that have braze-on mounting spots and allow you to bolt a fender, or mudguard, system directly to the frame get the best coverage. A good system won’t rattle and will keep you, your bike, and anyone behind you clean and free of water from the road.
Best budget bolt-on mudguards
(Image credit: SKS)
6. SKS Bluemels Bicycle Fender Set
Best budget bolt-on fenders
Specifications
Material: Aluminium and Plastic
Max tyre size: 47mm depending on model
Mounting system: bolt-on
Reasons to buy
+
Break away front strut design
+
Plastic/Aluminium construction looks good and lasts forever
+
Budget friendly pricing
Reasons to avoid
-
Proper rear coverage is an extra expense
The SKS Bluemels are not the cheapest fenders out there. I don't believe that cheap is the same as budget and I looked for something that's good quality at a reasonable price, that's what the SKS Bluemels represent. The function is largely unaffected by any cost savings and it's more about the materials used.
Instead of artistic metal like the Velo Orange option below, SKS uses a mix of plastic and aluminium. From the outside, it looks plastic but there is an aluminium core that adds rigidity to the mudguard. The combination saves money and weight, but it also makes the Bluemels more flexible, for easier mounting, and means they should last forever. The mounting hardware helps that too with stainless steel pieces making up the bulk of it and plastic mixed in for breakaway safety. Depending on your needs there are a few different sizes so you can probably make these work on road, gravel, or hybrid bikes.
The one place I feel like there's a bit of cheapness, vs value, in this design is in the length of the rear. If you want proper rear coverage then you have to purchase the mudguard flap as an additional accessory. You can also choose the style version for just a little more money which includes the flap but also means a different shape and finish.
As I said in the quick list section, there are two ways of looking at fenders on a bike. For some people, they are a necessity during winter months. For others, fenders are a beautiful part of the aesthetic of a bike. That second group is where the Velo Orange fenders live. You can take them on and off like any fender but let's be honest, you probably won't. They look so good that most people spend some time shopping for just the right finish and size and then leave them on.
The Velo Orange fenders aren't just aesthetically pleasing though. Real fender performance is about more than just minimal coverage over the centre of the tyre. Like other fenders at this level, the edges come down to wrap the tyre and protect against spray out the sides. On the inside, there is a rolled edge that adds rigidity and helps channel all the spray back down to the bottom and away from you and your bike. These look great, there are a ton of options, and they've come down in price over the years.
As with seemingly every fender option, the one annoyance with these is the lack of an included rear lower flap. In this case, though, I actually want to tweak that critique a bit. The length of the Velo Orange metal fenders is quite good and given the fact that they will likely live on your bike for longer, you might not always need a fender flap. When you do want one though, you'll need to get out a drill. It's that detail I'd love to see addressed. Wouldn't it be great if there were pre-drilled holes and some kind of plug system so you could easily swap the flaps on and off?
When it comes to lights, Trek accessory brand Bontrager is a leader in disruptive light patterns and high visibility. The Bontrager Flare RT is a tiny little square light with an incredible reflector and a flash pattern that makes it visible from incredible distances day or night. The reason I'm telling you this is that Bontrager also has a fender that lets you run a light on the rear and happens to be one of the best fenders out there. Don't worry, they are compatible with other bikes too.
The main feature is the Blendr mount but that doesn't mean you need a Trek light. You can use any light you want as long as it will mount to a GoPro-style mount. There are a variety of different Blendr adapters or you can get creative with direct mounting.
There are other great features as well. Instead of needing to cut the struts to size, there's an adjustment system that allows you to dial in the fit and lock it in place. That same system also likely adds safety as I would expect the system would move instead of needing a breakaway system. That said, I'd still prefer a design that breaks just in case. In the positive column though, there is a preinstalled plastic flap and if you want to make the fender longer just unbolt that one and bolt on whatever you want to use instead. On top of that, there are also nicely rolled edges to help keep water spraying out the sides.
There is an oddity to note though. In the US you can get an alloy version. That's the version you can read more about in my Bontrager NCS Alloy Mudguard Set review. You can also get a plastic version which is mostly the same but I haven't tested it. Unfortunately, in the rest of the world, your only choice is the plastic version.
How to choose the best road bike fenders or mudguards
As you start to think about fenders, or mudguards, first decide what mounting options you have available. From there, you want to decide how much protection you need. If you only occasionally ride in the rain and you are primarily doing it for sport, you can get away without much. Hard shell pants (or trousers) along with quality winter cycling boots and a good jacket will keep you protected even in heavy rain for long periods. I've spent a lot of time with fenders on my bikes and these days I tend to just use the Ass Savers Win wing plus good winter clothing. Only in heavy mud would I need more. On the other hand, if you are spending more time in casual clothes and really need to stay dry then the more coverage the better. If your bike has mounting options then a solid metal fender with a long flap will go a long way to making you more comfortable.
If you are regularly riding with a group on the road it's also advantageous and courteous to your fellow cyclists to fit mudguards front and rear so the rider behind you doesn't have to put up with rear-wheel spray for the whole ride.
What’s the difference between fenders and mudguards?
There’s no difference except where you live. I use the term fenders because that’s what we say in the US. In the UK the common term is mudguard. Call it whatever you want, there’s no right or wrong and it’s the same product.
What’s the difference between braze-on and bolt-on?
There’s no difference here either. Welded steel frames use a process called brazing to attach mounting points to the tubes. Modern frames use a number of different processes but the traditional braze-on term stuck around. Calling something a bolt-on instead of a braze-on is the same thing but one describes how the mounting points attach to the frame and the other describes how the part attaches to the mounting points. Totally interchangeable.
What's the difference between braze-on, bolt-on, and clip-on?
Now we are getting into an actual difference. As I said, braze-on and bolt-on are the same but those two terms differ from a clip-on system. Clip-on systems are a faster way to mount a fender or mudguard and they work even if your bike has no specific mounting points.
However, there's a saying among mechanics that you can fit mudguards to any bike. All you need is patience and P-clips (a type of metal fitting). With that in mind, if your bike doesn't have provision for bolt-on mudguards, but you want a more secure fit, depending on the bike you might be able use P-clips fit onto your fork legs or seat stay to create an eyelet. However, be sure to protect the frame with either heat-shrink, insulation tape or rubber tabs (the sort that used to shim bike light mounts) at the point of contact, otherwise, the contact will damage your paintwork.
Which length and shape mudguards do I need?
Mudguards come in all shapes and sizes, and the more wheel coverage they offer, the more spray they will prevent. A full-length fender, with a proper length flap, will protect you and the rider sitting on your wheel. A good fender system will also keep your frame, and bottom bracket, clean and free of mud and dirt coming off the ground.
For the best coverage, you will also want to look for fenders that have some contouring or a rounded shape as well as a rolled-in edge. If they are too flat they won't offer all that much protection.
Even full-length mudguard coverage doesn't necessarily prevent that arc of spray that comes from a fast-spinning wheel. If you ride with other people, you will want to also fit an extra flap at the end of your mudguards, particularly the rear one. It's not only a great way to offer absolute coverage but the rider behind you will come home with a clean face.
How close should a fender or mudguard sit against the tyre?
For a mudguard to work correctly, it needs to sit close enough to the tyre to capture water but far enough away to avoid rubbing. Beyond keeping an eye on what the maximum tyre clearance of your fender of choice is, keep in mind that if a rock or something similar gets jammed between the tyre and the fender it may cause the wheel to come to an abrupt stop. That's a real problem if it's your front wheel and it's the reason a good safety release system is important.
How do I protect my bike when using fenders or mudguards?
Several times throughout this guide, I've mentioned that fenders or mudguards will almost always damage your frame. I've said it's a definitive thing that will always happen. That's not actually quite so true, products like the Velo Orange fenders or bolt on fenders shouldn't damage your frame finish. Well-built and permanently mounted fenders at least have the possibility of not damaging your frame but even then, it's a possibility. I like to take my time with a bit of prevention and save the disappointment later.
There are several strategies for protecting your bike frame but what I use is helicopter tape. It's a thick plastic with an adhesive that won't damage your frame. Some brands sell it pre-cut for a specific bike but you can also find it by the roll. A little bit of glass cleaner sprayed on your frame will allow you to mount it without bubbles and let you reposition it while mounting. Cut sections and cover everything you think could get scratched. If you go with a clear tape, you won't even notice it.
How do we test fenders and mudguards?
I ride long distances and I live in the North American Temperate rainforest zone of influence. The Pacific Northwest is famous for grunge rock and rain so if I want to keep my training up through the winter, rain is a fact of life. Heading out to ride from sunup to sundown, there's not much light in the winter, in constant rain at temperatures just above freezing is something I've done a lot of. I use fenders to help me stay as dry and comfortable as possible and these are the products I recommend to others who need to ride in the rain.
Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb.
Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx
