In the last few years the guys at Mudhugger have achieved something never thought to be possible; they’ve develop a mountain bike fender / mudguard that protects the bike and rider and is stable on rough terrain. And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve even managed to make the fender an acceptable piece of kit on to run on an MTB – they’ve even featured in downhill World Cup races.
Can Mudhugger transfer this effectiveness and credibility into the world of gravel? We set out to see how the front and rear Gravelhuggers fared against the winter muck and the other best mudguards or fenders for gravel bikes.
Single piece moulded fenders / guards
(Image credit: Future)
Mudhugger Gravelhuggers: construction
The Gravelhuggers are single-piece mid-length fenders / guards made from 100% recycled (and recycled) moulded polypropylene. Both front and rear fenders / guards are designed for tyres up to 50mm / 2” wide.
Front fender / guard uses o-rings to mount to fork
(Image credit: Rachel Sokal)
Mudhugger Gravelhuggers: fitting
Both fenders / guards are really quick and easy to fit without a single fiddly bolt or hacksaw in site.
The front fender / guard fits to your fork by o-rings wrapped round your fork leg which attach to hooks on the guard. A couple of different size rings are included to account for different fork leg shapes.
The rear attaches to your seat stays by the yoke of the frame using zip-ties or small Velcro straps which are sold separately. I’ve only used zip ties as I don’t regularly remove my fenders / guards so I’m less concerned about lots of unnecessary waste.
Rear fender / guard uses zip ties or Velcro straps to mount to seatstays
(Image credit: Rachel Sokal)
Mudhugger recommend you protect your frame with the supplied robust helitape –rather than rely on electrical tape – and regularly inspect for signs of wear to prevent damage to your frame.
I shunned this advice first time I fitted the fenders / guards, as the curved and angled tubes of my frame and fork were going to make this a tricky job. I wanted to use electrical tape for ease until I knew I had the position of the fenders / guards correct.
That electrical tape is now 12 months old and doesn’t show any sign of wear. It’s not that I’m recommending this as an approach, more it demonstrates how stable…