Whyte mudguards review

My advice - don't bother. They're marketed as being made for Whyte bikes as though you can unpack and install them in 30 minutes, but that's simply not the case. I bought a set for my Cornwall, thinking that the installation of purpose-built mudguards would be simple. But I had to use a hacksaw to cut the front stays to the correct length and a drill to make a hole for the rear mudguard to bolt to the frame.

The stay-guard clips are awful to use. They're large and bulky and distort the mudguards to such an extent that tightening them lightly moves the mudguard closer to the side of the wheel. The whole system is incredibly difficult to use, it's almost impossible to get the mudguards straight and true - there are simply too many points of adjustment. It's like trying to get a bicycle chain to stand vertically, with no assistance.

But the worst thing is the front mudguard. It has only one stay per side, which means that if you ride with one hand, it rattles all over the place, sometimes banging into the side of the tyre. This despite it being nice and tight.

I don't understand why Whyte are selling such cheap rubbish. Instead of using stainless steel stays, why not use simple carbon blades cut to the correct length and which don't require huge plastic fixing points? And why no rear reflector, or any mounting point to stick a rear reflector? These bikes are used by commuters, don't Whyte care about commuter safety?

Don't get these mudguards. Buy some SKS mudguards instead (or similar) - they're sturdy, with a sensible fitting system, and much better made. The moment these mudguards break, or snap, they'll be going in the bin.