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TECH NEWS
Crud Roadracer Mk3 mudguards launched with all-new design that fits 38m tyres
The original Crud Roadracer mudguards were launched back in 2009. The simple plastic clip-on 'guards could be fitted to any bike without traditional mudguard eyelets and went on to be a huge success, becoming a regular sight on club runs and commutes. The brand new Roadracer Mk3 mudguards have just been launched, with a completely revised design that is intended to be quick and easier to use and also accommodate up to 38mm wide tyres.
The key to the new Roadracer Mk3 mudguards is the new Duotech ‘Interloc’ fixing system, a strip of material that attaches the mudguards to the frame and fork. Gone are the rubber bands of the old mudguards, replaced by something that is described as being a bit like an industrial-strength Sticklebrick. Crud founder Pete Tomkins tells us he discovered Duotech at a fixtures and fittings expo three years ago and found it works really well as a solution for fixing the mudguards to the frame.
- Buyer’s guide: The best mudguards to keep you dry when the weather's not
The new design is a radical departure form the previous, with much shorter stays and the lack of rubber band fixing points provides a much cleaner appearance around the fork and stays.
To install the mudguards you simply apply a strip of Duotech to the insides of the fork blades and seatstays, just below the brakes, and the mudguards click into this strip. It means it’s both easy and quick to fit and remove the mudguards, and also allows a wide range of position adjustment.
Here’s a video of Tomkins demonstrating the installation process for the new mudguards.
Don’t worry, the Duotech strip can easily be removed from the frame just by heating it up with a hairdryer. You can get spare Duotech assembly kits as well if you want to swap the mudguards between different bikes.
The new Mk3 mudguards have been designed to work with much wider tyres than the previous versions, up to 38mm according to the company. It’s clear the popularity of endurance and adventure bikes and the increasing tyre width has led to the mudguard having to be radically redesigned to fit wider tyres. They’re compatible with disc and rim brake bikes.
We’ve got a set in for test so we’ll be testing them in the coming weeks, so watch out for an in-depth review soon. They cost £34.99 and are available now from all good bike shops.
More info at www.crudproducts.com/roadracer-mk3/
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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29 comments
Still using Mark 2s on my Canyon. Have a full suite of spare parts handy as you need them from time to time. They don't rub but you have to be prepared to monger them to fit well.
Agree re front guard and toe overlap - the bottom end is 1" away from the tyre and out of the range of adjustment. Took a hairdryer to the last lot to get a tighter bend - it worked!
The new Raceblade Pros (the adjustable ones) are the be all and end all as far as I'm concerned. Rigid, trivial to adjust (even on the road), don't rattle, fit my bike, look reasonable, well made...
Ended up buying the MK3's in the end. Still not sold on the look but they seem easy enough to fit and coverage is good. Will report back how I get on with them.
Phuck,...... still rubbing
thats it now
ALL of the comments are to be ignored, as they are from people who chose to purchase a training bike without REAL mudguards , thus mess up and sanctity of spins with rubbing and flapping and listening...."no its still rubbing"
The MK3 however is a different beast. They are stiffer. I had to cut the nose off the front one as it didn't fit under the tight Allez forks. The rear one was surprisingly easy to get right. The seat stays on the Allez are quite skinny but there's still enough contact patch on the fixing strip to hold them secure.
I get a bit of a rattle over potholes, but this is mostly due to the front bit where I cut it off and didn't bother putting a rubber dot there. There's nowhere near the amount of contact that the MK2's had with the tyre. In heavy rain or areas where it's damp and there's lots of gravel then it does make a noise against the plastic guard a bit like the MK2's did. Fitting was 'easy' but making sure the wheels ran freely with no contact took me the best part of an hour.
I was a bit concerned with the back guards coverage, but haven't tested it in a group ride yet. As said above I can always add a bit if I need to. They are a bit nicer looking I think.
IMG_2696.JPG
Very noticeable that the back one is way shorter on the MK 3 than the MK 2.
Still not sold on the look but I'm not sure that any mudguards don't look ugly.
Function over style I guess.
I had the MK2 for the last 2 Winters. They wore to paper thin halfway through the first winter and I didn't really bother with them much last year unless I knew it was going to be heavy rain.
IMG_2668.JPG
looks like the rear one is way too short. My club's winter mudguard rule needs the rear one to extend below axle level. A lot of mudguards are just short of this, so you see a lot of home made mudflaps attached. And it's with good reason. A guard like the one shown will keep your backside spray free. However in a group the person behind you will still cop a face full of crud. We've found that below axle level intercepts almost all of a rooster tail
It's a hair dryer not a heat gun
Mk 2's were fiddly to put on the first time, and looked like they'd get ripped off by a speck of dirt between guard and wheel. Instead they've worked fine for two or three years, and once you know how to fit them they're quite easy. Never bothered with the front guard though. Managed to eventually wear the guard to paper thin (clearance is really tight for me), but I just swapped-in the identical front guard part and am set for a couple more years.
The Mk 3's ... yeah I'd be concerned about trying to remove the sticky bit without destroying the frame finish. Would feel wary about waving a hairdryer at the frame, I guess the aim is to get things warm rather than hot though ? For the Mk 2's you just undo some rubber bands and off come the mounts, it actually all works surprisingly well.
can't say I'm too keen on the idea of gluing a strip of something onto my frame and forks.
still, will wait for the review.
This is my biggest issue with these as well.
I've got the standards on some pro 4 25's which come up nearer 27 mm, I thought the xl were just for width rather than length?
Looking at these cruds I might have been tempted if I still had my allez, but the rear would never fit my current tcr.
@peowpeowpeow.... I have just bought a set of these and have also run the mark 2's. The mark 3 here is made of much thicker and stiffer plastic than the mark 2 so they don't flap around like you predict they will.
They are like an all plastic version of the Raceblades suggested on a previous reply but with a bit more coverage down round the front mech.
They are however a bit short on the rear compared to the mark 2 so I might fit a mudflap.
Mudguards look crap anyway regardless so it's just something to put up with to get benefit.
I had the Crud's MK2s on a Ribble, but got totally hacked off with the toe overlap and catching the front guard every time I moved the bars slightly.
Maybe these (minging looking, mind) MK3s would be a more robust set...kind of a moot point, the Ribble is 'no longer'.
I've just ordered a set of Giant Speedshield universal to fit my disc Defy Adv 2 (no eyelets).
I've searched for a set for ages...but the Speedshield universal seem to be few and far between or stock is non exixtant (even from main Giant dealers), finally found a set from a shop in Wexford...should get them by the end of the week...
I wasn't too comfortable hacking into a set of new SKS Raceblades to try and make them fit on the Giant...
I've had the race blades for a couple of weeks, backside dry feet wet, the latter doesn't bother me to be honest. They've stayed on place, I've used some helicopter tape to protect the forks, I found the crud mk2 a nightmare to fit and a bit heath robinson. If you can get them to fit they will offer more protection.
What do you think about the XL version? Would they look goofy on a race bike with 25mm tyres?
What do you guys think of these:
SKS Raceblade Pro
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-raceblade-pro/
Look super easy to attach and adjust. Yay or nay?
Easy to attach - yes
Easy to adjust - not really. Can manipulate them into place but they won't stay put
Coverage isn't great either. Less of a wet bum and better than nothing, but not as good as full length for either feet (too short at front), those following you (too short at back) or keeping bike clean (no rear coverage front of rear brake).
They aren't terrible, just be aware they are not great either. I've ran them for the last year and looking to try and get some full-lenghts on this winter.
Argh alright will look around for full length easy to attach ones.. not really that much choice it seems. Cheers!
Anyone any recommendations for full length easy to attach mudguards for my winter bike that has eyelets?
Can't decide if these look great or ridiculous.
Having said that I'm on the lookout for a set of decent mudguards that can be put on & taken off easily & these could be just the job.
These look hideously goofy. I'd go for the older version.
The position of the stays on these mudguards and the soft, flexible material they're made from means that they'll flap around like crazy. Try riding with one hand on the bars, that front mudguard will be all over the place. It'd be like designing a road bike without seatstays - yes it might look interesting, but the entire rear end will be all over the shop.
Have you ridden with these new mudguards then?
The story has had one comment from someone who has used them saying they're more stable and secure, and your armchair expert comment based on what appears to be no actual riding experience with the new mudguards
Have you tried them? From the reviews I have read this doesn't seem to be the case
Have run the mk2 ones for years and have just got a set of these new ones
They are much better, more stable, solid, bit easier to set up
Only downside is they are a little more wider so dont look as good on a bike with 23/25mm tyres compared to the mk2 ones but thats a small price to pay for the overall improvements compared to the mk2's