Flygod, my fork and seatstays don't have mudguard eyes, how can I put the Giant Defy mudguards on? Do you know if they require specific mudguard eyes or are the kind of clip-on mudguards? Fitting the guards is fairly straightforward but they're not the easiest; I found the plastic covers for the stay ends a bit bothersome and they're no better functionally than a simple rubber end cap. A decent set of bolt cutters makes chopping the stays to size a simple job. Once they're on, they're on; these aren't the kind of mudguards you throw on on a whim. You need half an hour to do a decent job of it and get everything nice and tight.

Having used the mudguards over many rides and on notoriously potholed Herefordshire roads, there has been no sign of movement in the mudguards and they haven’t hit the wheels when riding - which I wasn’t expecting. Regarding the length - there's no pleasing anyone. I've ridden behind hardened Audaxers with flaps almosrt down to the ground and still gotten spray in the face. Speed, depth of water and proximity all play a part, so it's a pointless exercise. I use mudguards primarily to keep me clean/dry, and to prevent the need for excessive washing of expensive outer layers. The P35 version that I tested is rated for a 20-28mm tyre (they're available for up to 60mm tyres) but a 28mm would be a real squeeze as the 25mm Zaffiros on my bike were pretty snug. Pretty snug meant barely any spray though; the profile of the Chromoplastics does a super job of keeping you dry and they're a sensible length too. Debs - I must admit, I did consider the Race Blades on a recent visit to an Evans store, but it seemed to me that the bracing pieces that rest on the rear stays would also have the same problem as I have with the Crud RoadRace Mk3 because of the peculiar way the rear stays twist. They don't present a single flat/curved face to any mounting system.I've broken several bits, generally through being an idiot. SKS customer service always came through, replacing broken parts free of charge every time. There's a five-year warranty for manufacturing defects as well. The great customer service makes SKS owners fiercely loyal to the brand and its products – pretty much everyone in my local club now runs RBLs, and whether or not they can be mounted is a key consideration come new bike time"

parajba wrote:Unfortunately I had to return the Crud MK2 as they don't fit my Caad9 with Armadillos 23C tyres. Also SKS have the most amazing customer service. In my experience, if you have broken anything, they will replace it for free. I have helped a number of clubmates that like me have been clumsy, and SKS customer service has always come through.Note:In the event of needing to remove the wheel after the mudguard has been fitted: Unclip the stanchions from the lower metals clips using the plastic button on each side. The mudguard will then just be attached to the bike with the upper clip near to the brake caliper. The SKS Raceblade Pro XL Stealth Series is a good fender/ mudguard which can be fitted to near enough any road bike frame and offer clearance for wider tyres up to 32mm which are now commonplace on road bikes. I have these and they are very good...BUT in fixing the previous problem when the guards tended to become unclipped they have made the fixing a bit too good. I have one guard that will come off but the other one will not unclip for love nor money. I must have spent an hour last night (with assistance as well) and we simply could not remove the front wheel longer guard from its clip. In the end I had to resort to removing the clip (with guard attached) by carefully unscrewing the brake bolt and then threading the clip through the bridge (which was all a little awkward with the guard in place). Ultimately, products are only as good as an individual finds them. I look forward to the mk3 version

My raceblades sheared on the front after a couple of months. Then the rear sheared at about 2/3rds length, was glued, broke again, then last month another section broke in exactly the same way. Now in the bin and have cobbled together frankenmudguards out of assorted bits. I may simply use these now as a permanent fixture on my 'winter' bike but it would be nice to unclip during nicer spells. I also wanted to have just the one set for two bikes but cannot do that now. I really do like how the SKS Raceblade Pro XL Stealth fit so securely - as well as having such good adjustability - without the need for specific mudguard attachment points. I was even able to fit these to my time trial bike for a bit of added protection, and I was able to get the mudguards to fit totally fine. Although i can't talk from experience of actual use i can confirm the feel of quality of the SKS RaceBlades is really excellent, nothing flimsy floppy about them. I've kept mine handy for when i buy a disc bike for wet weather & winter use within the next month or so. If you do lots of group riding I would defo suggest the defy guards as you will not spray sh!t all over your colleagues best glasses and kit!There is also no noticeable difference in my perception of speed when I have them on. I went out and did a few rides at full tilt and my average speed was dented at all. Of course, there are many variables out on the road - but the point is that those variables are greater than the difference the guards make. Finally, after a few months the rubber straps used to hold the ‘blades on the bike started failing, and when I finally removed them I found the clearcoat on the seatstays completely worn through due to the constant movement. Now, had I fitted them with the cable ties supplied instead of the rubber ties I might have reduced or eliminated the tyre-rubbing issues, and I should have put some protective tape on the seatstays, but I’d still have had the seat tube spray, and they still would have looked funny on the bike.

I've broken several bits, generally through being an idiot. SKS customer service always came through, replacing broken parts free of charge every time. There's a five-year warranty for manufacturing defects as well. The great customer service makes SKS owners fiercely loyal to the brand and its products – pretty much everyone in my local club now runs RBLs, and whether or not they can be mounted is a key consideration come new bike time. If you're looking for full mudguards that you can slip on and off at will then the SKS Raceblade Long is about as good an option as you've got right now. They're not perfect but they're certainly a class above most clip-on 'guards. That said, for frames with a particularly close hugging profile around the front wheel, the front mudguard is unlikely to end up fitting - think the new Cervelo S5. The protection that they offer is not on par with full mudguards, but the fact that many bikes don't have mudguard mounts fitted means that these are a great option for those using aero bikes - but wanting protection from the elements - in the winter. My trusty old kitchen scales show the Crud mk2s are way under 200grams and the SKS RaceBlades XL are way over 400 grams.The fittings might have been redesigned, but unless they start making them from out of a material that doesn't snap after a few months on real world roads, then they're not getting a thumbs up from me. The little flaps are fairly useless and I certainly don't bother with them. Forward of the front wheel/brake the little flap just does exactly that, flap around uselessly. Same goes for the rear wheel in that the little flap just adds weight without offering any protection as the majority of spinning water gets dumped at the brake bridge. Companies that stand behind inherently rubbish products go broke, fast. Hence, as SKS seem to be doing well, I postulate RBL's aren't inherently rubbish The main issues i had with the Cruds is far too much flimsy flappy flexibility and the way they can easily twist and slap against the wheel, and also not generous enough clearance even for 700x23 tyres, and the 700x28 tyres i prefer these days are definitely not going to fit. Although some blame goes to my old Trek SL1000 - albeit a fantastic entry level bike and new for just 450 quid of decade ago but with only one little niggle: the seat-stay bridge is too darn close to the tyre so ANY mudguard becomes too close, around 2mm clearance with 700x23 which is not enough for typical wet road grit, and the first clods of mud tend to clog up at the brake callipers