It’s not very often (I can’t remember the last time) that a product arrives on the RCUK desk and gets the editorial team whisked up into a frenzy of excitement, but the new Crud Roadracer mudguards have done just that.

In 1991 Pete Tomkins developed the Crud Catcher, a simple plastic mudguard which attached to the downtube via rubber bands or zipties. It was an instant hit and still remains the default choice for all mountain bikers. It’s taken a long time though but the wait is finally over, Crud has developed a product as smart for us road cyclists.

And the results are impressive. Traditionally mudguards need to be of a sturdy nature to resist flexing about and rubbing the wheel, but with this approach comes extra weight. What Crud have done is turn the traditional design approach on its head, choosing a super lightweight (just 180g/pair) setup that uses slim ‘brushes’ to stop them rattling about and keep them floating centrally over the wheels.

Simplicity is a key factor, with very few parts and straight forward installation that should take all of five minutes, using lugs attached to the frame with rubber bands, and thumbnuts attaching the mudguards to the lugs. The really smart part of the design are the ‘pilestrips’ that stick to the inside of guards and gently rub on the rim to keep the mudguards centrally aligned – Crud assure that extensive tests have proved that there’s been absolutely no wear of the rim, the friction involved being far too light to cause any concern. Replacement pile strips are available.

They cope with tyres up to 25mm and cost £27.99. www.crudproducts.com. We’ll get this pair fitted and report back very soon…