Full mudguards may need perseverance to fit but should be easy enough for a competent home mechanic.

Full mudguards are in wider supply, so we’ll focus on two of our favourite sets: the SKS Bluemels and the Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders.

We were impressed by the “wide beaver-like tails” at the end of each of the Bluemels’ guards, which provided excellent protection, and they were relatively easy to fit.

The matte black plastic finish will suit most modern machines, though we have to admit for a slight preference towards the anodized aluminium of PDW’s guards, which also have a number of clever design intricacies that allows them to be fitted to machines with or without mudguard eyelets. As it happens we fitted them to the 2012/13 RCUK winter bike (which does have eyelets) and they worked a treat.