ROCKGUARDZ MUDGUARDZ AND NUMBERBOARDZ REVIEW

Review by Robert Johnston

Spending your hard-earned cash on a mountain bike that is vulnerable to being damaged by your clumsiness or misfortune can be a terrifying prospect for some, so Rockguardz entered the market offering handmade custom molded carbon fiber frame protection in order to lessen these fears. Building on their experience with custom molding thin carbon fiber protectors, it was only a matter of time before they branched out into other areas that could benefit from this production method, leading to the introduction of a range of products including their Mudguardz and Numberboardz. The Eurowolf got his hands on a selection of this range to put to the test.

THE LAB

Mudguardz
Rockguardz developed their range of mud guards to cover everything from a lightweight solution to reduce the level of mud and spray kicked up through to full coverage monsters for the front and rear wheels. Offering both their signature carbon fiber moldings and a more budget-oriented plastic version in most sizes, chances are there’s a model that’ll suit just about everyone.

THE DIRT

The carbon fiber of the CG350 Mudguardz and the Numberboardz give off a high-quality impression from the get-go, with a neat glossy finish showing limited defects (rare for a handmade carbon product like this) and an impressive level of stiffness for their limited weight. The rubber patches don’t look quite so refined and clean but given their purpose and that they’re hidden when in use, this isn’t a real concern. The PG350 Mudguardz is less flashy, but equally well finished, though certainly not as stiff in the hand. This can be a good or a bad thing though, more on that later.

Mounting up the Mudguardz was straight forward, with the zip tie holes located in a good place for both a Fox 34 and 36, and plenty of excess zip tie to ease looping them around the legs. The CG350’s stiffness and the relatively narrow “wings” mean you need to give the zip ties a good tug to get the legs to splay out and sit correctly, and the rubber patches weren’t quite resting on the fork until it bedded in a little, but this wasn’t a huge issue. The more flexible plastic conforms a little easier to the contours of the fork, looking a little better fitted, but the carbon was still mounted securely enough. In use they both held up well to usual abuse, though the plastic model did show signs of stress and was slightly deformed after resting against a bike rack on an uplift. The carbon guard on the other hand is exceptionally stiff and strong, which means it has kept its form perfectly, though it does mean it transmits more force through the zip ties when impacted, making them more likely to break. Still, replacement zip ties are considerably cheaper than a replacement guard. The PG350 does a good job at flying under the radar in use, whereas the CG350 can be quite noisy when trail debris contacts it, reminding you it’s installed but certainly not causing too much noise to be of concern. In fact, the CG350 has been the least troublesome mudguard I’ve ever used, with not even the slightest adjustment required throughout testing. It looks incredible in my eyes too, a mudguard that actually received compliments for its looks says it all. Though it’s a good chunk more cash, and weighs more than its plastic brother, I’d put my money into the CG350 for its suggested longevity – it could well be a mudguard for life. Both gave a ton of clearance around the 2.4-2.5” rubber I was running, with no signs of rubbing or sticking in all but the gloopiest of Englands mud.

Mounting the Enduro Numberboardz depended heavily on the cable situation out in front, as it ideally sits in a gap behind the cables that isn’t always present. On the YT Jeffsy for instance, the cables sit too close to the bars for the Number board to fit in behind nicely, but far enough away that it sat a bit awkward and tilted upwards. This was not the case on a bike with cables that are a touch longer though. When mounted it sits reassuringly firmly put, though cables contacting it in compressions would occasionally rattle. Over the course of a race weekend, this contact led to the outer rubber coating on the gear cable wearing through – thankfully not the brake, but certainly something worth being careful with to avoid disaster. Perhaps a fault of my rushed installation, but definitely a consideration worth making. The sticky-back Velcro makes changing race plates simple, so it’s a product that could be very useful for those partaking in a season of racing.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Rockguardz Mudguardz and Numberboardz provide good looks and performance without ridiculous price tags. There may be some minor fit niggles depending on how your bike is set up, and it’s essential to pay attention to your cables around the Enduro Numberboardz, but otherwise they’re very much set and forget items with good purpose. 

Price:
CG350 Mudguardz- £42.99($60)
PG350 Mudguardz – £19.99 ($28)
Enduro Numberboardz – £19.99 ($28)

Weight: 50-90g
Website: Rockguardz.com