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.
CG350 FRONT CARBON MUDGUARD
The CG350 is a mid-coverage carbon mudguard tipping the scales at a reasonable 90g (actual). Compatible with all common wheel sizes on forks with a forward facing (conventional) arch with up to a 2.6” tire, the 350mm long guard is handmade from a robust carbon fiber layup that produces an exceptionally stiff guard for its weight. The CG350 is in the middle of the Mudguardz size range, offering decent coverage for riders who are weight conscious and want to run a mudguard through the changeable conditions of Spring through to Fall. The guard is fixed to the fork with zip ties and is fitted with rubber pads to rest against the legs for extra security. The CG350 is backed with Rockguardz crash replacement guarantee that gives customers 25% off a replacement purchase, and retails for £42.99.
PG350 FRONT PLASTIC MUDGUARD
The budget brother to the CG350, Rockguardz PG350 shares a similar silhouette but is made from Polypropylene plastic opposed to the Carbon Fiber of its premium twin. The shared silhouette gives the same 350mm length with compatibility for 26” through to 29” wheels and up to a 2.6” tire on all forward-facing arch forks. The plastic reduces the weight down to 62g (actual), with a reduction in the overall stiffness and strength. The PG350 has cutouts that will accept reusable Velcro straps (available separately), or it can be used with standard zip ties. The crash replacement guarantee is still on offer, with a retail of £19.99.
ENDURO BIKE NUMBERBOARDZ
The 50g Enduro bike Numberboardz provide frequent racers with a more secure and clean looking solution to mounting their race plates to a single crown equipped mountain bike. Constructed out of Rockguardz signature carbon fiber, the Enduro Numberboardz is designed to take the abuse of season after season of racing and simplify the setup. The Number board attaches to the bar with zip ties, with rubber pads ensuring it sits securely and doesn’t damage the paintwork. Sticky-backed Velcro patches are supplied to stick the race plate onto the Numberboardz, making installation and removal as stress free as possible. The enduro Numberboardz retail for £19.99, with a downhill version for dual crown forks offered for £18.
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
We Dig
Carbon looks
CG350 stiffness and strength
PG350 value
Numberboardz simplicity
We Don’t
Fit niggles
Potential cable damage
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