SKS Urban Velo 42 Urban mudguard won't make you irresistible to the opposite sex when powering through town on your fixer, cut your personal best by ten seconds or offer unparalleled protection through a monsoon. They might keep you dryer and cleaner though, being a slightly different take on the humble-clip on guard for cost-conscious short-haul commuters wanting to arrive at the office without the unbecoming tell-tale racoon stripe. However, mounting hardware isn't to the brands' traditionally high standards and careful bike prep is a must to avoid scratching pretty paintwork.

The guards are fashioned from tried and tested polypropylene which is a popular industrial choice well suited to mudguards thanks to low weight, impact and weather resistance. Reassuringly solid, their monocoque design is contemporary and chic (if you can have say such a thing about a mudguard... I can) and even features integral mud flaps. Flipping them over betrays a curious latticework that according to the blurb is central to structural integrity, permitting the use of lighter materials without compromising rigidity.

While there's some foundation to this, I'm inclined to suggest it's a convenient rationale' for reducing production costs since the design also incorporates stays. Fitting them to the bike takes around 20 minutes and is pretty intuitive; although the use of 8mm hex bolts rather than Allen fittings caught me by surprise. Binding a bit of electrical tape around the fork crown and seat-stay bridge prevents unsightly scratches since the fittings aren't overly gentle, although I went one stage further, fashioning a shim made from old inner-tube between guard clip and seat tube to rule out potentially annoying vibration. From here everything snaps securely in place and the stays can be added or left off at will.

I started testing without the stays and took a 10-mile saunter taking in town centre and less challenging rural roads. Initial impressions were favourable with nominal flex. However, as the rain intensified their limitations became apparent- even with middling 32mm rubber. Common to this type, the bike's front mech and cranks get a blasting from spray thrown up by the rear wheel and for this reason, I'd be inclined to pop-rivet some aftermarket mud flaps aboard if regularly commuting in smart shoes. To their credit, attaching the stays genuinely improves rigidity, counteracting minor shimmy over erratic road surfaces and even gentle towpath.

Verdict

Interesting hybrid design for short haul commuting but fixings would benefit from refinement