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review

PDW Full Metal Fenders

7
£60.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Good quality metal mudguards with the option to fit to race frames.
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 
www.paligap.cc

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These PDW Full Metal Fenders (that's the last time I'll be using that word) look good and perform well, and you can fit them to a bike without eyelets too. Six months in they're still looking good, too.

Full Metal refers to the main part of the mudguard being extruded Aluminium, as opposed to the more usual plastic or plastic-metal construction. Aluminium can corrode, of course, which means it's important that it's treated thoroughly. I've had no issues with any corrosion on my pair, in spite of some rough conditions during testing.

The Full Metals have a single stay (aluminium again) with steel bridge mounts to fit under a calliper brake. Or over, in the case of the rear one: although the mudguard goes under the brake as normal the mount loops over the top. Fitting the 'guards is easy and the stays are telescopic at the end, held in place with a grub screw. I was worried this wouldn't be a very secure way of getting the right length but I've had no issues.

The Full Metals come with pressed steel plates that attach to your quick releases, with a mounting hole for the 'guards, meaning that you can fit them to bikes without eyelets. They're one of only a few 'proper' mudguard sets that offer this as an option. The mounting kit feels a bit cheap compared to the rest of the mudguard but it does the job fine.

You'll need clearance between you brake calliper and your tyre, of course, but for most bikes this won't be a problem. In lieu of a bottom bolt mount at the rear the Full Metals use a mounting block held in place with an O-ring. Again this works fine, and means you don't need a chainstay bridge mounting hole either.

In use these guards are sturdy with the fairly deep profile and long arc catching a good amount of spray. It would be good if longer spray flaps were included, or at least available, but you can easily knock one up if you need it. Despite being primarily metal they're not rattly at all, the only exception being the PDW button on the front mudguard which worked loose. A dab of Araldite sorted that though.

I haven't had to use the emergency quick release function in anger (the mount pops to stop a caught stone catapulting you over the bars) but I've checked it and it works fine, albeit with a bit more force needed than, say, an SKS one.

The Full Metals are designed to be used with a 23mm tyre according to PDW but there's plenty of room for a 25 in there. Even a 28 fits, just.

Verdict

Good quality metal mudguards with the option to fit to race frames.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: PDW Full Metal Fenders

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Made of anodized aluminum and adorned with laser graphics and an embossed alloy head badge, the Full Metal Fenders are a beautiful complement to any road bike. They provide full-wrap coverage, even shielding riders behind you from tire spray thanks to the sturdy rubber mudflaps.

The Full Metal Fenders are designed to fit road bikes that are difficult to install full coverage fenders on. They have special hardware to get around caliper brakes and under forks, even add-on mounts for bikes that lack eyelets to mount fender stays to.

Safety release tabs ensure your wheels will keep turning even if debris gets lodged between the fender and tire.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Look good, sturdy, keep you pretty dry.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Flaps could be longer, rear mount is unnecessarily fiddly.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 190cm  Weight: 102kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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