SKS

Essentially, the SKS S blade is the road version of the German marque's Xtra dry, which although pitched at mountain bikers, quickly caught on among messengers and new-wave fixer audiences too. This sturdy polypropylene beaver tail is pretty much the same thing, albeit more flattering to road lines.

For anyone else despairing the lack of decent 650c mudguards - particularly removable ones - here's how to mod SKS Raceblade Longs to fit. Yorkshire Tea not included.

http://gateauvelo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/sks-race-blade-long-and-650c-wh...

At 193g the SKS TOM 18 function multi tool doesn't feel overly burdensome and the precision build gives it a definite edge over competitor models. However, riders of bikes with older bikes or cantilever hardware may bemoan a lack of 8/9 & 10mm ring spanners.

The venerable SKS Chromoplastic mudguard has been a staple for audaxers, tourers and commuters for decades, and the latest incarnation is everything you'd want: sturdy, well made and decent value.

The Chromoplastics are made by sandwiching Aluminium stips inside a plastic housing. The resulting profile is quite deep which makes it stiff and sturdy, and it carries the now-trademark pattern of black strips and see-through channels. Fixing kit is all steel, with a fixed bridge at the rear and a sliding one at the front for better adjustability.

The SKS bottle cage adapter is perfect if you have a fixie without bottle cages. I think this one will prove a permanent feature on my 1950s Holdsworth which has just had successful bottom bracket surgery and a respray.

Designed to be a response to problems encountered by users of traditional bottle cages who have smaller geometry frames or mountain bikers with rear suspension, the Slidecage is a fiendishly simple idea. As well as accessing the bottle from the top as per normal, the user can choose instead to slide it out of the side of the cage, thereby making it much easier when a lack of frame clearance doesn't allow for top loading.

If you're looking for full mudguards that you can slip on and off at will then the SKS Raceblade Long is about as good an option as you've got right now. They're not perfect but they're certainly a class above most clip-on 'guards.

SKS Chromoplastic Road Mudguard Set in Black for £27. Never used, attempted to install on front wheel and was not happy with result. No cuts or bends made so everything is as it was when received new. I could send them back to store but they are an awkward size. And with that in mind, I must state that if you want to buy, it is best if you live local to me (I'm in Portishead, near Bristol)for collection. I'm amenable to meeting halfway if someone is interested. I'll probably not be able to sell 'em with that restriction though! :''(

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.