Genetic Carbon Micro Fender

As far as I know, the Genetic branded version uses a Carbon Fibre stay-rod (the slightly cheaper Qbicle brand version uses an Alloy stay.)

I have to say, at first glance, it looks like a product that won't work - but, after riding 40 miles on a Sunny but damp morning last Saturday - the rider with the Genetic Micro-Fender fitted had a clean backside, the rest didn't.
Strange coincidence - ? I don’t think so !

However, it’s true that the folks behind don’t get much more protection than riding behind a rider with no fender fitted at all – but, then again, who is it you buy your mudguard for ?

'It doesn't take a genius to see it's not going to make the slightest difference for a following rider'

stop wheelsucking then?

It doesn't take a genius to see it's not going to make the slightest difference for a following rider, bus as the original mtb 'crudcatcher' proves there are a lot of extremely gullible cyclists out there.

'Unbelievable. All these "informed" comments, on a product nobody seems to have used, or even seen..?? .'

Welcome to the internet

Unbelievable. All these "informed" comments, on a product nobody seems to have used, or even seen..?? ...

I saw this advertised in cyclist magazine. I also read the small print.. (in tiny letters) "manufactured, designed and patended by qbicle"

Qbicle, a brand i recongised from one of our suppliers. So, the next day, i had a bunch turn up. After fitting one to my Cinelli, (as above stated in review) for what its designed to do, it does. Nothing more.

So, after my first damp winters club ride, i came home with two things;

A clean RH jacket, and several comments from club members (two of whom were behind me) - that mudguard works.

And its also cheaper, at £35. Still, a bit expensive, but how often do you get an original product that does it job.

Surely to properly review mudguards you need a white room, some sort of test rig, some minimal-viscosity black paint, and the cycling equivalent of Gil "CSI" Grissom to conduct splatter-pattern tests?

It certainly doesn't _look_ as if it would work, so in the absence of such scientific rigour I'm unconvinced.

I normally keep my a*se dry by stuffing wads of £50 notes into my shorts - this seems a little bit expensive by comparison

Coming from an era when we not only used full mudguards, but added rear flaps as a courtesy to other riders in the group, I was interested to read that this product stopped spray from getting in following riders' eyes. This made article reminded me about those "L" shaped cranks we were once urged to buy.

I know that if I'm using full size mudguards, without extending them, and I look back as I'm riding though a really wet patch, I can see water droplets being flicked up and catching the vortex immediately behind my back. Just get a straight edge, and place it so that it's touching the edge of your tyre and the extreme rear of your mudguard - that's the maximum angle for water being flicked up, and it's why many mudguards now have some sort of "lip" attached to the end, to improve the angle without having to extend the mudguard. If the angle of the straight edge, in relation to the ground (facing backwards), is 85 degrees or less, then you're unlikely to get dirty unless your body shape creates an unusually large vortex, but any angle greater than 90 degrees (and with this micro guard it looks like 145 degrees) you'll just have to hope the admiring glances from your mates trumps the wrath from your wife when you get home stinking of a heady mix of shit and petrochemicals, with a soupson of vomit, urine, and spittle that's inevitably flicked up on urban rides.

Seriously folks, you wouldn't want to lie down in all that stuff, so why would you want it sprayed all over your back, your face when you're looking behind you, and the back of your head through all those lovely slots in your helmet?

Extended full mudguard - tonight's the night.
Micro mudguard - sleep on the sofa.

3.5 stars? Madness.
This "problem" is solved by a 6 quid piece of plastic. The Ass Saver.

"Sometimes you've just got to ride in the wet on your best machine"...... erm........ no I haven't!, I have a winter bike for that.

And by the look of the "Generic Carbon Micro Fender", you're not really going to keep too dry now, are you?

The only "fenders" that are going to keep you reasonably clean are full ones, preferably with added mud flaps that go virtually to ground level. Then all you have to contend with is the spray off passing motor vehicles.

Chocolate teapot.

or just invest (...put this money toward) in a quality set of waterproof (ish) bib tights and to heck with the wheelsuckers...let them eat spray...

Quote:

and also keeps a lot out of a following rider's eyes.

Any further detail? Sounds impossible to me as there is nothing to stop water going backwards...

hey! thanks for your in-depth reviews, people who haven't even seen one of these, much less used one.

I was looking at motorbikes the other day which use this approach and wondered if the same principle could be applied to bikes - now I know.

I'd want the full works for that amount of WONGA !

The mudguard equivalent of turning up to a sunday club run in aero bootie covers?

Pointless, expensive and will still result in you getting nearly as wet as no mudguards. I'll pass thank you.

joke