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Mudguards
Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm
Lifeline mudguards

Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm

6
by dave atkinson
UPDATED Fri, Feb 17, 2017 15:45

First Published Feb 17, 2017

2
£18.00

VERDICT:

6
10
Decent entry-level mudguards but better alternatives don't exactly break the bank
Weight: 
700g
Contact: 
www.wiggle.co.uk
How we test

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If you want a cheap set of mudguards to keep the spray off you on your rides then these Lifeline mudguards do a decent job, and they're about as cheap as proper mudguards get. If you're also keen to keep your wheel-man dry then they're really not long enough for that job, and the average mounting kit and lack of quick releases on the front would steer me towards something a bit more expensive.

Lifeline mudguards -4.jpg

Using an alloy/plastic construction the Lifeline mudguards are pretty sturdy; you only get a single stay at the front but they've stayed put through some rigorous testing and being thrown in the shed. The stays push into a connector that clamps to the mudguard and can be moved easily, so they're pretty straightforward to fit and set up. The worst part of the fitting kit is the brake bridge holder for the rear guard which is a bulk plastic thing which limits tyre clearance both in terms of 'guard height and tyre width. I ended up drilling a hole in the mudguard and using an L-shaped metal connector instead.

Lifeline mudguards -3.jpg

The guards do help you to stay a lot drier than you would without them, no doubt about that. They could do with being longer though. Considerably longer at the rear, if you ever ride with other people; the 'guard isn't long enough to stop spray from your wheel going into your friend's face. In fact it's so short that it stops above the axle of the wheel which makes fitting a long tail flap harder as it tends to flop onto the tyre. At the front things are a bit better but they're still pretty short and I can't help thinking an extra few centimetres of mudguard wouldn't have made that much difference to the price.

Lifeline mudguards -2.jpg

£18 is cheap as chips for a set of full(ish) length mudguards and there's not much to touch them at that price. But it's not like mudguards are especially expensive, and the SKS Bluemels 'guards can be had online for a few quid more. They're longer, have better mounting kit and feature quick releases at the front so if something gets stuck between wheel and mudguard you don't end up going over the bars. If you must spend as little as possible then these are probably the cheapest full 'guards you'll find but even at full price the SKS ones are better value.

Verdict

Decent entry-level mudguards but better alternatives don't exactly break the bank

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm

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?

Full length mudguards offer the maximum in protection from standing water keeping both you and your bike clean and dry even in the worst conditions.

The LifeLine Narrow Road Mudguard Set features a PET/Aluminium construction with steel wire stays making them lightweight and flexible. The PET/Aluminium construction is also extremely durable and resistant to corrosion and damage from UV light. Plastic scratch guards on the ends of the mudguard blades provide additional protection.

Fully adjustable stays ensure a perfect fit, preventing rattles or fouling on any other components. Low profile stay ends reduce the chances of catching your foot when cornering.

The LifeLine Narrow Road Mudguard Set is compatible with calliper or disc brakes and comes complete with full installation instructions and all mounting hardware.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Top Features of the LifeLine Narrow Road Mudguard Set

Lightweight

Flexible

Scratch guards provide additional durability

UV and corrosion resistant

All mounting hardware included

Only compatible with frames and forks that feature mudguard mounts

Compatible with calliper and disc brakes

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
6/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Pretty well for keeping you dry, not so well for the person on your wheel

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Easy to fit, sturdy for the price

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not long enough, no quick release on front

Did you enjoy using the product? They were pretty decent

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No

Use this box to explain your score

Decent entry-level mudguards but better alternatives don't exactly break the bank

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 189cm  Weight: 92kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR, Kinesis Aithein

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

Lifeline Narrow Road Mudguards 38mm
lifeline
Wiggle
Lifeline 2016
Dave Atkinson

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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2 comments

Avatar
Peter1004 | 2 months ago
0 likes

I have a set of these mudguards .  That the rear mudguard is short is a blessing, as it makes it easier to manouvre the bike up on its back wheel.  But the feature that's really good is that there's no exposed ends on the stays, which means there's nothing to snag things on.  Now that these aren't available - I think they were only available from Chain Reaction/Wiggle - I just wish other mudguards were designed this way.

Avatar
Mary Willoughby | 3 years ago
0 likes

This review doesn't match my experience.  I've had a set of these permanently on my gravel bike for  years (2016-2021).  They've been robust, trouble free and kept me clean for years.  I'd happily spend more for better, but have never seen the need. 

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