New outfit Squaretree offers superior (& weatherproof) wood mudguards

we've got some winging their way here, so when they land your inner chi will be the first to know

My inner chi wants to know what they weigh. Anyone?

Thanks to everyone who has commented on woodguards; it's fantastic to hear what people in the cycling community have to say about our product.

A pair of woodguards are winging their way to Nick at road.cc for a test run.

There are simply so many different takes on the mudguards -and questions that merit thoughtful answers- I hope we can take the liberty of directing readers to an interview with Brian at the well-respected http://www.thewashingmachinepost.net/

We discuss where the idea for wood mudguards came from (Portland), our thoughts on design (Dieter Rams' 10 Principles for Good Design), durability, weather-proofing and maintenance and additionally, the question of why mudguards were unfashionable for years but are now less so...

All further queries are more than welcome - people can contact us via http://squaretreecycle.tumblr.com/ and squaretreecycle [at] gmail.com

Stacey + Simon

I've never had a pair of mudguard fittings that EVER did the job - or trouble free mudguards on a road bike that had enough clearance for guards. Everyone I know uses a bespoke jiggery pokery of file this and cable tie that. I've had to take off the front guard this weekend as it just rubs whatever I do. I'm looking foward to the new SKS (end of Jan FFS! Like bringing out beachballs for Halloween.. ) which slide on to a thin blade mount as featured on this site in Sept.

As I said to the Woodguards guys via Twitter "Congratulations, you've become the Rapha of mudguards!"

Not a criticism of them at all, I think the mudguards they have produced are beautiful. Is it sensible to make something like this to be, ultimately, covered in cack? That's down to the individual.

Just because they may not appeal to you for whatever reason is no justification to call anyone who may want them or *shock* actually buy them a hipster. There's nothing wrong with appreciating quality and beauty.

Lust!

I was worried about putting the silver chomo-plastic 'guards back on my Ribble Audax, thinking they'd make it look crappy, but I glanced over at it from the sign in at the Evans RideIt on Sunday and it looked magnificent...

There were plenty of others with rattly race blades, zip-stripped compromises and full-on proper muck-catchers - I thought mine looked as good (or as bad) as all of them.

Once I'd completed the 80km round muddy back lanes of Sussex, it didn't look so good but then I didn't look like a negative of Pepe Le Pew, replete with gritty stripe and an evening of gusset scrubbing was avoided.

30 minutes with the Fenwicks and a hosepipe and all is gleaming again...

joemmo - I certainly don't disagree that it's easier to design a nice-looking but poor-functioning product than one that does both jobs. And that it's easy enough to try and flower it up with marketing BS. But since no-one posting claims to have tested them, it seems a shame to slate them just because they've tried to market them at those who want a more attractive product.

Road.cc - any chance of a test?

As for SKS - insofar as it is possible for a mudguard to be pretty, I wouldn't consider them high up the scale. There are some lovely alloy guards (Honjo and the various copies, for example) and I've had colour matched guards which look lovely on the bike, but the SKS design doesn't sit in the same league on the aesthetic front, for me. But I definitely agree that as a piece of industrial design focused on function, they're superb.

step-hent - of course we can but it's relatively easy to design something that looks beautiful but doesn't work particularly well for its intended purpose then post-justify it with twaddle. I'm sure they look fabulous on a white pedestal in a design boutique but somewhat less splendid when dripping with road slop.

Personally, I think a pair of SKS guards are a much better expression of form following function, appropriate use of materials and the principles of good industrial design.

my main issue with completely flat mudguards in the past has been that the front of the front mudguard bounces up and down and slaps on the tyre. it'll be interesting to see whether that's the case with these...

Look nice but I doubt they are totally waterproof somehow, this is wood we're talking about after all.

Hey guys, no reason why people can't care about form AND function... I've had some of the Curano C-Lite mudguards on one of my bikes and, whilst having a near-flat profile, water doesn't spray out and hit the feet any more than on my SKS guards or the alloy guards on my other bikes (and though the mudflap on the SKS guards makes them superior, there's no reason why you couldn't add a mudflap to these). Is there a reason why people who want a bike that works well can't also want it to look pretty too?

My only issue with these is the price - there are lovely looking wooden guards for about half that price, although they dont have the coloured formica strip on the inside. hmmm...

Dear hipsters,

"The muddle of plastic and ill-fitted mudguards" on my bike stop me getting a gritty stripe up my arse. That is all I require of them. They are not a statement of my inner chi nor a reflection of my aesthetic values in an angular world of brutal modernism.

kthxbai

"we wanted to offer a well-designed alternative to cycle owners who care about detail and style" - as opposed to those who care about function, value for money and staying dry?

Given the flat plane that is the front mudguard, wouldn't water just splash out sideways and cover your feet?

Innovation like this deserves reward, just wish I could afford.