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review

SKS Veloflexx Mudguard Set

8
£39.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Stable, solid and effective guards for hybrid / mountain bikes, but easily adaptable for gravel frames
Solid construction
Quick fitting/removal
Adjustability
Parts availability
5-year warranty
Disc brake bikes only
Weight: 
180g

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The SKS Veloflexx Mudguard Set is a strong, silent way to stay muck-free on a modern bike. Designed for disc-brake frames with suspension forks, they can even be adapted to gravel bike needs with a bit of fettling.

At 65mm in width – that's 2.6in in old money – these cover everything from gravel or cross-country tyres up to pretty hefty trail bike rubber. They're aimed at hybrid and mountain bikes, but prove good at more than that.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Our test set is for 26in / 27.5in wheels (SKS does a 29in / 700C version), but I had no issues fitting these to either diamater – frame and fork clearance is the limiting factor here, not tyre circumference. The main difference between them is length: the 700c set is about 90mm longer.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 6.jpg

The Veloflexx guards are for disc-braked frames only, as there's no clearance for rim brake arms or cables.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 12.jpg

As with all SKS quick-release mudguards, the fittings are well executed. The rear guard is designed for frames without seatstay bridges, and hugs the seatstays with angle-adjustable brackets and rubber ladder straps. Attachment to the seat tube is by a simple sliding plastic clip and another rubber strap, which works fine and doesn't move or rattle.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 8.jpg

In the pack is a generous supply of clear protective tape, which you can cut to suit. It's essential for stopping the fine grit that works under the brackets from scuffing your paintwork.

The front guard is simpler. The same metal stays and plastic brackets fit to the lower fork legs, while a simple rubber-backed Velcro strap wraps the bridge of your suspension fork.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 10.jpg

What if your fork is rigid? This is where things get interesting. SKS sells the Veloflexx under its 'Allroad' designation, and assume you're running a suspension fork. On my gravel bike (the green one) there's no bridge as it's a carbon fork – but there is a copious amount of clearance, even over a 38mm tyre on a 700C rim.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 5.jpg

As my frame also has a seatstay bridge, I swapped the front and rear mounts – a tool-free unclip and reclip – and ended up with the most solid removable mudguards I've ever used. No, SKS hasn't designed it to work this way, but it does so brilliantly.

What's more, these are arguably overbuilt, and there's a lot of plastic around the top of the bridge mount which could be trimmed for more clearance if needed.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 3.jpg

Ironically, I think it looks much cleaner than the official SKS Speedrocker Mudguard Set for gravel bikes. (The Speedrocker's split design doesn't protect the headset much, and commenters have noted the faff of getting it secured. The Veloflexx 65 doesn't suffer either drawback.)

The bridge support is available separately for about £8 (SKS part 11678), so if your gravel bike doesn't have a seatstay bridge and therefore needs two, it's an easy option to add. Whatever their orientation, the fittings stay rock solid, yet come off and reattach easily too.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 2.jpg

I stayed dry and clean over a few hundred miles battering and splashing about the Highlands through some of the deepest, wettest patches seen hereabouts for many years. Obviously these guards aren't going to protect your feet the way a down-to-the-ground guard and mudflap will, but hey – this is 'allroad.'

Also, even this shorter '650b' version kept my back clean and dry through the deepest puddles.

2021 SKS Veloflexx 65 Mudguard Set 4.jpg

Given all this and the five-year warranty, it's really hard to look past these guards. The availability of spares is a plus too, and my personal experience of SKS's warranty dept is second to none – they really look after customers.

Value

As for competition, the £49.99 Speedrocker Mudguard Set shares a lot of DNA with the Veloflexx, and depending on your clearance might be the only option at a £10 premium.

It’s also worth looking at the Mudhugger Rear Gravel Hugger and its matching front half, as they’re rock solid and effective (I have Mudhuggers installed on four bikes), if more expensive together at £23 and £25 respectively.

You have to like the mountain bike-ish look though, and not be worried about spattering people behind you.

The Veloflexx Mudguard Set is a crackingly good option for hybrid or mountain bike-style commuter bikes, can easily adapt to gravel frames with suitable clearances, and promises to stay effective, solid and silent for many years.

Verdict

Stable, solid and effective guards for hybrid / mountain bikes, but easily adaptable for gravel frames

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: SKS Veloflexx Mudguard Set

Size tested: 65mm

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?

SKS says: "A NEW ADDITION TO THE VELO FAMILY! The VELOFLEXX mudguard set combines the stability of a fixed mudguard with the flexibility of a clip-on mudguard. This mudguard profits of a continous profile. Therefore it's only compatible with disc brakes. The VELOFLEXX bridge allows the rear mudguard to be attached at the top of the seat stay without tools using rubber straps. That's why this way of mounting doesn't rely on the cross stay anymore where the caliper brake is usually bolted.

"At the front, the VELOFLEXX is mounted to the fork bridge with a rubberised hook and loop fastener or a cable tie. The frame adapters enable it to be mounted to any fork the can the angle be adjusted. The black-coated stays provide even greater support."

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

color: black

weight: 600 g

wheel size: 26", 27,5" (650b) "

length front fender: 605 mm

length rear fender: 850 mm

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

The usual excellent SKS construction.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

So robust you can pick the bike up with them.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

180g for all that hardware is not bad at all.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

Stay silent, secure and rub-free the whole time, while protecting the rider well. Result.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The seatstay support – it works really well.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's midrange: there are plenty cheaper, but SKS justify the premium with great quality, parts availability and warranty support.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

These do everything you could want of a mudguard, and they're very well made. They're easy to fit, secure once on and only take seconds to remove. They even adapt remarkably well to frames for which they're not designed, should you have enough clearance. They're very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 47  Height: 183cm  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Sonder Camino Gravelaxe  My best bike is: Nah bro that's it

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, general fitness riding, mtb, G-R-A-V-E-L

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

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6 comments

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SuperCommuter | 2 years ago
0 likes

If you want a more permanent solution with similar look and coverage to these then I'd recommend the SKS Velocross guards. I had the Velocross 55 on my Arkose which like the Sonder in this review has the front fork and rear seatstay bridge holes to mount them without any bodging required. Oddly you have to buy the steel struts separately, which you should definitely do. I think they'd still come in cheaper than these ones and they are really solid and reliable.

Avatar
El Camino replied to SuperCommuter | 2 years ago
0 likes

I've fitted Velocross 55's to my Camino. They're fantastic!

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wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
0 likes

whats with the massive solid lump of plastic between the forks and the mudguard? Significantly reduces clearance between tyre and wheel.

Avatar
KiwiMike replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
0 likes

That's the bit of excess plastic on the rear bridge bracket I mention could be trimmed down a lot without compromising strength. it's ridiculously over-engineered.

Avatar
Sriracha | 2 years ago
0 likes

Is strapping it over the front brake hose a great idea?

Avatar
KiwiMike replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
3 likes

No, this is the result of remembering I needed to shoot the photos having already removed them from the bike, and being in a hurry. Don't do it kids.

Frankly I'm surprised the bike didn't catch fire during the photo shoot  1

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