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Mudguards
Tacx Mudguard Race T7000 Tacx Mudguard Race T7000 Tacx Mudguard Race T7000
Tacx Mudguard Race T7000

Tacx Mudguard Race T7000

8
by Neil Gander
UPDATED Sat, Jun 25, 2016 00:05

First Published Jun 24, 2016

1
£14.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Easy to fit and tough – this might be the last clip-on type you need to buy, for a while at least
Weight: 
70g
Contact: 
www.tacx.com
How we test

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In the winter, for me there's no substitute for a full-length mudguard, but so few road bikes have mounts for sturdy guards, and few guards designed to fit them are sturdy. In the summer, while you may not want to ride with mudguards all the time, it's often wet enough to warrant some protection from a stripe up your back, and this is where the Tacx Mudguard Race T7000 excels.

The bracket is a simple design that bolts to the rails of a standard saddle. It seems to work both with round and oval profiles, although if you have some exotic rail design it probably won't. Nor could I use it with my Fizik Klik system saddle and saddle bag, but Tacx also makes a tidy saddle pack that's designed to work in tandem with the Race guard to solve that problem.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

Once fitted, the bracket sits discreetly under your saddle, and the blade itself can be quickly mounted or removed. The blade itself stayed secure and provided adequate protection from road spray, and even from off-road muck, though only for your person and not for your bike.

Tacx Mudguard Race - detail.jpg

'Unbreakable' is a bold claim, but this does seem to be about as near as you can get. I spent some time twisting and bending the blade itself and it sprung back into shape completely unharmed, while the bracket remained isolated from the destructive forces being applied.

Tacx Mudguard Race - back.jpg

I even fitted this to my mountain bike (Tacx does a wider version for mountain bikes), where few mudguards have previously lasted more than a few months before shattering in a crash or otherwise falling to bits. Even though I routinely kicked it when slinging a leg over the saddle, the worst that happened was a 'twang' like a school ruler on the edge of a desk. Far more resilient than an Ass Saver, much more discreet and better-looking than a Zefal Swan, in my view, and quicker to fit and remove.

> Check out our guide to the best mudguards here

Unlike a close-fitting mudguard, or even one that can fasten low on the seatpost, the Tacx doesn't provide any protection for the bike itself – nor does it claim to – but as far as it goes it's a nifty system that I like a lot. It's inexpensive, too.

Verdict

Easy to fit and tough – this might be the last clip-on type you need to buy, for a while at least

road.cc test report

Make and model: Tacx Mudguard Race T7000

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?

Tacx says: "The Tacx Mudguard is unbreakable and lightweight and offers optimal protection against mud and splashing water. Whether you ride on cobbles or in the woods, the mudguard makes sure that you do not get a wet, cold back.

"Thanks to the quick-release attachment, you can easily click the mudguard in place under the saddle. Thanks to its ingenious design, you can click other bicycle accessories, such as the Tacx Saddle bag and the Tacx Go Pro Bike mount, to the mudguard. This way, these accessories can also be quickly clicked on to the bike and removed again.

"The Tacx Mudguard is made from shockproof plastic that does not break, not even on bumpy cobbled roads and dirt tracks. It has an attractive, slender design and is easy to clean. The shape offers optimal protection against splashing water and mud. The mudguard is small (1,5mm thin) and lightweight (Race: 70g, MTB: 90g) ) and available for racing bikes and mountain bikes.

"The Tacx Mudguard has a quick-release attachment for under the saddle and is available for racing bikes and mountain bikes."

In practice, while the protection is hardly "optimal", this little guard works well and does seem very tough.

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

The Tacx Mudguard has a quick-release attachment for under the saddle and is available for racing bikes and mountain bikes.You can click other bicycle accessories, such as the Tacx Saddle bag and the Tacx Go Pro Bike mount, to the mudguard.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

A clever, tough design that is easy to fit and the clip-on guard is quickly fitted and removed. I haven't managed to break it, despite some rough handling.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

The guard fits under the saddle so offers little protection for your bike. As a splash guard, though, it's fine.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

There are plenty of bulky, overly-complicated guards (and some cheap and over-simplified ones too) out there, many of which I have lost or broken over the years. I suspect this one may turn out to be pretty durable, particularly on a road or commuting bike where it won't get the abuse of an off-road guard. We will see how the plastic stands up to long-term exposure to UV.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

Hardly noticeable really, and a lot less bulky than some.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Cheap usually means short-lived, but I'll wager this guard will last a few winters.

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

It keeps the worst of the spray off your back but not off your bike. Fitting and removing is easy and the clip design seems sensible. It's a tough guard.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Easy fitting and removal. Tough construction.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Doesn't keep the spray out of your bike frame, brakes etc and you can't use it in combination with a Fizik Klik system saddle and saddle bag.

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 score

This is a clip-on mudguard that I trust to survive the long haul. Easy to fit, hard to break.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 50  Height: 6'2  Weight: 73kg and rising

I usually ride: Cannondale CAAD10   My best bike is:

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking

Tacx Mudguard Race T7000 2016
Tacx Mudguard Race T7000
Tacx 2016
Tacx

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1 comments

Avatar
Freddy56 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Been looking for something like this as the 'ass saver' I have doesn't stay in place. 

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