Review: THE Mud Flap
THE Mud Flap
THE Industries has released a new range of mud guards. Check out the details on the THE Mud Flap inside.
If you’re not familiar with mud guards like these, they’re designed to stop mud from flying into your eyes from the front wheel. When you begin to ride on a muddy or wet trail, the front wheel flings mud/debris/water forward. As you ride forward, you will run into it.
(click to enlarge)
THE Mud Flap is available in four pre-cut sizes
Small – 100mm forks
Medium – 140mm forks
Large – 180mm forks
XLarge – 200mm forks
In the past, bikers have utilized a cut up old tube to mimic this type of mud guard. While the old tube option is cheaper, the THE Mud Flap is a faster, more readily reusable, less prone to scratching compared to the zip tie option, and an overall cleaner option to a front mud flap. If you’re in the U.K. you may be familiar with the Rapid Racers Neoguard that seems to be exactly the same as the THE Mud Flap in functionality and design.
THE Mud Flap is a neoprene washable mud flap and was a treat to use when the weather turned dismal.
Xlarge version mounted on a dual crown fork (click to enlarge)
An old tube certainly does a similar job when you get a perfectly cut mud fender, but they have their downsides. Zip ties often can wear away at the fork where you connect them and if you don’t get the tube cut just right, you can suck the tube onto the tire and rip it off. The THE Mud Flap eliminates the setup guesswork and gives you a perfectly sized setup every time.
single crown detail (click to enlarge)
single crown lower detail (click to enlarge)
The THE Mud Flap secures safely with reusable Velcro clasps. The built in straps hold the guard safely and securely. So far we’ve yet to rip or tear the THE Mud Flap and it works as expected.
dual crown top detail (click to enlarge)
After picking the right size guard for your fork, the installation is quite easy. Just use the velcro straps to secure it to the fork crown and arch. After the first installation of the guard, you should trim the velcro if it overlaps. It couldn’t be much easier.
dual crown rear view (click to enlarge)
single crown rear view (click to enlarge)
When you’re pressed for time or if you want it done right from the beginning, the THE Mud Flap is a much faster and cleaner option in our experience. It cuts down any time consuming fitting that comes with the cut tube method. It takes 30 seconds to install the THE Mud Flap and you’ll be more likely to use it given its quick and reusable setup.
MSRP
To get a THE Mud Flap of your own visit your local THE dealer. If you’re looking to purchase one online, check out Jenson USA.
