Mudguards/Fenders are essential for any bike being ridden through winter, especially those likely to be ridden off-road like the best budget gravel and best gravel bikes. In general, mudguards/Fenders for gravel focus more on protecting you the rider, by keeping you warm and dry, but some designs will also help in reducing the muck destined for your drivetrain and components.
While a decent pair of mudguards/Fenders will make a huge difference to your comfort on the ride, preventing the spray of muck can actually increase the longevity of your favourite waterproof jacket by significantly reducing the abrasive grime that can otherwise become ingrained.
The Quick List
Cycling Weekly US Editor Anne-Marije Rook maintains this is the best bike accessory for under $30. It's amazing, that something so small and light can offer that much protection, but it does.
A chunky-looking fender with an intent to match. Designed to be stable for those tackling the rougher end of the gravel spectrum and offering great coverage.
Strong, Stable and with a tyre clearance to match most modern gravel bikes. I have used these exclusively for over three years and with little to no complaints.
The SKS Speedrockers are designed to give full-ish and stable coverage on gravel bikes that don't have frame mounts for fixing traditional full guards. The guards themselves do a pretty good job in keeping bike and rider clean.
The Mini Mudder is designed to protect your headset bearings and face from the gritty wheel spray of the gravelly trails. It's cheap, incredibly lightweight, discrete, extremely easy to fit and remove, and stays exactly where you put it.
Best mudguards/fenders for gravel bikes 2025
Top Pick
Don't be deceived by its size. The Win Wing2 is suprisingly good
At just 72 grams and if all you saw was an image of the Ass Saver, it's hard to see what the Win Wing2 is actually going to stop. That is the beauty of the design, unlike many other mudguards/fenders they are pretty ugly and cumbersome. The Win Wing targets the area where most of the spare and mud is flung from, intending to keep the most important part of you dry. Your posterior, and it does an extremely good job of that.
I tried the Ass Saver on ten different bikes with no issues fitting to any. Considering they are also rattle-free and made completely of recycled plastics it's hard to find a fault.
- Read our full Ass Saver Win Wing2 Rear Mudguard review
Best Value
Zefal Shield G50 gravel fenders/mudguards
Zefal's Shield G50s are a sturdy set of fenders that provide coverage for tyres up to 48mm wide. Great for those who like to run chunky off-road rubber on their gravel bikes. Coverage is excellent for their length, as they can be positioned nice and tight to your tyre (allowing for mud clearance, of course). And all of this for a considerable amount less money than many other gravel guards.
The downside? They're heavier than many others, but a recent update has made them super easy and fast to fit, which goes a long way in our book.
- Read our full Zefal Shield G50 gravel fenders/mudguards review
Best Clearance
Mudhugger Gravelhugger front and rear guards
Hailing from a mountain bike background, Mudhugger's Gravelhuggers are incredibly quiet, strong and stable guards for your gravel bike and have clearance for up to 50mm / 2" tyres. They make an excellent choice for those riders who like their riding mucky and rowdy.
Made from 100% recycled (and recyclable) plastic, the single-piece moulded guards attach to your bike with o-rings and zip ties or reusable Velcro straps. During our testing, they offered excellent protection for the face, body, bum and back and kept the worst of the muck off the bike too. They're not full-length though, so make sure you remember your overshoes.
- Read our full Mudhugger Gravelhugger front and rear guards review
Best For Stability
SKS Speedrocker gravel fenders / mudguards
The Speedrockers are German-fender experts SKS's offering for gravel riders who want a full-length guard but don't have frame mounts for fixing.
Both front and rear guards have stays so the guard can be long but remain stable on off-road trails. There's a two or three-point fixing using rubberised or Velcro straps to secure them in place on the bike and we found that the coverage and stability of the guards was good. However, they're let down by the complicated fittings which attract a lot of dirt and the front mudguard did have a tendency to slip down the fork in use.
Best Short Front Fender/mudguard
Ass Saver Mudder Mini front guard
Ass Savers' Mudder Mini fender/mudguard is a low-cost option that's extremely lightweight, discrete and stable while riding and we liked how easy it was to both fit and remove.
It takes up very little room, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting it in between your tyre and fork - Ass Savers suggests it fits tyres from 32 to 55mm and any gravel/cross fork.
If you're looking for just enough protection to keep the worst of the road spray off your face and lower headset bearing, then the Mudder Mini will cover you for this, but its small size meant that we did still end up dirty after mucky rides.
- Read our full Ass Savers Mudder Mini Fender/mudguard review
Notable Recommendations
Kinesis Fend Off Shorty Gravel Rear: The Kinesis is a mudguard/fender I have had my eye on for a while now. I have yet to actually get one on in for a test but let me tell you why I am interested.
In function, it looks to be very similar to the Mudhugger Gravelhugger rear option. Mounted around the seat stay bridge and arches over the back wheel, similar to that of a full road fender. After 3 years of exclusively using the Gravelhugger, I only have a minor complaint and something I think the Kinesis would solve. Where the Gravelhugger mounts at the seat stay, if you have a bridge like my Sonder Camino you do get quite a lot of mud & debris build-up.
As the Kinesis mounts to the bridge directly and has a much more open design, thanks to the stays mounted at the dropout like a traditional road mudguard/fender. I think it could elevate this build-up issue. Watch this space, I hope to have one in hand very soon.
How we test
The Cycling Weekly tech team puts hours into fiddling with fittings, battling with bolts and purposefully waiting until the weather forecast looks bad enough to assess the performance of these gravel bike mudguards.
Compatibility is perhaps the foremost consideration when picking a mudguard, there is no point in buying the best-rated mudguard if it simply will not fit your bike. In the test, we looked at mudguards with a range of fitting options so it should be possible to find one that is ideal for your specific frame style.
Most of us would prefer to ride a bike without mudguards if possible, so ease of fitting and removal is an also important factor when choosing the right mudguard - they need to be simple and secure to fit if you look out the window and see grey skies at the start of a ride.
Of course, the primary purpose of a mudguard is to guard you against mud, so the testers looked at how much protection was provided for the bike, the bum and the face and weighed that up against the other criteria to rate the product.
What to consider when choosing a Mudguard/fender
Tire clearance
The last thing you want is for your lovely plump tires to be worn down by an ill-fitting fender / mudguard. Although there are many benefits of wide tires, sometimes it’s better to go for a slightly smaller option that won't rub on the 'guards.
Mud/branch clearance
Even if your tire isn’t rubbing on the fenders / mudguards, when the conditions are particularly muddy - and if the clearance isn’t capacious - you’ll end up with a large amount of unwelcome resistance as the accumulating clag acts as a brake on your tire. In particularly muddy conditions, a narrower tire can be the better option, all things considered.
If you're riding through forests where there is a lot of tree debris on the floor, a more minimalist guard set up is safer than the classic full-length look. Fenders / mudguards that reach near to the floor can get jammed with branches that are flicked up by the wheels - which can have pretty disastrous consequences.
Toe overlap and bag clearance
Another pitfall to be aware of is clearance on the other side of the guards: i.e., how nicely they play with your bags and feet. On smaller frames especially, toe overlap with the front fender / mudguard and giant saddle bags fighting for position with the rear mudguard are real issues.
A more minimalist guard can help here, being smaller in size and being more flexible in their positioning. However, that does come at the expense of some protection from the spray, so there is a balance to be struck.
Bike and bag protection
Fenders / mudguards aren’t just there for the rider, they also benefit your components. Keeping water away from your bearings, especially those in the headset, will reduce your risk of mechanical issues and make your parts last longer.
Although waterproof bike-packing bags are available, given how unpleasant a wet sleeping bag or drenched tent is, testing the limits of their water repulsion isn’t in your best interests. Even a small guard goes a long way to keeping the worst of the water off.
Rider protection
A shower might pass quickly, but the roads and trails stay wet for a long time after the rain. Avoiding the resultant spray will have a massive effect on your comfort and, consequently, your ability to keep on riding.
Wet clothes suck away heat from your body, while the water also softens your skin making you more likely to suffer from chaffing. You could avoid this by wearing full waterproofs, but no matter how technical the fabric, it’ll always be more clammy to wear one than not. A good set of guards goes a long way to circumventing these issues.
Frame protection
Fenders / mudguards that attach to the frame and fork of your bike are incredibly versatile. They are easy to take on and off and fit a wide range of different bikes. The downside is that in attaching to your frame, they run a very real risk of damaging your paintwork - and in extreme circumstances, even your frame.
To prevent this, it’s worth getting yourself some helitape. This clear tape that is incredibly strong and won’t be worn through by the straps of your guards. It’s almost invisible when the guards are removed, so your frame will stay looking as pretty as ever.
Some brands will provide a form of this tape with their fenders / mudguards, but it is worth buying some extra, as you’ll then be able to swap the fenders / mudguards between bikes - and also protect your frame where your bikepacking bags attach.
FAQs about Mudguards/fenders
Should you put mudguards on your gravel bike?
Whilst few would argue that bikes look better without mudguards, there is no doubt that good mudguards will keep winter mud off you, your clothes and your bike, making every ride safer and more enjoyable. Dirt flicked off the front wheel can get in your eyes or on your glasses and obscure your vision (which is not great on tricky off-road trails). Plus riding with wet shorts from mud off the back wheel can be very uncomfortable.
Mudguards also do a good job of protecting the moving parts of the bike from gritty water that can cause premature wear.
Is a front or rear mudguard best on a gravel bike?
In bad conditions, you should use both a front and a rear mudguard as they do different jobs. On a gravel bike, the front mudguard’s main job is to prevent mud from getting into your eyes or onto your glasses, ensuring that you can see the trail ahead. The rear mudguard prevents spray off the back wheel from reaching you and your shorts. Riding with a damp, gritty chamois is unpleasant and will quickly wear the shorts out.
What material is best for gravel bike mudguards?
Whereas some road bike mudguards are made from metal for longevity, most off-road mudguards are made from a plastic or polycarbonate type material which is lighter and more flexible. This enables them to better cope with the vibrations and movement caused by rough trails. If the mudguard has stays, then these are sometimes made from metal for better stiffness but the blades are still usually made from plastic.
Will mudguards fit on my gravel bike?
With the wide variety of styles and fitments available, there is almost certainly a mudguard that will fit on your gravel bike. Some mudguards require the frame and fork to have specific mounts, whereas others fasten to the bike with more flexible fittings. So, whatever bike you have there is no need to endure a wet and dirty ride.
Can I ride off-road with full road-style fenders?
This is not recommended, due to the potential for foliage, stones or mud to get stuck and build up behind the guard. Creating a hazard to the rider, and worse damage to the bike.
It's not to say that you can not though. There are guides designed specifically for this reason and feature a flatter, squared-off profile, with very small sidewalls. This helps clear any blockages or debris that gets stuck to escape. The SKS Bluemels in the Style variant is a good example of this.
It is not advisable to tackle technical terrain with these fenders especially if toe overlap is an issue, which should be checked regardless.