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Home > Product Reviews > Mudguards > Topeak Defender Front Mudguard Reviews

Topeak Defender Front Mudguard

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Topeak Defender Front Mudguard
More about Topeak

Average Rating: 3 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 13
RRP: £9.99
Year: 2005

Description: Clip off design for easy removal when it's dry. Wide profile for maximum protection. Moto cross profile. Durable injection moulded nylon construction. Light weight. 180g

REVIEWS

1 to 10 of 13 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1 2

john cowburn

Posted: 17/01/03

'LOOKS THE PART - DOES THE JOB, BUT HAS FITTING PROBS'

Strengths:
Easy to fit. Clip on sections easy to remove, particularly good when carrying the bike on a roof rack (put them in the boot then they wont blow off!)

Weaknesses:
The front section interfears with the brake cables. I had to change the noodle for a 90 deg one and change the brakes over to 'left hand drive' (as all bikes are everywhere else in the world).

Overall:
Impressed with its looks and stops the sh*t ending up on your face.

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

Andy Williams

Posted: 13/05/04

'HOW EASY WAS THAT !!'

Strengths:
Easy. Handy pull off guards. Serves as plug for steering tube. Price

Weaknesses:
None

Overall:
Quick and easy removal for those dry days. The Guard bracket says in the steering tube so you can just click the guards on when its wet. No problems with disc brakes.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

80%

siy shah

Posted: 12/07/04

'EFFECTIVE MUDGAURD THAT REALLY IS QUICK RELEASE'

Strengths:
Easy to fit and remove.Looks the part.Price.

Weaknesses:
The front clip has partially broken (not sure how) but the front gaurd still slides on and stays put.

Overall:
A lot of my friends have the more pricy front gaurds and i was worried a cheapo set would'nt be upto the job...but my was i impressed!! Even with the broken front clip they still work a treat.

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

80%

Greg Riddle

Posted: 29/07/04

'GREAT PIECE OF KIT !'

Strengths:
Easy to fit. Quick and easy to quick-release. Light. Looks great. Works well, coverage down to your knees even in really muddy conditions

Weaknesses:
Slightly flimsy, but nonetheless takes the abuse no problem. Can interfere with brake cables but easy to get around.

Overall:
Great piece of kit, highly recommended !

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

87%

Luke Cameron

Posted: 15/10/04

'EASY AND DOES A GOOD JOB'

Strengths:
Easy to fit, my forks don't have a hole in the middle, so was restricted in my choice of guards to those which can also attach to the bridge of the fork (which these do).
They go on and off easily enough and keep you mud free.

Weaknesses:
A bit flimsy. They waggle around a bit.

Overall:
Good, they do what the say they do.

Performance		60%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

60%

Jeremy S

Posted: 21/11/04

'EASILY BROKEN'

Strengths:
Easy to fit and keeps the spray out of your eyes

Weaknesses:
brittle plastic which is easily broken

Overall:
Just broken my second mudguard; both have only lasted 2 rides! They are great for keeping the spray out your eyes but one knock and they snap. Just caught the latest one lifting the bike over a stile - okay it was a footpath but...........

Performance		60%
Reliability		20%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

40%

Michael Williams

Posted: 29/12/04

'LOVELY GUARD'

Strengths:
It is VERY easy to take off for the journey to/from the trail. You can ride with just the rear part of the guard on if the trail isn't too muddy, and because it's mounted in the steerer tube, it doesn't matter how crowded with cables & cable loops the down tube bottom is, you won't have any trouble fitting it. They're also SO cheap for what you get.

Weaknesses:
Mine squeaks a bit when I go over big bumps. The MX look is a bit OT, perhaps, but if you've got the matching rear guard & a bike that looks a bit good, you'll get away with it, unless you're on a towpath doing 5 mph.

Overall:
The bracket is installed in the steerer tube opening under the fork crown, and is secured in place by screwing it open, a bit like a HedDoctor. That stays in place all year round, as it's unobtrusive, and helps keep the crap out of your steerer.

The guard itself comes in 2 parts (front & back), which clip onto the mounting bracket. These are easily removed with pressure on the catch, but can get a bit sticky when you've clogged them up with mud.

I love mine, and wouldn't go back to the band-on crud style ones that chaffe & scratch your expensive tubing. I gave my old Cruds to the kid down the road.

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

Keith Giles

Posted: 27/01/05

'CHEAP AND NASTY FITTINGS SPOIL A GOOD PRODUCT'

Strengths:
Front and rear sections made from high quality plastic and stop the crud extremely well. Look good too.

Weaknesses:
First accident broke the bracket for attaching front section. Fitting second mudguard, the nut retaining plastic bit that expands into the steerer tube snapped. Have cobbled something together to hold bracket in place but am disillusioned by the badly designed fixing.

Overall:
A real shame that the poor design of the bracket so badly lets down what could be the best mudguard on the market

Performance		80%
Reliability		20%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

47%

Jon Doran

Posted: 27/01/05

'OKAY, BUT FRAGILE FITTINGS...'

Strengths:
Quicky removable, easy to fit.

Weaknesses:
Fixing bracket is a weak point, front section flaps around on rough terrain.

Overall:
The expander gizmo that you shove up the steerer tube stays in place and secure unlike the SKS one I had and it's easy to detach the front and rear sections, mud protection is good too. However... the front section flaps around like a scared rambler on rough ground and after about six weeks the plastic section of the mounting bracket snapped at the front on a night ride. Really it ought to be made of metal for trail use. Okay as a commuting guard, but don't expect a long and happy life if you use it off road.

Performance		60%
Reliability		40%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

53%

Stuart McCavera

Posted: 27/01/05

'CR*P'

Strengths:
Looks cool,easy quick release.

Weaknesses:
Mounting bracket is rediculous,so easily broken,it snapped on first ride!

Overall:
Cool looks at a good price is about all it has going for it!
The bracket snapped first ride,so I emailed Topeak,the said the would send another 4 weeks ago-still nothing!, Emailed Uk importer, they said they would send one,over a week ago,Still nothing.
I