Though drying out nicely now, my local trails of the Tweed Valley in Scotland have recently been in a post snow-melt state. That means chunky, sticky, cake-like mud that glues itself to your frame, weighing you down something awful. A quality, comprehensive-coverage front mud guard is an absolute must around here, so I asked the guys from Mudhugger to send their new Mudhugger EVO up for a spin in the slop. Here’s the report.
All photos by Finlay Anderson
Review: Mudhugger EVO
The Mudhugger EVO front fender is available in three versions that differ only by the way in which they are mounted; a bolt-on, velcro strap, or zip tie. Running a RockShox Lyrik fork, we got the velcro strap version in for testing. The bolt-on one would have been our preference, but Lyrik forks do not have the holes for the bolt-mounted version. Mudhugger do make a bolt-on for the ZEB fork, as well as FOX and Ohlins forks.

Without the fittings, the Mudhugger EVO weighs a claimed 120g. Not being a weight weenie myself, I couldn’t care less. When it comes to riding in the slop fest of winter, there’s only really one thing I’m concerned about when it comes to my front mud guard…
Coverage
This is where the Mudhugger EVO excels. Available in one size only, the EVO will fit 27.5″ and 29″ wheels comfortably. Though we installed it on the 27.5″ fork of a Vitus Sommet, you can see pretty clearly that the curvature of the guard is a little wider than the curvature of the front wheel. And, there is ample space underneath. Measuring at the front edge of the guard, there is 32mm clearance between the guard and the central tread of the 2.5″ Maxxis Assegai. At each side, the clearance between the tire casing and the guard is 14mm.
The Mudhugger EVO is 515mm long, extending 330mm out the back and 185mm out the front. That compares the the slightly lighter but slightly shorter RRP ProGuard that measures up at 503mm long. Mounted to a Lyrik fork with Boost spacing, the EVO measures ~86mm wide.