The Kurvyflats Mudguard is a New Twist on the Basic Flat Fender

Oct 7, 2019 at 23:05
by jackson ko  
kf on a rocky mountain altitude
Kurvyflats on a Rocky Mountain Altitude

Press Release: Kurvyflats

Love them, hate them…. mudguards have been used on bicycles for many decades. Before 2012, they come as a permanently preformed fender, long and always following the shape of its tire arc… after all, you are trying to shield a tire. The majority of mountain bikers today would not want to use these said preformed mudguards because they simply don’t match the handsome stance of a modern mountain bike. Effective but an eye sore to look when installed. It’s like a side window deflector on a Ferrari.

A good number of ardent mountain bikers would ride on wet days without mudguards and are very much aware they’ll be sullied, which they would rather have than using one of these preformed bike fenders that most of us learn to hate for aesthetic reasons. One would rather choose to be dirty than look funny. Then in 2012, the attitude of a lot of mountain bikers changed when the market introduced a simple pre-cut, flexible and flat plastic sheet type of guard. They sure do give a nice and simplistic appearance and lots of riders started using them, including myself. It is now so ubiquitous, that it is not uncommon to see up to half of riders you’ll encounter on the trails having this mudguard.


kf on a santa cruz bronson
Kurvyflats on a Santa Cruz Bronson

The mountain biking world sort of embraced this product mainly for its minimalist and aesthetically pleasing looks. But does its non-intrusive looks really doing a good of a job it was meant for? I hate to be negative especially on a great product design, plus I was generally happy with the one I got. In an open and unbiased assessment, it is only able to shield your stanchion, fork seal, maybe headset and probably nothing more. As for one’s face protection from mud.... individual mileage may vary but chances are, you’ll still regularly get them. The inherent attributes of flat sheet class of mudguard, is that they are short. The first bend during installation that creates the half-pipe shape will always gonna end up with a straight fender. Stretching it longer will just hit the down tube and is not nearly close enough to match a good fraction of the effective shielding of a conventional preformed Mudguard.

Living and riding in the lower mainland (Greater Vancouver Canada) since the early 90’s, surely did include countless rides on muddy days. Often will finish a soggy ride with mud starting from significant few dots on my face and gets really worse quick as you go down towards the foot. And this unfortunately persisted even after I had the cool looking flat sheet mudguard. It was one of the truly awful soggy night riding, back in the Fall of 2014 that for some reason, I had my attention on my mudguard longer than usual and began to ponder…. sort of tripping without the high. If it is made longer to be more effective, it must bend a 2nd time but how? That must have planted the seed subconsciously to find ways, which did finally come over 3 years later!

The idea is a simple pair of slits and some shape adjustments plus an extra inexpensive 4” zap strap and voila, you got yourself a curved flat sheet mudguard that can be made significantly longer, hence more effective.
The would-be Patented Idea
The would-be patented idea

After a patchy wet ride at Whistler bike park
After a patchy wet ride at whistler bike park
On a wet trail with little drizzle or no rain and a few patchy 1 to 2-foot wide paddles, you will find your upper half jacket, up to your face be mud free. Even on a heavier rainy rides with trails having longer stretches of thinly water layered earth, it will be very rare to have mud on your face. If you got a few on your face, it’s probably from the rider in front of you.

Kurvyflats Mudguard:
• 1.3 mm thick engineered plastic balancing weight, flexibility & strength
• They are stiffened to resist flapping on drops and very rough trails
• Each side mounting arm has 2 pairs of strapping holes, that offer 3 angle positions for more leverage in adjusting fender tip proximity to tire
• A tiny pair of holes are added to aid in folding and relieving stress
• 6 colors available – red, white, blue, green, orange & gray
• MSRP: CDN$ 30, includes six 8” & two 4” zip ties
• Canadian Shipping cost the same for qty 1 to 8; USA Shipping cost same for qty 1 to 5
• Contact: http://www.kurvyflats.ca

This is the new revolutionary mudguard known as kurvyflats. Simple, brilliant, works! Inspired by riding in the trails of North Shore, Delta Water Shed and a little bit of SFU. All happened in Vancouver! So, Keep Riding... Feel the air not the mud!

kf on a commencal ht am
Kurvyflats on a Commencal Meta HT AM


Author Info:
jackdbiker avatar

Member since Sep 1, 2011
3 articles

161 Comments
  • 271 11
 Those are fucking hideous.
  • 7 0
 @jackdbiker: Indy C's though. Awesome
  • 8 0
 @IllestT: My first suspension fork. What a waste of paper route money.
  • 9 7
 Read your comment and now my keyboard is covered in coffee. Spit it right out of my mouth laughing.
  • 4 3
 @michaeldorian: hope your keyboard is alright. that's why i have a thin rubber cover on my keyboard :-)
  • 2 0
 Nice. It's April.
  • 9 0
 @jackdbiker: you have a keyboard condom specifically for reading pinkbike comments?
  • 2 0
 Another nominee for the ugliest bike part a(k)ward.
  • 4 0
 Ah PB why do you troll us so.
  • 1 0
 the mullet fender
  • 4 0
 @jackdbiker: Is that the real reason you have a thin rubber cover on your keyboard ?
  • 1 2
 @Mngnt: keyboard needs the "condom" you mentioned but i don't need one for the comments. i am a big boy that can take a lot of blows like what's here. :-)
  • 1 1
 @watchtower: haha....no, got a certified data kb brand that just happen to include one.
  • 73 1
 If you ride an Ellsworth you should consider buying one of these things. Nobody will ever notice the ugliness of your bike
  • 20 11
 OR A MARIN
  • 5 0
 @Lumlumz: Not sure if its going to fit on my Marin. The trust fork might not fit it.
  • 69 3
 It kinda looks like those people who have a 2 step nose where it changes angle after the bone
  • 43 0
 fck you Smile I have nose like that LOL Smile Don't like any kind fender at all.
  • 6 1
 @oswaldini: No offence to anyone with a nose like that???? I just think this gender took inspiration from it hahah
  • 5 0
 @philmtb99: chill, I'm not offended, just kidding Smile You're right.
  • 4 20
flag jackdbiker (Oct 8, 2019 at 13:42) (Below Threshold)
 thank God i don't have that kind of nose. lol
  • 10 0
 @jackdbiker: Probably better to thank your parents
  • 18 0
 @neimbc: depends what state you live in.
  • 1 0
 I have this and I wish I patented the nose design
  • 51 2
 I think i'd rather still get shit in my eyes..
  • 40 1
 that's a clear win for mudhugger....
  • 7 0
 The front mudhugger can be had in Canada for $35CDN shipped. This fender will cost you over $40CDN with shipping. Something to think about for the maker of this product.
  • 6 7
 @shoreboy1866: great feedback shoreboy. kurvyflats are made in canada and should be able to cut cost down eventually in time. target is to sell them in local bike stores. online is full of $7 flat mudguard and not a good place to sell these. northshore bikeshop at lonsdale ave north Vancouver & rocky cycle in king george hwy in surrey will be carrying them.
  • 3 1
 @shoreboy1866: really is $5 going to change your mind? just pick whatever one you like better. won't lie though id pay an extra 5$ just to support a Canadian company rather than send my money to another country.
  • 5 0
 @nismo325: Yes. $5 and the mudhugger is a proven product in my hands. I am not trying to nitpick the price, more just trying to emphasize how tough it is to get a new product into the market.
  • 2 0
 @jackdbiker: I applaud the idea and taking the chance. Its a tough market to get into with so many options out there.
  • 3 2
 @shoreboy1866: thanks. life is never easy. almost everything has to be earned. BTW, all people that had kurvy loves or are OK with it, especially when they immediately notice the lesser mud on their body after a wet ride..
  • 1 1
 @jackdbiker: When is rocky starting to carry them? might go get one this weekend if they're open

I currently have a stubby one on the back of my bike and think this would do better in its place
  • 2 0
 @matt-15: Rocky has them in stock
  • 1 1
 @fasian: yeah I got one 2 weeks ago, check out my profile to see it. I should have a picture of my Trance as my featured image, although I think I got a few close-ups in one of my photo albums
  • 41 2
 lol
  • 34 0
 I have recently been presented with a business opportunity with a nigerian prince who is very interested in this product. He will be contacting you soon regarding investment.
  • 23 0
 och kurwa!
  • 15 0
 'don’t match the handsome stance of a modern mountain bike. Effective but an eye sore'

Think you summed it up yourselves Kurvy
  • 22 0
 Nothing finishes the look of a modern bike's smooth & flowing lines like cheap, crinkled plastic shaped into a bird's beak.
  • 2 12
flag jackdbiker (Oct 8, 2019 at 14:22) (Below Threshold)
 hmm....you think the kurvy on a red rocky mountain an eye sore?
  • 15 0
 it's like reinventing the wheel with a pair of scissors, a spatula and some cable ties....... . .. . ...
  • 16 0
 Not sure how the snide comments work for sales, jackdbiker.
  • 2 4
 agree...better shot my mouth.
  • 2 0
 Yeah , killing it
  • 12 0
 My eyes
  • 11 0
 the typos in this article are amazing
  • 1 21
flag jackdbiker (Oct 8, 2019 at 14:25) (Below Threshold)
 you must be a teacher? :-)
  • 11 0
 really kurvyflats ? Big Grin
  • 2 3
 really :-)
  • 10 0
 If these came free inside a breakfast cereal box....I would go hungry
  • 8 0
 That moment, halfway through the article, when you realize PB is throwing kurvyflats to the wolves that are the comments....
  • 2 2
 worked as a salesman & had developed thick face. ugly comments don't bother me much. just laugh it off & call it a day.
  • 5 0
 FYI, the entire Kurvy Flats website and checkout process is insecure. Inputting personal details or credit card information is inadvisable.

@jackdbiker any plans to implement a secure checkout process? You're putting your customers at a pretty significant risk here.
  • 1 2
 I have already instructed my web designer to install SSL. I already bought a year's subscription thru godaddy. I will follow-up again with my web designer. This is a paramount requirement. Sorry for the inconveniences.
  • 1 1
 SSL is activated yesterday but was told it may need up to 72 hours to be fully functional.
  • 9 0
 That fender has a bad case of Peyronie's disease.
  • 2 4
 lol. you are a doctor?
  • 9 0
 Milk jug cutout is cheaper and looks better
  • 2 6
flag jackdbiker (Oct 8, 2019 at 14:29) (Below Threshold)
 can you make one & show us pic
  • 6 0
 I love homegrown products, but I can't imagine why anyone would pay basically the same as what a nice molded Mudhugger costs.
  • 1 1
 mud hugger is a great product & i am not sure which shields better, but will say this though, i tried testing kurvyflats installed like a mud hugger (tip proximity almost touching tire) and find mud shielding is noticeably less than when it is up by 5 to 6 cm. mud hugger may have longer length to compensate but not totally sure. i never tested mud hugger to compare.
  • 3 0
 Especially when you can Google "Marsh Guard template" then make your own from a flexible chopping board!
  • 1 1
 @Mfro: unfortunately for copy cats & lucky for me, kurvyflats will be so flimsy on a plastic chopping board. you'll be slapping the tire every small roots/rocks not to mention drops.
  • 1 0
 @jackdbiker: when our summer is over (March / April ish), I'll start dissecting the ones I have and see how I go. Mind you Sydney Winters last around 5 mins so probably a pointless venture!
  • 1 0
 @Mfro: just don't forget the tiny holes at the end of the slits
  • 1 0
 just because of the "engineered plastic" they mention on the article...
  • 1 1
 @Fulgacian: tried numerous thickness plastic sheet & we found 1.3 mm to be the optimum for the length of the mudguard overhang loads. Flat mudguard looks simple & easy to just cut any sheet but maybe on traditional short flat fender and NOT on kurvyflats. Even a small deviation on plastic formula will cause whitening on high stress(heavy folded area) & not to mention the resistance needed when further folding the entire mudguard to mimic an accidental crash.
  • 1 0
 @jackdbiker: Yeah - that's a rookie error not using them! I use a 2-3mm drill piece then a V sharp box cutter to remove a sliver of plastic.
  • 8 0
 U G L Y you ain't got no alibi......
  • 3 3
 beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder
  • 6 0
 But can I copy this design onto a cheap plastic folder and make my own like I did with the marsh-guard?
  • 4 0
 sure, post pic of your version when you have it made :-)
  • 6 0
 So, walk me through it again....how do I fit this to a lefty?
  • 5 8
 need to sell your lefty & buy a conventional forked bike to use these
  • 2 0
 Mudhugger make a Lefty specific model!
  • 1 0
 @brooms: mudhugger is molded while a kurvyflats is made from flat sheet. Just the nature of the make, made mudhugger advantageous for lefty. We have 1 lefty rider in our group and he can't have a kurvyflats for this reason. At least for kurvyflats, you can adjust the tire clearance to suit. Mudguard actually shields better when tip is separated more from tire.
  • 2 0
 So I’m relatively new to pinkbike — do they allow anyone to create articles? This one has never seen a copy editor that speaks English, and it’s clearly not an actual review or product test. How does something like this get posted?
  • 4 0
 www.pinkbike.com/news/pinkbike-content-submission-guide.html#pressreleases

this is a great feature by pb allowing press releases. this is NOT a product test nor a review but a product introduction by manufacturer.
there were some words & phrases been slightly revised but minimal. so yes, it has been edited by pb. i have to go thru this channel to get a free exposure but also ready to get hammered. comfy inside my flame jacket now.
  • 3 1
 @jackdbiker seems to me that in being so defensive (replying personally to all the negative feedback on here) of this product you probably know, deep down inside, that this product sucks and is going to bomb. Maybe you’re in denial? Or just have such bad taste that you can’t see that very few people will want to make their expensive mtb look ugly by strapping this piece of garbage to it for such marginal gains..especially when there are better products ie the mudhugger already on the market (better because they look miles better while having a performance that anyone with any common sense will assume to be similar just from looking at them) I would say cut your losses and try to sell what stock you have (good luck), but don’t waste any time or money on any marketing or producing any more...Seriously, not trolling, they really do suck..if basically everyone on pinkbike says so that’s pretty much your target market right there
  • 1 4
 everyone is entitled to their own opinion and with it their taste. as mentioned, all people who tied & used these kurvyflats loves them & are OK with it. The REASON i am responding is to keep the thread going - as long as I can. Good or bad responses is good for advertisement/disseminating coz the microphone is still "up". Free method....
  • 6 0
 All I can think about is the damn witch from Snow White
  • 1 0
 saw this product when I have the idea finalized & thought it was so tantalizing close to kurvyflats. it is an improvement to the original shorter version however not long enough IMO.
  • 3 0
 The fact that this was inspired on burnaby mountain trails, I'm all in on a little twist on innovation. I love the fact that people keep on creating.
  • 1 0
 Blackburn has been doing something like this for years! Their fender folds near the top and you join two points to the fork using only one zip-tie. Still not the best fender but WWAAYY better then this thing.....https://www.blackburndesign.com/p/barrier-mountain-bike-mud-guard
  • 4 0
 Will this stop water being funneled directly in to my shoes every time I ride through a puddle??
  • 2 1
 no guarantee but it will be MUCH less if any
  • 1 0
 @jackdbiker: Awesome. Will they be available to buy in the UK?
  • 1 0
 @JonnyTheWeasel: no bike shop or distributor yet in UK but you can buy online if you can't wait. Better to invite others to pool as i don't markup freight & they cost the same up to 5 pieces if North America but not sure if UK. BTW, my SSL on my website just got activated yesterday & may need up to 72 hours to be fully functional. Can message me if you decide & i can check freight cost. Perfect timing for the coming winter riding!
  • 1 0
 Not a chance! There is no front mudguard that reduces this at all, the water that fires onto your shoes is from the very bottom of the tyre whee it contacts the ground, unless you have a mudguard that practically scrapes the floor you cannot stop it spraying your foot.
  • 1 0
 @brooms: you are right here and don't disagree with you. i had observed (and video it as well) the water/mud pattern spray coming off the front wheel. When just riding a straight line, a good portion of them are shooting straight up. when this happens, a longer mudguard will catch most of the mud & drops them down. If your mudguard is short, obviously these high percentage of mud will spray onto your down tube and distributes them to your legs and also down your shoes. However, there are also a significant portion of mud will spray at lower angle & definitely hit your shoes that no front mudguard can stop which i think is what you are saying.
  • 4 0
 Works better than the competition but runs afoul of the PB style police? Obvious fail.
  • 3 4
 not sure how many potential customer will be turned off by this relatively negative threads/blog feed backs. not sure percentage of trolls and genuine feedback here. but riders that has kurvyflats loves them or are OK with them. I got the opposite feedback from people who actually have used them. go figure.
  • 4 0
 So how long is it? Mudhugger front race is 450mm and looks a lot less janky than this.
  • 1 1
 kurvyflats has 354 mm overall length as measured flat. a better comparison maybe is the length from the middle of arch holes to back tip which is 297 mm. mudhugger has much longer front portion and probably better for minimizing forward or front trajectory mud spraying that naturally comes off. These tend to "spray back" on rider as he/she moves forward but does not normally goes higher than handle bars. Other flat mudguards has an additional front piece with a front fold that has to be installed on top of the main mudguard. that i thought was more janky feature & i did not bother with it.
  • 3 1
 Fuck you all, I kinda like it. Looks better than a Mudhugger in my opinion, and is clearly more effective than a MuckyNutz etc. It's a mudguard anyway, it's not like I'm fitting it for the aesthetic or the cool points...
  • 2 1
 finally someone with good taste and a lot of horse sense! thanks for your support.
  • 4 0
 Kurvyflats sounds like a piece of gimmicky fitness equipment for 40 year old overweight moms
  • 2 1
 that one hell of a description :-) "sounds like it...." not sure about that but the fact is, it does protect rider's face a lot.
  • 1 0
 A downtube mudguard works wonder (gut fender for instance, light and not really big). In fact it's more usefull than a marshguard. But both together are even better. The marshguard blocks the mud you'd throw up & forward and roll into, the down tube fender blocks a lot of what the wheel throws backward. For the front wheel a mudhugger or zefal's equivalent are great, gut fender for the downtube. My ridding buddies were joking once that I was not riding on the same trail as them, as I was not splatered with mud contrary to them.
  • 1 0
 i had bought a down tube guard too after finding the limits of the original flat mudguard. The rubber straps broke early though & gave up. Yah down tube guard helps but if you count all the money you'll be spending, why not just buy a mudguard that will shield most mud coming towards your face & upper body. bike will always going to get mud no matter what, plus down tube guard doesn't look nice.
  • 1 0
 This is actually kind of perfect. I run a short mudguard on my fat bike fork and a down tube fender. Replicating this should allow me to bridge the gap between the two. Nothing is uglier than a down tube fender so I’m all for this.
  • 1 0
 I've got a feeling that Rideguard have already nailed the adjustable curve design with their BFG XL, plus you've got some graphic options to give the business end some pop. Just saying......
  • 3 0
 Add ugliness to your bike to stop your downtube getting dirty... i'm not sold.
  • 1 0
 I should have patended this some years back when I did it with shoes' rivets. Or at least take a picture. I will patend the way I dit it and be a billionnaire soon, as it was less ugly than that.
  • 4 0
 Αlternative product name: The Concorde.
P.S: That Meta ht looks tasty
  • 2 2
 the nose eh....but hope it will not suffer the same fate as the Concorde.
  • 3 0
 I was hoping someone had invented a rear fender that actually works for most full suspension bikes - dammit!
  • 1 0
 hope our in-house concept for rear fender (kurvyback) will be that.
  • 2 0
 30 Canadian for a piece of stamped plastic and a couple of zip ties?
Brave new world, that!
Looks like crap, too. What more can a rider want?
  • 1 0
 The Suntour 34mm XCR i got as a replacemnt for a coil fork came with a fender. Formed to fit the arch and attaches with 4 little screws. On my Yari, I used a scissors, 1.75L whiskey bottle and some zip ties.
  • 3 0
 just google "mudhugger". same idea, similar price, but they look great.
  • 1 0
 I dyde shyte thre grete toordes ... and one was curvy flat. Apparently they don't work worth a dang either. Look at that Santa Cruz. SMH
  • 1 0
 i beg to disagree. all people who actually used them says it work very well. there's over a dozen of them & not a single one said it didn't work as well.
  • 1 0
 Do everyone know a better mudguard than the Mudhugger FRX or Shorty? I've both and they are awesome in performance and in weight also.
  • 1 0
 not sure if better but kurvyflats IMO is in the same league in terms of degree of shielding. Again, mudhugger are preformed & kurvy are flat.
  • 1 0
 @jackdbiker: ah so you're the founder of this thing. Props to you. But I'm still not dig in the aesthetics of the kurvy. But that's my opinion. I'm really appreciate people who try to make new things, But 'fraid of the kurvy'll go through the filters what the customers'll put on its way.
  • 3 0
 on a positive note, that meta am ht looks tidy af
  • 1 0
 in retrospec, i should have used that pic as the 2nd photo instead of the santa cruz that made the "2 step nose" shape more pronounced. i was debating if i put that or the rocky as the front pic.
  • 3 0
 Mudhugger laughing all the way to the bank.
  • 2 0
 ......$22.52 USD?? I paid less than $10 for my current mudguard.
  • 1 4
 does it shield enough though?
  • 1 0
 @jrich2095: how long is your $10 guard?
  • 3 0
 Big nope
  • 2 0
 Now do one for the back of that bike
  • 1 0
 part of the company's future road map. a double bend & possible crease
  • 1 0
 @jackdbiker: for the back of the Bronson,cause that bike and mud,clay,rocks with clay are a f*cking nightmare to that bike ,the olders Santa’s who’re well tough in that department,not anymore,to bad ,good luck
  • 1 0
 @oneheckler: totally agree. m lucky that issue hasn't manifested on my VPP joints yet. touch wood.
  • 2 0
 Wait a min something's wrong here, 'N isn't the price...
  • 2 0
 As a polish guy I kurwa approve this kurwa fender!
  • 1 0
 There is no excuse for mtn bikes @ 6-7k a wack not to be coming stock with GD F*#cking fenders.... #mountain bikes suck
  • 4 1
 Yeah No thanks!
  • 2 0
 Put on your shorts and a fender? Welcome to the PNW.
  • 1 0
 I thought riding in the wet was bad for the trail, soil, nature and all. Or so Greta told me.
  • 1 1
 I try to not ride if it is really coming down as trail is so soft & get really destroyed. I will says this though.... a more effective mudguard will however drop most soil back to earth and send a MUCH smaller amount on your body for you to bring home. A good mudguard is environmentally friendly too in that respect!
  • 2 0
 @jackdbiker: but kicking up that much dirt can rut out trails to sh*t conditions. Chill on trying to defend every criticism and let your product speak for itself I think it looks decent.
  • 1 0
 Made the same thing in my garage with a file holder bought for 1$ before marshguards :p
  • 1 0
 Shouldn't the captions say what Fork they are on, not what frame?
  • 1 2
 i thought bike's brand & model works better....matching is influenced more by the bike's geo as opposed to fork
  • 2 0
 Nosejob gone wrong...
  • 1 0
 £2 knock offs on wish.com next week
  • 1 0
 Dentist should wear this briliant idea.
  • 1 0
 Tire fire or bust
  • 1 0
 Muckynutz FTW
  • 1 0
 i must confess, muckynutz brand inspires the name kurvyflats
  • 1 0
 April 1st already ???
  • 1 0
 The Gonzofender
  • 1 0
 Lol
  • 1 0
 I would rather be muddy
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