Plume - an new breed of recoiling mudguard

A new design promises to give the humble mudguard a sturdy, flexible and fashion-concious makeover.

Mudguards are an absolute necessity for cycling in wet or muddy conditions - unless your intention is to get a nice muddy streak up your back and a soggy rear for your trouble.

Your run of the mill mudguard isn't the most handsome thing in the world, however, generally being a pure utility feature of a bicycle. If it ain't broke don't fix it, you may think. Well, cheap plastic mudguards often are the most easy parts of a bike to steal or break - whether accidentally or through mindless vandalism.

That could all change with Plume, a new design for a streamlined, roll-up mudguard, straight from trendy Brooklyn, New York. With a stainless steel spine which attaches around a bicycle's seat post, making it harder than a traditional mudguard to steal or break off, the fender itself is based on a flexible polymer that recoils up into a tight coil behind the seat when not in use.

The product is another that has come to market thanks to to crowd-funding website Kickstarter, and the creators have arranged manufacturing in Britain, meaning that European orders will be shipped from London.

Are your bike accessories covered?

Not all insurers are terribly understanding about bike accessories cover. Under our cycle insurance policy, you can include the value of any fixed accessories such as mudguards, saddles, fixed lights and even cycle GPS systems or computers (provided they are not on a quick-release mechanism), in your insured value.

If your bike is stolen we pay out on a new-for-old basis and if it’s damaged accidentally or vandalised we’ll pay for it to be repaired. If you’re unlucky enough to cause damage to a person or property while out cycling we provide to £5m third party cover and we have legal team ready and waiting to fight your corner in court when you have a right to compensation following a collision. For a full list of what’s included in your bicycle insurance.

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