Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to REVIEWS
review
Mudguards
Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard
Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard

Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard

8
by Stu Kerton
UPDATED Sat, Mar 26, 2016 00:00

First Published Mar 25, 2016

6
£5.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Secure fitting spray guard – in any colour you want as long as it's black
Weight: 
15g
Contact: 
www.chickencycles.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

For some, mudguards aren't cool – but neither is that mud stripe up your bibs and back. So what should you do? Chuck a few quid over the counter for Zefal's discreet clip-on Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard, that's what, and enjoy a dry derrière.

There have been a few of these on the market for a while now, and you'll even see the pros using them on the TV, but as far as I'm aware the Zefal is the best fitting.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

Being stamped out of a sheet of polypropylene, the Shield is simplicity itself, shaped to bend into and out of position in a matter of seconds.

As long as you have a standard-railed saddle (a rail either side), the Zefal will fit no problem. I've tried it on round tubed and even square section carbon with no issue. The rear two round cutouts slot neatly into position.

Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard - side.jpg

What differentiates the Shield from others like the Ass Saver or Velox is that the front section, which bends down to meet the rails, has more cutouts for location. This means it is more stable in use; maybe not by much, but enough to make a noticeable difference.

Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard - packaged.jpg

On a wet day you simply unfold it to provide coverage, and while it's not going to offer the rain-saving ability of a full mudguard, it does a good job of keeping the worst of the muck and soggy chamois syndrome at bay.

> Check out our guide to the best mudguards

So far it's been swapped between various bikes and the bend lines aren't showing any signs of weakening after being constantly folded and unfolded, so it should last a while too.

The price matches that of the Ass Saver and Velox, but obviously you can shop around for better deals. I personally think the Zefal is worth paying the full whack for anyway, so any discount is a bonus.

The only downside I can see is that it is only available in black. Otherwise, it's a great little rain shield that works really well for keeping your shorts dry and clean.

Verdict

Secure fitting spray guard – in any colour you want as long as it's black

road.cc test report

Make and model: Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard

Size tested: 100x330mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Zefal says, "Shield Lite M is a lightweight, discreet mudguard which fits perfectly to road bikes. Easy to fit, it can be stored under the saddle and quickly unfolds when needed. It won't add any weight to your bike and will also protect you from rear wheel spray."

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Material: Polypropylene

Dimensions: 330mm x 100mm x 0.7mm

Weight: 15g

Mounting: Saddle mount

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Stamped out of a sheet, there isn't much to go wrong. The notches and bends are in the right place for easy fitting to every saddle I tried.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

It's very good at what it does, keeping that mucky brown spray stripe away from your shorts and jersey.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

So far it's resisting the constant bending/unbending from under the saddle and doesn't seem to be weakening anywhere. At this price it is a disposable item.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

The same as the others on the market at 15g.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Full retail from what I can find matches that of the Ass Saver and Velox versions.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's good at keeping the majority of spray off your kit.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The secure fitting method.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not keen on the looks.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

The Zefal is about a simplistic as you can get: fold and fit. Personally I prefer its fixing method to that of the Ass Saver and Velux, which is why I'm giving it an 8.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Mason Definition

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard 2016
Zefal Shield Lite M Under Saddle Guard
Zefal 2016
Zefal
Stu Kerton

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Langsam | 8 years ago
1 like

Here is a template to make your own:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1349040/SmartAss_template.pdf

 

The material used is 0.8 mm Polypropylene and the easiest way to source it is to find one of those plastic A4 binders.

Avatar
oldmixte | 8 years ago
0 likes

Get a much better protector from the 99p/ £1 shop, well engineered and easy to fit to the rear seat
post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xz5oTW1Z2s

Avatar
3mkru73 | 8 years ago
0 likes

You can pick up something similar to this on AliExpress for 68p. More colour choice, not a dodgy copy (sellers own brand) and cheap as chips.

Avatar
velodinho | 8 years ago
0 likes

So its stops the wet stripe up your back, but the back of your legs, your feet? Soaked.

Less is more.

Avatar
part_robot | 8 years ago
0 likes

Does it protect my undercarriage when using a saddle with a cutout like the Romin?  There's nothing quite like getting a bidet every time I'm caught out in a storm on the road bike ಠ_ಠ

Avatar
Stu Kerton replied to part_robot | 8 years ago
1 like

part_robot wrote:

Does it protect my undercarriage when using a saddle with a cutout like the Romin?  There's nothing quite like getting a bidet every time I'm caught out in a storm on the road bike ಠ_ಠ

 

Yeah it should do as the guard covers the base of the saddle from back to front.

Latest Comments