Mountain biking is a clash between expensive, high-performance equipment and Mother Nature's harshest terrain and conditions.

That’s why accessories that protect vital components on the bike are crucial to maintain proper function and performance. Chief among these accessories are mudguards and fenders, which currently exist in one of two forms:

1. Flat, thin polypropylene fenders with cutout slots that are bent into shape and attached to the fork arch using zip or velcro ties.

2. Thicker, injection molded polypropylene mudguards that have specific mount points aligned to screw bosses found on many manufacturers' forks. These require a tool to unbolt the mudguard if/when it becomes damaged.

Thin polypropylene mudguards are convenient to attach, but extremely inconvenient to detach, especially when zip-tied. They’re also highly susceptible to simply being ripped apart by a sharp rock trapped in the spinning tire.

Sturdier bolt-on mudguards that attach to the fork arch with hardware offer a more robust construction, but are equally susceptible to damage, in which case the entire mudguard must be removed and discarded, even though typically only one small part of it may be compromised.

hundreds of prototypes tested and refined during development

The BOQS mudguard features the best properties of all mudgaurds without any of their drawbacks.

It comprises a two-part mudguard system where a separate, flexible TPU fender snap-fits onto a stiffer bolt-on mount. This mount stays put once installed onto the mounting bosses found on most modern suspension fork arches.

The two-component design of BOQS has distinct advantages over existing mudguards:

1. It allows tool-less removal of the fender from the fork, which allows for easy cleaning or replacement if damaged.

2. The mount and fender can be manufactured from separate materials whose characteristics are optimal for each component: the fender is strong yet flexible, easy to clean, and even customizable, while the mount is stiffer and optimized to resist damage while retaining the fender.

This two-part design all but eliminates the risk of damage to the mudguard, yet if either part were to suffer failure, it can be independently replaced at a lower cost than an entire mudguard.

If and when a BOQS mudguard ends up caked with dirt after a ride, the fender is detached by hand, wiped or rinsed clean, and reattached - all in a matter of seconds, without using a single tool.

Furthermore, because the mudguard consists of two components, it can be packaged and shipped more efficiently, taking up less volume than one-piece bolt-on mudguards. The separate components also offer a whole new realm of possibilities with color-customization, finishes, and opacities among a sea of boring, black mudguards.

Expanding the BOQS Ecosystem

The BOQS-R is a rear-specific mount that attaches universally to the rear seat stays of most mountain bikes (hardtails or full suspension), and uses the same snap-fit system to retain any of the available front fenders in the BOQS lineup.

Both components of the BOQS mudguard are designed to be either injection-molded or additively manufactured, and are currently available for sale on the CavaNero website, along with other mountain bike and motorcycle products: