Ass Savers Win Wing Evaluation

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The brand new Sweden-made Ass Savers Win Wing is an ultralight clip-on mudguard that’s in contrast to any others we’ve seen. We have been somewhat skeptical concerning the design earlier than seeing one in particular person, however we put two of them to a full-blown check for this evaluation. Learn how they fared right here…

compose Logan Watts
time Nov 10, 2022
remark 33

I’m probably not a mudguard sort of a man, actually. I haven’t put in or used fenders in round 10 years and usually simply choose to get soiled, despite the fact that we stay in a really moist and muddy a part of the world. Nonetheless, when the Swedish model Ass Savers acquired in contact and requested if we have been considering collaborating on the launch of the brand new Win Wing, I tossed preconceptions and self-importance to the wind.

After looking on the product template doc, I despatched them a design, and a few months later, a giant field of them arrived at my doorstep. They appeared nice, however I nonetheless wasn’t overly enthusiastic about utilizing one. After so a few years with out fenders, why begin now? Quick ahead a number of weeks into the chilly and damp season, and my tune has modified. Learn on to see why on this full Ass Savers Win Wing evaluation, after which scroll to the underside of the put up to look at Neil’s complementary video evaluation.

Made in Sweden from primarily recycled plastic, the Ass Savers Win Wing is an ultralight clip-on mudguard that’s designed be used on any bike—with or with out fender mounts—within the chilly and moist circumstances of fall and winter. The Win Wing comes as a two-part system: a molded plastic “Wishbone” that attaches to the seat stays utilizing pre-installed rubber straps and a polypropylene fender that attaches to it. The small staff at Ass Savers believes the added consolation supplied in a negligible 70-gram package deal is a win-win product, therefore the identify.

Ass Savers Win Wing Building

In particular person, the Win Wing’s patent-pending Wishbone is sort of spectacular. It’s very well-engineered and appears equally well-made. It consists of three items: a fiberglass-reinforced polyamid Nylon arch and two TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) straps. The straps every have a T-shaped base that matches throughout the molded foot a part of the Wishbone. These present a pleasant grippy and non-abrasive connection to the seat stays. The straps wrap across the seat stays, thread by means of a slot on the inside of every wishbone leg, after which hook up with a molded tooth on the skin. There’s additionally a further slot on the drive-side leg for an “anti-theft” zip tie.

Set up

The fender blade is constituted of 80% recycled polypropylene and has 5 holes which are used to attach it to the Wishbone. There are three within the front-center of the blade which are used to insert the peg on the prime of the arc. Every of those choices adjustments the angle of the wing and permits bikes of various sizes to attain the proper angle. Ass Savers recommends a horizontal to “tail-up” place to maximise efficiency. I mounted it utilizing the center gap, which tilted the blade barely upward on a measurement giant drop-bar 29er. There are two extra holes that match with the 2 outer Wishbone pegs—one on every “wing.” As soon as they’re all hooked up, it’s remarkably stable, given its scant 71 gram weight.

The Ass Savers Win Wing installs shortly and securely. The straps are small and light-weight however have the sturdy really feel of a small Voilé strap. As soon as all assembled, it’s additionally simple to take away from the bike and set up on one other. It’s value including that every strap has seven holes and is lengthy sufficient to accommodate skinny metal stays or thicker carbon and aluminum designs. They labored with 9 of the ten bikes at the moment in my store. The one which it didn’t match is the Ibis Ripley AF, which has very chunky aluminum stays. However, in my view, the Win Wing is best suited to gravel bikes and ATBs slightly than greater mountain bikes.

Win Wing Tire Clearance

Ass Savers provides two variations of the Win Wing: one for highway bikes with tires as much as 38mm and one for bigger grime and gravel tires as much as 60mm (2.35″). The one which’s examined right here is the gravel model for bigger tires. I attempted it on two bikes, my Tumbleweed Stargazer with 29 x 2.35” tires and one other check bike with 2.4s—the grey one proven in lots of of those photographs. Neil additionally examined his with 27.5 x 2.6″ tires, as you’ll be taught within the video on the backside of the put up.

As you’ll be able to see within the photographs above, there’s 6-7mm of area when mounted with 2.35/2.4” tires. I believe it could be higher with tires smaller than 2.25” extensive, but it surely labored superb with these. I by no means had any points with tire rub or chunks of gravel inflicting any hurt to the Wishbone or fender blade, which was definitely certainly one of my considerations. We’ve all had a bit of gravel get wedged within the tire’s facet knobs, solely to knock into the chainstays upon rotation. Nonetheless, with the rotational route and the truth that the straps act as versatile suspension for the Wishbone, I don’t see it being a problem, and I haven’t had any issues with it after a number of very tough grime highway and gravel rides.

Out within the Tough Stuff

My “gravel rides” often aren’t solely on graded gravel. There’s routinely at the least one little bit of chunky doubletrack or a stretch of singletrack thrown in to maintain issues fascinating—stuff that’s not fender-friendly. That’s one of many causes I’ve strayed away from them previously. There are just too many elements that may come free, rattle, or break when driving on the tough stuff. Ass Savers’ advertising and marketing declaration that the Win Wing “is steady, can deal with knocks and hits, and is rattle-free” lured me in. Fortuitously, all these claims have held water, to this point. I’ve taken it out on a number of chunky rides and located it to be way more steady than I anticipated. It’s usually simply there doing its job with no noticeable noise or motion, apart from the blade flexing somewhat on the roughest bits. And it’s but to hit the tire or be knocked out of whack.

The Win Wing is positioned above the rear quarter of the tire. In line with Ass Savers, this shields water and dust on the “tangential level of launch.” Basically, the physics behind it dictates that with the elevated ahead momentum and quicker wheel rotation, spray travels in a straight line from the purpose of launch, which occurs to be within the higher rear quarter of the tire. That is why your ass will get coated with mud when pedaling by means of the muck. Of us round right here who trip in winter know this look all too properly.

I took it out on a fairly moist day earlier this week after we acquired over half an inch of rain. Clawhammer Highway was fairly soggy, and coming down it at velocity could be a superb proving floor. As the corporate’s identify suggests, the Win Wing usually saved water and dust from spraying up on my again, hip pack, and rear finish. It’s fairly good to not really feel that chilly and moist flogging each time you cost a giant puddle. That stated, in contrast to full fenders, there’s not a lot safety in your decrease legs. My calves and decrease thighs acquired their fair proportion of muck.

I later realized I’d positioned the Win Wing somewhat excessive. Ass Savers recommends that you just “goal for 5-10 mm tire clearance” for the Tangential Protection to work correctly. That’s very near the tire. As you’ll be able to see in a number of of those photographs, the bike I used to be testing it on occurs to have mounts at simply the fallacious place on the seat stays. This prevented the Win Wing from being repositioned into the right spot. I attempted it on a special bike the subsequent day, and shifting it somewhat decrease appeared reduce ahead spray, though circumstances weren’t almost as moist. Both manner, the ass-saving operate of the Win Wing makes it properly value it.

Mannequin/Dimension Examined: Ass Savers Win Wing Gravel
Precise Weight: 71 grams
Place of Manufacture: Sweden
Value: $25/25€
Producer’s Particulars: AssSavers.com

Professionals

Light-weight, progressive design that works with large tires as much as 2.35” extensive
Cheap and easy product that appears sturdy and properly made
Made in Sweden with recycled supplies
Ass Savers provide elements obtainable individually for repairs if wanted

Cons

There’s not a bigger model for two.4-2.6” tires
Not a substitute for full fenders
Aesthetics received’t be for everybody

Wrap Up

Not by coincidence, the Ass Savers Win Wing was launched simply because the chilly and moist circumstances of fall and winter set in. Good timing, proper? Sensible, as a result of it was one thing I didn’t assume I wanted till I really did. And that sort of sums up the Win Wing. It’s an answer that slaps you within the face, in a way os talking. It’s so easy that it makes you surprise why it didn’t exist already. And, on the similar time, its intelligent and minimal design leads you admire the thought course of and engineering that went into it.

Whereas it won’t be the perfect, full-coverage fender answer for each day die-hard commuters, in case you plan on pedaling your gravel bike or ATB in moist and muddy circumstances, the Win Wing is a no brainer. It has a negligible weight, it’s cheap, it’s made utilizing principally recycled supplies with replaceable elements, it’s sturdy, and it does what it’s alleged to do.

P.S. Members, maintain your eye in your electronic mail inbox over the subsequent week or so. We’ll be promoting a restricted variety of these Win Wings with the BIKEPACKING.com/PEDAL FURTHER design you see right here, and also you’ll get 20% off. When you’re not but a member, try the new merch teaser right here.