You may remember earlier this year I travelled north to take part in Trash Free Trails’ Spring Trail Clean Tour. On this weekend of activism and education, I met Ben Gaby, CEO of RideGuard. I’d never really given much thought to where mud guards came from; their cheap, serve a purpose and have become a popular giveaway for brands and media outlets in the cycle industry…. well, it turns out RideGuard produce the vast majority of these. Fast forward 6 months and the brand who create their products from post industrial waste, sourced near their South West of England HQ, have taken their efforts to help the planet one step further.
One significant leap.
Creating mud guards from plastic pollution, specifically recycled fishing nets.
The British brand commits to producing its latest range of mudguards from 100% recycled fishing nets.
With the current environmental crisis, the need for manufacturers to take responsibility for their products lifecycle is more important than ever. RideGuard has committed to produce its latest range of mudguards from 100% recycled fishing nets to help protect our oceans.
The OceanX range of guards is being launched exclusively on Kickstarter from today. To bring this exciting project to market, the family-run business has teamed up with Bristol based Ecotribo – specialists in sustainable materials, ecodesign and manufacture. The businesses have been investigating the most sustainable materials, manufacturing, and supply chain processes to deliver the OceanX project.
Rideguard CEO Ben Gaby said: “By investing time into product innovation and material exploration we are proud to have been part of the process in developing the OceanX material which we’re using for our new range of mudguards.” Ecotribo director Tyrone Probert said: ‘This is more than a range of mudguards, it’s about how the cycling industry can be the change we need to see. A commitment to do things differently, making sure that even the smallest things we make create ripples and positive outcomes for people and planet.”
Established in 2016, RideGuard already manufacture their products from 100% post industrial plastic waste. The mudguard specialists continue to push disruptive innovation to inspire change. The OceanX range includes two new designs, the ‘Vision’ Gravel bike front guard and ‘Gaiter’ Gravel rear saddle guard. The best selling PF1 front mountain bike mudguards and rear MTB PF2 saddle mudguards complete the OceanX range.
Fishing related pollution is a major threat to marine life through entanglement, and damages habitats, such as coral reefs. ‘Ghost Fishing Gear’ is estimated to make up 10% of all ocean pollution at around 640,000 tonnes. Left in the ocean it will not degrade and will continue to trap and kill marine life and damage marine habitats indefinitely. By working with coastal communities, and NGOs on the collection and processing of end of life fishing nets RideGuard are giving commercial value to this precious resource and preventing it from being discarded in our oceans in the first place.
RideGuard CEO Gaby is a Regional Rep for marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage and Co-Director at the cycling organisation Trash Free Trails. RideGuard hopes to be at the forefront of positive change in the cycling industry.
To back the RideGuard project and purchase an OceanX guard visit:
James Mackeddie 