Newbie Question Mudguards

stewartdiver

This might sound really stupid, but.....

Do you fit mudguards to a road bike if it is raining and you are doing a time trial?

I know it is good practice when it is wet and riding in a group, but as I only joined a club on Tuesday and am doing my 1st time trial next Tuesday I have no experience of the correct protoccols?

Regards

Stewart

Anonymous

It's up to you!

Would you prefer a dry bum or go a bit faster...

I wouldn't use them personally and have not seen anyone else use them...

terongi

Since the etiquette of riding mudguards on a clubrun is based on not splashing your clubmates in the face, it will not apply in a race where the riders go off at intervals and are not allowed to draft.

So, it's not an etiquette question, it's a question of comfort vs speed as NapoleonD says.

You don't say the length of the time trial. If it's 10 or 25 miles then I would have thought you could probably manage to suffer a wet bum for about an hour or less.

May be different if it's 100 miles or 12-24 hours.

celbianchi

No don't fit them.
In pretty much all bunch racing no-one uses them, so absolutely not in a TT.

Bronzie

celbianchi wrote:

In pretty much all bunch racing no-one uses them, so absolutely not in a TT.

I very much doubt you'd be allowed to start a road race on a bike with guards (for safety)

eh

Yep Bronzie is right you can't start a bunch race with mudguards for safety reasons.

TT is more up to you, I've seen people on touring bikes with racks on the back so you wouldn't be the 1st, so if they are a pain to remove then I'd just leave them on. Also think of the advantages of taking them off after a few races, you'll instantly get quicker

markwalker

what are mud guards???

chipperleenie

NO!

Race bikes do not have mudguards.

The END

stewartdiver

Good, that's what I thought, didn't want to be inconsiderate on my first time.

Isn't it fun being a newbie!

Great site though, lots of friendly advice, glad I joined!