Mudguard with Trailer Recomendations?

Festa1971

Dear All,
With our little girl rapidly approaching her first birthday, we took her out in the new toy (Chariot Cougar 2) for a little trip round the park. All went well, and I hope she continues to enjoy it.
It was a nice sunny day, but we can expect this not to hold forever and there will be days when things are a bit messier. Whilst the trailer has a decent weather cover, I think I need to put at least a rear mudguard on the bike to stop everything getting covered in c**p and so that she can still see out!
I anticipate that the principal towing vehicle will be our Focus Northern Lite hard tail MTB. Yesterday it was the venerable Trek 1200C. I do not anticipate using the Roubaix Expert for towing any time soon (but it might be fun?!).
As the trailer is quite low, I really need something as long as possible, possibly with a mud flap on too.
We expect to probably be mostly going round the Tamsin Trail in Richmond Park, which for those of you that don't know it is a well made limestone trail fro it's most part. Tends to be a little messy in the wet and dusty in the dry.
Any recomendations would be appreciated, or comments on your own experiences.
Regards
Festa

fnegroni

SKS MTB mudguards.

lucullus

It's kind of obvious once you've seen the evidence. Unusually, I read the manual for our Croozer, and went out to find some mudguards straight away.

I'm using a dull but serviceable Gary Fisher hybrid for towing (and commuting), and have full length mudguards on it: you must keep at least one cover over the trailer at all times when you're cycling, because the mudguard won't catch everything. (Our trailer comes with a mesh-type cover, and an additional waterproof cover over that.)

I'd strongly advise against towing with road wheels, as you're now braking for yourself, a bike, a trailer and a child: you need a bit of traction for that.

baudman

lucullus wrote:

I'd strongly advise against towing with road wheels, as you're now braking for yourself, a bike, a trailer and a child: you need a bit of traction for that.

I'd certainly have a few rides just you and the trailer, and then (pref) with something heavy in it, other than your kids. Just so you get a feel for it. However, it's probably obvious, you aren't going to be riding as quickly as you normally would anyway.

If you're on the road, then road wheels will give you the greatest traction. Knobbies are for dirt/mud.

My 'family vehicle' has Geax Evolutions on it (the old ones) because it has to do a bit of eveything. If I was purchasing again, I'd get Schwalbe Marathon Pluses.

And yep - mesh cover down each and every time. Clear cover when required. Full length mudguard pretty-much a must, and even one with an extention on the rear, so it goes even lower. (These are pretty easy to fashion if yours didn't come with one.)