Which mudguards?

SpaceBadger

Hi all,

Just got my first proper road bike, a Cannondale CAAD8 Tiagra, and am wondering what mudguards I can get to fit it? :?:

Have seen Crud Road Racers recommended elsewhere but have also seen some quite negative reviews for them. Based in Liverpool, with a 12 month rainy season, this is an important consideration for me so any tips very welcome!

Anonymous

The Crud Roadracer Mk2s are about the only thing that work really mate. Dunno what negatives you've seen about them other than a couple of people struggling to get them to fit or have broken them by shoving their bikes in cars etc...

ColinJ

You need about 5 mm of clearance for the Roadracers to fit so check that you can slide a 5 mm Allen key between the tops of your tyres and your brakes. Also, the Mk2 rear guards are extended down to the bottom bracket so you need 5 mm clearance between the rear tyre and your seat tube too.

NapD is correct - the RRs are fairly easy to snap if you catch them on things. It's actually a safety feature. They could have been made stronger but then if something got caught you could have your wheel jam up with potentially serious consequences. Much better for part of the guard to snap instead... Just be careful how you handle your bike and you'll be okay. Spares are available.

The other thing - there isn't much clearance on most bikes so the guards need adjusting carefully and that can be fiddly. Even then, you will probably hear rubbing noises from time to time when grit and leaves are picked up by damp wheels.

Clean under the guards after mucky rides or crap can build up and clog 'em.