Mudguards, to buy or not to buy?

Cr3do

Hello all,

Being new to MTB, I'm still in the process of getting bits and pieces.

Now I've come to mudguards, Do you use them? Will I need them? If so is it front and back? What would you recommend?

I wont be doing any commuting, but will be on the odd road.

I appreciate the help!

omegas

They may look crap but if you are doing any serious riding they are a must in the wet.

oodboo

Personal thing really. I think they have no place on an mtb. Maybe something to keep the crap out of your face like a crud catcher or neo guard but if you want to keep clean don't go mountain biking.

handful

oodboo wrote:

Personal thing really. I think they have no place on an mtb. Maybe something to keep the crap out of your face like a crud catcher or neo guard but if you want to keep clean don't go mountain biking.

I couldn't agree less. I ride a mtb for the enjoyment and find that mudguards only enhance the enjoyment. It's nice taking them off when it's dry because they do look sh1te but for me they are a no brainer. SKS shockboard for me, 2 second job clipping them off and on.

oodboo

I like getting dirty. Wait, this isn't the CC. Like I said it's a personal thing and that's just my opinion. I wont call you gay for using them.

I bit the bullet and put mudguards on my commuter bike and they were excellent until I destroyed the rear one on a muddy hill.

hsiaolc

oodboo wrote:

Personal thing really. I think they have no place on an mtb. Maybe something to keep the crap out of your face like a crud catcher or neo guard but if you want to keep clean don't go mountain biking.

It is a personal thing. But I don't agree with your commeitn that they have no place on a MTB. go mtb is not to go get dirty it is to have fun and excitiment on a bike trail going over rocks roots and and preform jumps etc.

If you go mtb just to get dirty then go dive yourself in mud without any biking gear and it is cheaper.

I like to keep my clothing clean after a ride.

I have mud guards on all the time and I think it is a must even for MTB.

My brother in law is also a hardcore mtbiker and he didn't believe in mud guards either for probably 20 years. Now he uses one.

oodboo

hsiaolc wrote:

oodboo wrote:

Personal thing really. I think they have no place on an mtb. Maybe something to keep the crap out of your face like a crud catcher or neo guard but if you want to keep clean don't go mountain biking.

It is a personal thing. But I don't agree with your commeitn that they have no place on a MTB.

It's just my opinion, you don't have to agree.

hsiaolc wrote:

If you go mtb just to get dirty then go dive yourself in mud without any biking gear and it is cheaper.

But not as much fun

hsiaolc wrote:

I like to keep my clothing clean after a ride.

I sweat so wash my clothes after a ride so it doesn't make much difference if they're muddy or not.

hsiaolc wrote:

My brother in law is also a hardcore mtbiker and he didn't believe in mud guards either for probably 20 years. Now he uses one.

Must be an age thing then, maybe in 7 years when I turn 40 I'll start using them.

Peace out

oodboo

ps, I ride in shorts a t-shirt all year round, unless it's really cold, then I'll wear 2 t-shirts.

omegas

oodboo wrote:

ps, I ride in shorts a t-shirt all year round, unless it's really cold, then I'll wear 2 t-shirts.

If all you do is ride round the park or hang around on street corners, shorts and t-shirt is fine.

hsiaolc

omegas wrote:

oodboo wrote:

ps, I ride in shorts a t-shirt all year round, unless it's really cold, then I'll wear 2 t-shirts.

If all you do is ride round the park or hang around on street corners, shorts and t-shirt is fine.

LOL I am shivering from His Manness. He is so hardcore, only wears t-shirt in winter and loves to smudge mud all over himself.

A bit like lynx effect?! LOL

oodboo

Mud:


Snow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYVXtIr3bl8

I'll pass on mudguards and coats but I'm not going to say you have to go without them as well.

andrewjoseph

If I only had one mudguard, it would be the front. Even though i wear cycling glasses to keep crap out of my eyes, the mud can cover the lenses pretty quickly. So for wet rides the mudguards go on, front and rear.

during the summer i put on my diy 'innertubeguard' on the front to reduce some of the crap thrown out in front of me.

for wet muddy 24hr events like mayhem or SITS, i take the mudguards off as they collect too much mud.

as for the look: i look ridiculous enough covered in muddy lycra anyway, having the bike look more ridiculous than me is no big deal.

JimboM

Mudguards definitely a personal thing, don't bother with them myself. Did have them on the HT but was forever catching my foot on the rear one (when getting on/off the bike) and even with them you still get covered in crap

Tom Barton

I use a front guard to keep the worst of the mud out of my eyes (usually combined with some eye wear). Personally I like the neoguards as its mainly an issue for me when the speed picks up and the tyres starts to throw mud/water forward. I've stopped using downtube guards so much this year...

I've never used a rear guard - never seen the point.

Dave_Lee

I use a bender fender by mucky nutz http://www.muckynutz.com/index.php I personal like the look of them over any other mud guard.

blister pus

Mouthful of liquid cow / sheep / horse / dog crap ain't pleasant when your riding. They might look crap but in certain conditions they're invaluable. And in those conditions you might as well get maximum cover up front. SKS Shockboard does that job nicely. Other conditions, other stuff works fine; Neoguard / bender fender, et al. Case of suck and see for your needs.

If you want a rear guard; Cycraguard / Crud race do a job.

Brownyboy

I took my rear guard off before today's ride. Within 2 minutes I had a soaking wet arse. If I had my guard on, that wouldn't have happened. So much for trying to make my bike look better!

Sesquepidilian

That's pretty much what I was going to post. A clip-on MTB rear guard on a racer may look "ghey" but it keeps my butt dry.

stubs

Use a Mucky Nutz front guard to keep the sheep shit out of my mouth but a rear mudguard gets in the way when your hanging your arris off the back. Buy waterproof 3/4 baggies and you wont need a rear mudguard.

cycle monster

I usually ride two or three times a week in various different locations and would say that mudguards are an extreme rarity. Why play in mud if you are scared of it?

blister pus

Mud isn't the issue.

simonp123

If you don't mind a wet *rse and mud in your eyes don't have them, but if you do, fit them. Simple as that. With the mudguards on I ride further and faster, so that that seals it for me. A rear guard also stops your backpack from getting filthy, which is handy as they are a pain to clean.

prawny

Crud racepack for me, don't like having a soggy arse or clogging the washing machine up with carp.

To be honest I don't like getting muddy in general. But I like riding so whatcha gonna do.

cloudynights

spend 3 or 4 hours in cold wet muddy conditions then see how your arse and back feels without one :!:

cooldad

cloudynights wrote:

spend 3 or 4 hours in cold wet muddy conditions then see how your ars* and back feels without one :!:

Every ride in winter and most in summer you mean.

cloudynights

cooldad wrote:

cloudynights wrote:

spend 3 or 4 hours in cold wet muddy conditions then see how your ars* and back feels without one :!:

Every ride in winter and most in summer you mean.

well yes kinda although summer has been last month and now its back to wet rides in the north

chez_m356

omegas wrote:

oodboo wrote:

ps, I ride in shorts a t-shirt all year round, unless it's really cold, then I'll wear 2 t-shirts.

If all you do is ride round the park or hang around on street corners, shorts and t-shirt is fine.

sounds like you have experience of hanging around on street corners in shorts and a t-shirt, i wont ask the reason why

cycle monster

There are clearly more car drivers and dark side dwellers posting on the mtb forum than we think. Can anyone recommend a waterproof overall so that I can ride in a tuxedo?

simonp123

cycle monster wrote:

There are clearly more car drivers and dark side dwellers posting on the mtb forum than we think.

Also quite a few masochists