Best Road bike mud guards??

leedsunitedfan

Hi!

As the weather has gotten worse over the past month i am using my bike much less than i would like, so am now looking to turn my bike into one fit for the winter months ahead.

Any of you have recommendations for good guards?

Most importantly i want them to keep me as dry as possible, secondly i want them make as little noise as possible as i like most of you can not stand silly squeaks and rattles emanating from my bike and least importantly clip - on / vs permanent fittings.

Thanks very much in advance

napoleond

If your bike can take proper fitted mudguards, get some SKS chromoplastics.

If not, see if there is 5mm gap (check using a 5mm allen key) between tyre and fork/rear brake bridge, if there is get some Crud Roadracers.

morxy

SKS Bluemels are also very good, similar to the Chromoplastics.

Check if your fork has little holes (eyelets) near the drop-outs, where the wheel attaches. Check too for these eyelets near the rear dropouts. You'll also need some space - 6-10mm or more (anyone?) - between the top of the tyre and the fork crown, as Nap says, and between the rear tyre and brake bridge.

Failing that, your LBS should be able to say if your bike will take Chromoplastics.

jgsi

If the clearances are not there on your bike, then SKS Raceblades long version are worth considering.
Rattle free on the ride I did with em and good protection for the rider behind with the mudflap extension.
Even the most 'complaining' of club ride leaders shouldnt be able to pull a face at them... ditto for you with the front guard extensions.

Bordersroadie

NapoleonD wrote:

If your bike can take proper fitted mudguards, get some SKS chromoplastics.

+1

clickshots

I use the Giant Defy Mudguards which are pretty good (IMO), my bike doesn't have much clearance and these have bits cut away so they fit right up to the brakes and stuff Can't fault them.

zx6man

NapoleonD wrote:

If your bike can take proper fitted mudguards, get some SKS chromoplastics.

If not, see if there is 5mm gap (check using a 5mm allen key) between tyre and fork/rear brake bridge, if there is get some Crud Roadracers.

Yup, +1 for these

leedsunitedfan

Sorry for taking so long to answer, been mad busy.. Anyway, thanks for the replies

After seeing your suggestions, i think i am gonna go with the Bluemels, Bluemels vs Chromoplastic, almost idential, but they do do them in a lovely matt black which i must admit sounds like they may not be as bad as i thought! maybe tiny bit more modern looking.

Gonna pop to my lbs today and see if they have em in stock.

Gizmodo

I agree with JGSI, SKS Raceblade Long. Not only are they easy to fit, even on bikes with no clearance for standard guards, the clips can stay in place allowing you to remove/re-fit the guards in about 30 seconds. So if you are getting ready to go out on a dry day, you can remove them in the time it takes to fill a bidon.

We fitted Crud RoadRacers to my brother's bike and first time out they caused a blowout because of rub and the brand new guard was destroyed, not to mention the tyre. We've now fitted SKS Raceblade Long and they are a lot sturdier.

leedsunitedfan

Yeah gizmodo, i heard some bad story's about them crud road racers.

Had a look in my local bike shops, and there was nothing decent worth grabbing so i got the Bluemels on ebay for £26. And they are the ones i wanted with the MASSIVE flaps on em! all the better for keeping me feet nice and dry!

I have to admit that i dreaded putting guards on my bike for fear of making my bike look like it belongs to an old man, but one i am past caring due to the fact i can't stand getting wet! If i am honest i actually really like em in their stealthy matt black finish! even with the massive flaps!!




New lights on the way too, all that's needed then is for me to give my hubs a bit of TLC and then i am ready for my first full winter on a bike in bloody ages!! Bring it on!!

Critch

Just on the Cruds - I have Crud Road Racers MkII's. initial fit took ~30 mins to get them set up correctly. Fitting and removal now takes about 5 mins. Would I buy them again? No. There are better now (ala SKS) but they certainly do the job and I've had no problems at all. When they finally break I'll get different ones but they are no means bad guards for the money, in fact they're pretty good. They can also be re-shaped, meaning they have a memory and can be shaped just but tying string to certain parts of the curvature and adding tension then leaving it overnight. Next morning they'll stay in that shape. You can get a perfect fit to match the bike, but the rear one doesn't like very critical tolerances between the tyre and the front mech band on seat tube. I get about 3-4 mm gap with 23c tyres and had to shorten the rear mudguard at the mech guard end so that it rests on the mech band, bit otherwise a perfect fit around the wheel which keeps my hind quarters, and more importantly the guy behind clear of wet, airborne dirt. I like the look of the SKS ones but they had dodgy clips at one point (pulled out with no resistance at all) which now might be fixed.

k-dog

I've always had crud guards or race blades and they were okay - but I just got proper mudguard (Bontrager ones but they look very similar to most SKS models) and they are fantastic. Totally solid and being that bit longer they keep you totally dry - it takes a very wet day for water to splash on my feet.

And they look good - nice and neat. A little time putting them on and you hardly see them - a lot better than some scruffy clipons you see - but I suppose that's down to who fits them.

luv2ride

I've just built up a Tifosi CK7 winter bike and fitted SKS P35 Chromoplastics. First ride out on it today and was really impressed with the guards - solid and no rattles. The bike is right belter as well! 8)

Picked up mine as a price match from Evans in Bristol for £23 quid. Front has the same long mud flap, but not on the rear, although it has a rather smart built in reflector. Know what you mean re: looking like an old mans bike but got mine in black and they look smart as.....

farrina

Bordersroadie wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

If your bike can take proper fitted mudguards, get some SKS chromoplastics.

+1

+2

Used them for years - light and long lasting

Regards

Alan

leedsunitedfan

Right i give up!!! The instructions are crap and i am getting really wound up!!! :x

On day 6 without a ciggy, feeling quite irritable and the last bloody thing is this!

pipipi

leedsunitedfan wrote:

Right i give up!!! The instructions are crap and i am getting really wound up!!! :x

On day 6 without a ciggy, feeling quite irritable and the last bloody thing is this!

Well I've been trying to fit Cruds onto my Giant with 25mm :evil: :evil: and I think I might have to start smoking!

smidsy

pipipi wrote:

leedsunitedfan wrote:

Right i give up!!! The instructions are crap and i am getting really wound up!!! :x

On day 6 without a ciggy, feeling quite irritable and the last bloody thing is this!

Well I've been trying to fit Cruds onto my Giant with 25mm :evil: :evil: and I think I might have to start smoking!

If the clearances are THAT tight it may simply be that they will not fit unless you use 23mm tyres or cut some bits of guard away (kind of defeating the object I suppose).

I managed to get them on my CAAD with 25mm tyres and my frame is only a 54cm so is tight between wheel and seat tube. But I have managed it without the need to cut anything. It did seem impossible at first but just I was about to admit defeat and get the hacksaw out one last yank in a random direction and...hey presto, they fit.

keef66

At this time of year I am happier than ever that I chose a bike with clearance / mounting points for full mudguards. Just taken delivery of some SKS chromoplastics to replace the originals which have parted company with the rear stays after 5 years.

leedsunitedfan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lG_WZVS9SUY

I recommend you look at that b4 installing as the instructions from SKS are the worst i have ever seen!! I

keef66

Ooh, thanks for that. Will make identifying the various bits a whole lot easier

mr_dobbo

Fitted some SKS chromoplastics to my Jake the Snake, brilliant mudguards make a massive difference to riding in the wet. I think they look good on the bike I went for the narrow ones.

Thanks to this thread and NapD for the recommendation.

DeltaOneSeven

Fitted some crud road racers and tried them out today - they are a bit fiddly and the instructions are rubbish. Once adjusted they do a great job - look pretty cool too!

Philinmerthyr

I got a pair of crud road racers when I bought my new Roubaix and Tredz in Swansea fitted them free.

That are great. The only issue was the front guard came loose a couple of times on rough roads. Once I tightened the screw it was great.

gerroffandmilkit

Bought some chromoplastics for my Triban 3.

A nightmare to fit if following the crap instructions supplied. You DEFINITELY need to take a hacksaw to the stays to make them fit right. A bit fiddly at first but when I'd chopped the stays they fitted a treat. Nice and snug with the tyres, no rattles and feel surprisingly sturdy.
Haven't even ridden the bike yet but I felt that fitting mudguards, especially at this time of year was a wise choice.

Planning a run out tomorrow, it'll be great to get out and about at last.

Can you tell I'm beginning to get a bit excited?

Baxter-Smythe

The latest Cruds for me, I tried them on my commuter bike first, straight away saw they were magic, bought some more for the the CR1, dont worry about the little brushes wearing out, just get some self adhesive draught excluder from your local diy store ( I think I read that little tip here actually) all I do as part of my pre ride checks is check the thumb screws and as yet not one has come loose.

SHADOWMATE

I tried fitting my crudcatchers the other day. Took me well over an hour to fit the rear alone and as soon as i got it out i had loads of different little daft problems. Then the crappy little plastic screws kept falling apart. Then i scratched my frame when trying to adjust a tiewrap so i raged and threw them in a box. Will look at getting my bike shop to fit some new ones properly and have some spares i think.

ovi

Just started using sks chromoplastics on my scott afd elite(similar to a speedster frame) and work fine apart from a bit of tyre rub when I ride over some mud on the road.
I had to make some eyelet brackets which I glued on to the fork bottoms and at the same time are held on tight by the wheel scewers