Do you bother with mudguards ?

bails87

rebs wrote:

I don't use mudguards. I'm going to get wet and dirty anyway.

You don't get wet and dirty when you've got mudguards though, unless the rain is dirty where you live...*sees location*...oh right.

Paul E

gtvlusso wrote:

Paul E wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

Mudguards don't fit on either frame; Both steel TT frames with very, very tight clearances and no mountings. I could put those seatpost mounted MTB things one, but they just look really silly and do nothing for anyone trailing in my wake.

Raceblades would

Nope - too tight for them. Get some tyre rub using 23mm tyres at the fork crown bridge and rear bridge.....And I ain't switching to tubs for commuting. Both are custom built frames from the 1970's/1980's.

As someone has said they don't go under the brake bridge so don't rub and you can adjust how near they sit to the tyre too.

Raceblades on a bike


On their own


You are thinking of raceblade longs (they go under the bridge)

gbsahne001

Wasn't someone trying to sue SKS over the raceblades? as they'd come adrift on the front wheel, sucked up to the bridge and then stopped the bike dead, sending the rider over the handlebars?

gtvlusso

Interesting - not tried those....Thanks Paul E.

Paul E

I have them and my back, arse and ruck sack stays dry and muck free and they do a good job on the front wheel too, a lot better than going without and can be fitted in about 40 seconds a guard. I got the xl's as I was running 25's at the time but they don't look that much bigger, they are just a bit wider.

Hoopdriver

rebs wrote:

I don't use mudguards. I'm going to get wet and dirty anyway. Also means if you are getting sprayed on by my rear wheel in the wet.... YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO ME!!!1111

I have boundry issues.... :P

And you probably have a very messy, grubby drivetrain along with your social issues.

And I suppose if you pass someone - or possibly you never do- its just their tough luck to get sprayed?

gtvlusso

Hoopdriver wrote:

And I suppose if you pass someone - or possibly you never do- its just their tough luck to get sprayed?

Or MTFU and overtake.....or go fast enough to always be ahead.

CiB

I don't, but it doesn't rain that often, if it does I get wet , I ride to work on my own as the other people who live near me and work here still think I'm unimaginably nuts to cycle to work and that you have to be some kind of pro-rider to do that sort of distance; if the bike gets wet I clean it (eventually), I look after it whether it needs it or not, I didn't buy it to treat it like some kind of demi-god that has to be treated with absolute care & respect so that it wears a chain out in 4 months instead of 3, and mudguards don't work unless they wrap all the way round to the tarmac if the bikes I've followed are any guide chucking mud & rain up into my face as I follow them even though they do have mudguards. A racing bike doesn't have mudguards anyway.

So no, I don't. If I'm out with others we ride eight-abreast instead of inline just to generate some traffic on the Daily Mail website.

notsoblue

Kieran_Burns wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Mudguards?

Hell No!

Why bother???

You just need to wash your clothes more often
<snip>
Mudguards? Nah.

How often do you wash your cycling clothes?

Generally when they start walking to the washing machine themselves...

Yeah, its harder to get away with that in London. I try to wash my kit at least every other day regardless of how wet/muddy it gets. If you don't, you'll stink up crowded ASL and get funny looks from your fellow commuters :P

bushu

I have no mounts and new cycling kit so i dont want the road crud this winter ruining them
been jumping straight into shower from commute with kit on, getting tedious though

looking at those raceblades i'd have to drop my 28-32mm tyre dimensions, also loosing the ability
to switch to Winter Marathons @35mm when the roads are full of crud + grit :?

so for me the benefits of a dirty arse & chainset, running wider tyres & keeping upright in poor weather
far outweigh a bit of spray when its usually raining anyway. If i had all the options you get with mounted
guards, its a no-brainer to keep your drive clean

rhext

I use them all year round. Can't understand why you'd not unless you were actually racing! It's not as if you have to look at them while you're cycling, and they might make the bike a bit heavier, but not as heavy as having everything that you're wearing completely full of water.

gtvlusso

rhext wrote:

I use them all year round. Can't understand why you'd not unless you were actually racing! It's not as if you have to look at them while you're cycling, and they might make the bike a bit heavier, but not as heavy as having everything that you're wearing completely full of water.

Never noticed any 'real' difference in the wet both with and without mudguards, I am still wet....for me, it's not worth the hassle. Quick squirt of the hosepipe to clean the muck off the bike and I am good with it - as for drivetrain, again over the years, I have not noticed a difference in wear....with and without mudguards.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Rick Chasey wrote:

People who commute without mudguards seriously f*ck me off.

You're welcome.

Mudguards = ghey.

Mudguard users = Gheylords of Gheyshire. With added ghey.

WTF would I give a rat's toss about the person behind me, much less take steps to encourage him to ride closer to my rear wheel in the wet? If I could fire nails at such a person, I would.

And road dirt comes off very easily with, umm, well highly specialised kit such as a cloth and some degreaser.

bushu

Topeak Defender Mudguard 29er XC1/XC11 looks hideous, but a road/hybrid version with nice adjustable straps would fit pretty much any bike. I dont have skinny forks so a lot of the road specific mount-less sets are out too, its all too complicated when my commute just keeps getting quicker. Just ride home faster and play out when the weather is better

rick_chasey

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

People who commute without mudguards seriously f*ck me off.

You're welcome.

Mudguards = ghey.

Mudguard users = Gheylords of Gheyshire. With added ghey.

WTF would I give a rat's toss about the person behind me, much less take steps to encourage him to ride closer to my rear wheel in the wet? If I could fire nails at such a person, I would.

And road dirt comes off very easily with, umm, well highly specialised kit such as a cloth and some degreaser.

No mudguard tossers usually come with tosser behaviour. Squeezing in front at lights, hogging up the road, and twatterish behaviour generally. It's London. You get close enough to people to get sprayed regardless of how you ride or how fast you are.

It's the oil on the road that the w*nkers flick up that stains my clothes.

notsoblue

Rick Chasey wrote:

No mudguard tossers usually come with tosser behaviour. Squeezing in front at lights, hogging up the road, and twatterish behaviour generally. It's London. You get close enough to people to get sprayed regardless of how you ride or how fast you are.

It's the oil on the road that the w*nkers flick up that stains my clothes.

I have *never* been so insulted in all my life.

*flounce*

greg66_tri_v2.0

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's the oil on the road that the w*nkers flick up that stains my clothes.

Yeah. I can imagine that oil stains on red trousers must be an absolute biatch to get out.

iPete

gtvlusso wrote:

rhext wrote:

I use them all year round. Can't understand why you'd not unless you were actually racing! It's not as if you have to look at them while you're cycling, and they might make the bike a bit heavier, but not as heavy as having everything that you're wearing completely full of water.

Never noticed any 'real' difference in the wet both with and without mudguards, I am still wet....for me, it's not worth the hassle. Quick squirt of the hosepipe to clean the muck off the bike and I am good with it - as for drivetrain, again over the years, I have not noticed a difference in wear....with and without mudguards.

The difference is huge, can smash it through deep puddles, ponds basically, and come out with dry feet.

Then when it's wet and cold keeping the lycra dry really helps. Can't see how you don't notice a difference unless you've not been using full guards. Over 20 miles I'm a lot less wet and warmer, especially feet.

Agent57

Mudguards. For daily commuting, yes. Definitely. Cast iron, nailed on. 100%.

redderekthelampshade

Nah.. I don't bother, my bike is a thing of beauty and looks stupid with mudguards.. yeah yeah yeah.. They're a good idea, yeah they help not splatter your clothes in crap but I aren't really that bothered in how my commuting clothes look.

Hoopdriver

redderekthelampshade wrote:

Nah.. I don't bother, my bike is a thing of beauty and looks stupid with mudguards.. yeah yeah yeah.. They're a good idea, yeah they help not splatter your clothes in crap but I aren't really that bothered in how my commuting clothes look.

And you don't give a damn about your drivetrain either apparently, or anyone riding around, near, or by you.

rjsterry

redderekthelampshade wrote:

...my bike is a thing of beauty...

Or would be if it wasn't covered in general road filth.

Way too much rubbish on the roads down my way to not use them.

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

ghey, ghey, ghey...

Pffft. That all you got?

Mind you, seems to have hooked RC

hoolio

I have no mounts on my cross bike, so used some thick zip ties to mount the mudguards. Works well.
Last week some spaktard without guards pulled right in front of me (almost clipped my front wheel), slowed to my speed and proceeded to spray road crap all over me. Cheers. I had to slow down to get a gap as I was too tired to overtake and get into SCR bollox.

mroli

Toe overlap with front mudguards. Unless full length not worth while.
Rear mudguards a pain if locking bike to street furniture (get knocked and rub). Do not have the patience to put on crudracers. Did once and almost cried with frustration.

Having said that I run a MTB spray guard on the front (with overshoes if wet) and a raceguard on the back - but that ain't gonna help people behind me and doesn't keep the drive chain clean (run fixed, so not fussed).

Live and let live I reckon on mudguards - if someone ain't got them, slow down so you don't get hit by their spray or overtake them. Other things to worry about on commute....

Bike gets a clean once a week - but if its filthy and dirty, no-one's going to nick it....

il_principe

Rick Chasey wrote:

People who commute without mudguards seriously f*ck me off.

I find my lack of guards to be an excellent fairy deterrent. Srsly, how many rainy commutes do we get a year in London? Not enough to warrant me bodging 'guards. Mebbe when I move to the countryside, but in London, nope.

Edit - Also I ride a singlespeed, so not really that hassled about my drivetrain. I solve any issues by cleaning and lubing it regularly, like you should. As for road oil getting on my kit, I've never had that happen, aside from when I've punctured and wiped grease on myself...

jimmypippa

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Mudguards?

Hell No!

Why bother???

You just need to wash your clothes more often
Clean your bike more often
Replace your clothes more often
Replace parts on your bike more often
Get soaking wet feet every time it rains
You annoy everyone around you
Smell more

Mudguards? Nah.

Makes perfect sense, given your sig.

Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadier

Kieran_Burns

Did ANYONE get that I was being sarcastic there? :?

meanredspider

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did ANYONE get that I was being sarcastic there? :?

Me me me

I use guards in the winter. In the summer, I fit the Zefal SwanR thing when it's likely to be wet - it's really easy to put on or take off

meanredspider

Double

Hoopdriver

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did ANYONE get that I was being sarcastic there? :?

I got it.

Thought it was rather witty too.