Why I DONT use mudguards

MrSweary

mpdouglas wrote:

In some respects, it's the same selfishness that causes so many other road users to be unpleasant towards us!

How? It doesn't inconvenience other road users (i.e. non-cyclsists) unless you are suggesting that a cyclist who has been sprayed then goes and gets in his car and drives dangerously around other cyclists which is a little silly really.

I stand by my statement - No other cyclist gets sprayed with a little water as a result of me not having guards. If they do it is because they are too close which is actually dangerous as opposed to being a minor inconvenience. Otherwise I'm going too slow for spray to be an issue. If you don't believe me come and ride in with me. I leave Beckenham Junction at about 6.50am.

If I were on a busy route I would have guards on fer sure.

t4tomo

All the crap about anti social is real codswallop.

Unless you have full mudguards with flaps, the sort that come pre fitted to then bike not after market add ons, then they don't stop you spraying then person behind.

One of my riding buddies has a touring bike for winter with "full" guards and I still get sprayed if I ride directly behind him, if I ride 6-12 inches out from him I'm OK.

I have a Heath Robinson mudguard crafted from a cola bottle that save my ass from getting wet. The only difference when returning from a wet ride is his bike and back of his jacket or much cleaner than mine as his guards are more effective - we both have suffered a little from each other's spray.

On my commuter bike - Brompton - as it has small wheels and full guards, you can draft me as close as you like and you don't get wet, but I'm yet to see such effective guards on a 700c or 26" wheeled bike.

meanredspider

Funny discussion. Having seen the thread title for a while, I'd assumed it was going to relate to some serious accident caused by a stay coming loose. Instead the reasons were feeble. But most of them are just preference. I do have some sympathy with the view about consideration for those behind you - some guard is better than no guard and, having been stuck a couple of times behind c0cks on the Kessock bridge who refused to let me by (it's pretty much a mile) whilst they covered me in shite, excuses about drafting fairies are also a bit feeble. But I gave those guys direct feedback so I'm not going to preach on here - ride whatever bike you like.