do you have mud guards on your bike?

keane=cock

just wondering do most of you cyclists have a mud guard on your bikes or do you think they are just for people who tuck their trousers into their socks for a cycle?

Beasty

Had a rear one on the training bike over the winter, as much for the benefit of anyone on my wheel

Muller_1

Mudguards on commuting and winter training bike is a must IMO

keane=cock

recently changed bike n the new one had none but the old one had. wasnt sure if more experienced cyclists had experienced difficulties with or without them

dario28

neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

ThisRegard

My flat bar only has to look at moisture for it to kick it all over me, but in the wet and dirt on my road bike I stay fairly clean and dry. In the wet last week I only had a little bit of dirt on my ass, but the jacket I had on stayed muck and splash free. Maybe it's down to the tyres, the skinny ones pick less up.

ednwireland

yes on my commuter, rear one on the road bike in the winter

kincsem

no, no, yes, yes, yes.

07Lapierre

And its Yes, No and No from me!

f1000

yes on my commuter + a shin guard velcro strap around the drive ankle to stop shredding leg wear
no on my road bike
no on my mtb

kingoffifa

keane=cock wrote: »

just wondering do most of you cyclists have a mud guard on your bikes or do you think they are just for people who tuck their trousers into their socks for a cycle?

i dont have mudguards but i tuck my trousers into my sock. i like to keep it real.....

dastardly00

I don't have mudguards on my road bike, but I don't use it that much during the winter anyway (although that's not to say that the weather is better any other time of the year!). I do have mudguards on my mtb bike that I use for commuting.

DePurpereWolf

Yes, saves on cleaning

Seweryn

keane=cock wrote: »

just wondering do most of you cyclists have a mud guard on your bikes ?

Oh yes. I have them on my bike all the time on all rides, maybe except holidays abroad.

ratracer

Where did ya get that saddle bag? Does it take much weight and is it stable with weight in it?

Seweryn

ratracer wrote: »

Where did ya get that saddle bag? Does it take much weight and is it stable with weight in it?

I bought it second hand in UK, as new one was unavailable (out of stock for about 5 months when I was looking for one).
It takes enough of stuff and is handy for commuting especially. Of course, you can feel you have something hanging out at the back, but this is still a lot better solution than a back pack. With more weight in it (shopping, jam, butter, bread, working clothes, etc.) the bike is stable, but I would mainly cycle in fully seat-in position if the bag is full.

ratracer

Thanks Seweryn,

What is the make of it? I hate cycling with a back pack on and this could help me cycle to work more.

Mycroft H

SKS full lenght chromoplastics. No better job.

I've raceblades on the other bike but they are not as good, my feet still get soaked with them

Seweryn

ratracer wrote: »

Thanks Seweryn,

What is the make of it? I hate cycling with a back pack on and this could help me cycle to work more.

I was on the same boat. The back pack nearly put me off commuting.

The bag is Carradice make, model SQR Tour. There are various models, you can see on their website .

Jawgap

Have them on the winter/ wet weather bike.......

Tonyandthewhale

Not on the race bike, yes on the commuter, not on the mountain bike, yes on the tourer, not on the fixie, yes on the folder.

Popoutman

Crudcatchers and a neoprene shock gapfiller on the ReignX1, and crudcatcher race on the Madone. Wouldn't cycle without them at the moment. I'll take the road bike ones off when I'm in France later this summer if it's sunny

patrick151

I have a removable pair(only really bother with the rear) on my racing/training bike I attach on all but the sunnyist of days but comicly don't actually have one on my commuter #priorities

tomasrojo

Not just mudguards, but mudflaps too, on both bikes (tourer and Brompton). Much less cleaning, chain life extended considerably.

I also tuck my trousers into my shoes.

I should probably wear a lot of wool and smoke a pipe, but that's a future project, I guess.

Seweryn

tomasrojo wrote: »

I should probably wear a lot of wool and smoke a pipe, but that's a future project, I guess.

I do both, but that does not make my cycling any more exciting .

Mycroft H

patrick151 wrote: »

I have a removable pair(only really bother with the rear) on my racing/training bike I attach on all but the sunnyist of days but comicly don't actually have one on my commuter #priorities

At least put one on the front to give more life to your headset!

jameverywhere

Definitely got 'em on my touring bike and commuting bike.

Plastik

Bikes look wrong with mudguards on. They are aesthetically hideous. In saying that, yes, I have them [crud racers] on my winter/bad weather/commuter ... but definitely not, no way, never on the race bike!

vektarman

I use mudguards since the cyclist in front of me vomited all over the place during last years Tour of Sligo.

Lumen

Plastik wrote: »

Bikes look wrong with mudguards on. They are aesthetically hideous.

This is hideous?



Or this?

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

This is hideous?

Or this?

No, they are quite nice. This sure is an ugly beast though! Can you imagine the type of person who rides a quasimodo-ped like that?

LovelySpuds

Never in a million years!

Plastik

Lumen wrote:

Both of those bikes are Frankenstein's compared to the same bikes without mudguards.

Lumen

Plastik wrote: »

Both of those bikes are Frankenstein's compared to the same bikes without mudguards.

That makes no sense. They are designed to run mudguards.

Would you take the windscreen off a Porsche to make it more like an F1 car?

Seweryn

Plastik wrote: »

Both of those bikes are Frankenstein's compared to the same bikes without mudguards.

That is a bit harsh . I also like the look of a naked bike much more, but because I cycle usually 5-6 days a week all year round for pleasure, recreation and to get into places, mudguards are very practical on my racing bike.

Mycroft H

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

No, they are quite nice. This sure is an ugly beast though! Can you imagine the type of person who rides a quasimodo-ped like that?

Looks very utilitarian!

IGH, mudguards, disc brakes, pannier mounts. Trouble free commuter bike.

LeftBlank

I have mudguards on all my bikes and I don't understand why people don't use them more in Ireland. It's not just about protecting your ass, it's also about keep the drivetrain reasonably dirt-free.

Plastik

You'd have some job making a Porsche look like a F1 car. Anyway, I'm not trying to make a bike look like anything, I'm talking about how a bike looks.

Seweryn wrote: »

That is a bit harsh . I also like the look of a naked bike much more, but because I cycle usually 5-6 days a week all year round for pleasure, recreation and to get into places, mudguards are very practical on my racing bike.

Of course, I'm being a bit facetious , as I said, I run mudguards on my other bike and they're fantastic at what they do. I love not having a wet arse after riding in the rain! Do I like how they look, no. Would the bike look better without them, yes. Will I be taking them off, no.

DirkVoodoo

BX 19 wrote: »

LIGH, mudguards, disc brakes, pannier mounts. Trouble free commuter bike.

You'd think that, but you should probably ask the owner.

Mycroft H

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

You'd think that, but you should probably ask the owner.

About what?

Lumen

This is a thread about mudguards.

The mudguards on my Pompetamine work very well, although there is a lot of toe overlap which is made worse by the guards.

I have also managed to stab myself in the leg countless times with the ends of the front stays.

tomasrojo

Lumen wrote: »

I have also managed to stab myself in the leg countless times with the ends of the front stays.

No rubber end caps? Cuts of cork and superglue is a cheap but unattractive remedy.

keane=cock

anyone recommend a decent cheap set of guards?

Mycroft H

keane=cock wrote: »

anyone recommend a decent cheap set of guards?

What budget? Full or clip on?

Full? SKS P35(or the 45 if your running 32mm tyres or wider)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-chromoplastic-road-mudguard-set/

I've seen them cheaper in cycle superstore.

keane=cock

BX 19 wrote: »

What budget? Full or clip on?

Full? SKS P35(or the 45 if your running 32mm tyres or wider)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-chromoplastic-road-mudguard-set/

I've seen them cheaper in cycle superstore.

not too sure im open to suggestions

LeftBlank

You won't get better than SKS Chromoplastics, imho.

doozerie

Mudguards are a pain in the neck. They make it hard to spot bits of glass and grit stuck in your tyre while briefly stopped (at lights, for example), they make it hard to check for minor buckles in your wheels on the hoof, they make it more awkward to take a wheel off or put one on, they make it more awkward to lay your bike down with a wheel(s) off, they make it tricky to tilt your bike onto the back wheel to walk it through awkward spaces, etc, etc. I kinda hate them, really.

But, they obviously mean you don't have to worry about water on the road when commuting or going out for a spin - not having to faff about with waterproof trousers (commuting) or trying to waterproof your shoes (commuting or spin) is great. I have full length SKS chromoplastic mudguards on both commute bikes and don't think I'll ever go back to no mudguards for a commute bike - I also have a rear pannier rack on both commute bikes and a kick stand on one of them (almost essential when using the bike with child trailer), so I'm entirely a lost cause to aesthetics.

I have Crud RoadRacers (Mk2 - far better then the first version) on my winter bike and although I originally fit them with the intention of removing them come summer (summer, ha!) I find I value them all year round so they've stayed. On my "good" bike I don't have any, and never will - having the luxury of a decent winter bike means that I can reserve my good bike for good weather only and my winter bike with mudguards is a very good substitute for poor weather. Mudguards = another excuse to have another bike

doozerie

keane=cock wrote: »

not too sure im open to suggestions

I got mine here as their price was the best I could find at the time - I don't know if they are still competitive though. I believe there are two versions of these mudguards, one version with rear reflector and front mudflap, and one version without either of those. The ones above had both, and I find them great.

sherlok

+1 for SKS chromoplastic. amazing how a dry arse can improve your mood on the ride to work.

there's also a quiet sense of satisfaction to be had from overtaking a man dressed as tom boonen on the morning commute while you're riding a bike with mudguards.

Doctor Bob

LeftBlank wrote: »

I have mudguards on all my bikes and I don't understand why people don't use them more in Ireland. It's not just about protecting your ass, it's also about keep the drivetrain reasonably dirt-free.

You're forgetting another one- not necessarily the most important one, but certainly the most considerate one: mudguards prevent cyclists behind you from getting sprayed by your back wheel.

In city traffic overtaking isn't always immediately possible, so sitting on someone's wheel is inevitable. Using mudguards therefore falls into the category of basic common decency (although I realise that such a commodity has been in rather short supply here in the last few years when compared to the state-sponsored pursuit of individual desire, whatever the cost imposed on one's fellow citizens...).

Despite the state of my face on arrival to work today, I'd like to clarify that I am not a Dalmatian. I am not an animal. I am a human being.

piston

Unless you are actually racing, I cannot think of a single reason not to have mudguards. It's not just about keeping you clean, it prevents the grease being washed out of the lower race of the headset, helps keep the chain clean and keeps water from being splashed up into the bottom bracket.

I would simply never buy any frame which couldn't accept mudguards. Not fit for purpose, designed purely for the fashion crowd who don't cycle through an Irish winter (or summer). There is absolutely no performance advantage to having a frame with tight clearances anyway.