Taking off those winter mud guards?

lismore7

It's nearly mid April, the clocks have gone forward and the weather is gradually improving....not allot but a bit!!!
For those who stick mud guards on their road bikes, when do you decide the time is right to take em off?

quozl

I don't see myself taking them off...

Chips Lovell

Didn't have them on in the first place.

Seriously though, given that it's now shorts and mitts weather, I'd say your safe enough.

quozl

I spent three hours on Saturday getting rained on. When would you ever be safe from rain in Ireland?

aFlabbyPanda

nah, I leave mine all all the time.

Ryath

Why has nobody suggested the obvious you need a new bike!
Leave the guards on the old one as a winter/wet weather bike.

cdaly_

Mine stay on.

buffalo

As soon as the season starts.

Lusk_Doyle

buffalo wrote: »

As soon as the season starts.

Lambing or calving?

niceonetom

Every proper cyclist should have one bike that's such a heap that you wouldn't be arsed taking the mudguards off and one bike that's such a polished show pony you couldn't bear to put mudguards on.

Ole Rodrigo

niceonetom wrote: »

Every proper cyclist should have one bike that's such a heap that you wouldn't be arsed taking the mudguards off and one bike that's such a polished show pony you couldn't bear to put mudguards on.

I'd rather get soaked than own a heap.

flutehook

Ryath wrote: »

Why has nobody suggested the obvious you need a new bike!
Leave the guards on the old one as a winter/wet weather bike.

A man after my own heart!

lismore7

niceonetom wrote: »

Every proper cyclist should have one bike that's such a heap that you wouldn't be arsed taking the mudguards off and one bike that's such a polished show pony you couldn't bear to put mudguards on.

Like the idea of a winter run around bike but just after pushing the boat out on a new bike before Chrimbo, so buyin a second might not be the most popular decision within the family unit !!!!
I suppose someone will suggest get rid of the family and buy the second bike hmmmmmm....

Seweryn

lismore7 wrote: »

when do you decide the time is right to take em off?

Never.

The only time I ride a naked wheeler is when I am abroad on holidays riding my holiday bike.

snollup

Is it not considered bad form not to have mudguards when on a group ride in the wet?

Max_Charger

snollup wrote: »

Is it not considered bad form not to have mudguards when on a group ride in the wet?

Very much depends on the club. My club doesn't have a policy on it, I'm the only one with proper mudguards. I'd get over the water but It's slightly annoying lads rolling through muck, oil and general sh1te only to land on clothes and gear you've spent a small fortune on only to get destroyed every week.

CramCycle

I took mine off on Saturday for the track, will be putting them back on tonight after yesterdays weather.

AstraMonti

Mud..guards.. road bike..sorry what are we talking about here?

ford2600

AstraMonti wrote: »

Mud..guards.. road bike..sorry what are we talking about here?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88763953

One way of being warmer on bike....

AstraMonti

Gloves don't make my bike ugly

Chips Lovell

snollup wrote: »

Is it not considered bad form not to have mudguards when on a group ride in the wet?

I hate mudguards on club runs. Most of them direct water right into the eyes of the rider behind whilst keeping their owner's arse dry. No thanks.

ford2600

AstraMonti wrote: »

Gloves don't make my bike ugly

They will make the biggest difference in keeping you warm though. I used 7 year old lidl gloves on 7 hr spin in wet in January. Haven't been cold on bike since I got mudguards last Autumn.

It'll be pretty again in May!

Lumen

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I hate mudguards on club runs. Most of them direct water right into the eyes of the rider behind whilst keeping their owner's arse dry. No thanks.

That's only because most of the mudguards on club runs are clip ons. Full guards do not do that.

The reason that most of the mudguards you see are clip ons is selection bias: the people with full mudguards are by definition too delicate to sit in a paceline getting splattered by other people's crap/no mudguards, so they're off cycling on their own. :pac:

Seweryn

ford2600 wrote: »

They will make the biggest difference in keeping you warm though. I used 7 year old lidl gloves on 7 hr spin in wet in January. Haven't been cold on bike since I got mudguards last Autumn.

Well said. I was on the bike this morning, commuting as usual. 5 deg outside, but was only wearing shorts and felt fine. The only bit of cold I got was to my hands. I had winter gloves on though (not great ones, as proven).

manwithaplan

snollup wrote: »

Is it not considered bad form not to have mudguards when on a group ride in the wet?

Feck them

The Novacastrian

I've Raceblades on my commuter. I dipped my feet into the world of Sportives on Sunday and so removed my mudguards. After yesterdays rain, I got up 10 mins early this morning to put them back on, yesterdays commute was a disaster with no mudguards. At the moment I am erring on the side of leaving them on, but we'll see.

NeedMoreGears

Only got the ability to put on a rear - basically a big ugly yoke that attaches to the seatpost for the winter. From now on a small blade that attaches to a fitting mounted under the rear brake (only problem is 28mm tyres rub so I need to be careful mounting the rear wheel). The latter is also easily removed. Neither give any protection to the brakes or down tube but they keep me dry enough.

niceonetom

Lumen wrote: »

The reason that most of the mudguards you see are clip ons is selection bias: the people with full mudguards are by definition too delicate to sit in a paceline getting splattered by other people's crap/no mudguards, so they're off cycling on their own. :pac:

There's another set of full mudguardists absent from that type of group: people who are by definition too intent on actually getting some useful training done to sit in a "paceline" (oh please, coffee shop pootle more like) listening to tourers switch each other, bellow HOLE at every crease in the tarmac, and complain to each other about having cold feet between the random KOM surges in pace.

Lumen

niceonetom wrote: »

There's another set of full mudguardists absent from that type of group: people who are by definition too intent on actually getting some useful training done to sit in a "paceline" (oh please, coffee shop pootle more like) listening to tourers switch each other, bellow HOLE at every crease in the tarmac, and complain to each other about having cold feet between the random KOM surges in pace.

As time goes on you're becoming more and more like a triathlete who can't swim or run.

niceonetom

I can swim.

manwithaplan

Mudguards on commuter - always
Mudguards on training bike - sometimes
Mudguards on race bike - never

endacl

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Lambing or calving?

Pheasant.

Peasant!

lismore7

I'm not in a club and always cycle on my own, so the issue of splattering the man behind isn't an issue.
Went into this winter with no mudguards and soon got fed up with a very wet arse, new road bike splattered in crap (country cycling) and soaked feet (although now one has invested in waterproof over shoes
Bought a set of Road Racer Mk2s and life as we know Jim has changed...
Now one has a dry arse and it doesn't take as long to clean the steed...

My original question was, when did most mudguard users toss these little ol plasctic suckers aside come the new cycle season?

nilhg

I took them off a while ago, then put them back on but they're off now till winter since the weekend, the way I look at it is, it's warmer now, if the sun gets out at all things dry quicker than in winter so they aren't giving the same benefit for the hassle.

Sure there'll be days you'll miss them but sometimes you've just got to suck it up and plough on.

Rambling Man

Is it the time? What's your rule of thumb? if its a two-steed strategy, which bike is out now?

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

What's withe the "never put mudguards on a road bike" rubbish. It's just ignorant and selfish to ride without them on commutes etc.

OleRodrigo

Mudguards yesterday, bare wheels today.

jon1981

People, let's not be A**holes here to the people that end up behind you as you pass them by spraying them as you go, it's still terrible out there and rain forecasted. Mudguards too uncool for ye?

stecleary

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Mudguards yesterday, bare wheels today.

I've being playing with the idea of taking hem off, Think I'll just leave em until june at his rate

Fian

Jenna Proud Supertanker wrote: »

What's withe the "never put mudguards on a road bike" rubbish. It's just ignorant and selfish to ride without them on commutes etc.

It really irritates me when I come up behind someone without mudguards on my commute. I don't really care on a weekend ride, I guess because I am not likely to be sitting on someones tail.

I normally don't shoal at lights but I absolutely make an exception for anyone with no mudguards (if the roads are wet). If I hold them up when the lights change so be it, more consideration from them towards other commuters would result in more consideration from me towards them.

Chips Lovell

In all my years commuting I don't think I've ever been in a situation where someone else using mudguards would make the slightest of differences to how wet I got.

I use them during the winter months, but it's mainly keep my own bike and arse dry rather than anyone else's

[I'm getting a feeling of deja vu here as I think I've been involved in a similar discussion before]

Alanstrainor

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

In all my years commuting I don't think I've ever been in a situation where someone else using mudguards would make the slightest of differences to how wet I got.

There's a difference between getting a wet from the rain and getting splashed with muck and mud from the dope in front. Especially the type who squeezes past you when stopped at lights.

Leroy42

given our changeable weather, and in fact many seasons in one day, and coupled with the lightness of mudguards, apart for asthetics there is really no justification of not leaving them on all year.

In a race, fine I get that, but even on a sportive or club ride is leaving mudguards on really going to make any difference?

irishrover99

I could have had a tent around me yesterday cycling home and anyone behind me who have still got soaked. After a while in heavy rain mud guards become pointless and that's why i don't bother using them anymore. Whats the point in having the back of your legs slightly less wet than the front.You still have to dry or wash your clothes anyway.
I use an Ass saver and a crud catcher as they are easy to get on/off.

If you are getting sprayed by someone,slow down or pass them out.

07Lapierre

Leroy42 wrote: »

given our changeable weather, and in fact many seasons in one day, and coupled with the lightness of mudguards, apart for asthetics there is really no justification of not leaving them on all year.

In a race, fine I get that, but even on a sportive or club ride is leaving mudguards on really going to make any difference?

Mudguards on a sportive? Ah here! Next you'll be telling us we don't need to shave our legs! or buy deep section wheels! where will it end?

CramCycle

One of my bikes has guards, another doesn't. What difference other people with or without mudguards makes in commuting, in my opinion, none.

If your close enough to get hit by spray, you are too close, if you are overtaking, pull out of the way of the spray before you get to it.

It only would make a difference in a club ride or any large organised group ride.

I only use them to keep my arse dry as I never go out on club spins anymore.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I have mine on my winter bike which gets used all year round and so they're left on for that reason. It was used 90% of the time last 'summer'

Tip: for those who have removed them from their bikes, buy a new bike to fit them to and leave that bike for wet weather spins and keep the other bike for dry weather. It means the mudguards wont be left lying around and risk losing pieces or getting broke.

dahat

My bike has no holes to fit guards and not keen on them anyway. Ass saver and solo spins means no need for them.

Juat joined a club so that could be problematic but I'm likely to be dropped anyway so maybe I'll be ok.

OleRodrigo

Yesterday, I was complaining about a rider in front with no mudguards when a bus flew by and threw half a puddle over me.

stecleary

dahat wrote: »

My bike has no holes to fit guards and not keen on them anyway. Ass saver and solo spins means no need for them.

Juat joined a club so that could be problematic but I'm likely to be dropped anyway so maybe I'll be ok.

1. raceblades it is for you or bbb do a nice set

2. wont be a problem and getting dropped and left behind says a lot about the club

dahat

stecleary wrote: »

1. raceblades it is for you or bbb do a nice set

2. wont be a problem and getting dropped and left behind says a lot about the club

2. Was in humour, club is great from what i know so far.

Thanks for the suggestion with first point.