Proper mudguards - a real game changer!

C3PO

Recently fitted proper mudguards to my commuter and I’m amazed how much better they are than the Raceblades I’ve always used in the past. Everything (particularly brake callipers and derailleurs) stays much cleaner and there is no rubbing! After some research I went for Kinesis Fend Offs - a bit fiddly to fit but they look great and feel like a quality product. I’m so impressed, I bought another set for my training bike!

Definitely recommend to the roadies who (like myself) have resisted so far!

Large bottle small glass

You are a bit late to the party

If you are a "fair weather" cyclist, you don't need fenders, but if you are a serious cyclist, and don't live in a desert climate, you really should have at least one bicycle with fenders.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/fenders.html

Front flap FTW also for dry feet and drivetrain lifespan

C3PO

Definitely not a "fair weather" cyclist ... was heading for 1000 straight days until I had a big "off" at the June Bank Holiday weekend! But I had always resisted full fenders for some reason!

Plastik

Nothing reaffirms my love for full proper mudguards than riding in the wet without them, or even with substandard fixes like Raceblades.

Running PDW Full Metal Fenders with buddyflaps.com extensions.

Mefistofelino

I am not clicking on a link titled "buddyflaps"..

fat bloke

Nice flaps.

tee hee hee.

Tombo2001

Always found with fenders that would eventually slide down and start hitting the wheel.

Plastik

My buddies all love my flaps.

statto25

https://imgur.com/gallery/Fjc54zM

Ooohhh

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117838375#Comment_117838375

Likewise. Not a fan of them personally.

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117838375#Comment_117838375

Well I may yet stand corrected but I really can’t see that happening with the Fend Off mudguards. They’re aluminium and the fix points are riveted so very little room for slippage.

tomasrojo

Probably depends on how fenders are mounted. I've never had a bike without them, and they've never moved, but they've all been bikes with proper eyelets and mounting points for fenders.

cormie

I'd love to get some proper mudguards on my bike, but there's only about 6mm of room between the tyre and the frame on my bike. I think those marathon plus tyres are a bit chunkier than regular road tyres, but I wouldn't sacrifice them for mudguards to be honest.

Macy0161

While I wouldn't be without them, I've had issues with my mudguards rubbing, and the bolt coming loose enough for the arm/ support to move.

Two things I don't really get are resistance to proper mudguards (on winter bikes), and people resisting pannier racks for commuting*.

*Even though I have a bike packing style saddlebag, I'm still kinda wondering why the preference over panniers where a bike can take them?

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117840958#Comment_117840958

That’s should probably be the next step ….. now that I’m bringing a laptop in and out of work every day my backpack is annoyingly heavy!

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117842565#Comment_117842565

Definitely. I hadn't commuted with a backpack for years, but was bringing the "good" bike in a couple of weeks ago. Complete pain compared to panniers (albeit I was carrying a lock too, as I'm in too infrequent to leave one at the moment). That's before you get to the winter where the straps of the backpack are the leak point for any waterproof.

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117842854#Comment_117842854

Ok … I’ll call the next thread “Panniers - the next great game changer!”

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117840958#Comment_117840958

Regarding panniers - OK I'll bite! Tried a pannier for a while and didn't like it. Much prefer a backpack which seems a lot more stable and it also means that you're not lumped with a rack on a spin where it's not required. (Backpack also keeps body warmer on very cold days). Also a backpack is a lot more versatile for use on non bike related activities.

ballyharpat

I've been using mudguards for years-the clip ons, on my older cx/winter training bike. last year I forked out on a proper winter/touring bike and attached full fenders. Definitely a game changer. My feet, ass etc all stay dry. If it rains during a spin, I get a bit wet, but it rarely rains for a whole 2/3 hours, so I stay dry, and the big bonus, not wet ass or risk of saddle sores or kidney infection from the splash up the rear.

As for panniers, yes and yes to those, just makes access to everything easier, I have more manoeuvrability on the bike and less risk of pulling a muscle or pain from carrying a backpack that risks leaking.

magicbastarder

I preferred a backpack when I had a light load but when I was given a laptop I had to carry in and out of work I had to move to panniers.

On the subject of mudguards, I need to source a pop rivet gun to fix my front one, the rivets holding the bracket on have failed.