Why not keep your mudguards on all year round?

[Fab Foodie]

There seems to be a lot of anality regarding mudguards at the moment ... Are they really such an issue?

 

[Jimidh]

Because bikes look better without them!!


I keep a bike with full set of guards and use it all year but I wouldn't put them on my 'summer' bike.

 

[Dogtrousers]

All my bikes have guards. The Dawes has its original 1980s plastic ones. I have no concerns that they might shatter due to brittleness - the metal bridges can (and do) fail before that. They are completely trouble free. What is a PITA is actually installing the things, but once they're there, they're fine.

Of course, if you have a frame that's not designed for them, and have to install Krud-U-Bodge guards then YMGMV.

 

[Justinslow]

Create too much drag, can't wait to throw them in the garage and go faster.......

 

[MichaelW2]

This classification winter bikes and road bikes is back to front.
For UK condition, most people need :
a bike: equipped for cold, dark, wet winters, and mild, wet summer, and
a dry bike for days when the roads are dry.

 

[sanddancer]

This classification winter bikes and road bikes is back to front.
For UK condition, most people need :
a bike: equipped for cold, dark, wet winters, and mild, wet summer, and
a dry bike for days when the roads are dry.

I would class mine as
Defy dry road bike
triban wet road bike
mtb snow road bike
Hybrid nipping to the shop


the last two never get used

The triban looks bare when I remove the mudguards for cleaning

 

[Dirk]

I have a Ridgeback Voyage touring bike for touring, shopping, winter and general use and a carbon Focus with Di2 for dry days.
This combination seems to cover all bases as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Alfie_Gooner]

At the end of the day it's a personal choice and why anyone should be so concerned over what someone else does with their bike is beyond me?

Personally i don't use mudgaurds at all for any of my cycling, and yes i can see it can be a pain if you are behind me in a group ride in the wet but i rarely do group rides and prefer the solitude of setting my own pace and therefore not letting anyone down with how slow i'm going :-)

I did but a set of mudgaurds for the Defy but once fitted, i thought they looked a bit naff, so they are now in the garage to stay i feel.

horses for courses i guess and you will never get everyone happy with everyone else's view.

 

[mjr]

All my bikes have guards. The Dawes has its original 1980s plastic ones. I have no concerns that they might shatter due to brittleness - the metal bridges can (and do) fail before that. They are completely trouble free. What is a PITA is actually installing the things, but once they're there, they're fine.

I've seen one chromoplastic guard fail with a side to side crack after about a decade of near daily use.

The reason to use guards is because you're spraying all following traffic with shoot, which is antisocial if they're fellow cyclists and also potentially self-endangering if they're motorists.

Even lorry makers care more now about how much spray they kick up and are sculpting trailers top reduce it because plastering anyone they pass with shoot isn't good publicity.

 

[sidevalve]

Off because they are a pain in the arse

I would check your riding position

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've seen one chromoplastic guard fail with a side to side crack after about a decade of near daily use.

Only a decade? Take it back to the shop! Make sure you shout the mantra "NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE" over and over.

As I ride solo most of the time it's no concern to me whether other people use them. I did hitch a tow from a roadie on Sunday, and he did have mudguards. I'm sure it had pained him to fit them.

 

[ianrauk]

I have mudguards on my commuter all year round.

On my Van Nich I only use a rear race blade if it's going to be wet. otherwise it's usually nekkid of guards... and it looks so much better that way.

 

[ManiaMuse]

I've seen one chromoplastic guard fail with a side to side crack after about a decade of near daily use.

Lucky you, in 3 years I've had 2 sets of rear chromoplastics crack completely across the plastic as well as 3 sets of the flimsy aluminium bridges snap. Commuting every day pretty hard over bumpy roads, but still, the design seems to concentrate all the road vibrations into a small area and eventually they fail.

They've actually redesigned the bridges so they are a more substantial plastic thing that you don't need to bend on with pliers.

As for me, one bike has mudguards all year round, the other doesn't. Check the weather forecast before going for a ride and choose the appropriate bike. Yes I know my carbon bike won't melt with a bit of rain but if it's been raining for days and the roads are filthy might as well use my bike with mudguards to pick up all the crud.

 

[MichaelW2]

Lucky you, in 3 years I've had 2 sets of rear chromoplastics crack completely across the plastic as well as 3 sets of the flimsy aluminium bridges snap. Commuting every day pretty hard over bumpy roads, but still, the design seems to concentrate all the road vibrations into a small area and eventually they fail.

The small metal stay connectors used to be made from stainless steel, but are now really soft metal, you can snap them by over-tightening with a short spanner.

 

[Noru]

If I lived in Portugal or somewhere hot with weeks of non-stop glorious sunshine, I'd take them off in summer but in the UK I'm happy keep them on the road bike all year, they weigh next to nothing & touch wood haven't broken in 4 years.