[Closed] To ride with mudguards or without mudguards?

Brave or foolish?

I am always surprised by the lack of people that actually use mudguards, there's a strange macho thing about them. I spent a lot of money on my reverb and I also have a mucky nutz on the front to protect the stantions. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid! 😕

I've only got three on my bike!

Muli-function

[img] [/img]

If i could i'd have full mud guards on the full suss as opposed to the normal crud catcher types.
Some say it makes the bike ugly. Cant see what can be worse than me on it.

[b]Mud guards:[/b]

Negatives: You look ghey
Positives: You stay cleaner

[b]No Mud guards:[/b]
Positives: You look less ghey
Negatives: you end up looking like you've had a fight with a set of dirty badgers after a couple of miles riding, and your car, house, and even girlfriend will smell like rotting leaves and sticky mud for the rest of the year.

yup, no guards it is then....... 😉

Glad to see the rear guard put to such good use Kbrembo!!

I'm using two crud guards and the mucky nutz, the rear guard is right pain when using a reverb as my seat tube is pretty long and I've gotta have the reverb slightly down when it's not dropped.
Can't wait for the glorious summer that we are due and I can take 'em off.

Guards of various types have been tried by me but they rattle, twist, rub and fall off. They end up getting ripped off from frustration if they haven't fallen off. The geometry of my rigs now seems to avoid too much in my face muck. Rear guards get destroyed easily. And I don't care if my back is muddy. Protecting the bike from mud is sissy. A mountain bike should be ridden, not wrapped in cotton wool 😛

Only an idiot would ride in Britain without mudguards.

deadkenny

You obviously don't commute on a daily basis? And only ride your bike at weekends by any chance?

Still can't get one to work on the rear with my reverb though?

I don't run them on the road bike, but do on the MTB.

Anyone that thinks they look less cool running mudguards is deluding themselves, firstly you likely look a muppet anyway (there's like 3 people in California that look cool on an MTB, the rest of us don't) and secondly no one gives a damn, or are you really trying to attract members of the opposite/same sex whilst out on the trails?

Doesn't work with dropper posts and full sus and it's another thing to break. If I were commuting then I'd have a shower and full change.

I use inner tube on the crowns and a strip to protect the dropper post. The water from the sky gets you wet but we don't take umbrellas. It's only water.

I'm with deadkenny on this one. I couldn't give a damn about getting wet or mucky, after all that's why we ride, isn't it? Mudguards are a pain in the ricker, especially with a full-bounce rig, and since everything gets cleaned after every ride, what's the problem? The only nod I give to any form of mud guarding is a Rapid Racer splash guard on the front forks.

Vast majority of my riding is on road - mudguards at all times except racing (and of course, training on the race bike which is on dry days). Off-road, I hate the wet arse thing but never ride for more than a few hours so am not too fussed, I do think I need a good quality set of mud catchers though.

So what's the stock-in-trade realiable/durable/effective MTB equivalent of SKS then?

I should add, I ride either a hardtail or a fully rigid old konan so no issues mounting.

Just the neoprene mud guard on my fork for me! Dropper post makes fitting a rear one awkward for the bracket.

I've always hated guards on the mtb but have been running those Mucky Nutz ones front & rear which do keep the worst of the cack from your face & crack.

what are those chainstay mounted mudguards called?

Mud guards are wrong wrong wrong.

Unless you're a lycra-clad roadie in which case you won't look any sillier and they may in some circumstances actually serve a purpose.

Crudguards and a mucky nutz. I ride long distances and prefer to slow down the spread of the crap. I Agree they look rubbish, but honestly, I ride a mountain bike alone in the woods most of the time, who cares?

Dairy-O-Matic milk bottle based 'homage' to MuckyNutz on the forks, Crud Catcher on the downtube, Crud Catcher over the rear tire (cunningly mounted to the seat tube, not the seat post)

=

Dry arse, clean face/glasses, not covered in crap

I'm with deadkenny on this one. I couldn't give a damn about getting wet or mucky, after all that's why we ride, isn't it?

No. I ride for fun. Being wet, muddy and gritty isn't fun, it's uncomfortable and cold.

Mud guards are wrong wrong wrong.

No. They are not.

I've got a rear crud catched on my Reverb and it keeps both it and me less mucky. I have a homespun effort on the front made dead Defender & zip ties. Never get the chance to take them off as in the Lakes many paths.are like streams all year long, so they are more water guards than.mud....

I find a piece of old road bike bar tape under the mudguard clamp helps secure it to the Reverb with out impeding action.

Full SKSs on the fixie (road bike).
Front and rear crud guards, plus neoprene fork thingy on the SS.
Neoprene thingy on the full sus...

Mostly ride the SS in rank mud weather for obvious reasons...

DrP

Beside the fact that you can't bloody see when water and crap are spraying up off the front wheel into your face.

Anyone found decent mudguards for a cross bike? I bought some SKS ones and they rattle (not all the time, just enough to be annoying). I wish Crud made some!

[img] [/img]
This is my commute. I don't care what mudguards look like as long as they work.

@PeterPoddy - being wet, muddy and gritty is only uncomfortable and cold if you don't have the right gear. Decent water-proof/breathable gear makes a hell of a difference. Plus once I'm out I don't tend to stop for more than a couple of minutes at a time - that's when you get cold.

I've never used mudguards in nearly 30-odd years of cycling (both on and off road); I ride in all weathers and conditions and never had a problem. They're just an encumbrance that I can manage perfectly well without. Still, each to their own, I suppose.

@ DezB - that's what glasses are for - keeps the shit out of your eyes.

I'm not that concerned about them TBH, they do look **** but then so does riding a bike to most people, seems an odd thing for people to evangelize about though...

I use/have used crud catchers, old bits of inner-tube between fork crowns or a DIY version of a "Mucky Nutz" type fender on the front end of various MTBs to keep shite out of my eyes but I can't say I've ever been impressed enough with any rear fender/mudguard to actually want to fit one to any MTB that I own...

Road bike - close fitting guards in winter makes perfect sense to me, but I don't have any at the minute so I cycled in today without, and as there was almost no standing water and I didn't die or get particularly wet... I doubt I'll be able to get away with that for much longer so some new road guards shall be ordered tonight need to decide between something from SKS or Crud race guards...

Neoguard on the fork and waterproof shorts for me practically 12 months of the year here in 'sunny' Wales 🙂

[img] [/img]
And this is how dirty I got this morning.

For dropper post + FS combo use a Zefal No Mud mudguard
For the CX bike I just use a Zefal Swan road guard
I'm not a employee of Zefal :p (in fact the Swan's clamp is a bit too delicate and the No Mud can be a faff to fit right). On the rigid MTB I just use crud's front and rear

Mudguards here. I commute on my HT and its less mud to wash off when I get to work. Gave up looking cool on a bike years ago.

@ DezB - that's what glasses are for - keeps the shit out of your eyes.

And what keeps the shit off your glasses? (And in my case, expensive prescription glasses?)

@PeterPoddy - being wet, muddy and gritty is only uncomfortable and cold if you don't have the right gear

Correct

Mudguards = Right gear.

[i]@ DezB - that's what glasses are for - keeps the shit out of your eyes.[/i]

Mudguards stop the shit from going [i]under[/i] your glasses too.

On the commute they also do a great job of keeping your bike free of most of the road-grime spray. And who likes cleaning their commuter bike?

Broken crud catchers, seen snapped rear spoilers, don't get on our case just because we can deal with mud.

[i]don't get on our case just because we can deal with mud. [/i]

Don't get on ours just because we don't have to 🙂

Full mudguards mean I can ride to work offroad and not look like the swamp thing when I walk into work. Not much good for proper riding tho, so I use crudguards, muckynuts and neoguards, keeps the worst off you.

DezB SKS p50s with the plastic bits on the bolt points don't rattle for me but then again they are new, may start rattling after a few thousand miles dunno. Pretty sure they won't last more than a year or two offroad, have broken some guards after a few years of road riding but I'll be happy with a year out of a set.

@PeterPoddy - being wet, muddy and gritty is only uncomfortable and cold if you don't have the right gear

Covering that expensive gear in abrasive cack is a very good way to shorten it's useful life.

Also, leaving trail of cack in the pub is a no no.

+1 DONK

Quite simply my offroad daily commute would not be sustainable without mudguards.

Walking crap into my workplace is neither fun or fair!

the only downside to decent guards is that they look naff*

erm we're grown men riding bikes in the mud, we're never going to look good are we? And most can be removed quickly [s]when[/s] if the sun shines

*oh alright they add weight aswell but so does mud

So we've done people not waving and now mudguards in 3 days. Helmets next? Planes on a conveyor belt? Picolax?

it's cyclists riding 2 abreast next, [b]then[/b] helmets

I never wave at people with mudguards - they're destroying the image of the sport. Plus I'm usually too busy wiping grit out of my eyes to see them anyway... As for surly people with mudguards doing the Rapha Festive 500, just don't get me started. Back in my day people had to earn the right to use mudguards, you didn't just go out and buy a set of the latest carbon fibre mud-stopper extremes just like that, it took years of riding though endless gloop and shit before you could justify even a humble Crud Catcher let along full guards. And don't get me started on fat middle class knobs riding two-abreast hardtails with mudguards and really bright rear lights and more than 80mm of travel up front. Etc... 😐

What tyres for mudguard optimisation?

Full SKS on the fixed commuter. Barely visible on the bike, no rattles, no pfaff. No guards on the road bike, but will get some SKS raceguard longs for group rides on the winter trainer when it arrives. Never had anything for off road, I ride a rigid SS and it's not been an issue. Sons ride with either crud guard or SKS on the rear, and I didn't notice much flapping.

On the road, in a group, mudguards should be compulsory. Off road, I don't really care.

Marsh Guard (similar to muckynutz but a bit thicker on the full bounce to stop the mud in the eyes (cant ride in glasses)

SKS raceguards are just about to go on the road bike.

Without coz im macho!!!

If you don't need mudguards you are probably Wendy Biking.

Crudcatcher/neoguard on the front of both bikes all year round.

Cut off Army goretex shorts in the winter for the rear.

Yet to see a good robust solution for a rear mud guard on a full suspension bike.

I think if I commuted or had to drive to a ride I would use mudguards but as it is I ride out of my house and down a lane for a mile to the start of my local loop. Coming back I strip off in the lean-to so I'm never in contact with anything 'clean'

I'm not usually concerned about the looks but for me mudguards cross the line esp on a FS. I've used them on my hack bike and it looks like a 1950s bobber Harley. Worst combo I've seen so far was Mr & Mrs Matching Spesh Rockhopper c/w [i]white [/i]Crudcatchers front [i]and [/i]rear 😯

#atleasttheyrehavingago
#thetrailsareforeveryoneeh

I've only ever had a front crud catcher but recently I have been considering a rear guard. Trouble is finding one that would fit nicely and allow me to drop the saddle. I can't find one that has a clamp/angle that would fit my frame so it would have to go on the seat tube. Then I know I'll be clobbering it everytime I get on and off the bike etc.

Don't mind a bit of mud, but still run minimal guards to keep the very worst off. Ass Saver on the back and either a Bender Fender (BFe) or Crudcatcher (Mr Hyde) on the front. Tend to leave the front stuff on all year round TBH.

[img] [/img]

SKS on SS road bike (commuter)

MuckyNutz on front, Crud RaceGuard on rear of HT. like my rear light to be visible not just a soft glow through the mud!

I think when I started riding MTBs it was part of the fun and attraction to get covered in mud and I don't think that's changed. I think I'm admitting to being a 33 year old man with the mind of a 12 year old's but never mind! So I've never sought out mudguards or cared too much about cack getting all over the place.
Bikes and various moving bike parts are so well built these days that unless you're submerging the whole bike into a swamp for a while then getting a smattering of clart on a regular basis doesn't make a whole heap of difference to longevity of components.
As others have said: whatever, who cares, as long as you're having fun.

In summary: I like getting covered in mud, I think it's part of the attraction, for me. Plus, I think 'guards ruin the aesthetic of the bike - all those nicely designed lines ruined by some plastic crap - and if I'm honest, the look of the bike can be almost as big a factor as the function and I like a good looking bike.

They're not compatible with any fun riding - like DH or jumping so no. Just wear waterproofs instead. I use them on the road bike though.

I've never understood wanting to go out and get muddy: to me, muddy means wet means cold. It also means parts are going to wear out more quickly and they are expensive enough as it is...

Bikes and various moving bike parts are so well built these days that unless you're submerging the whole bike into a swamp for a while then getting a smattering of clart on a regular basis doesn't make a whole heap of difference to longevity of components

This may (or may not) be true in those parts of the country with clay soils, but in places where it's more sandy or gritty, you have got to be kidding. You end up running the whole drivetrain and suspension system in what is effectively lapping compound, which will kill it very quickly indeed.

Tried to put the Cruds on my road bike the other day, thwarted by a combination of very tight clearances & too much coffee.

It also means parts are going to wear out more quickly and they are expensive enough as it is...

Most of these parts are not protected by mud guards, it's just the fairy on top of the tree 😉

Full guards on my road/cross bike, just a Fender Bender on my mountain bike (which works amazingly well). Rear mudguards on a mountain bike are a PITA and look crap.

And for me the bike looking crap isn't about me looking cool - I'm fully aware I don't look cool, but I still like my bike to. I don't care if that makes me a tart.

I think if you ride far enough in the wet on or off-road yet aren't paid to race, you'll use guards.

Riding without a rear guard is for loners.
Nowt worse than following someone in the wet without guards.

Off road I'd go for rear guard, crud catcher and one of those you fit on the forks to stop spray into face. As for the 'they don't fit with dropper posts ' etc. Can someone please explain why you would need a dropper post if your bike fits you correctly ? Been riding mountain bikes for over 25 years and think I've only felt the need to lower my seatpost once (descending Rangers path, Snowdon)

On the commute its full SKS on the touring bike, keeps me and the bike clean and a lot drier than without - which is important as my commute involves a 35 min train journey in the middle, and I sometimes cycle to meetings etc.

It's also harder to spot/avoid dog sh## in the wet and gloop. It might just be me, but I think you look a bigger t#t with poop on your clothes/face than guards on your bike.

Can someone please explain why you would need a dropper post if your bike fits you correctly ? Been riding mountain bikes for over 25 years and think I've only felt the need to lower my seatpost once (descending Rangers path, Snowdon)

You missed it. That was last week. Keep on track...

You missed it. That was last week. Keep on track...

Can someone please explain why you would need a dropper post if your bike fits you correctly?

Sound of can of worms opening

I had exactly the same question until I did the Great Rock TP skills course in France last year on my Inbred. Without a dropper post, I either had to take the 'Grand Old Duke of York' approach (neither up nor down) or I couldn't descend properly.

The Duke of York approach was fine for descending but meant I had knees too close to my ears for the pedally stuff. And believe me, you don't want to leave your saddle all the way up and then be hanging off the back of it for those kinds of descents. The ones I rode weren't really that bad in comparison with what the region has to offer.

Perhaps it's just down to the gnarliness of the terrain, how much up / level stuff there is on the ride, and how fast you want to descend?

You missed it. That was last week. Keep on track...

Link to thread please?

I practise ARSE - All the Right Stuff for the Environment. Where's the fun in having a face full of mud when a few grammes of front mudguard (I run removable SKS Shockblades) would make a wet trail so much more enjoyable? Likewise, why lug a redundant mudguard up a hill on a dry day?

Isn't it all about balancing excess weight and ruining the "clean lines of your bike" with staying out longer and having more fun because water isn't spraying up off your wheel and flowing like a river off your back, into your already soaking shorts?

Can someone please explain why you would need a dropper post if your bike fits you correctly ? Been riding mountain bikes for over 25 years and think I've only felt the need to lower my seatpost once (descending Rangers path, Snowdon)

It's because we're better at mountain biking than you. 😉

Can someone please explain why you would need a dropper post if your bike fits you correctly ?

You're probably riding boring stuff. Come to Inners - brutal climbs with steep descents. I'd love to see you ride Prospacker with your seat up...

I'd love to see you ride Prospacker with your seat up...

* I made a home-brew mucknuts like thingy on the fork arch, out of an old rear mudguard. It needs a re-design to improve it, but it stops most of the spray that would hit my face; it doesn't flap about as the fork boings like an RRP or a "beef curtain"

* A standard crud guard on the down tube reduces the spray on my legs and chest. It does nothing for my feet sadly

* Waterproof/Splashproof shorts help a hell of a lot with comfort in the botty area

* Really good eyewear is the ultimate defence of vision

I can't be doing with a rear mud guard: It flaps up and down and side to side, gets in the way, spins around and inevitably snaps.

On this topic, what mudguards for a cross bike? I have a steel cross bike that is basically a Kaffenback with plenty of clearance, and I run 32mm rubber of it. I would like to run something like SKS P-series guards. I am in a fairly gritty/sandy area and am not sure they would actually clog, but would they. Also, which width of guard is best for 32mm tyres?

bratty I mentioned earlier, I use sks chromoplastic p50 on my cx, 35mm conti tyres, clearance is a little slim on the front under the fork crown but rear is ok, not had any trouble so far but then I'm commuting on a reasonable route, not a huge amount of mud, dunno what they are like in really sticky mud.

I choose not to,because they never stay straight or break & I don't like the look of them.....Usually find people who don't ride very often use them as they're not used to getting wet'n dirty for hours on end on a regular basis....

^ If you think being cold and wet is something you get used to, you're not getting cold and wet enough for long enough : )

Really,used to work outside all year long,got used to that too...

Have done trips to wales in winter doing 50+milers & have done several "tons" on the road in wet winters too,all without guards...perhaps you're just not cut out for this outdoor stuff....

PS used to sail all through the winter as a kid as well..........