Mudguards or not?

As winter descended last year, I decided to take the plunge and deface my beautiful hard tail with some light weight SKS mud guards, now I wouldn’t ride in the mud without them.

Aside from coming home without a couple of kgs of mud hanging from my jacket and shorts, the guards go some way to keeping muck off the front mech.

Interested to know what you think about mud / crud guards….

Do you like eating mud/shit, or having it in your eyes, or have a wet bottom?

If they answer No, then get mud guards

Are you a fashion victim, or feel the need to conform for the cool kids?

Then don’t bother.

If it’s wet and muddy I use a mudguard, a crud catcher and a neoguard.
If it’s dry I take them off.

Whether it’s wet or not, no mud guards on my bike. It would look ugly with them on:)

Big fan of mudguards here. I have a selection of THE fenders, and Crud rear guards that get switched form bike to bike.

I’ve spent long enough with a damp arse to not enjoy it, and I hate getting sh!t in my face.

I agreee, bikes look better without them, but ultimatly, if you live in the UK and ride all year, you know it makes sense.
That said, I might take them off for tonight’s/this weekend’s riding…

ta da…

They make your bike look pants.

I think they are just for riders who ride dull trail centers thinking they are some MX hero.

They are hardly ever put on straight aswell and folk dont take them off when dry.

They make your bike look pants.

I use a fenderbender thing, thats small & works.

I always ride with an old crud race guard rear (looks better than the big newer ones) to stop my ass getting wet.

Its never bone dry round these parts….

I used to always ride with a crud catcher front, but then got one on these:

which is a million times better as it obviously turns with the wheel.

I think they are just for riders who ride dull trail centers

Trail centres are the one place I wouldn’t bother with them! Purpose built trails usually drain so well, there’re only a few puddles to worry about.

I use them because the majority of “proper” rides end up taking in bogs/mud/streams/farm-yards/huge puddles/fields etc.

I dislike them but the serve a purpose. Crud catcher on the rigid to keep the s**t out of my face and a bender fender on the bouncer for the same and to protect the precious, precious stanchions.

My rear mudguard is a rucksack.

The road bike (for transport not boring self torture) has raceblades to keep the road spray off.

was – Member

I used to always ride with a crud catcher front, but then got one on these:
was – what make & model is it?

Can anyone recommend a good mudguard set for an XC HT ?

[/url]
P2030003[/url] by ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

THE fender on the front, old-skool crud-guard on the back

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=16840

This one, but mines a nicer colour.

The plastic is a bit odd, I expected it to be flimsy or brittle but its neither. Its very flexible and survived a few crashes so far.

My setup:

TBH for a hardtail I would try and get one of those original crud guard rears like pictured above!

Yes to mudguards, really like the Bender Fender guard on the front to keep mud from flying into my face, look good too [/url]
My Boardman HT Comp[/url] by Nickswolves[/url], on Flickr

Crud race gard on the front if its wet/muddy – nothing on the back as mud/spray cant get in my eyes from there….

also if its muddy or wet enough to warrent mud guards, then i’d be washing my kit when i get home anyway, with or without mudguards so a rear one is pretty pointless.

Whether it’s wet or not, no mud guards on my bike. It would look ugly with them on:)

What do you do about the thing sat on top of it looking stupid? 🙂

ir_bandito – Member
Trail centres are the one place I wouldn’t bother with them! Purpose built trails usually drain so well, there’re only a few puddles to worry about.

At a trail centre, you are never far from somewhere “civilized” be that your car or a cafe or something. Head out into the wilds and the last thing you need is to be wet and cold.

Head out into the wilds and the last thing you need is to be wet and cold.
I’ll take wet and cold over dead, mortally injured, or welsh, any time.

Unfortunately, being wet and cold can result in non-lethal injuries resulting in death.

can
death does result in death. So to me it’s still worse than being wet or cold. Each to their own, like.

Um I’m not sure mudguards are often a matter of life or death!

if its muddy or wet enough to warrent mud guards, then i’d be washing my kit when i get home anyway, with or without mudguards so a rear one is pretty pointless.

Aside from saving you from slogging round the remaining 20 miles or whatever of your ride with a wet arse.

How about one of these:

“Ass saver” £7 from http://www.xcracer.com/shop/viewproduct.php?productid=242

http://ass-savers.com/

Always mudguards – why get wet and muddy with a gritty arse without need?

Its so much more pleasant to remain warm and dry and nice to be able to pop into to a pub or cafe without being mudsplattered

tehre is a name for those who won’t use mudguards – posers or fashion victims

tehre is a name for those who won’t use mudguards – posers or fashion victims
that’s two names, rather than one. A further name could be ‘not bothered by a bit of water’.

anyone used one of those ass-savers?

monkeyboyjc – Member
also if its muddy or wet enough to warrent mud guards, then i’d be washing my kit when i get home anyway, with or without mudguards so a rear one is pretty pointless.

Which is fine if your riding is so restricted that you end up at home after every ride.

Can anyone recommend a good mudguard set for an XC HT ?

SKS make some very good light guards.

I have these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25802&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25798

I think my bike actually looks quite good with guards on………… 😯

I put full mudguards on my commute scoot for winter. Total revelation.
I have a muddy commute and to be able to just dump my gear without mud going everywhere has been great.
Being able to come into the house and not have to take all my gear off in the shed has made me feel quite civilised.
So thumbs up from me. My bikes look even better with guards.

My commuter bike has old fashioned full length mudguards, as i commute every day (no car) they are vital if i don’t want to spend all day with a soggy arse.

I have fender-benders on both my full sussers, invaluable for keeping the crud out of my eyes and away from the fork seals and they are so unobtrusive you forget they are there.

Had trouble with rear guards as i have a marin QUAD link and a Marin QUAD II bike and both are a pain with most guards, especially as i’m so short that they get in the way on owt technical.
I recently bodged a Decathalon guard onto the QUAD II bike by zip-tieing it to the swing arm. Result is a guard that sits close to the wheel, moves with the swing arm, doesn’t get in the way and most of all keeps the crud off my new droppy seatpost 🙂

What do you do about the thing sat on top of it looking stupid?

avdave 2, I have no idea what you’re talking about!

As a rule I don’t like and don’t use guards. My main problem has always been dirt getting in my eyes and Im not really bothered about mud or water any where else. After one ride where I got what fely like a branch stuck in my eye and didn’t manage to get it out for over 12 hours. I decided to try a fender bender, it still looks a bit crap but its the best of a bad bunch and it actually works quite well. I still get mud on my face but no where near as much as I did.

When I had a carbon frame, I used a crud catcher in the hope it would protect the down tube from flying rocks.

For my commuter and winter road bike, I have full-length SKS guards. Why would you not? I also think those little neoprene guards on a fork crown are great for keeping flying muck out of your eyes.

Its just more bling to add to the endless amount of crap newbies buy when biking. Propper bike maintenance is everything that no piece of plastic can replace. The key thing to remember is that you must stay absolutely dry and have breathable layers on whilst biking. If that means buying expensive mountain climbing jackets then so be it. You will be rewarded with further stress free miles and increased grin factor. The right clothes will ultimately decide how happy you are whilst biking. If you are getting shit in your face shut your mouth and don a pair of shades. Job done.

I just have a neoguard and front crud catcher because I dont ride with glasses

I’m quiet happy with mudguards, come straight off when they can mind.

Road riding in a group, its inconsiderate not to ride with full guards,

MTB each to their own, it aint pretty, but neither is a brown strip up your arse.

Bender Fenders
Best thing since sliced bread
Not complete coverage but its amazing how much they stop… and keep the worst of the important areas (eyes, fork stanchions, rear shock)

Also….

Cheap
Simple to fit
Weigh nothing
Wont damage your street cred
Bend on impact – not snap
Dont come loose
Make you a cuppa when you get home
Cover for you at work
Entertain the Mrs when your away from home
etc etc

You may have guessed I like this product

+1 for Bender fender on the front and Crud Guards front/down tube and back the difference between those who use guards and those who don’t when we get to the pub is incredible, it looks like we’ve been on different rides.. 😀

Its rarely dry in the Lakes and I dislike having a wet arse or trying to ride fast downhill (which I struggle to do anyway)with crap flying in your eyes. So I really can’t see the point of not having mudguards – each to there own though…