Mudguards

[fat and old]

A common theme I read is "I'll never commute without mudguards". I understand the reasoning.....I don't want to get dirty/wet/? on the way to work. But I don't understand why the same person would not have mudguards on his "nice" ride. What's the diff?

For the record, I don't run guards. No reason other than the bike won't take them with ease, and getting a wet ass doesn't bother me. Am I a neanderthal or something?

[neild]

For me it's because I don't ride my 'nice' ride on days that would require guards. As they say that's what N+1 is for.

[queequeg]

The diff is about 300g

But seriously, I commute with full guards. It keeps, as the name suggests, the mud and road grime off the bike, and off my back/face/arms/legs.

I still get wet, but I don't look like Arnie in Predator when I arrive at work/home.

My nice ride is for long weekend rides, not commuting. I don't mind lugging all the extra weight during the week, but on weekends the light bike stays light.

[warthog1]

My commuter is a heavyish beast with high spoke count wheels and a dyno hub. Speed is not the number one priority.
My roadie used to be raced on. Now some of the bunches l go on are my substitute. I can't see mudguards doing me any favours speed wise. I dont go out on it if its raining either.

[RonK]

I don't understand why the same person would not have mudguards on his "nice" ride.

Well, it seems pretty obvious to me - it's because they want their "nice" ride to look "nice", and not like some crappy old commuter.

[Thoglette]

For me it's because I don't ride my 'nice' ride on days that would require guards. As they say that's what N+1 is for.

+N. Only the "playing on the weekend" bike doesn't have guards. It also doesn't have room for guards - it's a weekend toy.

It's a bit like a roof, boot, airconditioning or backseat on a sportscar. Entirely optional. Whereas having the motor in the middle (where God intended it*) is not.

*the 911 is the exception that proves the rule.

[fat and old]

I guess the question then is if your happy to get wet/dirty on the "nice" ride, then why worry commuting? I assume most change at work anyway, and shower when they get home?

[queequeg]

I guess the question then is if your happy to get wet/dirty on the "nice" ride, then why worry commuting? I assume most change at work anyway, and shower when they get home?

Putting muddy wet clothes back on in the afternoon is rather unpleasant. The main difference for me is that I don't generally go out on the nice ride if it is bucketing down, so it only gets wet when the weather changes, or I just HTFU and ride anyway

[reefer]

I guess the question then is if your happy to get wet/dirty on the "nice" ride, then why worry commuting? I assume most change at work anyway, and shower when they get home?

I certainly don't change at work. I commute to work, work all day and commute home all in the same clothes. Then again, I deliver / pick up furniture and other goods so do not really need to care what others smell of me.
I have mudguards on the commuter (and a dynamo / light set up). Am about to install a dynamo and supernova light set on the roadie too .
My roadie is just not setup for guards as I run 28c SMP on it. An error for the newbie I was getting into cycling, following LBS dogma.
My next "nice" roadie will have guards. But as my carbon frame is only 5 years old, thats some time off into the future.

[pacra]

I havn't had guards since I had a 27" wheels. On a 531 frame with Schwalbe Duranos guards ain't gonna work well if at all.

When it comes to it getting wet on the way home it's tolerable as there is a hot shower waiting. Going to work I can hack as I use a Deuter pack with a protective cover and carry spare socks etc which stay dry within. With a light rain jacket it is only my feet and calves off the front wheel, and the streak off the rear wheel most of which runs off the Deuter cover anyway.

My memory of guards is that your feet got almost as wet anyway and in Melbourne it is fairly rare to cop 45 minutes of driving rain. It's usually stop start or drizzly stuff rather than sheets of water on the road. I can only think of one occasion in the last couple of years when I got to work so wet that everything was still wet in the afternoon, and that was Melbourne summer rainstorm.

[Stepr]

When its pelting down you tend to get just as wet with or without proper mud guards ( I have tried it) however I settled for a Crud Mtb rear guard ( that attaches to your seat post) on my commuter roadie. That keeps the icy cold winter ( Canberra) rain from running down your crack which is not pleasant. I don't bother with the front guard, but the rear one keeps your behind dry for quite a while.

[Thoglette]

When its pelting down you tend to get just as wet with or without proper mud guards .

Yup, but that's a rare event. And with guards you avoid getting covered in muck. And there's less cold water getting in my shoes.

It's the other 80% of "damp" days where guards really pay off.

[casual_cyclist]

When its pelting down you tend to get just as wet with or without proper mud guards ( I have tried it) however I settled for a Crud Mtb rear guard ( that attaches to your seat post) on my commuter roadie. That keeps the icy cold winter ( Canberra) rain from running down your crack which is not pleasant. I don't bother with the front guard, but the rear one keeps your behind dry for quite a while.

In Perth, commuting on PSPs, it is sand. Yes, you get as wet if it is raining but at least with guards you stop sand flicking up all over your bike, butt, legs, shoes, seat and bag. Mine broke and I didn't replace them. One wet ride and I am looking for replacements.

[singlespeedscott]

Real mudguards stop water flicking up into your face, water flicking on your feet and crap getting on your drivetrain. My commuter has mudguards and like others have also said my nice bike doesn't as I don't ride it in the rain.

One day my good bike will also have mudguards though

[DavidS]

My only bike is the commuter - a flatbar but a good flatbar with 105 groupset. After a while commuting and getting caught in the rain I have full mudguards with Brooks leather mudflaps on front and back. It makes a huge difference and I really would not commute without them. I might get wet sometimes but I don't get dirty and I don't get anywhere near as wet. Also have a cover for my bag which goes in a basket on the back of the bike. If you ride in the rain it pays to have the right gear to keep things and yourself as dry as possible.

DS

[Releng]

As a pretty regular commuter I have a wet bike and a dry bike.
The steel Surly LHT (12KG) is for wet days and has mudguards, the carbon Fuji (7.5KG) is for dry days and doesn't.
The LHT doubles as a tourer, not that I have toured on it yet.
The Fuji doubles as a racer, It is almost 3 years since I have had a race.

Mick

[rangersac]

I leave the nice roadie for the nice days. Cleaning it is a pain, and I don't view it as much fun getting filthy, soaked, and having to clean the bike at the end of it. There's also a lot of pleasure to be had from riding something whisper quiet, and feather weight in comparison to my steel commuter workhorse, and you couldn't fit guards on it easily. However, aside from the drier/ cleaner aspects, for my commuter guards also mean less maintenance and longer life for components as you don't get anywhere near as much crap kicking up into your drivetrain. If it's a wet week I don't want to be put through the ritual of chain cleaning and relubing every second day.

[Crawf]

Been using SKS chromoplastics for a while now, they do the job well but are a little fugly with their dual stays and end attachments.
Looking for something a little more aesthetically pleasing in the mudguard market and that are not boat anchors, reasonably light weight is a big factor. Suggestions?

Velo Orange?
Dia-Compe ENE?
Gilles Berthoud?

[singlespeedscott]

Aluminium Honjo.

[RonK]

Aluminium Honjo.

Yeah, Honjo hammered - very classy.

Velo-Orange sell them (and VO imitations).

[Thoglette]

Velo Orange?

Discovered that there's now at least five in-country stockists of VO gear - much better than having to mail from the USoA

[RonK]

Velo Orange?

Discovered that there's now at least five in-country stockists of VO gear - much better than having to mail from the USoA

Hmmm - looks like VO don't stock Honjo any more.
And local price at Cheeky Monkey an eye-watering $180.

[MattyK]

Been using SKS chromoplastics for a while now, they do the job well but are a little fugly with their dual stays and end attachments.
Looking for something a little more aesthetically pleasing in the mudguard market and that are not boat anchors, reasonably light weight is a big factor. Suggestions?

Zefal Paragon. Really neat if you cut the stays flush with the brackets.
http://bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic ... 0#p1001046" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Last time I saw they were stupid cheap from AMart (like $15, down from $70)

[slaw]

Design of the current Paragons is a bit different. I've just fitted these to replace some older Zefals that I had for about 7 years. Never quite had them fitted as well as I have the new ones and because of that they cracked. But I still used them for quite a while held together with strips of gaffa tape. Plastic on the new ones seem softer and less brittle perhaps, so I expect they'll last just as long. Not bad for $30.

[grantw]

I just put some VO snakeskin mudguards on my Rivendell - pretty happy with the look as well as the practical aspects I wasn't able to find any VO gear locally though, who'se actually got stock? (as opposed to those that don't have any stock).

Rivendell Sam Hillborne with new mudguards from Velo Orange by _granty, on Flickr