Mudguards and winter club rides

[Del]

That's the spirit George!

[PeterR]

+1 in favour of mudguards to be encouraged on the club run in winter.

[Andrew F]

For me there’s nothing more uncomfortable than riding in wet clothes and shoes. I tend to get cold (and then miserable) very easily once I get wet particularly at this time of year so anything which will keep as much wet and muck off me as possible is good in my opinion even if it fails the style police

I wouldn't want to spay others with my rubbish so in return I would hope that other riders would consider doing the same and not spay other riders with their rubbish.

[JulianG]

Tony et al,

I am too in favour of mudguards, and agree we should go as far as a club to promote just for the sake of all in the groups, yes makes bike heavier and less attractive but hell we certainly appreciate the full carbon lightweight zero clearance frames, deep section carbon rims and all the other exocita that comes again in spring... Butlers sell a full range and we do get discount..

I used to ride with Chelmer CC and you could not ride with them without mudguards and it was part of the club ethos more than rules, this was in 1990 when lets be really honest none of the race blades existed and unless you had a specific frame or some element of engineering knowledge you needed two bikes.

All can now purchase relitively cheaply (based on cost of winter repairs due to crap building up) SKS race blades which I use and have demonstrated come off in seconds thanks to small mounting brackets fitted either side of brake calipers and either side of wheel skewers, yes slow down puncture repairs as you have to remove skewer to get wheel off, but long versions stop all rear spray and i mean all.

PRO'S they keep you and bike clean, they keep those behind much more agreeable, You dont have to try and keep up with George

CON'S to be honest i cant think of any that any one can honestly up hold..

anyway as captains we can only ask, and yes for those who like me were out pretty much all last winter with mudguards we can merely enjoy less time stripping down and cleaning the bikes.

keep safe and stay nice on here all.

[Dombo]

[quote="Keith"]I stayed clean & bone dry when out for a couple of hours this morning on soaking wet, filthy roads.

[img]http://i62.tinypic.com/inv81u.jpg[/img]

I put a longer tail on the rear 'guard for group riding.

[Keith]

[quote="Dombo"]
What make are those, Keith?

[Phil H]

The crud roadracers work. They are a little fiddly and fragile but they do stop the muck from getting in your brake pivots and into the front mech. Worth it.

[Dombo]

Good review of them here:

http://road.cc/content/review/33843-cru ... -mudguards


And at 20 quid what's not to like?

[Andrew G]

I've not found them flimsy, if you catch the front with your toe you might damage them, likewise knock the rear tail off if you flip the bike up to wheel it through a gap, but a bit of care and common sense and they seem fine.

[Dombo]

Just got some from Evans. £19.90 price match with Wiggle. a bit fiddly to fit but there's n excellent how-to video on the crud catcher website. They look very unobtrusive, very light. As somebody said, what's not to like.

[Phil H]

Talk about mudguards my bike's got em.

Well, one of my bikes has.

[NickW]

I am very strongly in favour of people being required to have mudguards (or to ride in a distinct non-guard group or groups if they do not).

It is just common sense really and it is inexcusable that, particularly with the availability of cruds, anyone has to ride without them. I am not sure there is an excuse on a cost or inconvenience basis. Personally I would rather not ride behind someone who does not have guards in the pouring rain. Fortunately most people on Saturday in the 17s had them but there were a few Luddites spraying all and sundry but still enjoying the benefit of a guarded wheel.

My vote would be for groups with or without guards or cruds (full length!) to ride separately. Then everyone has a clear choice and it is up to the individual what he does.

Nick

[Amy]

[quote="NickW"]Personally I would rather not ride behind someone who does not have guards in the pouring rain. Fortunately most people on Saturday in the 17s had them but there were a few Luddites spraying all and sundry but still enjoying the benefit of a guarded wheel.

[Andrew F]

Well spotted, glad someone was proof reading

[Amy]

[quote="Andrew F"]Well spotted, glad someone was proof reading