Mudguard debate

[Alan M]

Having been bullied by peer pressure by my Tuesday morning cycling buddies I have finally decided to fit them. So from now on I will be taking a different line on those of you cycling 'naked' in front of me!! It was just the same when I gave up smoking!

On a related point, anyone interested in an occasional Tuesday or Thursday ride, the group that I go with does an average 17/18 mph, probably slower on Thursdays and ride very good and quiet routes across Surrey and Sussex countryside with some really good cafe stops. Rides are about 50+ miles but more if you ride out to Betchworth where they meet at 10 and I usually get back by around 2/3. Longest ride 88 miles including ride out and back to Sanderstead. Average age of group is above 50 but younger riders and one or two women usually join in. There are usually a couple of sprints thrown in, always Newdigate on the return and on some hills. If interested PM me.

[Stu Merckx Man]

i agree with mud gaurds.

it can be realy off putting when ure gasping for air and you get a mouthful of oily water. also along some of the more rural routes, i get paranoid about there bieng some horse poo and things within the splashes .

it also meens that when its overcast i still have to wear my sun glasses, because otherwise i can't keep my eyes open because of all the water going in them!

cheers,
stuart....

[Marek]

Stuart, your rear mudguard does not give much protection to the riders behind you, it probably saves your butt from getting too wet but all those struggling to keep up with you get a face ful of water. I think Alan is talking full length mudguards.

Alan, word of warning they are a bliming nightmare to fit, well I found them to be anyway. I think this is a job worth taking to the shop.

Cheers

Marek...

[Stu Merckx Man]

ah right woops!

i was feeling all smug with myself for a minute there! lol

would those sks mudgaurds sean mention create less wind resistants than my plastic thingy?

stuart..

[Andrew G]

I've used the "Race Blades" Sean links to for the last 2 winters and for think as well as keeping the rider drier they do help out those behind, obviously not as well as full guards but better than if riding "naked".

They are a bit pricey for what they are but for modern race bikes with no eyes and small clearances I don't know if there is anything else, so they know they can fleece you .

That said I would recommend them, but I would advise that you use the screws provided to permanently fix the position of the bridges, as you tend to have to keep adjusting them otherwise. Also although the quick release straps are appealing they aren't that tight so use the zip ties and they'll stay in place nicely.

[Alan M]

GB did indeed fit mine Marek and the mechanic said it could be tricky. Got new bar tape too 'cos I find that they do it more neatly than I can. I do wash and lubricate it myself!

[huw williams]

Personally I hold mudgards in about as much esteem as I do Dynamo lights, panniers and touring bikes - ie they are the work of the devil.

Heavy, rattling bits of tin or plastic which always, but always end up rubbing on your wheels and wearing out your tyres.

Do they use mudguards in Paris Roubaix when its raining? They do not!

Have you ever seen Bradley Wiggins using mudguards? No.

When was the last time you saw a solo breakaway stage in the tour where the winner comes gloriously accross the line, hands raised to the heavens with that familiar "tick, tick, ticking" noise as his mudguard rubs on his front tyre. Doesn't happen.

After the Falling Leaves at the weekend there was this guy riding home carrying a rear mudguard on his handlebars. "You've mounted that in the wrong place mate" I ventured "it's doing no good at all there." "I got pissed off with it rattling around after 50 miles so I took it off" he admitted "I'd rather get wet."

If you don't like getting wet don't go out in the rain! If you don't like getting sprayed by the guy in front, ride AT the front, better training for you and he gets a soaking instead

And another thing - Rucksacks. Did you see how many people were carrying rucksacks at the weekend?

They spent a fortune on a lightweight bike, then carry a half-ton rucksack 70 miles over big hills. What have they got in there? The kids? A dog? That ride was hard enough without lugging your washing, a three course lunch (with wine), full tool-kit (with bikestand) and sunday-best suit for the after-ride dinner around with you.

[huw williams]

Absoulutely. Now, where did I put that Dynamo? Its getting dark earlier and earlier.

[Jon H]

Those Paris-Roubaix blokes would be much more comfortable if they had mudguards to keep all that muddy spray off them. And if they had a saddlebag to carry their drinks and sarnies that would save them all that effort of having to go back to the team cars to stock up.

[huw williams]

A good point well made. Maybe we could extend that idea to a similar kind of handicap system they use in Horse racing, where faster horses that have won loads of races have to carry more weight. By my reckoning Lance Armstrong would have been carrying a rucksack full of lead shot by the time of his last Tour win!

[Grahame]

[quote="huw williams"]A good point well made. Maybe we could extend that idea to a similar kind of handicap system they use in Horse racing, where faster horses that have won loads of races have to carry more weight. By my reckoning Lance Armstrong would have been carrying a rucksack full of lead shot by the time of his last Tour win!

[huw williams]

Excellent recall Grahame - I think in Greg's case it was literally 'shot' into his body. Though Laurent Fignon repeatedly denied he had anything to do with it.

[Dominic]

Huw,

Can you post here the dates when you will be on the club runs, that way I will know to take off my mudguards and hub dynamo

Will I be allowed to ride with the mudguards group in the TOSH ride if I have got a hub dynamo or do I get my own group (might not make any difference by the end of course)?

Thankfully I don't use a rucksack anymore having progressed(?) to a SQR bag to take my sandwiches to work in

I'll tell you one thing though, it really does make you feel like your flying when you take all the crap off for the summer

[huw williams]

I hadn't thought of that - maybe that's Mareks secret, he trains with mudguards, dynamoes and panniers full of sandwiches. Racing must be easy compared to that

[Andrew G]

[quote]Do they use mudguards in Paris Roubaix when its raining? They do not!

Have you ever seen Bradley Wiggins using mudguards? No.

When was the last time you saw a solo breakaway stage in the tour where the winner comes gloriously accross the line, hands raised to the heavens with that familiar "tick, tick, ticking" noise as his mudguard rubs on his front tyre. Doesn't happen.