Mudguard debate

[Alan M]

Wow! this debate has reached a level of seriousness of which Jack Straw would have been justifiably proud.

Of course, the axis of evil (no pun intended), the 'naked' wheel during the months of October - March is a cause for great concern and true believers are right to question the purple pros of some of the commentators on this forum and their false claims of enlightenment and their post modern trash tastes.

I will have to reflect on all that is said and seek the views of the true and great from the hallowed world that is known only as CTC.

[Stu Merckx Man]

WOAH??


stuart...

[Jim B]

This is the best thread for ages.

I agree that mudguards make your bike look sad, they are fiddly to get set up and they make it harder getting your wheels in and out.

But....its fine not having them if you a weekend warrior who can wash your bike and kit after each ride.

I ride to work everyday and have just put my mudguards back on my winter bike. When it rains mudguards keep at least 50% of the water off you and stop you having to spit out road grit. I scrapped my race blades as I found them more trouble than they were worth. I bought some normal ones and with a bit of creative knifery and some clips fitted them to my old Pinarello.

As regards etiquette, it obviously makes sense to all have guards in the winter. Even on a dry day, there's plenty of dirt on the roads.

Having said all this I will be out tomorrow SANS mudguards. I'd rather use my decent bike at least a bit longer. Come the salty roads of winter though and it'll be safely tucked away in the garage.

[Marek]

Good idea Jim, I am leaving the training bike at home tomorrow and am coming out on my racing bike for the club run. After the amount of beer I drank today I need all the help I can get to keep up with the likes of you and Paul H, Aidon and Sylvain.

Cheers

Marek....

[Alan M]

Hey, maybe we can keep this debate going until the end of the rainy season!!

I said that I would consult the CTC - don't mock damn you!

Below I have set out some guidance from their model code of practice, circa 2002

"Mudguards – Mudguards do more than keep you dry, they stop spray from the wheels of your bike affecting other riders, please respect your fellow club members. Until this code was revised in November 2002 officially mudguards where mandatory. Between the winter months of October to March and in inclement weather this remains the case on the majority of rides. However this rule is at the discretion of the ride leader and some groups opt not to enforce it. If you are in any doubt the default is for full mudguards, check with your ride leader for clarification."

Clearly this was the beginning of declining standards - whatever next?

I fear for my children!

[Stu Merckx Man]

what does 'ctc' stand for , or what does it meen and what isit?


cheers

stuart...

[Will]

cyclists' touring club

[Stu Merckx Man]

ah riiight cheers will!


stuart

[Andrew G]

Stuart, the CTC website is [url]http://www.ctc.org.uk/[/url] and I'd recommend joining. Although primarily based at tourers it does a lot of good work for all cyclist so I think we should support them, they support us after all. They are the main campaigners for cyclists rights and help fight any stupid legislation the Government tries to put through - having to have a number plate on your bike being a recent example.

They also offer an insurance scheme which although not the cheapest does provide legal assistance if you get hit by a car, and also covers your bike if you fall off on your own and damage your bike - e.g. lose the front wheel on a patch of ice.

[Stu Merckx Man]

cheers andrew,

sounds like the kinda organisation i should be friends with !!


Cheers

stu..

[Dominic]

I am a big fan of mudguards and have been during the past two years while doing Audax rides. I only took them off my bike in the summer after joing Addiscombe and coming on my first club run (I know, I'm sorry). The are fitted correctly at the back with colour co-ordinated zip ties to stop them rattling (after the metal clip fell off).

Not wishing to go against the hallowed CTC but in Audax circles to have mudguards on properly you must also have mudflaps on the front and the rear. The one on the rear stops that last bit of spray from going into the face of the person behind. Although this is not the real reason for having them, it is so that you can sit in the nice comfy chairs of the tea rooms, thus not upsetting the old dears that use them with your wet bum

Now before you all rush out to Bike Plus (GB's don't do them I am afraid) they can be fashioned from an empty Fairy liquid bottle and attached a la Blue Peter style

[Alan M]

yes Dominic and here is how! Cool!

http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html

[sid_day]

http://www.rivercitybicycles.com/defaul ... ath=27_130

I haven't been able to find a UK distributor

[img]http://www.rivercitybicycles.com/images/Fender0063.jpg[/img]

[Alan M]

Sort of arts and crafts design, no doubt of appeal to a broad section of the cycling public - not sure if they'll catch on with Surrel league - I hope that the timbers are sourced from sustainable and enviromentally managed forests. Certainly worthy of a write up in Cycling weekly!!!