Full size mud guards v race blades

[birdie1]

Im usung an allez as winter bike for first season this year, however Ive realised full size mud guards dont fit. What are the race blades like???

 

[Gary D]

They are OK. Easy to fit and remove. Not as good as full guards - but then again you don't have much choice

One thing I would say is that if you are going to use them, make sure you protect your frame where the plastic brackets sit. I use pieces of cut up inner tube.

The first couple of times I didn't - and have got deep scratches in my gloss black frame to prove it!

Gary.

 

[mr Mag00]

nice tip gary thnx, i have some too and have yet to use them.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if you're with a club they're next to useless. our club captain insists on full guards with rear mudflap for the sunday training ride

 

[Andy]

Race blades are fine, I've used them for a few years now. Easy to fit and rmove as required, and although they do not give as good protection as full guards with most road frames it's pretty much all you can use without a serious amount of searching and tweaking of things.
Try e-Bay and do a "race blade" search, someone there (can't remember who now) does an SKS style blade very cheaply and although I've got proper SKS ones, these ones look pretty much the same.
I've never had any complaints about my race baldes on club runs, that's either because they are very good, or more realisitcally because I spend the majority of my time either at or off the back so nobody to splatter!

 

[Joe24]

I did half of last winter with Raceblades. They lack protection on the front of the back wheel, when theres lots of water on the surface, the water goes from the backwheel, splashes on the frame then down your leg, then into your shoes.
They do stop the sprey from the back wheel, and the front(although i never bother with the front one, just have one on the back.
Likes been said protect your frame or it will get scratched.
They are good to take on and off in the summer. I can put mine on and have them on straight in a few mins, which is a bonus when you are going to go out and it just starts raining and you dont want a wet arse.
I have the Giant raceblades, cheaper but just as good. Were abit hard to set up(took them to my LBS to do because i got very annoyed with them)

 

[Soltydog]

I've got sks race blades & couldn't get the front one to fit on my allez elite Not sure if there isn't enough clearance on the spesh frames, as at the first east yorks meet, either Admin or Gezza said they had same problems with their Spesh Roubaix

 

[andy_wrx]

The front one is a bit short, go through a puddle and half of it gets dumped over your toes.
I sorted this by pop-riveting onto the bottom a bit cut from a fabric softener bottle, was exactly the right curve to fit the bottom of the guard and rigid enough.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

The front one is a bit short, go through a puddle and half of it gets dumped over your toes.
I sorted this by pop-riveting onto the bottom a bit cut from a fabric softener bottle, was exactly the right curve to fit the bottom of the guard and rigid enough.

+1

For mine I used a slender type clear washing up liquid bottle.