I'm mudflap curious, educate me please

[roubaixtuesday]

Winter is coming and I'm mudflap curious.

Commuter and tandem both have full length mudguards, but I see some folk also fit dangly bits too - mudflaps - both front and rear.

Am guessing
- front ones protect drivetrain better?
- rear ones are for others benefit behind.

So
- am I right, or are there other benefits?
- how do they fit to existing guards?
- Are they worth bothering with
- any recommendations?

 

[si_c]

Basically what you note above. The long flaps, particularly at the front stop spray from the front wheel onto your feet and bottom bracket and the rear ones are largely a courtesy for anyone behind you.

I've got some fitted to my winter bike - I use Kinesis Fend-Off mudguards with RAW mudflaps. RAW have a good list of common mudguard brands and you can select the ones which fit those you have best.

The nice thing about the RAW guards is they are retro-reflective so light up really well for drivers behind at night.

Edit to add: Most mudguards come with a smaller flap at the bottom which fits with a single, often plastic, screw (certainly all the ones I have had did). The replacement guards just fit into that - I'll get a photo of mine taken to demonstrate, it's also a reminder to me to re-fit them for winter.

 

[Big John]

Never had front extensions but when I belonged to a club it was really frowned on if you didn't have an extension on the back in winter. Usually a piece of old mudguard pop rivetted to the main rear mudguard. If you didn't have one you were banned to the rear of the group 😭

 

[Hacienda71]

Yep a lot of clubs insist upon or encourage mud flaps.

 

[biggs682]

Or just use a piece from a plastic bottle

 

[Moodyman]

Making your own is more effective as you can choose size and material. Look for material that is stiff enough to resist fast downhills but has enough give if you roll your bike up/down kerbs.

Damp proof material or laundry detergent bottle are commonly recommended.

I’ve seen some of the retail flaps too flappy on downhills or into stiff headwinds.

 

[matticus]

...
I’ve seen some of the retail flaps too flappy on downhills or into stiff headwinds.

I've never been brave enough to look over my shoulder at high speed - nor to closely draft anyone in the wet at 40mph - so I still wonder if a flap bending backwards in the air-flow is a problem; won't it provide MORE protection?