Mudguards off for winter?

[cyberknight]

Never bothered with them myself having a rear rack and panniers helps to some extent.

I used to think that till i tried full gaurds, the amount of muck it keeps off the drive train is worth it .
My commuter has them on all year around , the nice bike does not go out specifically in the rain as i do not like the stripe up my back look .

 

[beeblemaster]

Mine rattle, bug me when they drag dirt up but only real men ride bikes with mudguards!

 

[Tyke]

I put a set of Crud Roadracer MkII`s on my road bike for a few weeks at the beginning of last winter and they are still there. Me and the bike are a lot cleaner and I have had no problems with them once they are on I forgot about them no noise or breakage but I do ride 23c I have heard people having problems with the wider tires.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

the only irritation I have with guards is when taking the front wheel off to get a bike or 2 in the car.

other than that, they are better on and protecting the moving parts from crud and me from looking like I've got explosive diarrhoea in the wet.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I never ride without mudguards.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I've been using some SKS clip-on mudguards for years now. They're easy to clip on and off, easy to clean, and don't rattle very much. I bolted rubber flaps onto their ends to extend their coverage, and they work very well!

 

[perplexed]

People who take mudguards on and off according to the weather have far too much time on their hands.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

People who take mudguards on and off according to the weather have far too much time on their hands.

Mine take about 20 seconds to clip on or remove.

 

[tyred]

Guards on all bikes all year round. Any frame that can't take guards is not fit for purpose imo.

 

[Davidc]

All year round, never had any problems with them in 50+ years. The round town mtb has the crud catcher style because proper ones won't fit. Nothing like as good. Decent guards keep the bike clean, me dry and clean, and anyone riding behind from getting sprayed.

I've always had good quality guards. The saying buy cheap buy twice seems to apply. I do put new ones on every 5 years in case the plastic goes brittle with UV as most plastics seem to.

These are the ones I'm going to put on my 5 year old bike before the winter. I don't expect any noise from or problems with them over their 5 year planned life.

 

[Sara_H]

Keep them! I'd used a mudguarded bike for years, then two years ago bought a bike without mudguards - I soon got a pair fitted! Even in summer, I find it really unpleasant getting caught in the rain without mudguards - all the grimy spray coming up at me - yuck!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm happy. I took the bike to my LBS to see what he could do for me. Low and behold he had two pairs of second hand guards,one was 90% like the ones on my bike. He's fitted the rear one on with a bit of bending and adaptation,it even has a red reflector on. I asked him how much for the mudguard and the labour,"will £7.50 be all right,or 7 quid for cash" he replied! I gave him a tenner.
Another pair of the ones i have on would've cost me around 30 quid,and all that fiddling as well, so i'm happy!

ps He's even raised the rear guard up higher than the previous one to allow for more stone and other objects clearance.

 

[2Loose]

Full length guards definitely prevent drive train wear and tear over winter. Along with stopping that black streak up the back look.
Well worth keeping on over winter imo.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I've never had mudguards on a bike before. Well not since i was a youngster.The ones i have on my general purpose road bike are ok in some ways but the advantage of having them is beginning to be outweighed by the disadvantages of them,such as their rattling,the muck that collects under them,their "wimpy cyclist"appearance, and the back one has cracked, as well as the bracket having snapped due to the horrendous road conditions around here! I've had them on all summer when it's been mostly dry,so to think about taking them off before autumn and winter might seem daft to some but they're bugging me now and if i decide to keep 'em i'm going to have to fork out for another pair which'll add to the recent expense of a new tyre,two new inner tubes,and a service at my LBS.
Should they stay or should they go? Advice and thoughts please!

Yep the roads around here are awful, just awful. I've got suspension on the back of my Brompton but my hands take a hammering....and as for my busted elbow.

Mudguards, love the fact I can ride wet roads and not get the skunk stripe. But they are a pain when it comes to maintenance and look awful if not installed with the radius of the guard following the radius of the tyre.

 

[fossyant]

Full guards for the commuter. SKS dont rattle.