Mudguards.

[quixoticgeek]

Urban roads, definitely not clean, but not muddy.

I suspect the roads are covered with various types of dust, sand/grit and particles.

Dutch roads and cycle paths are covered in a substance we call "you don't want to know" we've no idea where it comes from, or what it is. But it makes a right mess of everything... And even if you clean your bike. Within 10km it'll have the same layer of the stuff over everything.

J

[hubner]

Mudguards do slow you down despite what some people say.

Is this opinion, or fact (to be backed up by evidence)?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-3-fenders-slow-you-down/

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!

Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

[Bledlow]

.... Improper mudguards^[1] are a work of Stan, ...

_{[1] I'll make an exception for the MTB ones that serve only to keep the sheep shit out of your mouth and the grit out of your arse crack, as long as they're attached to a primarily off-road bike.}

Those are the only improper mudguards on any of my bikes. But the designed-for-off-road-and-originally-used-primarily-for-it bike they're on has drifted into being as much a rough country roads bike nowadays. Sorry.

My proper road bikes, from Brompton to Enigma, have proper mudguards.

[rogerzilla]

Ah, metal mudguards.  They really should have QR fixings (plastic ones break when they get jammed, if you're lucky).  And then you have the issue that some QR designs QR by themselves on the right kind of bump.  The Madison Primoplastics, and clones thereof, like to do that.

[FifeingEejit]

I only ride on roads.

Obviously clean roads at that; although the only pace I've ever fully clogged guards was on a Dutch Cycle path I've come close with byproducts of the food supply chain round here.

Urban roads, definitely not clean, but not muddy.

I suspect the roads are covered with various types of dust, sand/grit and particles.

No, real proper roads are covered in mud and shit, literally shit or if you want the farming term dung.
None of your urban grit and bits of car shite (bits of car usually end up spread across the fields as cars bounce through them)

Which reminds me, I was going to have a nosey at what the farmer was doing in the field across from my house so I know what I'll find spread around junctions come the hairst (or nick if required)

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[salar55]

Its silage season, they have done the first cut . Now its muck spreading to feed the grass for the next cut, mudguards for the lanes now i think.

[fd3]

I think mudguard users overestimate their ability to keep you dry. Their main benefit is when riding wet roads just after it’s stopped raining. If you’re going to be outside in the rain anyway it doesn’t matter.

I frequently ride when the rain is just a little annoying but not enough for waterproofs; but without mudguards I'd need to change when I get to work (I knows from when I broke a mudguard or hadn't upgraded to proper mudguards and other such moments in my life).  My Longboards also protect my chainring.
My trike does't have front mudguards (because £££) and I remove the rear mudguard after every ride for vertical storage purposes (it's an ass saver with a reusable zip tie).

(click to show/hide)

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!
Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

And I thought I was the only one who got angry about BQ "Science".
He uses the trappings of science and mixes some evident truths and some decent theories with some massive unsubstantiated whoppers.  It would be nice if he actually tried some of his research and tests past some peer review (and I don;t only mean that in a sarcastic fashion).

[zigzag]

i have little tolerance for bogus "science", biased tests and censored comments, so bq is not a valid source of information to me..

[Cudzoziemiec]

Ah, metal mudguards.  They really should have QR fixings (plastic ones break when they get jammed, if you're lucky).  And then you have the issue that some QR designs QR by themselves on the right kind of bump.  The Madison Primoplastics, and clones thereof, like to do that.

When Chris Juden wrote about this back in the last millennium, he concluded that QR fixings are recommended on all mudguards but really essential on plastic ones, which deform and jam under the fork crown or brake bridge, whereas for stiff metal guards they're only needed in case of stone jams. In any case, SKS sell metal guards with QR and their QR design can be fitted to many other stays.

[hubner]

I think mudguard users overestimate their ability to keep you dry. Their main benefit is when riding wet roads just after it’s stopped raining. If you’re going to be outside in the rain anyway it doesn’t matter.

I think most people realise mudguards don't stop you or the bike from getting wet from water dropping from the sky. They're not rainguards.

But they do protect you and your bike from the often filty water churned up from your wheels.

[hubner]

Ah, metal mudguards.  They really should have QR fixings (plastic ones break when they get jammed, if you're lucky).  And then you have the issue that some QR designs QR by themselves on the right kind of bump.  The Madison Primoplastics, and clones thereof, like to do that.

When Chris Juden wrote about this back in the last millennium, he concluded that QR fixings are recommended on all mudguards but really essential on plastic ones, which deform and jam under the fork crown or brake bridge, whereas for stiff metal guards they're only needed in case of stone jams. In any case, SKS sell metal guards with QR and their QR design can be fitted to many other stays.

I've read you can leave the bolt slightly loose, just loose enough so the stays can pull out if yanked, but tight enough to hold the stays in normal use.

Only works with stays that are just separate straight rods though.

[Karla]

Mudguards do slow you down despite what some people say.

Is this opinion, or fact (to be backed up by evidence)?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-3-fenders-slow-you-down/

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!

Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

A good reason not to use mudguards is to annoy the Jan Heine fanboys.

[morbihan]

Mudguards do slow you down despite what some people say.

Is this opinion, or fact (to be backed up by evidence)?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-3-fenders-slow-you-down/

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!

Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

A good reason not to use mudguards is to annoy the Jan Heine fanboys.

Sigh.
I don't think folks not using mud guards will annoy people who use them.
I think its a shame that in this world of homogeneity and big biz that someone  such as Jan who is an advocate of quality, well engineered solutions to the pastime that we love gets the cheap snarky comments. Oh well.
In the meantime I and my partner will continue to use mudguards and enjoy the benefits that they provide.

[FifeingEejit]

Its silage season, they have done the first cut . Now its muck spreading to feed the grass for the next cut, mudguards for the lanes now i think.

Yes seems to be, they've not long stopped taking the misshapen carrots along to the pigs.

[Karla]

Mudguards do slow you down despite what some people say.

Is this opinion, or fact (to be backed up by evidence)?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-3-fenders-slow-you-down/

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!

Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

A good reason not to use mudguards is to annoy the Jan Heine fanboys.

Sigh.
I don't think folks not using mud guards will annoy people who use them.
I think its a shame that in this world of homogeneity and big biz that someone  such as Jan who is an advocate of quality, well engineered solutions <snip>

... and of misleading, disignenuous clickbait webpages!

Like "Myth: fenders slow you down"

Info garnered from the page:
1) The front portion of a front mudguard, if any front mudguards had such a portion (which they don't), doesn't slow you down.
2) The rear portion of a front mudguard, i.e. all actual front mudguards, does slow you down.
3) They didn't test any rear mudguards so can't say whether or not they slow you down.

It sounds like mudguards slow you down, huh?

[Morat]

I have all-alloy mudguards that are quite tightly fitted to my tyres. They were an utter B"£$£"D to fit and it took me ages because I was determined to make them fit well. Since then I've had no problems with them. The only time they make a noise is when a random stone of the right size ends up between the tyre and 'guard and yes, that sounds horrible for a few seconds.

Would I bother again? yes.

I also have a 'cross bike that doesn't have mudguards. I only ride it in the dry, because it doesn't have mudguards because 'cross bikes shouldn't have mudguards because of the mud which it will never see when I'm riding it in the dry.... IYSWIM.

[Kim]

If there isn't mud, is it even cyclocross?

[Lightning Phil]

Mudguards do slow you down despite what some people say.

Is this opinion, or fact (to be backed up by evidence)?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth-3-fenders-slow-you-down/

I was waiting for someone to finally post that. As the saying goes: he would say that!

Note he only tested the front mudguard, of a length not commonly used, very narrow ie not much wider than the tyre, minimal mudflap. All I can say is he uses "science" to mislead people.

A good reason not to use mudguards is to annoy the Jan Heine fanboys.

Sigh.
I don't think folks not using mud guards will annoy people who use them.

Unless they try and join your group when the road is wet or it’s raining, or pass closely in the rain giving you a spray of their muck.

[tatanab]

Unless they try and join your group when the road is wet or it’s raining, or pass closely in the rain giving you a spray of their muck.

or on a day like today with semi molten tar being flung up to stick to your jersey.  I still have the tar mark at neck level from a ride in 2006.

[fd3]

I have all-alloy mudguards that are quite tightly fitted to my tyres.

Do you reckon they are better than, say, an SKS Longboard? 
While not trusting JH, I am a confirmed mudguard user and would upgrade to something better.

[rogerzilla]

Ah, metal mudguards.  They really should have QR fixings (plastic ones break when they get jammed, if you're lucky).  And then you have the issue that some QR designs QR by themselves on the right kind of bump.  The Madison Primoplastics, and clones thereof, like to do that.

When Chris Juden wrote about this back in the last millennium, he concluded that QR fixings are recommended on all mudguards but really essential on plastic ones, which deform and jam under the fork crown or brake bridge, whereas for stiff metal guards they're only needed in case of stone jams. In any case, SKS sell metal guards with QR and their QR design can be fitted to many other stays.

I know anecdote is not evidence but I have seen it happen once, on a CTC ride just outside Lechlade.  Stick went into a guy's mudguard and there were suddenly chunks of chromoplastic everywhere, accompanied by an impressive splintering noise.  Someone produced tools, the bits were unbolted and disposed of (probably not in a bin, but how do you carry a broken mudguard?) and on we went.

[Morat]

If there isn't mud, is it even cyclocross?

If I'm riding it definitely isn't cyclocross. Chapeau to those crazy people!

[Morat]

I have all-alloy mudguards that are quite tightly fitted to my tyres.

Do you reckon they are better than, say, an SKS Longboard? 
While not trusting JH, I am a confirmed mudguard user and would upgrade to something better.

Hmmm, there are so many variables in play that I don't think I can offer any solid recommendations either way.

All I can say is that I'm very happy with them, so far - which in my case isn't very far compared with others on this forum even after three (?) years.
Is there the perfect-sized stone out there that will jam under the front guard and flip me over the handlebars? Maybe. I'd like to think the chances are I would have found it by now. I did try and make sure that the clearance is tighter at the back of the mudguards than the front to avoid any "funneling" effect that would lead to a really hard jam.

I like the solidity of the all-metal mudguards, they don't rattle and they don't move around. They're very good at their prime purpose of keeping my feet and backside dry on wet roads

[hubner]

I've had one time when the SKS quick release worked for me. I fitted a new front brake cable and didn't cut off the excess length but made it into a loop. The loop came undone and the cable must have got in between the mudguard and tyre, and the stays just popped out of the plastic thingy.

[bhoot]

I have popped the SKS quick release a couple of times on my touring bike, in 16 years. They have rather tight clearance, so it seems all worked as intended.