What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
Wandering over to the C+ fora yesterday (as usenet seemed to die in this neck of the woods), there seemed a lot of support for the "if you want to stay dry, stay off my wheel" school of thought.
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
Don't know if you've noticed, but even full-length mudguards don't stop the spray being thrown into the face of the rider behind -- they only stop the rider/bike getting mucky. You'll need mud flaps as well as guards to stop this happening. I use them to keep myself dry and minimise winter maintenance. Might fit a mudflap for some Audaxes this winter when you'd expect to ride in a group and benefit from riding in proximity to others.
True enough, though, if you don't want to get wet on your commute, don't draft other riders -- on a commute there's no need to anyway.
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
Don't know if you've noticed, but even full-length mudguards don't stop the spray being thrown into the face of the rider behind -- they only stop the rider/bike getting mucky. You'll need mud flaps as well as guards to stop this happening. I use them to keep myself dry and minimise winter maintenance.
Having ridden my new bike only about 100 miles without guards, I was amazed to see how much gunk had accumulated in this time. The headset area looked particularly prone. Very happy to be fitting guards.
" [Not Responding] " <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
My bike (Marin Lucas Valley) did not come with guards and I have no intention of fitting them as it's only about one in 20 trips when there is enough water on the road for spray to be a problem. If it's very wet or forecast to be wet I will wear/take waterproofs. 23c tyres do not chuck up much [censored], but i expect wider tyres could.
Quoted message said:
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
I don't recall a situation where another cyclist has been "stuck" behind me. If you don't like the spray then why not overtake or drop back?
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
I confess to a visceral dislike of mudguards. They're a pain to fit, they're a pain to adjust, they rattle, they're vulnerable. Just generally horrible. But this is a view I've developed over many years as a solitary cyclist. Now that I increasingly cycle in company with others I shall have to revisit my attitude.
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 13:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>
wrote in message : said:
I confess to a visceral dislike of mudguards. They're a pain to fit, they're a pain to adjust, they rattle, they're vulnerable.
Really? The rear guard on the Stinger was a pain, since it was designed for a fundamentally different kind of bike, but it's never needed adjusting, never rattled, never got in the way.
"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I confess to a visceral dislike of mudguards. They're a pain to fit, they're a pain to adjust, they rattle, they're vulnerable. Just generally horrible.
How much of this is due to using nasty ones? Since I got my first set of proper mudguards (ESGE/SKS with the stainless steel fittings) about 10 years ago I've never had those problems, whereas before then this was quite common.
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 13:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
in message <[email hidden]>, [Not
Responding (') said:
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
I confess to a visceral dislike of mudguards. They're a pain to fit, they're a pain to adjust, they rattle, they're vulnerable. Just generally horrible. But this is a view I've developed over many years as a solitary cyclist. Now that I increasingly cycle in company with others I shall have to revisit my attitude.
I've never had any problems with mudguards. Admittedly, I've always specced SKS (ESGE?) and am probably blissfully unaware of rattling, rubbing habits of cheaper brands. I'd even argue with the vulnerablity comment; the mudguards where one of the few components that where reusable following my prang. Wheels and frame were bent and scarred but once detached, the guards simply sprang back into shape.
The only challenge I haven't tested them against is deep snow. I used my 700c mudguarded bike on a 60 mile run in a covering of snow to no ill effect but am still curious as to how far I'd get in 5 cm of wet stuff.
The only challenge I haven't tested them against is deep snow. I used my 700c mudguarded bike on a 60 mile run in a covering of snow to no ill effect but am still curious as to how far I'd get in 5 cm of wet stuff.
A long way. The brakes clog up first. At least with snow (IME) you can just tap the mudguard and it all drops off.. (FGVO tap and drop)
The only challenge I haven't tested them against is deep snow. I used my 700c mudguarded bike on a 60 mile run in a covering of snow to no ill effect but am still curious as to how far I'd get in 5 cm of wet stuff.
A long way. The brakes clog up first. At least with snow (IME) you can just tap the mudguard and it all drops off.. (FGVO tap and drop)
Last time I encountered snow, the brakes were U/S from fairly early on; reduced to balls of ice. The mudguards seemed to stay clear but I'd put that down to the fact that there wasn't really that much snow.
Hmm. Looking forward to the Winter now. We've had such boringly mild ones for so long, I hope we get a 3 week freeze interspersed with significant snowfall. Fat chance down here on the coast though. We call it a bad winter if the pineapples don't ripen.
"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I confess to a visceral dislike of mudguards. They're a pain to fit, they're a pain to adjust, they rattle, they're vulnerable. Just generally horrible.
Mostly I use SKS mudguards on my winter bike (roadised mtb), they weren't difficult to fit and don't rattle. A few years ago I fitted some cheaper aluminium ones, they were no more difficult to fit but the rattling drove me to distraction so they although servicable they were chucked and replaced with SKS's again.
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 18:34:28 +0100, " [Not Responding] " <[email hidden]> wrote in message <[email hidden]>:
Quoted message said:
Last time I encountered snow, the brakes were U/S from fairly early on; reduced to balls of ice. The mudguards seemed to stay clear but I'd put that down to the fact that there wasn't really that much snow.
True enough, though, if you don't want to get wet on your commute, don't draft other riders -- on a commute there's no need to anyway.
Having not yet mastered teleportation, I usually find it necessary to ride up behind other riders if I wish to overtake them. As a result I tend to regard riding without mudguards as rather antisocial.
It's not as bad as riding an electric bike while smoking a [censored], though, which I *have* encountered. I'd rather ride through someone's spray than through their cigarette smoke prior to overtaking <cough>.
-- Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address) <URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/> "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
Not having mudguards prevents people from latching on to your back wheel, as I found out when I tried to draft the chap who was going faster than me through Hyde Park in the rain a couple of weeks ago. Serves me right!
Quoted message said:
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own.
That bit about your own benefit is important - you will keep yourself cleaner and drier, and your bike too.
Quoted message said:
Wandering over to the C+ fora yesterday (as usenet seemed to die in this neck of the woods), there seemed a lot of support for the "if you want to stay dry, stay off my wheel" school of thought.
I can kind of understand where they are coming from but I don't think I'd be too popular on the Sunday morning club runs if I took that attitude.
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own. It's really yucky being stuck behind someone who's throwing an arc of road grime for 10 metres behind them.
Wandering over to the C+ fora yesterday (as usenet seemed to die in this neck of the woods), there seemed a lot of support for the "if you want to stay dry, stay off my wheel" school of thought.
I read that C+ thread. When its wet I use my tourer to commute on because it has mudguards, not to encourage wheel suckers but to keep my feet and legs cleaner.
I caught a guy a few months ago who didn't have mudguards and the road was wet, I simply moved out of the spray and let him go, didn't think, t**t should have had mudguards. I had my at the time BTW. Its the wheel suckers choice whether or not he wants to get sprayed.
What are people's thoughts about the ethics of mudguards?
Not having mudguards prevents people from latching on to your back wheel, as I found out when I tried to draft the chap who was going faster than me through Hyde Park in the rain a couple of weeks ago. Serves me right!
Quoted message said:
My view has been that as a responsible commuter sharing the road with quite a few other cyclists that I *should* use guards for everyone's benefit as well as my own.
That bit about your own benefit is important - you will keep yourself cleaner and drier, and your bike too.
Quoted message said:
Wandering over to the C+ fora yesterday (as usenet seemed to die in this neck of the woods), there seemed a lot of support for the "if you want to stay dry, stay off my wheel" school of thought.
I can kind of understand where they are coming from but I don't think I'd be too popular on the Sunday morning club runs if I took that attitude.
d.
B****r that was my tea!!! Hot too. If you don't have mudguards you have to always wear black? I saw a girl in Hyde Park with a white trouser suit and a neat black line from base to apex. Must have been daft 🙂) fancy not having mudguards!! Sniper8052
I caught a guy a few months ago who didn't have mudguards and the road was wet, I simply moved out of the spray and let him go, didn't think, t**t should have had mudguards. I had my at the time BTW. Its the wheel suckers choice whether or not he wants to get sprayed.
I suppose I'm thinking of a less competitive form of cycle commuting; one which doesn't use the terms "drafting" and "wheel sucker". If you've got a fair few cyclists around it seems antisocial to be chucking water and grime into the air around them.
In message <[email hidden]>, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 18:34:28 +0100, " [Not Responding] " <[email hidden]> wrote in message <[email hidden]>:
Quoted message said:
Last time I encountered snow, the brakes were U/S from fairly early on; reduced to balls of ice. The mudguards seemed to stay clear but I'd put that down to the fact that there wasn't really that much snow.
My brakes were OK. But they are disks :-)
ditto my drum and coaster brakes.:_) -- Chris French, Leeds
