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I am (currently at least!) determined to stay riding off road throughout the winter. I usually succumb to the winter road bike, but I have built up a winter ready hard tail and want to fit some form of mud protection.
What at would you recommend? Fork mounted or down tube mounted for the front? How about the back?
Mudhugger.
Mudhugger.
edit: Jinx!
I really rate these:
https://www.rockguardz.com/mudguardz/rockguardz-mudguardz-pg450.html
RRP make one similar and so do Mudhugger. Think they are all much the same. But they are brilliant.
RRP Proguard. Have the Rockguardz one and a mudhugger in a box somewhere but the RRP is significantly better than both (coverage, fit, quality).
On the back, nothing. I don't want to be one of 'those' people 😉
I wish to be one of 'those' people without a streak of mud up their back 🙂
I wish to be one of ‘those’ people without a streak of mud up their back
At any cost? Is friends and family walking away worth that much?
Mud??
Zwift season soon surely? 😃
Exactly. Mudgaurd or not, I'm usually covered in the stuff by the end of a winter ride. And I won't open myself up to ruthless ridicule from my riding peers.
RRP Proguard Max Protection here. It's bloody brilliant! I think combining that with the Mudhugger rear would be about as good as it gets.
Front seems a no brainier. Thanks for the tips.
Rear is really a matter of substance over style, but a winter bike never wins on the style front. I have some pretty bikes, but this just might have to be the runt of the litter to save my brown streaked arse!
Mudhugger FR with extension set on a 29r works well but starting to look knackered so I quite fancy the RRP guard.
Decent pair of waterproof shorts for the rear.
Mudhugger has never let me down. But if you want something you can take off easily, then rear Crud is brilliant and very cheap. (as long as you fit the guard to the bracket properly on the initial assembly!!! The "push in" plastic tab underneath is there for a reason. #learnedthehardway )
Sorry, but Mudhugger (again) front and rear on both bikes - really don't give a …. about what other people think, if it keeps just some of the crap off, I'm not bothered what the bike looks like!
They don't make proper mudguards for mtbs, just spray guards.
If you want to stay clean, then you need to make your own. Then you and your bike will stay clean, and you'll start wondering why other people's BBs don't last as long as yours.
All except your lower legs and lower part of the bike.
Decent trousers have been a godsend for me. I bought the Endura MT500 which breathe exceptionally well. They can wet out a bit in the seat area after a couple of hours but nothing too bad. They reduce the amount of water that goes into your shoes significantly and when you get home you're completely clean in the lower half and can just hose them off with your bike and hang them up.
Mudhugger front as well, couldn't bring myself to put one on the rear as they look truly horrific.
I can't recommend Mudhugger -expensive & the rear failed to keep water off my back (not long enough on 26" wheel)
When I complained they offered to sell me an overpriced extension flap - no thanks, I bought on of these
http://www.zefal.com/en/mudguards-mtb/71-deflector-rm29.html
Works well on my hardtail commuter.
Vote for the Muddhuger here.
Trek Rumblefish in full winter-mode - I use a downtime guard as well, I think that came from Halfords. This set-up keeps 90% of the crap off you. I do have the extension flaps on the front and rear guards thou.
The only thing worth noting is that after you've prepped your bike like on paulx photo, the sky suddenly clears up, mud dries up and it feels like it's summer again!!! Try to take the mudguards off then...
Has anyone put a mudhugger front race on the back like this
https://www.themudhugger.co.uk/collections/xc-trail/products/front-race-mudhugger
It looks nicer than the proper rear one was just wondering if it actually did a decent job.
I have a hard tail btw.
AK
Not sure* why you'd pay £25 for a mudhugger when the mucky nutz do the same thing for less than half the price
https://muckynutz.com/mudguards/face_fender_xl
*well, actually, I have come to learn that people like to spend unnecessarily. Not me though, no siree.
Because the muckynutz ones are rubbish and barely offer any protection in comparison?
DezB really? I've got a MuckyNutz front on one bike and a Mudhugger front on the other and I know for definite that the Mudhugger is far more effective! Nothing will be perfect on an MTB, but in my experience the Muckynutz type lets far more crap past it
Has anyone put a mudhugger front race on the back like this
https://www.themudhugger.co.uk/collections/xc-trail/products/front-race-mudhugger
I have just done this, not been out in the rain / muck yet though.
I used to have an RRP enduroguard in the same place which kept muck off the pivots but allowed crap to gather on the front mech (I know, I'm old skool). I'm hoping the longer mudhugger will be better.
Yeah the Mudhugger definitely works better than the flexible fender I had on before. It extends further forward and back.
I'm not sure a front guard would do a lot on the back, other than maybe giving a bit of coverage for shock linkage and dropper? As mud is being thrown up from the rear of the bike and will probably go over the top of the guard at any speed.
Just taken delivery of a Mudhugger front and someone is making a mint off these things. Not obvious yet why now there are alternatives the market isn't offering them for £10-12. Yes I get there are development costs blah-di-blah but the margin must be huuuuge.
Zefal do these, front & rear for less than a rear mudhugger
http://www.zefal.com/en/mudguards-mtb/431-deflector-fm30.html
I don't ride in mud anyway. Got over that in the 90s 😆
[edit]there ya go that Zefal thing (Merlin do em) £12... - £25 for a mudguard! Mugguard I call em. Well, I just made it up so I will from now.
On a big tyred 29er, even the long front rockguard and mud hugger aren't really that great. Most of my high speed stuff that escapes those big front guards goes right up my front.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">I use a THE pro guard on my down tube and stick with a shorter enduro guard style front fender.</span>
Thanks snaps. Will consider these if I need more (kids have 26/27.5 bikes now so likely).
£12.50 at Merlin for anyone following the thread.