FOR AND AGAINST MUDGUARDS

[RustyIron]

Guessing you don't get much rain there ?.... in which case... totally understandable

I guess it's different challenges for folks in different geographic areas . Riding muddy trails here will make you unpopular. Most of the time, the trails will dry out sufficiently after a day or two, so we learn to be patient. People put in a lot of work maintaining trails, and one impatient clown can really tear up a trail that isn't dried out yet.

Different areas have different dirt. After it's rained a lot, there are a few areas where the dirt is mostly decomposed granite. It's GREAT after a rain. The range of hills where I live, though, is completely different. The mud accumulates on your tires, making them bigger and bigger, until they just won't roll any more.

At the end of summer, many trails are totally blown out, and we long for the rains and the resultant hero dirt.

 

[Growmac]

Wow, if we didn't ride muddy trails in the UK we'd only ride about three months of the year.

MudHugger guards look terrible. But that's literally the only issue with them, they work so, so well.

 

[Giff]

The case against mudguards


View attachment 79690

Completely unmovable....stuck solid. Now happened 3/4 times requires serious un blocking to continue ride only to do it again a few yards further on.!
You guys that ride without guards does the same thing happen or is it due to the MGs giving reduced clearance.?

It happened to me yesterday for the first time. Claggy clay like mud and the bike stopped dead. I thought the motor had seized. It would have got blocked probably with or without the mudguard but the mudguard acted as a very effective brake pad and made the wheel impossible to move......I managed to clear some with a stone but on the next decent washed out as the front tyre was still blocked in the side treads.
Tip...avoid craggy mud.
Pics

enclosed post ride and clean-ish..