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Help a newbie out...should I remove racks and mudguards?

by stampz
Mon, Sep 22, 2014 09:49
18

Morning all,

Looking for some advice...I have only just recently got into cycling...although I have fallen hard and fast in love.

I was given a mountain bike by my brother, but soon discovered this was not suitable for road riding....the cycle to work scheme has just come back round at work and I have opted to get a Boardman CX comp, which I am picking up on Friday and am very excited about!

Anyway...enough babble..my question...as this is going to be by "all rounder bike" (at least until I can convince the wife I "need" a dedicated road bike) I have opted to have mudguards and a pannier rack fitted...these are needed for my commute, but not needed so much for my leisure rides at the weekend...do people remove mudguards and racks for such things...or is it more hassle than it's worth?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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18 comments

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gazza_d | 10 years ago
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Leave 'em on unless you plan on doing serious mountain biking or actual racing or time trialing. Practical & not heavy or energy sapping.

never know when it'll rain & a rack is always handy especially if you leave a bungee or two strapped to it.

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chokofingrz | 10 years ago
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I'd take the rack off, my bike just looks so much more sporty and tempting without it fouling up the lines! (Not on a weekly basis though.)

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wyadvd | 10 years ago
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I am a reasonably fast (17mph ave over a week's cycling 150km) commuter riding a Sabbath September year round since 2008.

I do not find there is a week in the year which justifies taking my mudguards off. And If i am stupid enough to take them off, it makes absolutely no difference to my average speed. Legend has it that UCI regs disallow mudguards because particularly full rear ones are more aerodynamic than none at all. but no serious racer would admit that. IMO the only reason there is a stigma around mudguards is because its not UCI legal to race in them. If you have mudguards , it needs really heavy rain for your legs to get wet and you never get a wet bum.

As for a rack, I find I can get everything I need in the rear pockets of my jersey when commuting so only use my rack when touring.

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Flying Scot | 10 years ago
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My all rounder/ commuter has racks and guards all year round, no shame in that.

Road bike has no guards and 22mm tubulars.....

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stampz | 10 years ago
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Thanks for all the help! Think I will try leaving everything on for a while and seeing how I get one 4

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hampstead_bandit | 10 years ago
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Leave them on all year round. On my commuting road bike a number of times I've taken them off (to make the bike look more 'sporty') during the summer which is no quick thing with full length SKS, and guess what? It rained and I got soaked. I just leave them on all the time now 3

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Redvee | 10 years ago
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I've fitted the front guard stay to the top calliper bolt on the forks, it will need a longer bolt and a spacer but IMHO it looks a lot better than a bent stay.

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Shades | 10 years ago
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Leave them on. Between my road bike and hybrid commuter I've timed my commutes 26 with various 'go-fast' experiments over the years and can categorically state that it makes no difference. In fact this year, apart from 2 weeks in France, I've just left my Crud Roadracer mudguards on my road bike. Nothing demoralises a fellow roadie than overtaking him with mudguards, rack and panniers!

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LondonDynaslow | 10 years ago
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Leave them on, for sure.

They will not slow you down IN THE LEAST. Someone did intervals with our club the other week and he kept up fine on that very bike with all the commuting kit on. I ride my fully mudguarded winter bike when it's wet and the difference in speed is minimal (and it's a second bike - not just the same one with guards on).

However, you will want to take them off if you want to go off-road, on what is a capable offroader, as they'll clog up and snap when they get mud stuck under them.

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therevokid | 10 years ago
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My Ti loveliness has guards on it .... takes 10 mins to swap them on/off but
the bike just looks more "right" with them on so they stay all year round 1

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Redvee | 10 years ago
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If it's the black 2014 model I'd like to see how Halfords mount the front guard as there are no eyelets on the forks. There is however low rider mounts on the forks which is where I'd mount the guards if I was fitting them myself.
I would go in and ask the mechanic building the bike where they'd mount the guards first.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_comp.html

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stampz replied to Redvee | 10 years ago
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Redvee wrote:

If it's the black 2014 model I'd like to see how Halfords mount the front guard as there are no eyelets on the forks. There is however low rider mounts on the forks which is where I'd mount the guards if I was fitting them myself.
I would go in and ask the mechanic building the bike where they'd mount the guards first.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_comp.html

That is indeed the one I have gone for....I thought the guys who was dealing with me seemed quite knowledgeable...he never mentioned anything when I chose guards to go with it.

Apparently they are fitting everything for me for when I collect the bike on Friday...little worried what I am going to find now...

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oozaveared replied to stampz | 10 years ago
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stampz wrote:
Redvee wrote:

If it's the black 2014 model I'd like to see how Halfords mount the front guard as there are no eyelets on the forks. There is however low rider mounts on the forks which is where I'd mount the guards if I was fitting them myself.
I would go in and ask the mechanic building the bike where they'd mount the guards first.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_comp.html

That is indeed the one I have gone for....I thought the guys who was dealing with me seemed quite knowledgeable...he never mentioned anything when I chose guards to go with it.

Apparently they are fitting everything for me for when I collect the bike on Friday...little worried what I am going to find now...

I'd make sure you tested everything before riding it properly. Halfords have previous on all kinds of nonsense, some of it dangerous.

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Dapper Giles replied to Redvee | 10 years ago
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Redvee wrote:

If it's the black 2014 model I'd like to see how Halfords mount the front guard as there are no eyelets on the forks. There is however low rider mounts on the forks which is where I'd mount the guards if I was fitting them myself.
I would go in and ask the mechanic building the bike where they'd mount the guards first.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_comp.html

I have this bike and I can safely say that there eyelets for mudgauards. I fitted a pair of SKS mudguards on it. Just had to bend the stays around the disc brake.

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oozaveared | 10 years ago
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If it's an all rounder of a bike just leave them on. They are practical for commuting and won't stop you riding in the weekend or make you go any slower.

I do have a sunny Sunday bike with no guards but that doesn't go out in the rain. If I just had one bike it would have mudguards on it winter and summer because ... well they keep you dry when the road is wet.

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bikebot | 10 years ago
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Well done for getting mudguards, the commuter behind you says thank you.

Leave them on for the Winter, in the summer months you can take them off for both commuting and weekend rides.

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bashthebox | 10 years ago
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Winter's coming too. Nice to have guards for foul weather rides - though your mates may just enjoy hiding behind you in the dry.

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bamilton wackad... | 10 years ago
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In my opinion, unless you're planning to do fast club runs or the like you're as well just keeping them on. It'll be a faff to take them off and put them back on every weekend and I'm sure you'll tire of it quickly. The weight difference is going to be negligible anyway.

Within a few months you'll convince yourself you need a another bike for weekend rides anyway 3

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