Witterings

I ask the above as I was looking through the thread "Show Us Your Gravel Grinder" and was surprised at how low a percentage had mudguards fitted.

Do most keep their gravel bikes for riding between the spring and autumn and break out their mountain bikes during the wetter winter months?

The winter's been so wet and horrible here you really wouldn't want to ride anything even vaguely off road without mudguards .... a friend bought a new bike the other week and went out of it the same day before he had a chance to fit any and came back absolutely soaked .... he certainly made sure he had a pair before his next outing

Koyote

We have much rain here from fall through spring...So next fall I might fit fenders to my gravel bike, just to make it a little more usable in the rain.

DrIsotope

The fender (singular) on my CX bike is purely to combat the Gravelking SK's propensity for throwing tiny 1-2mm rocks into my shoes. It's been quite rainy here this year, meaning it's rained maybe 10 days this year out of around 90-- last year, we had a stretch of about 130 days without any rain. I can think of 2 instances this year I elected not to ride because of rain, and only one day I rode with proper rain fenders-- and that day, the clouds broke and it was bright and clear within 30 minutes of heading out.

In place of fenders, I've taken to just closely watching the forecasting, and leaving before or after the rain. I don't mind mud. Mud is kinda fun.

Spoonrobot 

Most people who ride gravel aren't going to ride in the rain. Of those, most aren't going to use fenders due to stick/fender crash fears or mud clog fears. Other part is that most fenders are terrible to use with knobbie tires, the stay hardware includes a giant nut right where it can bounce into the side knobs on most tires and cause issues. Very wide and stiff aluminum fenders are needed and most riders aren't going to use them as they're often expensive, unneeded weight and only useful a few times a year.

I have fenders on my regular allroad bikes but I don't really seek out gravel when it's raining. For my race bikes I just deal with it but I've gotten soft as it's been 3 years since I did a gravel event with a wet course. Looking at a clip on fender in the back for a upcoming race that looks like it's going to have some rain.

rumrunn6

after getting soaked & filthy riding in a rain storm



I added fenders, because aside from getting wet from the rain falling on me, I also got filthy from the mud, etc. I just kept the fenders on on all year long cuz I'm lazy & they come in handy every now & then. Last summer I was tempted to take them off but didn't cuz I was still lazy. Maybe this summer ...

Even with fenders, of course, depending on conditions, you can still get a bit dirty, but it's not as bad. Glad I had them this day cuz there was a lot of horse manure mixed in with the mud. ewww

ksryder

Where I live in Kansas we don't get that much rain or snow (anymore) and the gravel roads usually dry out pretty quickly unless it's been raining for several days. I'll typically ride if it's a little sloppy but if it's too muddy I'll either stick to pavement or the trainer.

For years, the local riding culture has been to ride gravel from October to April and road bikes come out in the summer. That's been changing the past couple years to year-round gravel for a lot of people.

Most around here don't use fenders because of mud and rock clearance issues and it's just not really needed 80% of the time. Quite a few people use Ass Savers. I'm sure the censor probably won't let me post a link but do a search for A$$ savers but without the dollar signs.

ETA: oh wow it didn't censor the word. Surprising, considering how many non-curse words this thing actually censors.

Witterings

It's not so much actual rain at the time that causes the problem here it's the muck / mud that's thrown up from the puddles left behind with 2 short bits of the ride we often do over a footpath at the side of a field that cause the real problem.

Even going through the puddles with mudguards the water splashes out to the sides getting your feet / the bottom half of your leg, the fenders though do stop it / the wetness going into your face and all the way up your back ... my friend when he went out without any his backside was what got the biggest drenching and found the last part of the ride particularly uncomfortable as it has totally soaked down through his shorts / pants.

Sullalto

I use fenders, but I live in a rainforest. In fall/winter/early spring, consecutive days without rain is a celebration.

KraneXL

I live in an apartment so I don't ride in inclement weather. Fortunately, I live in soCal so that's rarely an issue.

chas58

Yeah, everyone should have at least a rear fender. I did a 2 day tour once, where it rained the first day. I was amazed at how many squeeky bikes and riders with a mud stripe on their back were riding the second day. Simple fix with a rear fender.

I'm happy letting my downtube be my front fender, but not sure why one wouldn't have a rear fender. I even have one on my CX bike when I race.

Interestingly the front fender creates a high pressure zone around it, so there is effectively no drag caused by it. Or to take it further, a faring on the top half of the wheel even reduces drag (and is illegal for racing).

I like the SKS plastic trekking fenders. they are easy to remove - so I just put the front one on for those messy days. But in winter and fall, mud is going to be an issue for me (unless it is a day like yesterday, when the mud is all frozen and hard pack)

rumrunn6

I would take wet ice instead of mud, any day of the week

Seattle Forrest

In the winter, I ride after work when it's dry out, but instead of doing long weekend rides, I go cross country skiing.

fietsbob

My only bikes without mudguards rarely get used. the ones just inside the front door all have mudguards and racks for bags.

Barrettscv 

I keep a rear fender on my gravel bike and on my Cyclocross bike continuously. I’ll add a Planet Bike Speedez front fender when conditions are soggy, these fenders install and can be removed quickly. I’ll never had an issue with mud accumulation, gravel roads in my area sandy, not muddy.

KraneXL

Maybe I'll buy a pair of the snap-ons? On the other hand, I bought rain pants and cap two years ago and havn't used them yet. I guess it depends on what the weather's like in your neck of the woods.

Ben I.

I personally don't like the look of fenders BUT I do put them on in fall and spring when there's more rain and the trails are wet. It's either that or I hose my bike off after every ride. To me fenders are helpful but as soon as it's nice out, they immediately come off the bike.