It is now mudguard season.
To participate in a club ride you MUST have at least a full-length rear mudguard. A front guard is optional but your feet will thank you!
The mudguard rule is in place for the benefit of the other riders in your group, it prevents them being covered in the water, mud, grit, gravel, salt, manure etc thrown up by your rear wheel. We ride in groups to be sociable, so it is polite and sociable to fit a mudguard of the correct length. A bonus is it keeps you drier and cleaner, but primarily it benefits those who you have come along to ride with.
Please make sure that the end of your mudguard is below the line of your bike’s chainstay – see pic below for the absolute minimum length to comply with the rule.
However, the longer the better, as longer mudguards dramatically cut down on the muck thrown up off the road onto those behind you.
Cotswold Cycles can help advise on the best guards for your bike and sell various types.
If you need an extension then Cotswold Cycles also has stock of snazzy NCCC mudguard extensions for less than £10 – and the shop will even fit them for free!