I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

The Best Bike Mudguards for Road Cyclists

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Many cyclists think slapping mudguards on a carbon fiber bike is a little daft, but once you try them you will realize just how useful they can be. Unless it’s pouring rain, it’s the spray from the wheels that most often get you wet, so mudguards are your first line of defense. Not only do the best bike mudguards keep spray from flying into your face and going up your back, but they are also a common courtesy on group rides.

For commuters, fenders are a no brainer, but for cyclists heading out on training rides, they also have the advantage of keeping your feet and legs from getting soaked and chilled. That means you’ll be able to ride longer (also a no brainer).

Types of Mudguards

Full Length

Full length, bolted mudguards are most commonly seen on touring bikes. These obviously provide the best coverage and protect the rider behind you, but they do have limited clearance and won’t fit all bikes. Some have a large rubber flap on the end of the front of the mudguard as well. The longer the front mudguard, the better chance that you feet will stay dry as they are in the firing line for water kicked up from the front wheel. For a bike to accommodate full length mudguards, you’ll want to make sure you have enough clearance under the brakes and behind the seat tube. You also want to make sure it has mudguard mounts.

Plastic Clip-On Guards

Plastic clip-on guards will attach to most road bikes. Clip-on guards are great for bikes without mudguard eyelets, but they typically provide less coverage.

Mountain Bike Style

Mountain bike style mudguards attach to the downtube and seatpost. These will fit on almost any bike, and provide a ton of clearance, but provide the least amount of coverage.

The Best Mudguards

Full Length: Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders

Price: $118

Made of anodized aluminum and adorned with laser graphics and an embossed alloy head badge, the Full Metal Fenders look great. They provide full-wrap coverage, even shielding your shoes and riders on your rear wheel thanks to sturdy rubber mudflaps. Safety release tabs ensure your wheels keep turning even if debris gets lodged between the fender and tire. The mounting system has a creative workaround for forks that do not have a center mounting hole through the use of zip ties. They have two sizes: “The Road” and “The City” that cater to road or commuter bikes.

Full Length: SKS Chromoplastic

Price: $115

The SKS Chromoplastic are a great full length option that have stood the test of time. Made by sandwiching aluminum strips inside plastic housing, they are durable and provide great coverage. They feature stainless steel stays and hardware, with a front fork crown fitting and secu-clip to lock it in place. The Chromoplastic also include a mudflap on the front and a reflector on the rear. They’re available in a variety of sized to fit tires from 20 – 45mm.

Full Length: Velo Orange Hammered Alloy Fender

Price: $65

These fenders feature a classic hammered pattern and include a hardware kit to work with almost any type of mounting in the same finish as the fenders. Made from aluminum alloy for strength while staying lightweight, they come in a variety of sizes to ensure a good fit. They can be a pain to install, but they are built to last.

Clip On: SKS RaceBlade Pro XL 

Price: $60

These easy to install clip on plastic mudguards are designed for 700c tires up to 32mm in width. They can adapt to the radius of the wheel by adjusting the length of the stays. Each mudguard consists of two parts that join together with steel brackets, held by the brake caliper bolt. They do a great job of keeping both your feet and your bottom dry, and protecting the rider behind you from getting sprayed in the face.

Mountain-Bike Style: Zefal Swan Road

Price: $15

If you don’t have mudguard mounts and are looking for some protection from road spray from your rear wheel, then the Zefal Swam Road is a great option. It includes a simple but sturdy bracket that attaches to the seatpost, making it super easy to take on and off.

Mountain-Bike Style: Crud Catcher

Price: $15

The Crud Catcher fits on your downtube to catch any loose mud being flicked up from your front wheel. Mostly used on mountain bikes, you can use it on your road bike as a means of keeping mud and spray out of your face. It’s easy to mount with the supplied fittings, and gets the job done with little fuss.

Your Guide to Winter Cycling

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Unfortunately, it’s that time of year again (for those of us that live in the Northern Hemisphere anyways). The trees are bare, the temperature is dropping, and snow is already creeping down the mountains. Although this may spell the end of days spent on the beach, it doesn’t have to end your cycling season. Here’s what you need to know about winter cycling.

Your Guide to Winter Cycling

Set your goals now

Now is the best time to start setting some goals, and making a plan to get to those goals. Going into the dark, cold season without a plan is a sure way to default to hibernation and way too much Netflix. Think about your goals for next year, where do you want to be at the beginning of next season. Be realistic with what you can actually accomplish over the winter (maybe don’t commit to riding 5 days a week), and focus on some cross training that will, in turn, make you stronger on your bike. Think of winter cycling as your base training, which is general conditioning rather than working on things like speed or endurance.

Layers, layers, and more layers

Staying warm on your bike is absolutely key to winter cycling. If you’re not dressed properly, not only are your muscles going to feel terrible, but it will make you never want to go outside again. In order of importance, think of your head, hands, feet and torso. Most heat escapes through your head, so wearing something like a balaclava under your helmet can be a great way to keep that heat in. Next, you’ll need proper winter cycling gloves that are warm enough, but also allow to steer and shift safely. Some thermal socks are great, as well as thermal shoe covers to keep your toes nice and cozy! Next up, keeping your torso warm is so important. The arms and legs don’t matter as much if your core temperature is nice and warm. Think lots of layers with a jacket that is both water and wind resistant.

Warm Up First

You never want to start your ride feeling chilled or cold. It will take a lot longer to raise your body temperature and get your blood pumping to your extremities. So, do a quick warm up inside before heading out, do some jumping jacks, burpees, or run in place.

Supplement with indoor riding or training

There will be some days that are just too ugly to ride outside, so no need to try be a hero. Having a setup with an indoor trainer can be great for those days. Almost all competitive cyclists will have an indoor setup to maintain high intensity workouts over the winter, as those can just be too tough to try to do out in the elements. If you’re a casual cyclist and don’t want to invest just yet, you can do some focused cross training in the form of swimming, cross country skiing, and strength training to keep up your fitness level.

Take care of your bike

Having a mechanical issue in the warmer months of the year can be inconvenient, but during the winter months it can spell disaster. Avoiding situations before they arise is the best solution, so getting your bike winter ready and starting with fresh parts will ensure they last until spring and beyond. This includes a thorough check over of the chain, brake pads, cables/housing, and tires. You may also want to make some additions in the form of fenders, lights and reflectors , and always carry a chain tool and spare tubes.

Plan your route (and be realistic)

It’s always a good idea to have at least a rough plan of your route no matter what the season, but it’s especially important in the winter. You don’t want to get stuck in an area there is construction or lots of debris on the road. You’ll also want to plan a shorter route than you may usually, that way you won’t get caught out of energy and cold too far from home. You can always add on depending on how you’re feeling.

Don’t try to be a hero

Some days are just no good to be out on your bike, and that’s okay. If you ride over the winter at all, then you’re already a hero, so you have nothing to prove. If it’s super windy, icy, or the middle of a blizzard, just don’t ride. Better to supplement with an indoor training day than risk riding in dangerous conditions.

 

Get Your Bike Ready For Winter

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With the days getting shorter and the temperature dropping, winter is fast approaching. Riding in the winter not only requires a little bit of extra prep in the clothing department, but also for your bike to keep running smooth and minimize breakdowns.

Having a mechanical issue in the warmer months of the year can be inconvenient, but during the winter months it can spell disaster. Avoiding situations before they arise is the best solution, but mechanicals do happen, so being prepared to fix them quickly will ensure you’re not in a bad situation for long. Other measures for the bike can also be taken to keep you warmer as well as safer with the waning light.

Getting Your Bike Winter Ready

Winter Maintenance – Fix it Before it Breaks!

The biggest reason things break on a bike are due to over wear. Newer, well-functioning parts are very rarely going to fail unless due to a crash or some other catastrophic event. Cold temperatures, snow, ice, and grit can quickly deteriorate parts, but starting winter with a few fresh additions will help ensure that they last until spring and beyond.

Chain

With the possibility of snow as well as water spraying up and freezing in your chain along with added road grit, the chain takes a lot more stress in winter months. Start the season with a new one to minimize the risk of it breaking.

Brake Pads

In a lot of areas winter brings with it wet roads which wear down your brake pads much more quickly. This combined with the possibility of roads being slippery due to snow as well as loose sand, cinders, and grit means that you have to brake harder to slow your speed to safely navigate corners, thus further wearing down your brake pads. Start winter with a set that is dedicated to moist conditions.

Cables/Housing

With the grit of salt, cinders, sand, and who knows what else in winter, anything that moves is going to start to experience more drag and friction. Derailleur and brake cables in particular are going to take a lot of abuse and will snap if not properly looked after. Don’t only get new cables on your bike before winter starts, but also new housing if they look worn.

Tires

The dirt and grit on the roads is the biggest factor in what can cause breakdowns. Flats will be much more frequent with this unless you get a more durable tire as well as bigger. A good tire is going to be the biggest deterrent to flats along with keeping enough air in your tires to help prevent pinch flats. Two potential additions to new tires to further help prevent flats are tubeless tires with sealant and thorn proof tubes which are tubes with thicker rubber.

Winter Additions For You Bike

During the summer months the bike is generally stripped down to be the lightest and fastest possible. During the winter, however, it’s highly unnecessary as well as much less functional. Having a few add-ons to the bike will keep you more comfortable, safer, as well as get you out of a situation you would otherwise be stuck on the side of the road with.

Fenders

Even on warmer days as the snow melts, if that’s a thing in your area, the roads are probably still going to be wet. Having fenders will not only keep you dry but will also keep your bike cleaner. In many areas around the country you not only need fenders on group rides, but also a “buddy flap” which is essentially a mud flap that hangs off your rear fender preventing wheel spray into the rider behind you.

Lights

With the shorter amount of daylight, having lights permanently mounted on your bike for when it does in fact get dark or even if it’s just starting to, is more than a good idea and could potentially be a lifesaving decision. In winter in a lot of areas, drivers aren’t always looking for cyclists so even if it’s just starting to get dark, it’s a good idea to turn them on.

Chain Tool

Even with a new chain, they can still break, particularly if you get snow packed into your cassette. Many multi-tools come with a chain-tool that can be used to take out the broken link and shorten the chain to make it home.

Pump

Another valuable addition to your winter setup is a pump instead of CO2 cartridges. With CO2 you only get one try with each and ifit doesn’t work, that’s it. During winter especially, the valve can become frozen while open, letting out all the air you just put into the tire.

Extra Tube

With all the grit on the roads, flatting is an increased possibility and thus having one extra tube might not be enough. Bringing a second or third one can give you piece of mind to keep riding longer on your original route instead of just looking to make it home.

Insulated Bottles

Although separate from your bike, having insulated water bottles will keep you warmer on the road by keeping your liquids from freezing solid as quickly. Put warm water in them when you start and make sure you close the top to push any liquid out that can get trapped in the opening to keep it from freezing shut.

Riding in winter does require more dedication and planning, but if you take the necessary steps to make sure you’re prepared along with your bike, it will keep it fun and enjoyable like every ride should be. Stay ahead of the curve on winter and your rides will stay pleasant and enjoyable all the way until spring.

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