Guards, and why you should use them

[a.twiddler]

The only occasion I've ever had the gap between tyre and mudguard completely clogged it was with a dog turd.

Surely with a modern frame and generous mudguard clearances the only occasion you might expect to have the gap between tyre and mudguard completely clogged would be with the dog itself? Away with these micro clearances of yesteryear!

[foxyrider]

Mudguards clogged with mud whilst cycling on road? That's a new one on me!
Must be some peculiarity of the local soil.

FWIW i've had clogging issues on an un-guarded road bike, mud collecting and almost jamming between tyre and brake - when i stopped i realised that the road, the A38 south of Gloucester, was coated kerb to kerb with a layer of glutinous mud and had been for several miles.

But i've had it with guards fitted too, most recently last week despite running my guards wide (@10mm clearance), all that does is allow even more crud to build up! That was on a ride taking in the Cotswolds.

The reason i started using guards was nothing as prosaic as the OP, nope, my mother insisted as she didn't want to be washing muddy, wet bike kit after every ride (this was back in the days of much more manual washing machines, no hot air driers and less effective soaps). All my multi season bikes have guards fitted, much nicer than getting a 'racing' stripe and wet posterior.

[peetee]

Maybe it’s the soil around here but I’ve yet to find a washing potion that gets the mud stains out of clothing.