More Bike Cleaning - Muduards don't keep a bike clean!

I do look after my bikes but cleaning in the Winter is pain - after just one short ride the bike can be filthy again. I normally keep the chain as clean as worthwhile (a wipe after a dirty or wet ride and application of oil) but I tend not to clean the whole bike too often. I do a once a year thorough clean (strip down to the frame) in the Spring and then they make do with a wash and rinse for the next 12 months.

I cleaned the Giant mid December but this weekend, after just over 450 miles, I decided I really needed to give it another wash.

Despite running with mudguards they don't keep the bike clean - but just stop me getting a badger stripe up my back. And the bike was probably the dirtiest its been for a long time

I fitted Crud Road Racer (Mk1) back in 2010 to try keep me and the bike a bit drier and cleaner. Here's a picture of the Mk2 version

The Mk2 differ in that the rear mudguard (the rear in the picture) now extends right down to the bottom bracket to try protect the front dérailleur.

I used to take the guards off in the summer as they are easy to remove but have just left them on for the past 2 years.

The guards are made of plastic, very light and fitted with a combination of zip straps (to the brakes) and O rings (to the frame). They tend to rub a bit and can move about but are easy to reset. I think they work fine on my Giant as there is quite good frame clearance.

The other good thing is that they do spares. I have replaced the main length (from the rear) twice now for around £6 a time. Once something went between the tyre and guard and pulled the guard off (and broke it) and the second time due to wear the slot for the zip strap failed. Both times they lasted about 18-24 months. No problems with the front at all. 

When fitted they do look reasonably discrete. I think when I need some more spares I may well fit some more "permanent" mudguards, and there should be plenty of choice as the frame clearance is generous and the Giant also has the fixings on the forks and rear stays.

Here are the before and after pictures:

Bottom Bracket Area

Forks, Front Brake and Mudguard

Chain Stays, Crank and rear wheel

Seat Stays and seat tube - mudguards finish above the front Dérailleur. Good view of my Fibre Flare Shorty light as well

Rear Dérailleur & Chain

Crank Set and chain stay

Detail showing the Cruds stopping above the front
Dérailleur

The rear brake - its covered in muck because the Crud has been rubbing and has worn away a slit for mud to be thrown through

Rear Dérailleur and jockey wheels - messy!

And after - massive improvement all over

Lovely clean cranks, chain and chain stays

Almost fully clean rear Dérailleur - the brown hue on the cassette is muddy rusty water, not rust on the cassette rings

With the chain often in the state seen above accelerated wear is an issue. The chain on the Giant was new about April 2014 and, according to my Cycle Chain wear indicator:

not even 0.75% worn in October of 2014 after over 2500 miles. However another 750 miles or so in the winter and by today (25 Jan 2015) the tool shows that its over 0.75% and quite close to 1%. That's what riding in mud and water does! It'll last until March/April this year when I'll replace it with another KMC chain. This winter I did replace the cassette with a cheaper Tiagra (vs 105) version given the damage the roads do in the winter. The jockey wheels may also need replacing as the bearings are quite soft.

This damage is why I put the Scott away for the worst of the Winter weather.