I have been sent this requirement for Watership down.

MUDGUARDS, BOTH FRONT AND REAR, ARE REQUIRED ON THIS RIDE OUT OF COURTESY TO
THE VENUES WE USE AND YOUR FELLOW RIDERS.
AS A MINIMUM THESE CAN BE A CRUDCATCHER-STYLE GUARD AT THE FRONT AND A
'WHALE TAIL' (MIN 50 CM) AT THE BACK.

I have big bulky full length metal guards, but now I have the new tyres, I'm not sure that I will still be able to fit them. Some room at the back but not much. Will upload ix when home.

Any suggestions for something that will fit 650mx47 tyres, with practically no room either side of the forks?

Ideally cheap ish as it's a 1 time use.

Ta

I'd just put the old mudguards and old (narrower) tyres back on. It's 100km on minor roads and I'm sure there'll be many riders will be on 28mm tyres. Hardly worth spending money on a single use item. Don't forget to fit a mud flap at the bottom of your rear mudguard - if you fashion one from an empty plastic milk or bleach bottle you'll blend in with the audax cognoscenti.

Would these work? https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m19b0s80p16 ... e-Mudguard I'm liking these, and cheap!

I find that the distance between the tyre and the underside of the fork crown is key - if you are running 650b wheels on a 700 fork, there should be plenty of room?? I've also cut a bit away from the mudguard where it goes past the fork legs - a wee crescent either side - to clear the tyre.

I've got mudhuggers on my gravel bike just now but, whilst good for keeping mud off me, would spray anyone following behind.

JackT wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 10:28 am I'd just put the old mudguards and old (narrower) tyres back on. It's 100km on minor roads and I'm sure there'll be many riders will be on 28mm tyres. Hardly worth spending money on a single use item. Don't forget to fit a mud flap at the bottom of your rear mudguard - if you fashion one from an empty plastic milk or bleach bottle you'll blend in with the audax cognoscenti.

I don't have any narrower tyres now. Will have to see what I can fashion.

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 11:09 am Would these work? https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m19b0s80p16 ... e-Mudguard I'm liking these, and cheap!

I find that the distance between the tyre and the underside of the fork crown is key - if you are running 650b wheels on a 700 fork, there should be plenty of room?? I've also cut a bit away from the mudguard where it goes past the fork legs - a wee crescent either side - to clear the tyre.

I've got mudhuggers on my gravel bike just now but, whilst good for keeping mud off me, would spray anyone following behind.

Personally I would't bother but da rule are da rules. I'm hoping the organiser will approve these ones as they are cheap and universal.

https://www.merlincycles.com/zefal-swan ... 97165.html

Otherwise it's some Zefal G50's I guess, which I guess will move to other bikes as needed.

Mudguards were once a requirement on all audax events, but is now at the discretion of the organiser. Perhaps worth taking a step back to understand why.

In part it's a courtesy to other riders not to have a stream of filthy water cascading up from your rear wheel (note that a crudcatcher style on the rear won't prevent this, and really you need a proper mudflap in addition to a mudguard to keep the spray off any rider behind you, unless you've got an exceptionally long rear mudguard).
But the main reason for the rule was to reduce the impact of muddy riders on controls (checkpoints / refreshment stops). Both wet and muddy feet tramping about the place and wet and muddy arses sitting in chairs. Audax organisers rely on the goodwill of village halls and cafés to host controls. Making a muddy mess on a wet year isn't likely to generate enthusiasm for a return visit.