Mudguards ( the lack of)

Bod wrote:
Why is it, that most cycles are sold minus mudguards?
Is it just cost cutting or what?

Fashion and what the customer wants. I asked a local bike shop owner the
same question a year or so back, he's a sensible chap and will steer
customers who need a "sensible shopping bike" towards stuff which is
sensible for shopping rather than sensible for riding up/down mountains.

His answer; tried putting models with mudguards in the shop and they don't
sell as well as those without. For some reason, customers prefers the *same*
bike and then add another £40-£80 for mudguards and other sensible extras,
rather than getting the whole lot already on the bike for £20 less than the
price of the loose extras. So, whilst he'll continue to try to get
customers to be sensible, to sell bikes he needs to stock them without
mudguards.

- Nigel




--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Keitht:

Rob Horton wrote:

Who's Stan?

Marshall Mathers

Will the real Lou Kn... Stan please stand up.

--
John

On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:43:11 +0100, Bod
wrote:

It's about aesthetics, they look ****!
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am:

It's about aesthetics, they look ****!

Only on the bottom.

--
John

wrote:
On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:43:11 +0100, Bod
wrote:

It's about aesthetics, they look ****!

Without them,so would you with mud all up your back.

On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:16:18 +0100, Bod
wrote:

snip
Not a problem with Gore-tex trousers & jacket.
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On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:55:30 +0100
Keitht KeithT wrote:

Bod wrote:
Why is it, that most cycles are sold minus mudguards?
Is it just cost cutting or what?
In my eyes, they are an essential requirement.Years ago, all
bicycles were equipped with them,why the change?


I guess it wasn't until the trend for off-road styled bikes came in.

Bikes have been sold without mudguards (or with shortie mudguards) since
the 1970s, when roadrace-style machines were the trend (but there were
still plenty of 20" and 26" wheel 3-speeds in the shops with mudguards
and racks). Utility bikes pretty much disappeared after that except
for the small wheelers, and for a while you had to be a tourist to buy
a large wheel bike with full mudguards. Now that hybrids are
established as the new general purpose bike there are plenty available
set up for utility use with mudguards and racks - these tend to be sold
as city bikes, while the bare bikes are aimed at the sport or leisure
markets.

Rob Horton wrote:
geomannie wrote:
In message , Bod
writes
Why is it, that most cycles are sold minus mudguards?
Is it just cost cutting or what?
In my eyes, they are an essential requirement.Years ago, all
bicycles were equipped with them,why the change?

Two answers, fashion and cost. Young dudes see mudguards as the uncool
works of Stan. The manufactures are only too pleased to save bucks.

If you have a teenager, try sneaking mudguards onto their cycle and
see the reaction (I know, I have).

Who's Stan?

Leave me out of this. I have three bikes & only one has mudguards

Stan Cox

Keitht wrote:
Rob Horton wrote:


Who's Stan?



Marshall Mathers

HTH
Ooooh how I loath that song.

Stan Cox

On Jun 26, 3:43*am, Bod wrote:
Why is it, that most cycles are sold minus mudguards?
Is it just cost cutting or what?
In my eyes, they are an essential requirement.Years ago, all
bicycles were equipped with them,why the change?

The only thing mudguards do on mountain bike is get clogged with mud.
Not a lot use.