Gawd, I've finally cracked - I'm starting to feel sorry for Will ending up on the receiving end. My take on it is...
-You don't get
as mucky behind someone with guards/flaps, but you still get
pretty mucky. The crap doesn't just trickle neatly down to the tarmac like some lab demonstration - it comes out all over the place.
-I'd be seriously surprised if collective lack of mudguards put anyone off doing the training rides this winter - it's predominantly been bone dry and freezing cold. Last time I can recall being caked (prior to last Saturday) was months back (Me:- "I'm still getting covered with crap, however wonderful those guards are"! Nigel W:- "I'm b****y delighted, I am")
-If mudguards are so good at preserving chains, gears etc then why is it always people's winter bikes that eat their rear derailleurs, wrap their chains round their bottom brackets, etc eh?
-Go easy on cantilevering bloomin' great decapitated milk cartons off the end of strap-on guards since they're often not that secure - sooner or later we'll end up with someone's rear tyre stuffing the whole lot up through the chainstays and that'll make an excellent YouTube video.
-If the job description for organising next winter's training rides includes promoting mudguard use, get your applications in now!!