MTB splashguard for chainstay / seat tube
Discussion
A 'Crudcatcher' rear guard can be repurposed for what you describe. They wear anyway, and come loose over years. I've done two bikes for my sons with them. One was a worn one from one of my bikes, the other was found lying beside a trail (worn and fell off another rider's bike). One bike required more cutting to clear the swing of the front mech, and both were secured to the "bridge" between chainstays behind the bottom bracket. One with a bolt, the other with a meaty ziptie because the "bridge" wasn't drilled. The top end is secured to the "brake bridge" between the seat stays. They work to keep smeg off your trousers and shoes, not entirely, but far better than no guard at all. They link up with a Crudcatcher mounted to the seatpost (as per manufacturer's instructions) too. Reasonably effective at protecting the derailleur, but they don't do much for keeping the chain itself clean.
Crudcatcher in the usual mode, plus the top of the repurposed one.
Protection for the seat tube. Notice the cut section (behind the pedal). This is only needed on the drive side.
The cut allows for the swing of the derailleur cage.
Right down there in front of the tyre/above the chain, you can see the oversized ziptie. Cut two slots in the guard, and wrap the tie around the "bridge" between the chainstays.
Ignore the muck on the bike, and the rusty chain, please! These are the result of the bike lying unloved in the garage after being ridden along the sand-filled promenade in the rain! As you can see, there is no build-up of crud that has been thrown off the tyre onto the rear of the seatpost and the derailleur mechanism. It's far from perfect, but much better than nothing at all. There is no "cutting guide" to follow - this is a bodge/hack that I came up with when my boys complained of wet legs/feet on their commutes. Cutting is trial and error until you've got the required clearance - different frames and derailleurs will require more/less cutting to achieve a good fit. And some bikes will be better protected than others too. The photos are of an unloved 2008 GT Avalanche pressed into service as a university commute bike. The one I did for my eldest's Giant hardtail worked out better and required less material trimming off to get the fit right.
Another solution (which I use on my full suspension MTB) is a flexible "front fender" mounted on the chain or seat stays. One like this...
...which can be had from 99p up to more than £15. Mount it front down/tail up on the seatstay of a full sus bike to gain a little protection for the derailleur. Not as effective, but I couldn't make the Crudcatcher solution work for a full sus, whereas the flexi-fender moves with the swing of the rear triangle and prevents a fair amount of crud landing on the mech. Handy in MTB races to avoid a mechanical where you can't change between chainrings at the front.
Hopefully that's some help to you. And at most trail centres, and popular unofficial trails, you can usually find one lying around in the woods. I'm keen on keeping MTB trails free from rubbish, because littering harms our reputation and causes animosity from land owners and other trail users, so I often pick up stuff trailside that ends up being reused, repurposed, recycled or properly disposed of...
Crudcatcher in the usual mode, plus the top of the repurposed one.
Protection for the seat tube. Notice the cut section (behind the pedal). This is only needed on the drive side.
The cut allows for the swing of the derailleur cage.
Right down there in front of the tyre/above the chain, you can see the oversized ziptie. Cut two slots in the guard, and wrap the tie around the "bridge" between the chainstays.
Ignore the muck on the bike, and the rusty chain, please! These are the result of the bike lying unloved in the garage after being ridden along the sand-filled promenade in the rain! As you can see, there is no build-up of crud that has been thrown off the tyre onto the rear of the seatpost and the derailleur mechanism. It's far from perfect, but much better than nothing at all. There is no "cutting guide" to follow - this is a bodge/hack that I came up with when my boys complained of wet legs/feet on their commutes. Cutting is trial and error until you've got the required clearance - different frames and derailleurs will require more/less cutting to achieve a good fit. And some bikes will be better protected than others too. The photos are of an unloved 2008 GT Avalanche pressed into service as a university commute bike. The one I did for my eldest's Giant hardtail worked out better and required less material trimming off to get the fit right.
Another solution (which I use on my full suspension MTB) is a flexible "front fender" mounted on the chain or seat stays. One like this...
...which can be had from 99p up to more than £15. Mount it front down/tail up on the seatstay of a full sus bike to gain a little protection for the derailleur. Not as effective, but I couldn't make the Crudcatcher solution work for a full sus, whereas the flexi-fender moves with the swing of the rear triangle and prevents a fair amount of crud landing on the mech. Handy in MTB races to avoid a mechanical where you can't change between chainrings at the front.
Hopefully that's some help to you. And at most trail centres, and popular unofficial trails, you can usually find one lying around in the woods. I'm keen on keeping MTB trails free from rubbish, because littering harms our reputation and causes animosity from land owners and other trail users, so I often pick up stuff trailside that ends up being reused, repurposed, recycled or properly disposed of...
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 28th April 16:43
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