Mudguards, or not?
Discussion
Help me make up my mind, please...
My new bike this year was supposed to be a nice-sunny-days-out-only sort of thing.
So I deliberately didn't get mudguards for it... after all, I have an old Audax bike with all that stuff on already.
However, Wales being what it is, even nice days have caught me out, and many nice days still have wet roads.
While I do have some heavy old fairly waterproof touring boots, they're not the nicest things for quick road blasts.
And, it turns out, I really like riding my new bike - so much so that I'll take it out in dodgy conditions, and i can't see my old bike coming off the trainer for anything less than touring/camping duties (and I'm not doing any of that).
I did consider clip-on type guards, but then I'd have to tape up the paintwork to prevent damage and, realistically, once they're on I'll probably never take them off again anyway.
The guards may as well be full-size front and back if i'm going to do it at all - both to protect the bike and stop me getting wet.
So, should I "spoil" the new bike, or just keep cleaning it, MTFU, and get wet?
My new bike this year was supposed to be a nice-sunny-days-out-only sort of thing.
So I deliberately didn't get mudguards for it... after all, I have an old Audax bike with all that stuff on already.
However, Wales being what it is, even nice days have caught me out, and many nice days still have wet roads.
While I do have some heavy old fairly waterproof touring boots, they're not the nicest things for quick road blasts.
And, it turns out, I really like riding my new bike - so much so that I'll take it out in dodgy conditions, and i can't see my old bike coming off the trainer for anything less than touring/camping duties (and I'm not doing any of that).
I did consider clip-on type guards, but then I'd have to tape up the paintwork to prevent damage and, realistically, once they're on I'll probably never take them off again anyway.
The guards may as well be full-size front and back if i'm going to do it at all - both to protect the bike and stop me getting wet.
So, should I "spoil" the new bike, or just keep cleaning it, MTFU, and get wet?
Tough call!
If it's more 'I try to be out in nice conditions, but often get caught out' - then I'd suggest something like an Ass Saver as a 'get you home' type affair.
If it's more than whilst you have a 'rough weather bike' you prefer the nice one so much you'll go out in all weathers - decent full length guards. If installed properly, they're two minutes to remove or refit around the four days of summer in Wales!
If it's more 'I try to be out in nice conditions, but often get caught out' - then I'd suggest something like an Ass Saver as a 'get you home' type affair.
If it's more than whilst you have a 'rough weather bike' you prefer the nice one so much you'll go out in all weathers - decent full length guards. If installed properly, they're two minutes to remove or refit around the four days of summer in Wales!
Fair enough, then, I'll start looking for some tidy ones that are actually in stock...
... although I'd still lay a tenner on never actually taking them off once they're on!
I guess having disc brakes on this bike will make it even easier than messing with rim brake calipers for the top bolt.
... although I'd still lay a tenner on never actually taking them off once they're on!
I guess having disc brakes on this bike will make it even easier than messing with rim brake calipers for the top bolt.
Have a look at these.
https://www.sks-germany.com/en/products/raceblade-...
I’ve got some for my winter bike, they work really well. Easy to unclip and the fasteners are fairly descreet.
https://www.sks-germany.com/en/products/raceblade-...
I’ve got some for my winter bike, they work really well. Easy to unclip and the fasteners are fairly descreet.
_Hoppers said:
Have a look at these.
https://www.sks-germany.com/en/products/raceblade-...
I’ve got some for my winter bike, they work really well. Easy to unclip and the fasteners are fairly descreet.
32mm tyres and thru-axles here, so those won't do at all! I may well end up with something SKS though, the 20 year old ones on my old bike are still fine https://www.sks-germany.com/en/products/raceblade-...
I’ve got some for my winter bike, they work really well. Easy to unclip and the fasteners are fairly descreet.
I went slightly mad last night and have ordered a "not cheap" set of 'guards...
...I researched and came up with a list of needs and wants, for performance and aesthetics respectively, and that narrowed it down really to 2 sets, one of which I felt would suit the bike better than the other... that naturally would be the more expensive ones
And then I could only find one place with any in stock, so ended up swallowing a premium price on them, too
I will simply never tell SWMBO how much they were
Appearing on the "parts you just bought" thread once they arrive and go on.
...I researched and came up with a list of needs and wants, for performance and aesthetics respectively, and that narrowed it down really to 2 sets, one of which I felt would suit the bike better than the other... that naturally would be the more expensive ones
And then I could only find one place with any in stock, so ended up swallowing a premium price on them, too
I will simply never tell SWMBO how much they were
Appearing on the "parts you just bought" thread once they arrive and go on.
markcp said:
Did you go for PDW? I'm just about to get some after my SKS basically fell apart after 5 years of winter use.
Yes, the PDWs. Decided I like the look of ally ones, and the idea they don't rattle and squeak... although the old SKS types on my audax bike haven't fallen apart, I do spend a lot of time reaching down and trying to stop the front one rubbing on the top of the tyre....
So that narrowed it to the SKS ally, Kinesis Fend Offs, VeloOrange, or the PDWs.
The first 2 are simply too short - I want to keep my feet and BB area dry as much as reasonable. The Fend Offs do have mounts for flaps (cut from their own packaging, which is a nice idea), but tbh, they look a bit s
te with the cut-out flaps fitted.The VO are a good length, but my bike (Kinesis R1) although sort of classically proportioned, is definitely a modern bike. The guards would have to be black to suit, and I could only find the hammered in the right width. I really like those... but not for this bike.
So PDW it was. Like I say, trouble finding any stock at all and although normally I'd maybe wait for more to come in, I want them soon as the weathering is turning, and I suspect the wait may be a long one, given covid etc.
I've offered them up tonight and fitting the rear looks fine and easy, but the front may cause a couple of issues - the breakaway clips are quite bulky and the mounting bolts are on the inside of the fork. There's probably just about enough room clear of the spokes on the non-disc side and while there's plenty of room above the disc, the hose for the calliper looks like it may be a bit tight on the clip. The clips may meet a blade or grinding disc to create a little extra clearance. Oh, and the bike only has a bolt in the top of the fork at the front, and I'm definitely going to want to mount the guard behind, to give the low position to the bottom end flap to protect my feet. I think I'll make up a little bracket to mount under the front bolt, but then run under the crown and let me bolt the guard on further back. If that's not stable enough, I may take a Dremmel to the guard itself and make new holes for its vertical bracket further forward.
I've got a 30-odd mile ride planned with a mate over the Black Mountain on sinday, currently a 50% chance of showers, so I'm aiming to get these fitted tomorrow
Mudguards will save your bike in the winter. When I was riding without guards, a new headset bottom bearing became a regular spring requirement thanks to all the crud thrown up by the front wheel in the wet
Since I started using guards in the winter 3 yrs ago, not had to so much as readjust the headset, never mind fit new bearings.
Since I started using guards in the winter 3 yrs ago, not had to so much as readjust the headset, never mind fit new bearings.
I'll put the "fitting of" bit here, as it's probably more relevant then on the "...bits..." thread.
As mentioned above, I definitely wanted to mount the front further around the wheel than it would sit using the original bracket fitted to the front of my fork. So I bent up a little bracket to bolt to the front of the fork, and then go between the fork and the guard, and let me use some of the original holes to bolt it further back. I also added another hole to the guard to line up with a second hole in the bracket.
I also had to adjust the line of the sides slightly to allow it to sit between the fork legs without rubbing the paint off
But no matter what I bent where, it wouldn't sit well. In the end, I gave up on that and instead cracked out the Dremmel and made a new set of holes further forward to insert the original bracket where I wanted it. This worked just fine and I wish I'd've done it in the first place...
Also needed to cut about an inch off the front stays. I used some tape both side of the guard to cover the original holes plus my extra one, we'll see how that likes the rain, in time.
I also wrapped insulating tape around the grub screws that fix the stays to the break-away clips - I don't want them backing out and going missing!
The rear guard, on the other hand, went straight on without any problems at all. If I get picky, I might add a longer bolt with some spacers to tuck the front end between the stays in towards the tyre a little more.
Slightly scary cutting into such expensive things, but on the whole it's worked out ok. It's looking 50/50 whether they get tested with rain tomorrow
They are rigid as anything now they're on, mind. I'm used to the SKS style plastic ones which flex and bend all over if you so much as touch them... these feel more like you can use them as lifting handles
As mentioned above, I definitely wanted to mount the front further around the wheel than it would sit using the original bracket fitted to the front of my fork. So I bent up a little bracket to bolt to the front of the fork, and then go between the fork and the guard, and let me use some of the original holes to bolt it further back. I also added another hole to the guard to line up with a second hole in the bracket.
I also had to adjust the line of the sides slightly to allow it to sit between the fork legs without rubbing the paint off
But no matter what I bent where, it wouldn't sit well. In the end, I gave up on that and instead cracked out the Dremmel and made a new set of holes further forward to insert the original bracket where I wanted it. This worked just fine and I wish I'd've done it in the first place...
Also needed to cut about an inch off the front stays. I used some tape both side of the guard to cover the original holes plus my extra one, we'll see how that likes the rain, in time.
I also wrapped insulating tape around the grub screws that fix the stays to the break-away clips - I don't want them backing out and going missing!
The rear guard, on the other hand, went straight on without any problems at all. If I get picky, I might add a longer bolt with some spacers to tuck the front end between the stays in towards the tyre a little more.
Slightly scary cutting into such expensive things, but on the whole it's worked out ok. It's looking 50/50 whether they get tested with rain tomorrow
They are rigid as anything now they're on, mind. I'm used to the SKS style plastic ones which flex and bend all over if you so much as touch them... these feel more like you can use them as lifting handles
Edited by defblade on Saturday 14th August 22:51
Good testing today as it was streaming wet most of the time
They work really well at normal speeds, but fast-ish (25/30mph) wet descents need a bit of care - instead of having the pedals level as you go down, which puts the front pedal into the splash zone, you need to keep the front pedal up a bit, and the rear one, although down, still seems to miss most of it.
I did get home with wet feet, but that was in the process of discovering the above
And I don't think they've ruined the lines of the bike too much, either.
They work really well at normal speeds, but fast-ish (25/30mph) wet descents need a bit of care - instead of having the pedals level as you go down, which puts the front pedal into the splash zone, you need to keep the front pedal up a bit, and the rear one, although down, still seems to miss most of it.
I did get home with wet feet, but that was in the process of discovering the above
And I don't think they've ruined the lines of the bike too much, either.
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