Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

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Psamathe
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Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Psamathe »

How many people use them on the front wheels? I got my trike with a set and I've added the quick release option but even in the wet do the front wheels throw much muck up (or rather, throw much muck at rider or bike) i.e. are they actually useful?

I'm unsure about fitting the quick release option as when it's all left unattended it makes it very easy for somebody to mess around (even though they are useless to somebody, might not mean they don't get nicked!)

Ian
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Yes - they’re invaluable.

Imagine turning a corner… the inside wheel is directly pointing at you.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
UpWrong
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by UpWrong »

No I don't have them on the front wheels. I regard them as air brakes. On narrow track trikes the spray will hit your elbows mostly. On wider track trikes any spray will mostly miss you, especially if you run slicks.
yostumpy
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by yostumpy »

Psamathe wrote: 24 Aug 2021, 8:38pm How many people use them on the front wheels? I got my trike with a set and I've added the quick release option but even in the wet do the front wheels throw much muck up (or rather, throw much muck at rider or bike) i.e. are they actually useful?

I'm unsure about fitting the quick release option as when it's all left unattended it makes it very easy for somebody to mess around (even though they are useless to somebody, might not mean they don't get nicked!)

Ian

Best thing to do is go for a ride when it’s raining, and answer your own question.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Tigerbiten »

When you hit a puddle above about 10mph the spray off the front wheels is going to hit the back of your legs.
So you're going to get sprayed from the road no matter what you do.
But it's more a question of how high you get splashed/sprayed.
With the guards on, it tends to be lower than head height unless you hit a deep puddle silly fast ..... :lol:
Without the guards and leaning into a corner then all bets are off as to where the spray will hit.
So I'd vote for on.

Luck ........ :D
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squeaker
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by squeaker »

'On' for me. It's not just water that gets deposited on roads, especially in rural areas ;)
"42"
Psamathe
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Psamathe »

squeaker wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 11:19am 'On' for me. It's not just water that gets deposited on roads, especially in rural areas ;)
Very true. I'm house-trained my dogs but it does surprise me that horse riders do similar so their horses only poo on the public roads (the volume on the roads means their fields must be poo free).

Ian
UpWrong
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by UpWrong »

Psamathe wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 11:22am
squeaker wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 11:19am 'On' for me. It's not just water that gets deposited on roads, especially in rural areas ;)
Very true. I'm house-trained my dogs but it does surprise me that horse riders do similar so their horses only poo on the public roads (the volume on the roads means their fields must be poo free).

Ian
Horse poo is ok, horses are vegetarian. Pesticide run off is more of a concern.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by [XAP]Bob »

UpWrong wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 2:49pm
Psamathe wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 11:22am
squeaker wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 11:19am 'On' for me. It's not just water that gets deposited on roads, especially in rural areas ;)
Very true. I'm house-trained my dogs but it does surprise me that horse riders do similar so their horses only poo on the public roads (the volume on the roads means their fields must be poo free).

Ian
Horse poo is ok, horses are vegetarian. Pesticide run off is more of a concern.
Not so nice if you have to push a wheelchair through it. Still far nicer than carnivore excrement though.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
belgiangoth
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by belgiangoth »

I 've done quite some mithering about this - but I am still sans front guards as I don't ride the trike in the rain (I can use the DF), I can't spare the money for 'guards and (particular to my case) I'm not sure they'd fit well.

That said, I wouldn't be much interested in a QR system for guards. If it's worth taking them off then it's worth an extra 5 mins to take off standard 'guards. (Easy for me to say, I don't take mudguards off my other bikes no matter the weather).
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Guard removal on the ICE was one bolt each, no fuss, but I never did
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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n0ct0
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by n0ct0 »

I think I’m a guards on person. The trike is great when the weather is bad, but I didn’t use mine too much over the winter as it doesn’t have front guards. Just need to sell a kidney to pay HP for some. Brexit permitting.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Tigerbiten »

I started with QR bolts on my ICE trikes mudguards.
I found if you lined up the QR levers to the air flow then they didn't hold the mudguards tight enough.
Air resistance had a tendency to rotate the guards around the bolts above 40 mph.
The levers at odd angles solved that but didn't look right.
As I never removed the guards unless I was working on the trike, I swopped to standard bolts.

YMMV ......... :D
Psamathe
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Psamathe »

Tigerbiten wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 12:36pm I started with QR bolts on my ICE trikes mudguards.
I found if you lined up the QR levers to the air flow then they didn't hold the mudguards tight enough.
Air resistance had a tendency to rotate the guards around the bolts above 40 mph.
The levers at odd angles solved that but didn't look right.
As I never removed the guards unless I was working on the trike, I swopped to standard bolts.

YMMV ......... :D
Interesting. I purchased the bent with front mudguards and a recent spares order added the QR's for them (partly because delivery on the items alone made them virtually free on another order).

When I ordered it the shop suggested not bothering with mudguards but I assumed I'd be taking them on tour however good the forecast for the next few months was. Then, looking at it sitting in the kitchen, "aesthetics" made me wonder about them (but still unsure mainly when left outside e.g. shops - something the inquisitive can mess with or easily nick).

I have my doubts I'll get to the 40 mph issues (fastest so far is 20) but I guess it is a risk and at faster speeds you don't want a mudguard suddenly brushing against a wheel.

Reason for the question was after I skimmed through the "Photos of your bent" thread and a fair number of tadpole bents there didn't have front mudguards.

Many thanks all. I think for now I'll leave mine on with the bolts (as fitted when I collected it all).

Ian
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Front Mudguards on Tadpole Trike

Post by Tigerbiten »

Psamathe wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 8:20pmI have my doubts I'll get to the 40 mph

Ian
I've done enough miles to know on good tarmac is if I double the slope down then I'll add roughly 10mph to my speed.
So 2% down is ~20mph, 4%-5% down is ~30mph, 8%-10% down is ~40 mph and 16%-20% down is ~50 mph.
Of these 4 speeds, 30mph is the hardest one to hit.
So you just need a good, long, smooth 10% down and you'll get close.

Luck ............ :D
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