Cycling UK Forum

Brucey wrote:

MikeF wrote: .... I've now tried moving the rear of the mudguard quite close to tyre so that maybe a twig cannot be caught, but I'm still wondering if safety clips for the rear mudguard are a better option...

why not do both?

cheers

Yes. I might do. Another idea is to use a cable tie between the stays and the rear rack. This would prevent the stays being forced round and the mudguard jamming in the seat stays, although the end of the mudguard might break. Better that than it trying to kill me! I've had problems to date only off road, although I notice, whilst walking today, that with these strong winds many roads are strewn with twigs.

I'm not so worried about a rear wheel locking up. The front is my only real concern.

pwa wrote:I'm not so worried about a rear wheel locking up. The front is my only real concern.

Yes the front is more concern than the rear, with a danger of losing control and being tipped over the handlebars. The safety clips on the front seem to work well to prevent this...unless someone has had bad experience with these. Jamming of the rear wheel creates a skid and a very sudden stop to pedalling. I'm not sure I would want this to happen on a road.

Brucey wrote:for yonks I have put them (for neatness) underneath the mudguard, but I am now wondering if that presents a nice wedge-shaped gap into which twigs can get easily jammed. By contrast if the mudlflap is attached to the outside of mudguard, maybe jamming is less likely

Quite possibly - an internal flap will encourage a stick to get inside the edges of the mudguard, especially if the flap is as wide or wider than the actual mudguard, whilst an external flap may well mean the stick hits the end of the mudguard and is encouraged to fall out.

Dunno about you blokes, but on my bikes mud builds up on the inside of the guards.
So I keep the inside clean and smooth, and I put the mudflaps and the metalwork on the outside.....inside is just M4 button-flange bolt heads.

If you think a zip tie will stop the tyre carrying the stays round, or that a rear wheel lock-up is not a problem, I hope you never learn the hard way.

531colin wrote:So I keep the inside clean and smooth, and I put the mudflaps and the metalwork on the outside.....inside is just M4 button-flange bolt heads.

Colin what make of guards do you use? The SKS ones I use all seem to have the metalwork on the inside, do you move it?

I usually put the flap on the inside as that way the guard helps to shape the Damp proof course material I like to use and to help keep it a little more rigid.

I think I have several sks, but I basically use whatever comes to hand in the right width.
They all have the fittings mounted inside the guard as found, but I drill out the alloy rivets (they don't last long with the road salt, anyway) and replace them with M4 button flange bolts in stainless (Westfield fasteners, and others)
I put the bottom fittings right at the bottom (F&R) so the end is well supported, and fit mudflaps between guard and bracket, this gives the curvature on the flap.

531colin wrote:I think I have several sks, but I basically use whatever comes to hand in the right width.
They all have the fittings mounted inside the guard as found, but I drill out the alloy rivets (they don't last long with the road salt, anyway) and replace them with M4 button flange bolts in stainless (Westfield fasteners, and others)
I put the bottom fittings right at the bottom (F&R) so the end is well supported, and fit mudflaps between guard and bracket, this gives the curvature on the flap.

Interesting, thanks for the description! Do you happen to have a picture of one?

I linked a picture on the first page of this thread.....just tried to do it again, and the PC had a complete hissy fit.....re-configured Windows and everything. Windows 10 seems to do that much more than Windows 7, I do wish they wouldn't keep "improving" everything......

531colin wrote:I linked a picture on the first page of this thread.....just tried to do it again, and the PC had a complete hissy fit.....re-configured Windows and everything. Windows 10 seems to do that much more than Windows 7, I do wish they wouldn't keep "improving" everything......

I found your flickr-link now, thanks!