Are These Mudguards Safe

[Steve O'C]

My sister in law had new mudguards fitted to her bike by a LBS in Cambridge. Surprisingly the front guards did not have a secu clip or similar at the fork.

The stays attach to the mudguard like this:

I could not find a make on the mudguard and I have been unable to find them on a google search. Is there some sort of quick release built in at the mudguard end of the stay? Do you think I should offer to add a Secu clip at the fork?

Thanks in advance

Steve

[foxyrider]

Perfectly safe. They don't need a release at the fork end as they are designed to 'break away' at the mudguard.

Not sure what brand those are but i've seen similar set ups on several brands over the years. Works pretty well although on one set I had I had to reposition the stays several times due to the 'bites' left by the pulled off clip!

[Steve O'C]

Thanks, reassured to hear that. She said the shop was good and they had been fitted very neatly.

[531colin]

I'm not sure they are OK.
The wire stay is fixed at the top end by a metal fixing which I can't quite make out; is this a breakaway fixing?
There is a very obvious metal bridge piece between the left and right wire stays, with 2 rivets fixing it to the mudguard.
The only thing which can be a breakaway fixing is the one fixing the stay to the mudguard, I would check it very carefully.
I think "foxyrider" is talking about mudguards where there is a tiny self-tapping screw which clamps a plastic fitting to the wire stay, and also fixes into the mudguard. I never liked them much, too flimsy and too floppy.

[Brucey]

I agree with Colin; there are rivets for a bridge visible on the bottom fixing too. Maybe the stay is meant to pull out of the plastic piece but I have not seen that type before either so I don't know for sure.

cheers

[Al Wright]

The black plastic fixings for the stays are held in place by grub screws (accessed from tyre side). Those pinch the mudguard and break away to prevent jamming by objects between tyre and mudguard.

[Brucey]

The black plastic fixings for the stays are held in place by grub screws (accessed from tyre side). Those pinch the mudguard and break away to prevent jamming by objects between tyre and mudguard.

I thought that at first but after looking again I agree with Colin that they are not like that after all.

cheers

[KM2]

You could always adjust the bottom of the mudguard very close to the tyre so large objects don't get between tyre and mudguard. Usual practice before breakaway bits were produced. Make the entrance to the problem smaller than the exit from the problem.

[alexnharvey]

Or fit a pair of secuclips.

[Steve O'C]

Thanks folks. Here is a close up of the fitting

I do not think the stay will be held as firmly as with a traditional eyelet bolt but was not sure it would release if required.

I have a couple of Secuclips so will probably fit them next time we visit.

[Si]

Ive used similar ones....the stay does indeed pull out of the little plastic housing if enough force is applied.....leaving the metal stay pointing up at the rider ready to impale them if they happen to be crashing at the time.

[531colin]

You could always adjust the bottom of the mudguard very close to the tyre so large objects don't get between tyre and mudguard. Usual practice before breakaway bits were produced. Make the entrance to the problem smaller than the exit from the problem.

And the "stick in the spokes problem" ?

[KM2]

And the "stick in the spokes problem" ?

Not dealt with by breakaway bits.

[spins]

Why would one even want to ride a bike if he/she thinks that mudguards are not safe? Spokes are much more dangerous.

[Brucey]

And the "stick in the spokes problem" ?

Not dealt with by breakaway bits.

if the stick gets to the back of the forks it will either chuck you over the bars or break. However if you don't have mudguard stay releases, you may be going over the handlebars anyway, because the wheel can be jammed by the mudguard. Even the most feeble twig can cause this kind of prang, whereas if you have stay releases it takes a more substantial piece of wood before you come to grief.

I have seen several wheels that have been wrecked by mudguards tangling with the wheel; even rear wheels can suffer this way. Most recently an expensive 650B rim was turned into something roughly heart-shaped. At least being the rear the rider didn't go over the bars. However by the time the rim was replaced and the wheel rebuilt, it was a ~£130 job. More again for a new tyre etc too of course. Much cheaper/easier/safer to install secu-clips front and rear.

cheers