SKS Chromoplastic mudguards: the long and the short of it

[keyboardmonkey]

Home produced leather flaps are just as good looking and don't tear easily from kerbs and handling, as plastic ones seem to.

Thanks, but I'm going to persevere with these flaps for now although I don't think the rear one is long enough. However, if I replace them it will be with plastic DIY ones rather than leather as I have a pattern and material I'm happy with.

... The main advantage of the low to the ground front guard is that it keeps the bottom bracket and chainset area free of muck and spray. I notice this when cleaning my own and my wife’s winter bike. Hers gets a mucky BB and mine stays clean. Riders behind will appreciate the lower rear guard. I do find that the guards are not quite as stable as normal guards. They can get a bit of wobble on rough roads, but the benefits outweigh the downsides, IMO.

Well, I've only gone and got out the drill and the snips to take a bit off the bottom of the front guard.

Fingers crossed I've not take off too much!

... The front coverage, and as far down as possible, is that will keep your drivetrain and feet dry and clean. Yes, the tradeoff is it snagging on your tyre on curbs.

Have they revised the positioning of the front stay mounts? I had a pair, maybe 5 years or so ago, that have the bottom stay mount about 4"/10cm from the end of the guard. I snapped the front one just below the stays when the mudflap caught on the bar across the bottom of the doorframe of our back door...

I don't know about any revised positioning, but even after trimming 65mm off the bottom of the front mudguard I still managed to snag the flap whilst pushing the bike over the threshold of a uPVC door.

In you pr main photo, I can see you’ve bent the mudguard bracket forward quite a lot to clear the headset. It might be better to pack it a few mm forward with more washers?...

I have now put another washer in front of the crown, but I'm a bit squeamish about having any fewer threads engaged on the brake bolt. In any case both top and bottom headset bearings protrude quite a way out.

I may scoop out a little more at the bottom of the alu bridge to push up the mudguard a bit and get some more clearance under the fork crown.

... You’ve correctly followed Velomati photo rules in having your valves in the same position, but the front tyre label is a bit off, if you were going for dead opposite the valves, so you lose a couple of marks there.

Ha ha. Another good spot. I think the mudguards along with the triple chainset, MTB cassette and pedal reflector would push me in to negative marks anyway. The 23mm tyres came with the wheelset and I plan to swap them both out for a more suitable look to bring my Velomati score up closer to zero To be continued...

[belgiangoth]

23mm? That may be it, I run 38s, so the extra 1.5cm ground clearance may be crucial.

[keyboardmonkey]

23mm? That may be it, I run 38s, so the extra 1.5cm ground clearance may be crucial.

Yeah, I'm happier with how they are now:

Longboards

Not quite so long boards

I reckon that's a fair compromise between coverage and the likelihood of breaking off the mudguard at the stay over time.