Decided to install mudguards.

[Ray]

After years of making my own mudguard flaps, I bought a Rawflap (https://rawmudflap.uk) last year. Quite easy to fit, though you do have to take a drill to your guard. I used to use old cut down 2 litre milk bottles riveted to the guard , which did the job but weren’t very durable, so had to be redone every few months. The Rawflap is stiffer and more durable.

The Rawflap does look 'cool', but I believe a rather wider front flap helps to stop water and road muck being thrown up on to your feet and on the bottom bracket and transmission. Scrounge an offcut of builders' damp proof course next time you pass a construction site. I was given a short length a few years ago and have used it on several generations of 'guards. Mudflaps need to be pretty long to give best protection. DPC is flexible enough not to cause trouble on kerbs (or potholes!).

Removing the riveted-on brackets and fastening the 'guards to the fork crown/brake bolts using a zip-tie will save a mm or two of clearance. Drill a couple of holes in the 'guards about half an inch apart and pass the zip-tie through and over the brake bolt/mudguard bridge. After years of doing this I've never had the ties pull through a 'guard, but using a chain side-plate as reinforcement on the inner side of the 'guard would give added peace of mind.

[TrevA]

I actually have an SKS Longboard on the front which does a pretty good job of keeping everything clean, as it reaches down a long way and also follows the profile of the tyre, so prevents any spray onto the shoes or bottom bracket. The rear Longboard is on my wife’s bike.

I only have the rear Rawflap, which is appreciated by my wife as she often rides behind me.

[keyboardmonkey]

After years of making my own mudguard flaps, I bought a Rawflap (https://rawmudflap.uk) last year. Quite easy to fit, though you do have to take a drill to your guard. I used to use old cut down 2 litre milk bottles riveted to the guard , which did the job but weren’t very durable, so had to be redone every few months. The Rawflap is stiffer and more durable.

The Rawflap does look 'cool', but I believe a rather wider front flap helps to stop water and road muck being thrown up on to your feet and on the bottom bracket and transmission. Scrounge an offcut of builders' damp proof course next time you pass a construction site. I was given a short length a few years ago and have used it on several generations of 'guards. Mudflaps need to be pretty long to give best protection. DPC is flexible enough not to cause trouble on kerbs (or potholes!)...

You can choose from a range of widths and sizes as well as the designs you can specify, of course.

(Image altered to remove Social Media @ tag no longer in use.)

On the website there are handy templates that you can copy to get a suggested shape for your mudguards.

[PH]

I'd measure the tyre to crown without the guard, IMO it needs at least 15mm

Just measured it. 10mm.

No harm in trying, nothing to lose except your time, but IMO that isn't enough. You may get them to run smooth on the stand, but you'll soon be having to clear the mud underneath on any dirty roads and if you're only riding clean roads you don't need such chunky tread. A smoother 32mm might be better, less likely to pick up so much muck, even that difference might not be enough. I've been there, frustrated by a couple of otherwise excellent Audax style bikes with similar clearance over 28's.

[mattsccm]

Looked again at pic one. Bolt the guard on properly with just the fork crown mount. Bend the bracket so it put the guard where you want it. No start to think about the stays.

[531colin]

The thing that will lock the front wheel (and send you over the bars) is the mudguard getting carried round with the wheel and everything jamming into that 10mm gap between the front tyre and the fork crown .....everything being the folded up plastic guard, and importantly the metal bits of the guard as well....the stays and the nuts and bolts and metal strips which fix the stays to the guard. ....although sometimes the stays carry on and get wrapped round the axle.

So far, I have found the SKS breakaways to be 100% at preventing this happening....the breakaways release with a considerable clatter and almost all the time whatever got stuck in the first place drops out never to be found....I have had an exception once (off road) when a stick got caught in the spokes and the guard folded up before the stays released; the guard came up alongside the down tube and I could only steer one way, and as I was on grazing land I went round in a circle until I fell off ....I suppose if you had the presence of mind (or panic) you could force the steering. Other than that time, I just put the breakaways back and carry on....I guess they release maybe once a year, on tracks.

Before breakaways were invented I had a couple of nasty moments, luckily both at low speed so I just came to an unplanned stop....one with tarred stones, one with mud and gravel.

10mm gap under the fork crown hasn't caused any problems so far?
I think you have a choice of 2 approaches,
1 make a gap in the guard where it goes through the fork crown so you can set the rest of the guard higher .... use a bracket and an extra pair of stays in front of the fork. If you are risk-averse, cut the bracket which fixes the stays to the guard, so you don't have a continuous loop of metal.
2 fit the guard very closely indeed under the fork crown, using an electric (hot air) paint stripper.
Personally, I am content to have 10 mm clearance.....but it is 10mm, checked with a nut taped to the tyre, and all my bracketry is fitted to the outside of the guard, so the inside has only 2 M4 button flange screw heads fixing each bracket....mudflaps are secured similarly, on the outside of the guard, under the stay bracket.
I have found mud starts to build up on the brackets when you fit them conventionally inside the guard

I have also seen 2 occasions where the rear wheel was locked up by the guard getting jammed under the brake bridge.

[Barrowman]

If the mudguard is pointing right in front of the crown ,you need to either let the left ride further up the stay behind the fork or pull the right down the stay behind the fork.
You might need to tweek the Stays out a bit too .(In fact try that first)

[Cowsham]

Save yourself some cursing and swearing -- buy these at about £26

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod155364

[531colin]

Save yourself some cursing and swearing -- buy these at about £26

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod155364

I get a scary warning from that link

[pete75]

Save yourself some cursing and swearing -- buy these at about £26

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod155364

I get a scary warning from that link

Wise as well as scary.

[andrew_s]

I actually have an SKS Longboard on the front which does a pretty good job of keeping everything clean, as it reaches down a long way and also follows the profile of the tyre, so prevents any spray onto the shoes or bottom bracket.

As Ray noted, you need quite a wide front mudflap to keep your feet clean & dry.
The problem isn't the water spun off the centre of the tyre, which gets caught by the mudguard and a narrow flap, but the water that gets splashed sideways out of a puddle as you ride through it.

Hit standing water at speed, and you can spray quite a lot over your feet, like this...

[Barrowman]

Overshoes or Goretex Boots or Sealskins Socks ( or all 3) help if you are regularly riding in the rain .

[Cowsham]

Save yourself some cursing and swearing -- buy these at about £26

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod155364

I get a scary warning from that link

It's only 5 weeks away ! Sorry.

This one has black Friday on
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline/mudgu ... ountryId=6

[Jupestar]

Thanks for the further replies. I've not done anything yet and not really decided what to do if I'm honest. It could be a while as most of the sensible options require some sort of purchase.

Most sensible thing would be to put these on another bike and buy a set for this IGH bike.

They would fit on my road bike as is, but it's on the turbo and only comes off occasionally. Or my single speed if I put the 32s on, currently have 43s on. They would fit my wife's bike (and be actually useful)but that has (my) 2.1in tyres on.

buy these at about £26

Cowsham, what makes you think these might fit? Where the others don't? Is it just the profile?

you need to either let the left ride further up the stay behind the fork or pull the right down the stay behind the fork.

Tried all this. It has a small bend and a very tight tolerances just leaves no margin for error?

SKS breakaways to be 100% at preventing this happening

Is this the black brackets which fit to the fork with the stays in?

10mm gap under the fork crown hasn't caused any problems so far?

I've not had any problem with these tyres/fork. (Without mudguards). Done some long runs on and off road and about 6 months of commuting.

choice of 2 approaches

Yes I'm tempted to break them and leave a gap under the fork... But would need a L brackets/mudguard clip for the front. Plus seems a shame to cut it when it could be used elsewhere.

A smoother 32mm might be better, less likely to pick up so much muck,

This is a good point, these tyres are really good on and off road, but they do hold the dirt..

[Cowsham]

buy these at about £26

Cowsham, what makes you think these might fit? Where the others don't? Is it just the profile?

Yes they come in two sizes the 38mm should fit -- very easy to instal too.

Edit -- buy yourself a pair of fence wire cutters to cut the stays or use a pair of sharp pliers but they can be damaged since the stays are a bit too heavy a gauge to be cutting with ordinary pliers.

The fence wire cutters will do you your day ( as we say here -- ie you're not young enough to outlast these wire cutters ) and they're on special offer on Amazon atm. When I saw them at £9 I bought another pair cos mine are getting a bit knackered ( they'll do me my day I'd say ) -- I've had them about 25 years but they've seen a hard life. The cutting blades are OK it's just the return spring and lock clip that's gone.

Here's the link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-Expert- ... th=1&psc=1