Got my new eBike - need to fit mudguards and rack.

[LittleGreyCat]

This is a Specialized Valdo step through.
Some discussion in the "Electrically assisted pedal cycles" board.
However my current needs don't seem to be bike specific.

Firstly, mudguards.
This seems pretty straightforward as there look to be tappings at the fork crown (front and back) and at the bottom of the fork, and similar at the rear triangle (under the bracing piece pointing down).
Anything to watch out for?
I assume traditional mudguards designed to fix to the old style brakes will do for the front.
Big question is can you get different widths of top brackets (to fit around fork crown)?
Also, I wonder what size screws/bolts it takes.
No doubt the copious paperwork will tell me.

Second is fitting a rear carrier.
There are no frame tappings on the rear triangle as I have on two other bikes.
My options seem to be a clamp near the top of the rear triangle, or something bracket like coming off the fitting for the mudguard. on the rear triangle.
I have seen a picture of a carrier with no apparent connection to the seat post area but assume that it must have more than the single fixing usually shared by the bottom of the carrier and a support for the mudguard.

I am now realising how long it is since I did anything to do with fixing accessories to the frame.

[scottg]

Which mark of Vado did you get ?, some have rack & guards pre-fitted.
The pre-fitted version attach at drop out seatstay junction, and at the mudguard
like an 1940s French bike.

example.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo ... 391-206165

[Paulatic]

Vado SL 4.0 SL

Posted in a tappings heading.

Pages 27, 28 of the manual show exactly how to fit mudguards and racks if applicable.

[LittleGreyCat]

Which mark of Vado did you get ?, some have rack & guards pre-fitted.
The pre-fitted version attach at drop out seatstay junction, and at the mudguard
like an 1940s French bike.

example.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo ... 391-206165

Valdo 4.0 SL step through.

I didn't go for the mudguards and racks after reading 531colin's comments about them.

As far as I can tell the rack designed for the bike is integrated with the rear mudguard so you have to buy them together.
531colin didn't rate the rack or the mudguards.

Edit: I am trying to post photos but something went wrong.
Will try again.

[531colin]

Vado SL 4.0 SL

Posted in a tappings heading.

LGC has posted just about the same question on 2 boards.

On the e bike board is a picture of my Vado SL 4 fitted with guards and carrier.

All the frame tappings I used are M5, which is just about universal ( proper touring bikes use M 6 for carrier bottom fixings)
The Specialised guards are Ali and their rack uses the guard as front support, which I think is poor.
I fitted a Tubus rear rack I made a mounting on the seat tube, but you can buy similar things as seatpost collars with carrier fixings

[LittleGreyCat]

I've included a picture of my old Dawes Galaxy to show how that used Pclips to fit the rear rack.

Is that still the way to do it, or are there better options?

I would like to be able to carry panniers, and/or a bag on top of the rack.

I've checked and the Tubus front rack I took off my Wayfarer some time back (too many racks, so little time) should in theory fit.

As this is a disc brake frame I would need a robust rear rack which fits around a disc brake.

[LittleGreyCat]

Vado SL 4.0 SL

Posted in a tappings heading.

<snip>

On the e bike board is a picture of my Vado SL 4 fitted with guards and carrier.

All the frame tappings I used are M5, which is just about universal ( proper touring bikes use M 6 for carrier bottom fixings)
<snip>

Thanks for that.
I am slightly bemused that the thread size isn't stated anywhere, but presumably "everybody uses them" will explain that.
I remembered I had a box of assorted screws and bolts from SJScycles so now I have a number of M5 screws and bolts and I think 2 may even be the same length and head!

[LittleGreyCat]

Vado SL 4.0 SL

Posted in a tappings heading.

Pages 27, 28 of the manual show exactly how to fit mudguards and racks if applicable.

So they do!
I could have sworn that I had read the whole manual but seem to have stopped at Page 24.

[LittleGreyCat]

Anyway, thanks for all the comments so far.

Can I please have recommendations for:

(1) Best make of mudguards

(2) Best make of racks under £100.
[I looked up the Tubus rack but that was over £300!]
At the moment I am planning on day rides and shopping, not heavily laden touring.
However shopping can also be quite heavy.

[531colin]

Vega at £95 from Spa or Cargo for £100 for big panniers; mine has Vega.
Mudguards SKS with breakaways; nothing comes close.
My rear guard is fixed to the carrier legs with 10mm stainless P clips from Westfield fasteners and to the light bracket on the carrier.
Specialised own mudguards are single stay, and you poke the stay in a hole in the dropout and fix it with a grub screw. Quite awful.. not stable, no breakaways. I suppose they get away without the breakaways because they are metal and therefore “won’t” crumple and lock the wheel….well, I didn’t trust them !

[Brucey]

SKS mudguards are probably the best that are currently available. Frustratingly, I have designed mudguards which should be better in nearly every possible way, but these are not likely to be available anytime soon.

[LittleGreyCat]

<snip>
Mudguards SKS with breakaways; nothing comes close.
<snip>

Now on the Spa site and I'm wibbling between the different SKS mudguards.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m19b0s80p13 ... -Mudguards
These seem very similar to the ones on my Wayfarer, and have the extra spray catchers at the bottom.
However I'm not clear how I attach to the seat stays.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m19b0s80p52 ... uards-46mm
These seem to be designed to suit my bike - a nice picture included of a clip that screws upwards into the bridge piece between the seat stays which is what the bike has.
However no spray catcher.

I think I might prefer the Chromoplastic for the extra protection, as long as they could be fitted, but the aluminium should fit (according to the web page) and they are less visually intrusive.

[slowster]

the aluminium should fit (according to the web page) and they are less visually intrusive.

Cut a piece of stiff card 42mm wide. Insert it 'horizontally' in the fork as high above the tyre (i.e. as close to the fork crown) as it will go without bending it. Measure the distance from the card to the fork crown bolt centre. If it is more than ~21mm, the mudguards will not fit without modifying the bracket or bending the mudguard to make the profile narrower/curved where it passes through the fork.

Flat profile mudguards like the SKS Edge are often not a great match for carbon forks with their heavily curved fork crowns and with bolt holes in the crown which are typically much higher than with traditional cast metal fork crowns.

[531colin]

Chromoplastic guards you can fit to the curve of the fork by warming the plastic guard with hot air gun ( electric paint stripper on low setting) To fit to the seat stay bridge just make a screw hole in the guard.
Ali guards are awful rattly things, although I have never used that make.

[LittleGreyCat]

Chromoplastic guards you can fit to the curve of the fork by warming the plastic guard with hot air gun ( electric paint stripper on low setting) To fit to the seat stay bridge just make a screw hole in the guard.
Ali guards are awful rattly things, although I have never used that make.

Thank you again for valuable information.
Chromoplastic it is.