mudguard clearance

nce21
nce21 Posts: 16
edited October 2007 in Workshop
What is the minimum mudguard clearance from the tyre to the brake bridge?

Comments

  • OnTow
    OnTow Posts: 130
    Assuming your question is on the clearance once a guard is fitted...
    At a guess, I'd say about 5mm, but more important at the point closest to the road, where stuff occasionally gets flicked up and in between guard and tyre - which I suspect is why my SKS front guard has a flappy bit at the bottom! Although also to aid releasing the wheel.

    From memory, I think I have about 5mm of clearance.

    SKS guards allegedly break-up/shatter rather than throw you over the handlebars if something big and life-threatening gets stuck in there. They have plastic "safety clips" at the fork eye, which may be some sort of emergency release thing too.

    You have to be mindful that the metal brackets don't rub on the tyre walls too - esp. when taking in to account bumpy roads.

    The drop from fork brake bolt to rim braking surface centre is approx. 57mm - i.e. the distance of my deep drop front brake caliper - which is also slightly wider than a standard caliper, to allow for the guard width.

    Oh, and for this I get to run 25c - There may be room for a 28c under there - just!
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    ...and if you haven't enough clearance then buy Race Blades.

    Cheers, Andy
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    nce21 wrote:
    What is the minimum mudguard clearance from the tyre to the brake bridge?

    Measured about 10mm on my audax specific Tifosi CK7 (that is without guards) which leaves about 5mm between underside of guard and tyre when the guard is in place.

    I have seen the mudguard run over the top of the brake bridge (and sides cut-out of m/g to accomodate) but this leaves the brake exposed to road gunk and difficult to get at for cleaning/adjustment.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • satanas
    satanas Posts: 1,303
    Much less than ~3mm between the guard and the tyre and I'd be worried that the fork could flex enough to touch. :shock: Doesn't seem to happen in practice though!
  • steve watkin
    steve watkin Posts: 40
    Race blades are the answer when clearance is tight
  • OnTow
    OnTow Posts: 130
    satanas wrote:
    Much less than ~3mm between the guard and the tyre and I'd be worried that the fork could flex enough to touch. :shock: Doesn't seem to happen in practice though!
    Mine was delivered with about 5mm of clearance between tyre and guard, and seems to be pretty much the standard config. for my Audaxer - I must admit I was a little sceptical for the first couple of hundred miles though.

    The metal stays are connected to the dropout, so any movement at the fork end automatically moves the mudguard a similar distance.
  • nce21
    nce21 Posts: 16
    Well I wasn't convinced enough to gamble on buying some full guards, which I couldn't use, so race blades it is, got some cheap off ebay.

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