Fitting full mudguards to my forks?

Sleeptech
Sleeptech Posts: 43
edited November 2008 in Commuting chat
With the weather as it's been over the past few weeks I'm wanting to fit full mudguards front & back - (mainly for the good of my chainset/chain & panniers which are getting abused by copious amounts of grit)

I've got a rear rack & from what I've read it looks like you can replace the bolts with longer ones & sandwich the stays between the rack & frame eyelets so can't see a problem there but...

My front forks don't have eyelets at their base (other than for fixing discbrake). Halfway up the inside there are two fixing points facing inwards - could I adjust the stays to fix onto these or are they for fitting front racks? My lbs wasn't much help when i bought the bike saying that the 700/32s wouldn't spray too much so wouldn't bother with any- lets say this isn't exactly what i've found...

my forks: http://media.bontrager.com/images/produ ... 264418.jpg

[mod] sorry - feel free to move to this to the workshop...

Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Do you have disc brakes fitted? If not you can use the disc brake mount for the left hand stay, and fit a P-Clip around the right hand fork leg to take the other stay - I did this on my suspension forks before I bought some rigid ones. You can get good quality rubber lined P-Clips from www.stagonset.co.uk
  • Sleeptech
    Sleeptech Posts: 43
    Yup - have disc brakes fitted... Like the idea though - ponders if I could use two or if they'd snag on the brake assembly.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Its worth a try, you could just fit the left hand one higher up the fork, I reckon it would work, no problem with asymmetric stays.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    If you buy the Staginset p-clips, get some extras in a size smaller than you estimate, mine were bigger than expected, I think the measured size is fully closed. They don't cost much and postage is the same. I usually stock up with common sizes of allen bolts and nylock nuts when I buy from them.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Are the threaded holes on the inside of the forks for mudguards? They may well be, racks usually fit to the outside. Even if they are not intended for that I think they could work providing the bolts clear the spokes. You could get some bolts with low profile heads if it was tight.
  • Sleeptech
    Sleeptech Posts: 43
    Cheers for that - was quite anxious to get full guards fitted as have used MTB ones in the past & found them pretty ineffective tbh.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Yep, mtb ones just don't keep your feet dry. I suggest SKS Chromoplastics, they are the best.
  • Sleeptech
    Sleeptech Posts: 43
    (hadn't got your last msg)

    That was the gist of my (slightly longwinded) question...

    They are def threaded (currently have allen bolts in them) - Wasn't really certain as to their purpose & wasn't convinced about fixing stays to the inside of my forks... Have gone over the bars once as a kid, not something I particularly want to repeat :?

    I suppose I could order a set of mudguards & if I get the impression it's a bit risky having them fitting to those fixings I could order the p-clips.
  • Sleeptech
    Sleeptech Posts: 43
    Yup those SKS ones are what I had my eye on from comments in other threads :)
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Sleeptech wrote:
    (hadn't got your last msg)

    That was the gist of my (slightly longwinded) question...

    They are def threaded (currently have allen bolts in them) - Wasn't really certain as to their purpose & wasn't convinced about fixing stays to the inside of my forks... Have gone over the bars once as a kid, not something I particularly want to repeat :?

    I suppose I could order a set of mudguards & if I get the impression it's a bit risky having them fitting to those fixings I could order the p-clips.
    I don't think it would be risky providing there is room, normally they go on the rear of the dropout, not on the outside of the fork, so they are pretty near the spokes anyway. Mudguards can cause lockups if a twig or something gets caught between the tyre and the mudguard, for this reason SKS (and some other brand) mudguards have a quick release plastic clip on the front stay so that the stay pops out and prevents a wheel lockup should that happen. I have had it happen once, they worked as they should.
  • Sleeptech
    Sleeptech Posts: 43
    Ok - will try that first :D Thanks for your help!

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