Mudguards for bikes that don't have eyelets?

rodgers73

I've tried the SKS Raceblades and I'm sick of them. Is there a way I can attach normal mudguards to my frame in the absence of the eyelets on the front fork? Maybe some sort of eyelet bracket that attaches to the front skewer??

src1

Have you tried p-clips?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tor ... s-ec006759

fudgey

Dont know if it helps but i made a little how-to of how i modified my raceblade longs to stop them coming apart. they seem a lot more secure now too.

viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=13004887

The P-clip idea is great too!!

Coach H

P-Clips in various sizes http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... ortmudr200

whoof

Attaching them to the stays with p-clicks is the easy bit. Check if they will fit under the fork crown (and rear brake bridge) as most forks/frames do not have enough clearance to get a mudguard under the fork and leave a safe gap between the tyre and the mudguard.
http://sheldonbrown.com/fenders.html

Salsa

Portland Design Works do ones that can attach via the skewers, a little pricey but look well designed.
http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/pdw ... 3329-p.asp

N0bodyOfTheGoat

SKS Beavertail (XL)?

arthur_scrimshaw

What about the raceblade long, pretty much what you've asked for (including the skewer mounts)

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... wgodUlgAdg

My daughter has these on her Allez and managed to run 25c Duranos with out any clearance problems. They are however still a bit fragile and she lost a few bits of them in crashes etc!

rodgers73

P clips are ok for the front forks? I've used them in the past for the seat stays but not on forks

ayjaycee

This thread is of real interest to me as I have been on a fruitless search for some decent mudguards for my 2015 Specialized Allez Elite fitted with Tiagra calipers and Continental GP 4 Season 700c 25s. I am too soft to spend much time cycling in the rain but as the minor roads down my way rarely dry out at this time of year, I need something that will keep the spray off of me and, if possible. the bike (which, incidentally, does not have built in eyelets).
So far, I have tried Crud Catchers which were total carp due to their inherent flimsiness and the fact that they are a real pain to install - all in all, not worth the aggro. I also tried Bontrager NCS with P clips - they were certainly more substantial than the cruds but, despite supposedly being suitable for my tyres, did not have enough room between caliper and tyre when used with the supplied (and very necessary) bracket. I looked at SKS Raceblades but they probably won't give much protection to the bike and I am also not too confident that they would not rattle around based on how the current model is fixed to the fork with rubber bands - I didn't realise until now that the ones shown at Ribble were still available.
Anyway, I was interested in the reference to the Portland kit (thanks Salsa) which I have to say I had never heard of until now. Following the link on the post to Charliethebkemonger, it indicates that different versions of these mudguards are suitable for either 23 or 28 tyres but there is no mention of 25s. I therefore spoke to Charlie himself at the shop (top bloke by the way) who reckons that the 23 version should fit OK but said they can always go back if not. On the face of it, they are very expensive for mudguards at £70 but they are metal and, supposedly, very solid and if they work will probably be worth it especially as nothing else seems to fit the bill. Hopefully, they will arrive with me on Monday and I will report back in case anybody is interested.

rodgers73

I'd be very interested as I'm riding a Specialized Secteur with 25mm Conti GP4000s so your experience will match mine! By coincidence, on Monday I was riding with a guy with the same bike as mine and he was running 23mm tyres and the Portland mudguards. He was singing their praises so hopefully they will work with 25mms too.

ayjaycee

As I say, I will report back next week after they are fitted and, fingers crossed, ridden with. I gather they they come with with fittings to enable attachment to the skewers but does your secteur have eyelets? I know the latest model does. That said, I will probably try the P Clips first as it will be easier to take the wheels off if needed. I doubt it would make any difference but what calipers are on your bike? If it helps I will measure the gap between mine and the tyres (which I suspect will be the same profile as yours ) - as I mentioned before, my brakes are Tiagra.

86inch

I have the PDW Full Metal guards on my Caad8, and i think they're superb. Expensive, but superb...!

bikebug999

Just fitted PDW 30mm metal mudguards to my 2009 Secteur Elite after going down the route of SKS Raceblade longs which either broke or fell off (they've now withdrawn them for a redesign). I have upgraded brakes to 105 which gave slightly better clearance than the original Tektro's.

I tried fitting them with 25mm Conti 4 Seasons first - the front would fit but not the rear, so rode out today with Conti GP4000 23mm which were fine. The rear mudguard fits fine using the eyelets and I currently have the front using the supplied QR brackets but have a pair of 16mm P clips on the way. The mudguards work well and even look good, matching the colour of my bike. The problem I had today was the mudguard rattling against the bottom of the calipers both front and back. This may be because I fitted them as high as possible when trying with the 25mm tyres so maybe able to lower them slightly, but I also intend putting some neoprene pads in between.

Baxter-Smythe

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/crud-road-racer-mudguard-set-mkii/rp-prod54934?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&ds_e_ad_type=pla&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwuSkBRC7qKq8rr7796sBEiQA5VnSuGcRlTI4lJ55EHVSKTMHwhU0oidaApAPceTIKqjGTYsaAlc08P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

mrushton

Saw some of the PDW on a Pinarello Razahk the other week. They looked superb but that bike has added clearance. I was particularly impressed with the anodized eyelets that go over the qr skewer. Well thought out, expensive and the clearance may be an issue but certainly a class solution

rodgers73

Damn, looks like the PDW are off my list of possibles then!

ayjaycee

I have now tried the PDW mudguards and they were no good for my bike as they (or, at least the rear) did not clear the tyres and they are now going back. That said, I was so impressed with the quality of them that I have now ordered a pair of the larger version (45mm) and if they don't work (or, being quite wide, do not look the part), they will have to go back as well. I did briefly think about trying to 'adapt' the 30mm version to my bike which, at minimum, would have meant cutting away some metal under the rear brake caliper and, probably, reshaping the thing from there to where it attaches to the seat tube but quick concluded that I might have tried it had they only cost £20 but the actual price of £75 was too much to pay for what might turn out to be a load of scrap metal. I will report again when I have tried the new ones which probably won't arrive until next week some time.

All in all, I am a bit p***ed of with the whole mudguard thing at the moment.

ayjaycee

Further to my previous posts,I am unhappy to report that the 45mm PDW mudguards (or 'fenders' in US speak) do not work either as there is simply not enough clearance for the tyre. A step down in tyre size to 23 might sole the problem but I am reluctant to do so as I like 25s, particularly in winter. I think I have now concluded reluctantly that I am simply not going to get mudguards on my Allez.

However obvious and attractive buying another bike might seem to me, I doubt Mrs ayjaycee would put up with it and I will now either have to give up riding a bike in winter or try to get some mudguards for my hybrid, despite the fact that I really don't enjoy riding it as much as the Allez, particularly over anything but a short distance. In honesty, the only reason that I've still got it is the odd summer evening ride to the pub with the Mrs. The hybrid in question is a Specialized Crosstrail comp disk with Suntour NCR front suspension and it does't have eyelets for the front but does on the back.

rodgers73

I've ordered some p-clips and some SKS mudguards. I'm hopeful that these will work together and as your Allez will have the same forks as my Secteur, I'll let you know how I get on.

comsense

I made up plastic clip "eyelets" from the plastic handles off paint cans and used self tapping screws to secure mudguards on several bikes over the years. Advantage of this is that you can fashion clips to fit any shape or size fork. They are secure and if taped under they won't mark the frame. On frames with low clearance I have used the Giant defy mudguards along with these clips to get coverage.

One thing to always look out for is that you have enough SAFE clearance with the guards

ayjaycee

Rodgers,
I would be interested to know how you get on but, from my point of view, I think I really have given up on finding anything decent to fit my Allez - I might decide to take one final trip to my LBS to have another look but that will definitely be it if I don't have any luck. All the best with your efforts and a Happy New Year to you and anybody else who reads this.
Regards, Ayjaycee

ayjaycee

Comsense,
Just noticed your post on Page 2 - what size tyres do you use with the Giant Defy mudguards and on what bike?

comsense

ayjaycee wrote:

Comsense,
Just noticed your post on Page 2 - what size tyres do you use with the Giant Defy mudguards and on what bike?

I have used 25c easily on a large carbon defy and 23c on my wife's a small Avail and 23c on a Colnago dream. Standard chorus brakes on the Colnago but they were long drop on the Defy. I used the same setup on a Sintessi with 105 brakes. There was clearance enough on a Colnago C-50 but for some reason the bottom of the guard wouldn't " follow" the shape of the wheel at the back. I didn't like how they looked on that bike so stopped trying. I am wracking my brain to remember an English shop I bought 2 of their frames and used the same setup - one with long drop brakes and the other with standard.

ayjaycee

Comsense, Thanks for that but I'm not sure that any of your experiences can help with my Allez problem although I a impressed by the range of bikes!

I think I have now officially given up on fitting mudguards to the Allez and have therefore ordered some SKS Chomoplastics to put on my Specialized Crosstrail hybrid which will at least keep me cycling when it's wet (which is most of the time at this time of year). I hope I'm right in not anticipating too many problems with the Crosstrail as it has eyelets and what looks like plenty of room both back and front for the 28mm Conti GP 4 Seasons that are fitted to it. The front eyelets are however a bit weird as they are part way up the back of the Suntour NRX suspension fork and need an angle bracket to adapt them (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... le-bracket).

I am now beginning to wonder whether the outer road bike kit that I usually wear will look too out of place on the hybrid but I'm also thinking that is an issue for another area of the forum unless anybody would like to comment here. I might well post it elsewhere another time.

rodgers73

ayjaycee - my p-clips arrived today and the SKS mudguards will be here in a day or two so I'll let you have an update.

t4tomo

I have used these
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/axiom-mudguard-axle-runners-set-of-4-prod34954/ to get around the lack of eyelets. Currently holding a set of Vaverts onto my Bianchi. Just enough rear clearance under the brake caliper, I sacrificed the front 4 inch of the mudguard as there wasn't clearance under front calliper.

Picture on this thread:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13008298

Very pleased with the Vaverts - the are pretty stiff and don't rattle. Clearance is tight on the back so there is a bit of noise if some mud gets between tyre and guard but it soon clears itself and goes quiet again.

markhewitt1978

Do you mean SKS Raceblade or SKS Raceblade long as they are an entirely different fixing - stupid names I know.

ayjaycee

T4Tomo, Firstly, that's a really nice bike and it looks very cool (or do I mean hot?) in red which, I think, always makes a bike go a bit faster. To ask the same question that I have asked of others - what size and type tyres are you using - my Allez is on 25mm Conti GP 4 Seasons wherein, I think, lies my problem. I really don't want to drop down to 23s but have now come to believe that that is the only way I am ever going to fit full mudguards to the Allez and still get the wheels to turn properly.

Although I have been a fair weather cyclist on a hybrid for some time now (Specialized Crosstrail Comp and, before that cheapo mountain bikes), I am a relative newcomer to road biking but am desperate to keep fitness levels up over the winter to make the most things as and when the weather improves (I think it's becoming an addiction). A turbo trainer does not cut it for me for any longer that 10 minutes hence I have now put some SKS Chromoplastics and new SPD pedals on the hybrid. I have to say that I am really impressed by mudguards. They were a bit fiddly to get right but once that was done, they seem rock solid. The Allez will now stay safely locked up in the shed until later in the year and I will just have to get my fix on the other one - on the plus side, it is red and so I will at least feel quicker than I really am.

Where do hardened roadies stand on wearing road bike kit when riding a hybrid. By that I mean, bib tights, Castelli Gabba etc.?

Rodgers - Good luck with the P Clips etc. I actually bought some when I first thought I would be able to put mudguards on the Allez and never got anywhere near using them as I tried fitting at the back wheel first and realised I was flogging the proverbial dead horse. The P clips are now sitting in a box with all the other misc. bike bits now.

markhewitt1978

ayjaycee wrote:

T4Tomo, Firstly, that's a really nice bike and it looks very cool (or do I mean hot?) in red which, I think, always makes a bike go a bit faster. To ask the same question that I have asked of others - what size and type tyres are you using - my Allez is on 25mm Conti GP 4 Seasons wherein, I think, lies my problem. I really don't want to drop down to 23s but have now come to believe that that is the only way I am ever going to fit full mudguards to the Allez and still get the wheels to turn properly.

I had the same issue. Wanted to fit 25 GP 4 Seasons as the 23's I'd run the previous year were just crazy skinny for bad winter conditions. Which is why I fitted the SKS Raceblade (not long) mudguards which tie onto the forks with oversided elastic bands. A long way off full coverage but enough to keep my legs and backside dry and because they don't go under the brakes there's bags of clearance.

duckson

I have Crud Roadracers on my Allez (size 52 so small) and running GP4000S in 23c on the rear which are more like 24/25mm and 25c on the front....clears fine.
I even had GP4000S 25c on the rear but it catches very slightly and couldnt get it totally quiet.