Getting SKS mudguards to fit - radical solution

rodgers73

I have some standard SKS mudguards that sadly wont fit under my 105 brake calipers and still accommodate my 25mm tyres. I've used clip on guards before and been frustrated by them moving around and eventually rubbing on the wheel.

I'm now thinking of a compromise whereby I cut the SKS mudguards to the same shape as clip on ones (i.e they dont go any further forward on the wheel than the rear side of the brake calliper) then drilling them and fitting a bracket that allows me to bolt them to the calliper.

Any flaws in this plan? Does the thermoplastic material cut easily enough?

First.Aspect

It does cut easily but it will crack in no time. If you need to to this sort of thing, then I'd go for some solid plastic ones instead.

rodgers73

Crack in time as in during the cutting? Or after being used for a while?

First.Aspect

rodgers73 wrote:

Crack in time as in during the cutting? Or after being used for a while?

You might be able to cut them without cracking, but they'll almost certanly split fairly shortly thereafter. But if you have space, good old fashioned duct tape can stop the cracks from propogating.

Mine don't need to be modified, yet they always split eventually near the brake bridge. Once the crack appears, it makes its way across within a week or two. I personally think the laminated construction is a bit crap, but I've stuck with them because I know that they fit, and I can just plug new ones into the old stays.

I once wrestled some fully plastic ones onto an old school Marinoni with very little clearance. Required cutting, filing, a fine drill, cunning use of zip ties, little bits of old inner tube; the works. But once they were on, they lasted about 4 years.

DCDB

I have done something akin to your idea with my crud guards as they don't fit my brakes with 25mm tyres. I cut the guard to create the same size gap as the brakes, then made an aluminium 'bridge' that is pop riveted to the guards and sits over the top of the brake bridge. I cut the Ali so that over the bridge there is a cross bit that I can then tie wrap to the bridge (with a bit of foam underneath to protect the paint). The brakes get some dirt in the due to the gap, but it protects everything else and as I cut the guards carefully I have had no cracking issues.

I have also shortened the SKS front guard on my cross bike, again cutting carefully (junior hacksaw) has led to no cracks.

rodgers73

I've bought some cheapo guards off ebay plus some meccano strips for less than a tenner. If I can cut these to fit I'll just return the SKS guards to Ribble.

Nick Payne

It might not fix your problem, but in the past I've found that "fender nuts" can allow the mudguard to be fitted closer up under the brake than having the mudguard mounting tab under the brake bolt. The nuts are threaded all the way through and broached for a 6mm allen key: they replace the normal brake nut and the mudguard then attaches to the end of them using an M6 capscrew:

rodgers73

They look brilliant!

Thanks!

rafletcher

Double check that it's not the top of the guard itself fouling the underside of the fork crown. I just used a dremel to cut the top off the tab on the guard to get it higher, but that is limited by where it passes under the crown. I could I guess have cut an area of the guard away, but it was just high enough for me.

SKS Longboards have (apparentkly) an aluminium core, so would likely not split with cutting.

fudgey

i dont know if this will help but this is how i modified my SKS raceblade longs to do away with the quick release and make them more secure.

the guards were actually thin aluminium coated in black plastic.

you can buy the little brackets separately so you can probably just rivet some of those to your guards to make them more secure.

viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=13004887&p=19303330#p19303330

genoni

I did exactly as you described and the SKSs are still in one piece after one season. I used the metal mounts from SKS race blades to secure them and bolted through the plastic. So far so good. As an aside, the race blades were absolute rubbish. Probably why they were discontinued?

fudgey

i think they may have been discontinued due to the quick release system failing and the gaurds then jamming on the front/rear wheels - which is why i cut mine up and modded them.
overall they seem to work well, of course the bike still gets dirty if used in grotty conditions but less so than with nothing.

arthur_scrimshaw

Fudgey wrote:

i dont know if this will help but this is how i modified my SKS raceblade longs to do away with the quick release and make them more secure.

the guards were actually thin aluminium coated in black plastic.

you can buy the little brackets separately so you can probably just rivet some of those to your guards to make them more secure.

viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=13004887&p=19303330#p19303330

Longboards and Chromoplastics are made of the same material. I think the op's idea of cutting them and using the brackets from the raceblades (or whatever they were) is a good idea, I've cut my longboards with no issues of splitting.

RobinB2

I've bought some SKS Chromoplastic guards to fit to a Genesis Equilibrium. However, because of the recessed brake nut, the Sheldon fender nuts mentioned above would appear to be the only way I can attach the guards.

Anybody got any experience of the fender nuts on an Equilibrium and also where I might get hold of some?

matt-h

Try the Giant ones.
They have a cut away under the brake bridge to get them closer
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/101002/products/giant-defy-mudguard-set-black-700c.aspx?origin=pla&kwd=&currency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KEQiAyvqyBRChq_iG38PgvLgBEiQAJbasd1Uon9bzKG7IQqBmbtnSgSpzBpQC5gqZOZINXMPAsRcaAoKg8P8HAQ

They fit on my TREK 2.1 a treat

Matt

keef66

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19753389#p19753389]RobinB2[/url] wrote:

I've bought some SKS Chromoplastic guards to fit to a Genesis Equilibrium. However, because of the recessed brake nut, the Sheldon fender nuts mentioned above would appear to be the only way I can attach the guards.

Anybody got any experience of the fender nuts on an Equilibrium and also where I might get hold of some?

Just mount the mudguard clip in front of the fork, ie sandwiched twixt fork and brake caliper? ? That's the way my Chromoplastics are mounted on my Racelight Tk...

I did bend the top of the clip forwards to clear the lower part of the head tube / bearing and allow the guard to be mounted as high as possible and very snug beneath the fork crown.

mattsccm

Is there a hole up through the fork in line with the steering column?
If so bung a cork up it, remove the alloy bracket and self tap a screw up through into the cork. A clever choice of screw might give you an extra mm or two.