Cannondale Synapse and Mudguards
pippi_langsamer-2
Posts: 1,454
Half-thinking of a Synapse Carbon Disc as a new Winter/ foul weather option. I see the latest models have the guard mounts (inner fork and add-on rear seat stay bridge), but I can't seem to find a definitive answer a to what mudguards will fit (without severe modifications n bodging), and what size guards will fit under the fork crown with what size tyres etc. Any Synapse owners with any advice?
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Would probably fit 30mm depending on how true the tyre size is - my 25mm GP's measure at 27mm.
The seatstay bridge should come supplied with the bike. At least mine did, in a little spares bag with mounting spacers for the mudguard eyelets and different rubber frame plugs for any future DI2 conversion.
Because of the mounting position half-way up the fork leg you may need to bend the front mudguard stays - I did. See the pic halfway down link below as an (neater than mine!) example. Although the Bontrager ones above seem to have a design that doesn't need this.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=&t=1894593
Not entirely sure what size tyres it is coming with- seems to be conflicting guff with some saying 28, some saying 30mm. I'm not planning on running more than 28 tbh, so I'm assuming the 25-38mm is best option to go for...
Ended up going with the Kinesis Fend-Off's. Full alu guard- very nicely finished (anodised black), and very sturdy (no waggling about like many plastic ones can). Very clever idea with the plastic shop hanger packaging that you recycle as front n rear flappages.
I won't lie- I did have to bodge the front guard. The guards come pre-crimped around the area the guard "should", pass under the fork crown, and also a bit near the front mech. The problem I encountered was that the Synapse doesn't have a mounting boss on the front of the fork- it's on the back. Kinesis says "fine", in the instructions- just fix the mounting bracket to the back. Only problem I found with that is that it puts the guard too far down, and also means the aforementioned crimped bit for the close tolerance under the fork crown now no longer sits where it should....so the guard has to sit a bit lower down and thus decreases tyre clearance.
Soooo......i decided to remove the bracket and re-position further back behind the fork. Wasn't quite as straightforward as I thought, as drilling the original rivets out was HARD! Anyway, got it done, and other than the bracket being a bit off-centre (my fault), it works and I have them fitted. Only got 25mm tyres on at the minute (measure 26mm), but awaiting new wheels which will have 28mm' s on and will have sufficient clearance.
In hindsight, it may have been easier to fix the guard to the rear anyway, and crimp the guard further so it fell under the fork.
Anyway, still recommend the guards. Not the lightest being full metal obvs, but super sturdy and made/ finished very well.
If you leave the bracket where it is the mudguard is in the wrong position.
If you move the bracket, which I did, you end up with a longer unsupported length of mudguard which can flap about more.
I wonder why manufacturers do this - is it fashion? It’s definitely annoying.